Kirk Watkins, Jamestown. For two Fridays in February and the first Friday in March, the children of Jamestown Elementary had ski days at Eldora Ski Resort outside of Nederland. For over twenty-five years, the students of Jamestown Elementary, along with various other local elementary schools have had the opportunity to participate in outdoor recreational education at the resort. 

This year was a little different for Jamestown Elementary (JES), POWDR the new corporate ownership at Eldora, cast into question whether JES would be able to continue this tradition. As Jamestown prepared for its annual days, with preparation starting in November, parents were dismayed to receive this email from the school administration.

“Dear Parents,

 As many of you have heard, Eldora is under new ownership and they have changed their policy concerning school groups. In the past, Eldora offered beginning, intermediate and advanced ski and board lessons to students in Kindergarten through 5th grade. 

For over 25 years Jamestown and Gold Hill students have learned to ski at Eldora. We have always skied three Fridays in February as part of our Physical Education program. Now, Eldora will no longer host our schools on Fridays, instead they have offered Mondays. They are no longer offering intermediate and advanced ski or board lessons, only a 2-hour beginning ski or board lesson.

Eldora’s prices have gone up considerably as well. Student lift tickets have gone from $21 to $49; rentals have gone from 21 to $29 and lessons have remained $29. Parent lift tickets have gone up from $49 last year to $79 this year. 

Parents will need to ski or board during both the morning and afternoon with students who are not taking lessons. We cannot allow our students on the mountain without a chaperone.

In light of these new developments, several of our parents have decided to look into options at both Loveland and Keystone Resorts.

Let us know your thoughts regarding these changes. Is it time to end the program? Should we bite the bullet and go with the new reality or should we look at other options?”

Over the course of the next several months, Beth Brotherton, the assistant principal at JES, had to come to a quick decision in order to address the situation. 

“When we first reached out to Eldora in early November to set up our Annual “Ski Days at Eldora” Program, we were told by the group sales department that they were only offering beginner lessons to school groups, instead of the usual full range of lessons we were historically offered. Also, they said they could no longer host us on Fridays. To top it off we were told that their prices had jumped by over 230%.  

So, after decades that Jamestown Elementary children learned to ski at Eldora, it looked like the program would come to an end. However, JES was not going to let that happen.

Beth Brotherton was able, after some negotiations, to work out a compromise. 

“Mr. Rowntree put me in touch with Sam Bush, the head of ski school at Eldora, and after several phone calls we worked out a satisfactory arrangement with the promise of a substantial discount at the end of the program,” said Brotherton, “The program went very well and we are hoping to repeat it next year.”

Parents were relieved and the school was able to continue what is one of the most anticipated programs that JES offers.

Gay Paxton, the teacher for the younger classroom, kindergarten through-second grade, has been a long-time part of the program. She had gone for two years with Gold Hill and has been going with Jamestown to its ski days for the last twelve years. 

She shared her perspective of the ski days. “The skiing builds a sense of community between students and families,” she said, “We have kids that would never get this opportunity without the program at school.” 

When she realized that the program may be discontinued, she was deeply affected, “It made me want to cry. I really did not want the kids to miss out on this wonderful opportunity. Eldora should keep in mind that this program produces future customers.”

Matt Kohlhaas, a father of two children currently in school at Jamestown Elementary summed up the importance of the Ski Days. “I’ve lived in Jamestown for over 20 years and met my wife Julie here. We’ve enjoyed skiing with our two daughters at Eldora and appreciate their offering discounted lessons and lift tickets for the Jamestown Elementary School.  It’s a great chance for kids, parents and teachers to build relationships, and experience some of what is special here in Colorado.”

Although the season of Ski Days is finished for the year, and the rest of the world has moved on to the chaos of current events, the students of Jamestown Elementary were able to experience one of the iconic elements of attending school in the mountains of Colorado. Thanks to many dedicated parents, school administrators, and employees at Eldora, the long-time tradition was able to continue for another year.

(Originally published in the March 19, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)