Encouraged by the results of a successful two-week trial run last winter to test a new concept in Colorado skiing, owners of the Bluebird Backcountry ski area have decided to move forward this winter with a full season at a new location with better snow and three times the terrain.
Touted as Colorado’s newest ski area, albeit one without lifts, Bluebird will be located near the foot of the east side of Rabbit Ears Pass. It is geared for people who want to try backcountry skiing in a non-threatening, user-friendly environment where they can rent gear, take lessons and practice what they have learned. Bluebird is owned by co-founders Jeff Woodward and Erik Lambert.
“We love backcountry skiing,” Woodward said. “It’s just such an amazing sport because you get really good skiing, you get to explore, you have really great times with your friends, and we want to share that. We like sharing the things that we love. That’s some of what drives the passion behind it.”
Backcountry skiing isn’t that hard to learn, but it usually requires having an experienced friend or family member to introduce the basics.
“You learn from a friend, and if you don’t have a friend who is willing to take you backcountry skiing, there’s no way,” Woodward said. “Or, you buy $1,000 worth of gear, pay $500 to take a four-day avalanche class, and only then decide whether you like the sport or not. We thought by providing a place where you can go for a day, rent backcountry skis and take a lesson, people will be able to get a sense of whether they like it or not. Hopefully they have a great time and keep doing the sport.”
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As it did last year, Bluebird will offer in-bounds skiing as well as guided-only trips outside the area boundaries. Last year it offered about 450 acres in-bounds and another 1,100 for guided-only skiing. This year it will have about 1,200 acres in-bounds — making Bluebird 84% the size of Arapahoe Basin (1,428 acres) — and the guided-only terrain will expand to 3,000 acres.
Woodward said Bluebird attracted more than 1,000 paying visitors last year over the 14 days it was open, which convinced him and Lambert that demand was sufficient to move forward with the project. Last year they operated at Whiteley Peak, about 20 miles north of Kremmling on U.S. 40. This year they will operate at Bear Mountain, about 4 miles further north, because that area typically receives 45% more snow. It’s about a mile from the intersection of U.S. 40 and Colorado 14, where U.S. 40 begins to climb up Rabbit Ears Pass.
“We had a couple massive snowstorms in February,” Woodward said, referring to last year’s location. “Those dumped a lot of snow on Rabbit Ears and east of there. A moderate storm will dump snow on Rabbit Ears and Bear Mountain. A weak to moderate storm, especially if it’s coming in that northwest flow, will hit some of Bear Mountain but wouldn’t hit Whiteley Peak.”
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In addition to three levels of backcountry lessons, Bluebird will offer certified avalanche classes taught by instructors with credentials from the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education.
Last spring, ski shops that sell backcountry gear reported a crush of customers after Gov. Jared Polis ordered ski areas to close in March due to the pandemic, suggesting a lot of newcomers were suddenly being drawn to the sport. That may continue this winter because of the crowding that can occur at ski areas, even with COVID-19 restrictions in place, and that may work in Bluebird’s favor. Bluebird will be limiting the mountain to 200 guests per day.
“It’s kind of a naturally socially distanced sport,” Woodward said. “Even before the pandemic, the No. 1 reason people want to go backcountry skiing is often to get away from the crowds. We’ve seen outdoor sports where you can get away from other people have a fair amount of additional people doing them right now. It’s one of the less pandemic-risky things to do. We’re working on things to support that. Like, we’re hoping to put in an outdoor check-in system this year. We’re doing as much as possible on our end to support the naturally socially distanced nature of backcountry skiing.”
Woodward began thinking about the Bluebird project four years ago after taking his brother backcountry skiing near Crested Butte as a Christmas present.
“He had an amazing day,” Woodward said. “By the end of the day he was like, ‘Can I just buy these skis instead of normal skis?’ It got me thinking that he tried backcountry skiing and loved it. He never would have tried it if I wasn’t obsessed with the sport.”
Bluebird’s tentative opening date is set for Dec. 24, with an anticipated closing date of March 28. Bluebird will be open five days a week, Thursdays through Mondays.
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