OFFICIAL I70 BITCH THREAD....

[SkiBall]

Let me know when y'all find a place to put a resort within 2 hours of Denver that's not on I-70 and that has a range of terrain from green to black with a east to north aspect and gets consistent snowfall and not too much wind and isn't wilderness. Good luck.

2 hrs? What is your airline preference?

[thefrush]

If Berthoud was a resort today and still private it would absolutely crush it. It didn’t survive 20 years ago because the front range population couldn’t support it. But today? No problem.

While I don't disagree with the sentiment that Berthoud today could be a very viable resort today, it was not a lack of population that led to it's demise.

https://www.skyhinews.com/shred/a-go...pass-ski-area/

[CLsurf]

While I don't disagree with the sentiment that Berthoud today could be a very viable resort today, it was not a lack of population that led to it's demise.

https://www.skyhinews.com/shred/a-go...pass-ski-area/

This article discusses the history of Berthoud, it has nothing to say about why Berthoud actually closed as a ski area.

There is one culprit for the demise of Berthoud ski area and her name is Marise Cipriani. I'll connect the dots for you.

She comes from money her father, Omar Fontana, built through the Transbrasil airline. She married Antonio Celso Cipriani a lawyer for the airline who ultimately became the CEO at its demise and was formally charged with the corruption and fraud that plagued the airline. Using her money she bought Silver Creek ski area in 1995 and Berthoud Pass in 1999. Her management is the reason Berthoud pass closed in 2001, she closed it because she didn't want to operate the resort at a loss because she was busy developing Sol Vista's condos at that time. Given her background in marketing, nepotism and corruption it isn't surprising.



https://www.hotel-online.com/archive/archive-1308 - Here is a piece that fluffs her reputation up, likely to help entice developers to invest in her ambitions at the time. Note the date, June 3rd 2001 with no mention of the closure of Berthoud pass 9 days later.
http://duqueestrada.adv.br/2009/05/0...lor-economico/ - Translate from Portuguese, here are the formal charges in 2009 for her Husband. He was the CEO at the end of Transbrasil and highly involved in the graft and fraud from the company, giving them millions to swiss bank accounts.
https://snowboarding.transworld.net/...ass-ski-area/- Silver Creek purchases Berthoud. Note here "“From a business standpoint, the purchase of Berthoud Pass provides an opportunity to introduce some of our summer products, like our rafting company, marina, horseback riding outfitters/rendezvous camp, and our golf course opening in the summer of 2000,”"
https://www.skimag.com/gear/berthoud-shifts-gears - Here is an article about the change in 2001 to snowcat operations, which does cite tight margins on their revenue.
http://cyberwest.com/berthoud_pass_2001/ - Here is a better history of the resort, detailing the sale to Cipriani for $2 million. There are valid issues here about the ticket price increases among other resorts.
https://www.denverpost.com/2005/06/1...dge-torn-down/ - The closure of Berthoud from Denver Post. "“It was a very viable operation when we had it, and it could have been again,” Garst said. “This is a tragedy.”" Ike Garst was a previous owner of Berthoud pass, and just as his states it could have been a very viable operation.
https://theknow.denverpost.com/2017/...e-2017/166515/ http://www.cpr.org/news/story/granby...ng-up-for-sale - She is now selling Granby Ranch.

Berthoud pass had logistical challenges surrounding the operation of a ski area. The high costs of sewage treatment at the lodge and the limited area for development at the summit being the primary two. That being said, Berthoud pass closed because management of Silver Creek/Sol Vista/Granby Ranch viewed it at a segment of their business that would financially weigh them down, because at the time they were focused on spending millions in development at Granby Ranch for golf, horse back riding, and real estate. That is not to say that Berthoud pass was operating at a loss, it was their focus on other projects that led them to ignore it as a ski area.

[Jong Lafitte]

Let me know when y'all find a place to put a resort within 2 hours of Denver that's not on I-70 and that has a range of terrain from green to black with a east to north aspect and gets consistent snowfall and not too much wind and isn't wilderness. Good luck.

Wilderness Schmilderness I say!! If we had our shit together there would be connected skiing all the way between St. Mary's, WPMJ, Eldora and my newly proposed 30 lift behemoth resort at the East Portal with a gondola to the summit. This could be later expanded with base areas in Allenspark and Granby.

[thefrush]

...

Thanks for the detailed history lesson!

[CLsurf]

Thanks for the detailed history lesson!

TY not trying to call you out just felt that article missed some key details.

[Foggy_Goggles]

CL knows the story!

I will just standing where the bottom of the west side lift was hanging to my wife thinking about what the scene would have been this weekend had the ski area been open. Shit used to get absolutely sent under the chair on a big day...the shelf, tower 3, gaffneys, rush, the diving board.

[Name Redacted]

CL knows the story!

I will just standing where the bottom of the west side lift was hanging to my wife thinking about what the scene would have been this weekend had the ski area been open. Shit used to get absolutely sent under the chair on a big day...the shelf, tower 3, gaffneys, rush, the diving board.

I had some pretty badass days at Berthoud when there were lifts and avalanche control. Place was super fun.

[Kinnikinnick]

There was the interim years when they had the snowcat operation too. They tried to make a run of that but couldn’t make it profitable. Some of the best days I remember were when the cat operation would drag the clients around and bomb stuff but BC skiers were free to ski whatever. The clients stacked tracks and only a handful of BC skiers were there many days. We mostly did our own thing but a few times they’d Avy control stuff and we’d piggy back after they’d moved on. Skullbite in fAceshot city is memorable.

But they they decided to close that down. Friends of Berthoud Pass could have bought the thing for nothing and done a co-op or saved the operation but instead they decided to be like, you know man, a public advisory service, that like puts on Avy classes bro. In fact I think the company paid a couple hundred Gs to rip out that grand old lodge.

But c’est la vie


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[The SnowShow]

Let me know when y'all find a place to put a resort within 2 hours of Denver that's not on I-70 and that has a range of terrain from green to black with a east to north aspect and gets consistent snowfall and not too much wind and isn't wilderness. Good luck.

Geneva Basin? Expand up to Squaretop?
Something off Cameron Pass?
Rollins Pass area?

[TransplantedFromRMNP]

Wilderness Schmilderness I say!! If we had our shit together there would be connected skiing all the way between St. Mary's, WPMJ, Eldora and my newly proposed 30 lift behemoth resort at the East Portal with a gondola to the summit. This could be later expanded with base areas in Allenspark and Granby.

Not enough consistent snowpack to make this viable on the east side of the divide. And Eldo would have to expand their parking.

I grew up in AP. In the 80s & 90s we did get enough snow and skied from the backdoor by Thanksgiving. But low-tide winters were one of the factors that shut HV down in the Park, along with National Park Dept stance towards a commercial ski operation within its boundaries.

Those areas used to be quiet and deep for the few dedicated locals. Now the front range hoards are so bad you can’t even park at the trailheads during the week sometimes. Like fucking California!






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[summit]

Let me know when y'all find a place to put a resort within 2 hours of Denver that's not on I-70 and that has a range of terrain from green to black with a east to north aspect and gets consistent snowfall and not too much wind and isn't wilderness. Good luck.

Pikes Peak

North and South Twin Cone on I70

[summit]

There was the interim years when they had the snowcat operation too. They tried to make a run of that but couldn’t make it profitable. Some of the best days I remember were when the cat operation would drag the clients around and bomb stuff but BC skiers were free to ski whatever. The clients stacked tracks and only a handful of BC skiers were there many days. We mostly did our own thing but a few times they’d Avy control stuff and we’d piggy back after they’d moved on. Skullbite in fAceshot city is memorable.

"Berthoud Powder Guides"

buncha Berthoud patrollers acting as guides... great place to take an avalanche course!

[fastfred]

echo mtn? isn't that close to the front range and a boarder line failure?

wasn't eldora a quiet little place until they got on the epic ikonic bandwagon?
you can build a ski resort, but unless it's connected to iconic or epic pass it's doomed
95% of coloradans aren't going to buy multiple passes

[simple]

Incoming snow storm on holiday ski extended weekend. We talking 3 hours Breck to Denver? 5 hours? Could be entertaining

[Foggy_Goggles]

There was the interim years when they had the snowcat operation too. They tried to make a run of that but couldn’t make it profitable. Some of the best days I remember were when the cat operation would drag the clients around and bomb stuff but BC skiers were free to ski whatever. The clients stacked tracks and only a handful of BC skiers were there many days. We mostly did our own thing but a few times they’d Avy control stuff and we’d piggy back after they’d moved on. Skullbite in fAceshot city is memorable.

But they they decided to close that down. Friends of Berthoud Pass could have bought the thing for nothing and done a co-op or saved the operation but instead they decided to be like, you know man, a public advisory service, that like puts on Avy classes bro. In fact I think the company paid a couple hundred Gs to rip out that grand old lodge.

But c’est la vie

It's almost like you have inside knowledge of the operations of the former ski area, are familiar with the objectives of the Cipriani's, understand the motivations of the Forest Service during that time and were involved in the initial organization of Friends of Berthoud Pass.

On no wait...its more like you are talking out your ass.

I'm not a mouthpiece of anyone and I could reminisce about the old days and get off my lawn with the best of them. None of that changes the fact that you are making shit up. If you have an axe to grind with anyone or any organization, bring it! My unresolved beefs are with a retired Forest Service Supervisor and and some senior management of what is now Granby Ranch.

My friends and my wife absolutely destroyed some pow up at The Pass the last few days. It sure felt like the skiing didn't give to shits about lifts, advocacy organizations, or the last 20 years. Kinda felt the same.

My favorite memory is probably a tie between the lift scene on a powder day which was absolutely the most stoke filled shred fest I've ever been part of or early post lift years (the last time) when we would plow the lot ourselves and snowmobile ski everything with nobody around.

But you know what, the skiing was just as good Saturday AM than time I can remember. Life goes on...keep skiing.

[hatchgreenchile]

Let me know when y'all find a place to put a resort within 2 hours of Denver that's not on I-70 and that has a range of terrain from green to black with a east to north aspect and gets consistent snowfall and not too much wind and isn't wilderness. Good luck.

You'll need plenty of flat ground for all those parking lots too.
Seven Utes on Cameron Pass is a premier option, but they tried that decades ago to no avail.

[Fritz]

You'll need plenty of flat ground for all those parking lots too.
Seven Utes on Cameron Pass is a premier option, but they tried that decades ago to no avail.

🤫 Not enough snow back there anyway

[simple]

Lol Foggy with the callout but he's just pissed he doesn't know how to hyperlink with fact sources.

Berthoud and other places had to be worth the drive for folks. Fucking deep!!!

[Foggy_Goggles]

Berthoud Pass Trivia

What two organizations or people are most responsible for the viability of the current situation?

Where is the Bones Brigade hut?

What is the name of the test piece air over the aqueduct?

What is the information in the original guidebook contentious?

During promotional weekends, how much did it cost for four people to go skiing?

[turbomike15]

yawn, let's talk i70. yesterday, boulder to copper 1:33, copper to boulder 1:39, today should be ikonic..

[EWG]

yawn, let's talk i70. yesterday, boulder to copper 1:33, copper to boulder 1:39, today should be ikonic..

Ha. What time did you leave, or are you just trolling?

Clear Creek had a 45 min backup around 7:30.

[turbomike15]

Ha. What time did you leave, or are you just trolling?

Clear Creek had a 45 min backup around 7:30.

i can't tell you or my drive time will go up let's say we got to copper with some time to spare before the lifts starting spinning...

[smmokan]

Sundays during a long weekend are irrelevant for I-70 traffic talk. Head up to Copper today and tell us how the drive back is this afternoon.

[fastfred]

It should start snowing just in time for mass exodus out if the mtns later today.