Dear Editor, 

Remember when we used to have ice for the Neder-Nederland 10k on Labor Day? It was a slippery slope then, going up and back to the bridge.

 Now, 2-1/2 months out from Labor Day 2025, with temps in the 50s and 60s, we again have a slippery slope of a different kind.  Secret meetings between the Town of Nederland and POWDR to issue bonds and “buy” the Eldora ski area.

 After having lived almost 50 years in the Nederland area, here are a few observations:

 Maintenance issues: Both the Indian Peaks and Corona lifts are at the end of their useful lives and need to be replaced. Increased reliance on snowmaking will require replacement of many of the water lines and a NEW lake.

This will add more stress to supplies as climate change alters the snowpack. Are Boulder County and USFS really on board with this?

There is a lot of talk about a “year round” resort  to  make this work. Where is the golf course? Where is the employee housing? How will lifts be serviced safely or operated for visitors during the off season?

 The town has little operational experience and so is relying on outside lawyers and consultants. My own experience with consultants is that they will often massage the facts to tell you what you want to hear. That this process is conducted in secret gives little reassurance.

Why do you think POWDR has put Eldora on the market? With the IKON pass, there are few day tickets except brief periods during the holidays and spring break. The abominable snowman in the room is certainly climate change. 

Frost-free days in much of the high country have increased by 30+ in our spring season and by 60+ days in our fall. Reliable snow conditions are restricted to four months and shrinking year-to-year. The Chinook winds this fall have been dramatic.

As the planet warms and an ice-free Arctic comes closer to reality,  the changes to weather patterns make the successful operation of a ski area like Eldora increasingly problematic.

Roy Young

Nederland