Terrain:
Powderhorn has some very playful terrain for all levels. There are some great steady blues for beginner and intermediate skiers and riders. There is also an entire area dedicated to new skiers and riders, so they have their own area to learn without having to worry about other riders coming into their space.
This resort also has two fun terrain parks. One has a great S/M jump line that is perfect for newer park riders. Then there is a small rail park with S features for newer park riders as well. Because of this there was a small park rat presence at the resort that I was not expecting. If you like doing a park run every now and then while you are riding, then this is a great place for it.
I was also pleasantly surprised at the expert terrain I was able to find. I found run after run of what I call mushroom patches. Mushroom patches are runs that are covered in rocks that have been buried in snow. This makes the rocks look like a mushroom because of the snow cap on top. Because of this, it creates tons and tons of opportunities to ride from one rock to the next, like you’re bouncing on top of the mushrooms. This is what most advanced skiers dream of. When I happened upon these runs, I was gleaming ear to ear with excitement. These mushroom patches were hiddened off of the glades from the West-End lift; Mad Dog Glade, Thunder Mountain Glade, Upper and Lower Thunder Glades. These runs are double blacks and recommended for experts only. I would definitely check them out on a great powder day. Most resorts do not have mushroom patches that are in bounds, nore do most resorts have multiple mushroom patches. This was a huge surprise and made Powderhorn a hidden gem. When looking at the resort, you would expect it to have a small local feel with limited expert terrain, but it is just hidden to those who don’t explore.
Base Elevation – 8,200 ft
Peak Elevation – 9,850 ft
Number of Lifts – 4
Number of Trails – 50
Total Terrain – 1,600 acres
Easiest Terrain (Greens) – 20%
More Difficult Terrain (Blues) – 50%
Most Difficult/Expert Terrain (Blacks/Double Blacks) – 30%
Resort Hours – 9am-4pm Daily
Atmosphere and Locals:
I happened to be at Powderhorn on their busiest day of the season, which is their college day for Colorado Mesa University. This was a very fun day to be on the mountain. Although they said it was their most crowded days, I was able to have entire runs to myself and was never in a long lift line. It was amazing! It was also nice to meet the local college students who were very friendly and enjoyed meeting people. This rang true for the rest of the locals on the mountain as well.
Accessibility and Parking:
Powderhorn is the furthest west resort on I-70 in Colorado. For those coming from Denver it is about four hours up I-70, but it is fifty minutes from Grand Junction, which makes it their local resort. It is tucked away off of I-70 and does not get much traffic. It is only about twenty minutes of non-highway driving making the road there reasonably safer than others. There is no mountain pass one has to take but a small winding road to the resort.
There is plenty of free parking at the base of the mountain, but the further away you park the longer the walk and the more stairs you’ll have to take with all your gear.
Pricing: $
There is a cafeteria area that has low priced food for a resort. There is also a quaint bar near the cafeteria with reasonably priced drinks as well. They also have a small barbecue restaurant area on the deck of their base building. This is perfectly priced and affordable with great food! As far as food and drink prices go, Powderhorn is one of the most affordable resorts for how big it is.
Lift Tickets –
Adult (30-74): $79
Young Adult (13-29): $69
Junior (6-12): $39
Child (5 & Under): $19
Senior (75-79): $39
Super Senior (80+): $19
Morning Half Day (9am – 12pm): $54
Afternoon Half Day (12pm – 4pm): $64
Late Afternoon (2pm – 4pm): $49
Associated Season Pass – Power Pass
Lessons –
Group Lesson Pricing (5 – 7): $99 (2 Hours), $49 (Upgrade to Full Day)
6-Pack Group Lesson (5-7): $399
Private Lesson Pricing (3 – 7): $149 (1.5 hours; 9-10:30am), $149 (1 Hour), $49 (Upgrade to an Additional Hour)
6-Pack of Private Lessons: $499
Private Lessons (Ages 8 & Up): $149 (1.5 hours 9am – 10:30am), $149 (1 Hour), $49 (Upgrade to an Additional Hour)
6 – Pack Private Lesson:$499
Group Lessons (Ages 8 & Up); $99(2 Hour), $49( Upgrade to a Full Day)
6 Pack-Group Lesson:$399
Rentals –
Junior Rental Rates (12 and under):
Skis + Boots $27.99
Snowboard + Boots $27.99
High Performance Snowboard Package $39.99
Skis/Snowboard Only $14.99
High Performance Snowboard Only $24.99
Ski/Snowboard Boots Only $14.99
Adult Ski and Snowboard Rental Rates:
Skis + Boots $42.99
Snowboard Sport Package $42.99
High Performance Ski Package $54.99
High Performance Snowboard Package $54.99
Adult Boots Only $19.99
Adult High Performance Boots Only $24.99
Skis/Snowboard Only $29.99
High Performance Skis/Snowboard Only $42.99
For more information visit http://www.powderhorn.com/
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