After Flooding Sidelined Plans, Colorado's Snowiest Ski Area Reopens This Weekend

Ready for a rerun of opening day?

Wolf Creek is. The Colorado ski area was forced to close just after welcoming the first skiers and snowboarders of the season when pouring rain and historic floods hit the southwest corner of the state.

Now, working alongside the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Wolf Creek has plans for a weekend reopening.

The lifts will spin on Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15, with what appears to be one of the largest—or the largest—amounts of available terrain at any ski area currently open in North America. The Treasure Stoke, Bonanza, Tumbler, Lynx, and Nova lifts are scheduled to operate, providing access to more than half of Wolf Creek’s slopes. That includes a mix of groomed and ungroomed trails. 

Per Wolf Creek’s webcams, the snow coverage is widespread, even down to the base area. More snow is also expected to fall over the weekend and into next week. Still, the resort advised skiers to watch out for unmarked obstacles like rocks and open water.

Getting to Wolf Creek will look different than usual. After the floods, work continues on Wolf Creek Pass, meaning drivers should be prepared for single-lane traffic, construction vehicles entering the roadway, delays, sudden stops, and changing lanes. The ski area added that the commute could include up to 40 minutes of additional drive time, and that the incoming winter weather could result in closures.

The Pass will close again on Monday, November 16, at 6 a.m. as contractors work toward reopening the road permanently in time for Thanksgiving. For locals and those planning a trip, more details can be found below and on Wolf Creek’s website. Have fun out there!

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Related: Aspen Installed the World’s First Ski Lift Battery Backup