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Got a Snowboard? Got Kids? Get to Wolf Creek!
Wolf Creek Ski Area is just 25 miles from the tiny town of Pagosa Springs in southwest Colorado. It is a family and snowboard friendly "non-resort" resort. The focus here is definitely on fun rather than fashion or frills. "Skiing like it used to be", as one employee boasted.
Wolf Creek has a well-deserved reputation for getting the best and most snow in Colorado. The average annual natural snowfall is 38 feet. With 1581 skiable acres and 50 trails (the longest being 2 miles), slope difficulty is divided into: 20% beginners, 35% intermediate, 25% advanced, and 20% expert.
You'll hear much ado about Knife Ridge while there: 200 acres of very challenging terrain for those skiers and snowboarders who want an out-back experience of steep chutes and glade skiing.
One might also observe that at least 30% of the fun seekers are on snowboards. Boards can be rented on property, as can alpine and telemark skis. To say that Wolf Creek is "Snowboarder Friendly" is an understatement. Enthusiasts fresh off the slopes have been known to dub it "epic" for snowboarding. There is a snowboard shop on the property, and children as young as four may enjoy board lessons.
Speaking of children, you would be hard pressed to find a more family-oriented resort. The teaching staff is comprised of some very committed and motivating instructors with several years of experience on the Wolf Creek slopes. All ages, sizes, and ability levels pour down the hill alongside the hot shot snowboarders, everyone gleefully coexisting and respecting the safety and abilities of others.
There is a WOLF PUP Program for children ages 5 to 8 which teaches them to ski in a fun, all day format that includes lift tickets, lunch, and peer support. For 9 to 12 year olds, there is the HOT SHOT program: full and half day packages that combine lessons and lift tickets for those who want to venture over the whole mountain.
Wolf Creek has four chair lifts, a rolling conveyer, and the newly operational Alberta quad chairlift. This lift will allow experts access to some of the best parts of the mountain previously unavailable to them (and closely guarded as secrets by some of the staff).
There are two places to get great food at Wolf Creek: The Prospector Lodge and the Wolf Creek Lodge. It is a known fact that the food here is outstanding. Look for specialty soups, chilis, and curries to complement the large grill menu, a salad bar, and a pasta bar. Speaking of bars, the Pathfinder Bar serves a great selection of beers, mixed drinks, and hot wine.
A full day lift ticket for an adult is $37. There are 8 ticket windows open from 8:30am, and the lifts operate from 9am to 4pm. Wolf Creek offers complete ski school programs for all levels, in group or individual formats. You can check their web site Wolf Ski Creek for daily postings of snow conditions.
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