Colorado Ski Country USA

Press Room

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Jennifer Rudolph
303.866.9712
Jennifer@ColoradoSki.com

DENVER, Colo. - January 26, 2009 - Several Colorado ski resorts have recently launched new carpool and bus incentive programs, encouraging skiers and riders to take fewer cars to the mountains. Some resorts offer preferential parking, giveaways, and great deals on lift tickets to guests who drive up together. Others offer premier bus and rail service to make the commute effortless for ski season travelers.

The recent push to cut back on car travel is aimed at helping skiers and riders economize, relieving traffic congestion, and reducing the environmental impact of driving to the mountains.

SkiCarpool.org estimates that for every 1,000 carpools, drivers save $32,000 worth of gas money and spare the environment 360,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. Commuting with others is a smart way to go green without spending green.

"Carpooling and alternative transportation are immediate ways for skiers and riders to help improve the overall mountain driving experience," explains Melanie Mills, president and CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA. "Carpooling helps ease traffic congestion, reduce C02 emissions and makes the overall experience of going to the mountains an enjoyable and social one," continued Mills.

Resorts across ski country are promoting this sustainable practice by providing new carpool and bus options, and other travel alternatives for skiers and riders.

Arapahoe Basin
Arapahoe Basin strongly encourages guests and employees to ride the free Summit Stage bus or to carpool to the ski area. The Summit Stage is a free bus, which offers routes to and from A-Basin from other Summit County locations, operating from mid-November through mid-April.

Arapahoe Basin also offers incentives for riders who carpool. Carpoolers who travel with four or more people in their vehicle receive discounted lift tickets if all of the riders come to the ticket window together, even if some of them already have other passes. More information can be found at www.ArapahoeBasin.com.

Aspen/Snowmass
Aspen/Snowmass partners with the City of Aspen to give guests who carpool with two or more adults of driving age a free parking pass for all day parking. Carpool parking permits are available at the airport parking kiosk. Details can be found at www.AspenSnowmass.com.

Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain is on the cutting edge in caring for its carpoolers. On select Carpool Celebration Days, Copper offers premier parking near the Transportation Center bus stop in the Alpine Lot for those carpooling to Copper with four or more people in their vehicle. Carpoolers enjoy VIP parking close to the shuttle buses and a short walk back to their car at the end of the day. Carpoolers should turn right into the resort on Copper Road and then take an immediate left for preferred parking on these special days. 

On Carpool Celebration Days, guests also receive carpool bumper stickers with fun slogans such as "Carpoolers Get More Action," "Carpoolers Do it Together" and "Copper Pities the Fool That Doesn't Carpool;" a great deal on lunch at any Copper food court; and the chance to enter a contest to win four season passes for next season. 

Upcoming Copper Carpool Celebration Days include the Saturdays of January 31st, February 28th, and March 28th. For more information, visit www.CopperColorado.com/Environment.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Heavy snowfall in the Colorado's southwest region is causing many skiers and riders to want to venture farther away from their own backyards. Crested Butte Mountain Resort has partnered with The Ski Organizers to help people living on Colorado's Front Range travel to Crested Butte with a comfortable and environmentally friendly coach service.

Skiers and snowboarders who book the weekend bus packages meet the Ski Bus at established pick-up locations and have a hassle-free ride straight into Crested Butte. The Ski Organizers coordinate the bus transfers, pick-up location, and other logistics.
 
All weekend ski packages include two nights accommodation in Crested Butte, round trip private bus transportation from the Front Range, and two days of skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Guests can choose to stay at Paradise Condominiums, The Grand Lodge, or the Lodge at Mountaineer Square.  For more information and booking options, go to www.Bus2SkiCB.com.

Durango Mountain Resort
Durango Mountain Resort is such a great place that some employees drive especially far distances to work there. The mountain gives those employees some help paying for transportation through its Carpool Incentive Program, if the employees choose to carpool.

Through the program, DMR subsidizes part of the cost of driving for employee carpoolers. The mountain gives eight dollars per trip to employees who drive more than 45 miles one-way with 1 passenger in their car and $12 to drivers who travel over 45 miles to be there with two people in their car. For trips between 10-45 miles one-way, the mountain gives seven dollars per trip to employees with one person in their car and $10 if the driver travels with two passengers in their car.
DMR also offers an employee bus service with three shuttles in the morning and two in the afternoon. The employee bus has eight stops throughout the town of Durango and is free to all employees. More information can be found on Durango Mountain Resort's website, www.DurangoMountainResort.com, or by calling 970-385-2131.
Echo Mountain
In conjunction with Parker Parks & Recreation, South Suburban Parks & Recreation, and Highlands Ranch Parks & Recreation, the first Echo Shuttle of the season embarked on Monday, January 19th. The next Echo Shuttle is scheduled for President's Day, Monday, February 16th, and will depart the Lone Tree Recreation Center at 8:00 a.m. 

The Echo Shuttle package includes round-trip transportation, an Echo lift ticket, a two-hour group lesson and rental equipment for $58. The Echo Shuttle is limited to 49 people and space is first come, first serve. Please visit www.echomt.com or call Echo Mountain for details at (303) 325-7347, x117.

Eldora Mountain Resort
Located only 21 miles from Boulder and 45 miles from Denver, Eldora mountain resort is uniquely situated near several of Colorado's main metropolitan areas. Eldora encourages guests to take advantage of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) Ski-n-Ride program. The Ski-n-Ride bus service picks guests up at the Boulder RTD station at 14th Street & Walnut, and drops guests off a few steps from Eldora's chairlifts. Visit www.rtd-denver.com for schedule and details. 

Monarch Mountain
Monarch helps its employees get to and from work with a daily shuttle. The resort operates two reconditioned school busses that carry 75 to 140 workers from Salida and Poncha Springs to Monarch Mountain daily. On Saturdays, Monarch sponsors a bus through Salida Parks and Recreation that shuttles riders to the ski area for only $5.00. Check out www.SkiMonarch.com or call 888.996 7669 for more information.

Telluride Ski Resort
Telluride has won several prestigious environmental awards during the past several years and has developed innovative travel programs as part of its overall environmental package. Among other initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the resort partnered with the city of Telluride and others to implement a free gondola service, which reduces the need for an eight-mile drive between Mountain Village and Telluride.  Approximately 2 million people (and pets) ride the gondola system, known as the "G", each year. 

The mountain also partners in the Chondola system, which provides free public transportation for workers from the densely populated Meadows area to Mountain Village and Telluride. In addition, Telluride maintains a year-round trail system throughout Mountain Village to connect residential and hotel areas to gondola transportation systems. 

For its employees, the mountain operates its Telski shuttles to Montrose and Norwood. The shuttles save employees approximately 500,000 miles of driving per year. For details, please visit www.TellurideSkiResort.com or call 970-728-7404.

Winter Park
The Ski Train to Winter Park is one of ski country's signature public transit options. America's largest scheduled passenger train is in its 69th season of operation this year. Guests will be instantly enamored with this scenic and convenient rail line, which travels through the end of March on Saturdays and Sundays and with Friday service beginning on February 6, 2009 and Thursday service beginning February 19, 2009. The train drops skiers directly at the base of Winter Park and travels through some of Colorado's most picturesque landscapes along the way. More information can be found at www.SkiTrain.com.

Wolf Creek
Wolf Creek's "Share the Ride, Share the Fun" carpool program links skiers who need rides with those who are looking for someone to share the driving cost. Those interested in carpooling can sign up on Wolf Creek's website, www.WolfCreekSki.com, or by visiting www.alternetrides.com.

Participants indicate whether they are seeking or offering a ride, as well as other information such as trip dates and if they expect to exchange gas money. The free, online service has seen success so far, with a number of people registering to carpool from as far away as Albuquerque and Santa Fe.