NEDERLAND - Eldora, the backyard winter playground for Boulder, Denver, and Colorado’s northern Front Range, will open for skiing and riding on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

 Thanks to cold temperatures ideal for snowmaking operations, recent natural snowfall, and the relentless efforts of mountain-operations staff, the Boulder County mountain will open a full eight days ahead of its scheduled opening, which had been Friday, November 15.

 “Our amazing employees left it all on the field—or slopes, I should say,” says Brent Tregaskis, Eldora’s president and general manager. “Thanks to our hardworking staff, we’re able to open Eldora for alpine skiing and snowboarding more than a week ahead of schedule. They, and our beloved guests, are what have made Eldora the go-to gathering spot for local skiers and riders for more than 60 years. We’re the perfect half-day mountain, where you can grab a couple hours on snow and then get on with your day.”

Eldora guests, here’s what to expect for Opening Day…

• Hours: Beginning Thursday, Alpenglow chair will spin 9:00–4:00 Monday through Friday, and 8:30–4:00 on Saturday and Sunday, weather and conditions permitting.
  
  
  

• Open Terrain: A full 1,000 vertical feet of terrain will be open, including Hornblower, Windmill, and International trails, plus a small terrain park near West Wing Lodge. No beginner terrain, lessons, uphill access, or Nordic/snowshoe trails will be open, but everyone is welcome to join the fun in the base area.
  
  
  

• Safety: Expect limited terrain and thin, early-season conditions. No tree-skiing/riding areas will be open. Guests should not venture off groomed runs and should be prepared to ski and ride safely and responsibly all season long, bearing in mind the Responsibility Code and Colorado Ski Safety Act every time they hit the slopes.
  
  
  

• Donuts and Dancing: We’ll have fresh donuts and goodies while supplies last for the first guests in the lift maze, live tunes from a local DJ, and those down-home, feel-good Eldora vibes you’ve been missing since last winter.
  
  
  

• Eldora Passes: Eldora Pass holders who reloaded their Eldora Cards from last season can go straight to the lift. Otherwise, pick up your pass at the automated Pick-Up Box at Indian Peaks Lodge using the QR code in your confirmation email. Hot tip: make sure you’ve uploaded a photo and signed your waiver to avoid being stalled at the RFID gate.
  
  
  

• Ikon Passes: Ikon Pass holders can go straight to the lift; if you haven’t received your pass in the mail, we can print it for you at the Subie Shack just west of Indian Peaks Lodge (look for the Ikon Pass flags).
  
  
  

• Day Tickets: All ticket and pass purchases must be made online. Purchase online, in advance, at store.eldora.com and then retrieve at the Pick-Up Box using your confirmation email’s QR code, as described above.
  
  
  

Additional news beyond Opening Day includes…

• Caribou Lodge: The biggest investment in the new season—and the future of the Eldora community—is the Caribou Lodge, a new, a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, 12,000-square-foot facility that will open to the public in early December. Caribou Lodge will provide a new home for Ignite Adaptive Sports and will house the Eldora children’s ski and ride school, a cozy cafe, new restrooms, and a retail shop. Built to meet the 2018 International Green Building Codes, Caribou Lodge is part of the Xcel Energy Efficient Building Program, emphasizing Eldora’s commitment to sustainability. Standout features of the lodge are its 52.65kW solar array that generates more than enough energy to fully power the facility, and a three-story elevator and bridge that allow adaptive athletes to directly and easily access lifts and trails. The new lodge ensures a warm, welcoming, and environmentally conscious environment for children, families, and adaptive athletes to learn and enjoy winter sports.
  
  
  

• New Investments: Besides Caribou Lodge, other exciting investments include a new trail called Reel It In, which will take guests from lower Around The Horn to the base of Indian Peaks chairlift; snowmaking efficiency upgrades; an expansion of the Corona lift maze in anticipation of a future high-speed replacement lift; the finishing touches on the 2023 parking expansion; an upgraded kitchen in Indian Peaks Lodge; and general improvements at Boulder County’s highest food-and-beverage establishment, The Lookout, at the top of Corona chairlift.
  
  
  

• Easy, Convenient RTD Bus Service from Boulder: RTD’s NB route brings guests from Downtown Boulder Station straight to Alpenglow chairlift in about 40 minutes—and once again, riders 19 and under ride RTD for FREE through RTD’s Zero Fare for Youth program. For schedule and fare info, visit rtd-denver.com. Beginning November 30, 2024, Eldora will resume its weekend Sustainable Transportation program, providing free RTD tickets at Downtown Boulder Station and free shuttles from the Boulder County Justice Center parking lot on weekends. Please visit the Getting to Eldora page for details.
  
  
  

• Weekend/Holiday Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) Fee: Boulder County requires Eldora to collect a $10 fee from SOVs on Saturdays, Sundays, certain holiday periods, and weekdays with 10 or more inches of new snow (cards are accepted; cash is not). Parking is always free for all vehicles on every non-holiday weekday with less than ten inches of snow. Parking is also always free for vehicles with two or more occupants. Vehicles with three or more occupants may take advantage of premium, up-front HOV parking near the Alpenglow chairlift on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more here. SOV fees will begin on the weekend of November 16–17, 2024, our previously scheduled opening weekend.
  
  
  

• EV Parking: Eldora provides 30 free ChargePoint electric vehicle charging stations. These premium parking spots are available on a first-come first-served basis and are subject to the SOV policy above, per Boulder County requirements.
  
  
  

• Nordic Center and Uphill Access: For the cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and uphill skiers out there, Eldora’s Nordic trail network and uphill access routes will not be open yet, since both are dependent on natural snowfall. Stay tuned at eldora.com/conditions for updates.
  
  
  

• Now Hiring: Eldora employees get free season passes, free skiing at most other Colorado resorts, competitive wages, and many other benefits. Browse jobs and apply today at eldora.com/jobs.
  
  
  

• Stay Informed: Be in the know when it comes to important operational updates and fun events. Remember to check eldora.com/conditions before leaving home and visit our Comms Hub to subscribe to our text and email alerts and to follow us on social media.