Colorado’s Newest Ski Area Opening for Full Season Without Lifts

Bluebird Backcountry is also moving locations and adding three times the terrain

Colorado’s Newest Ski Area Opening for Full Season Without Lifts
One of Bluebird Backcountry's Facebook cover images.

In the midst of a pandemic, Colorado’s new uphill-only ski area is preparing to open for a full season as well as expand into a new location with better snow and three times the terrain, according to The Colorado Sun.

Following a two-week trial last season at its lift-free area, Bluebird Backcountry will offer 62 days of skiing between December and March on 1,200 acres on Bear Mountain north of Kremmling.

Bear Mountain’s backcountry terrain ranges from “mellow meadows to steep, experts-only runs,” according to Bluebird. “The peak tops out at over 9,800 feet, and below the summit, there are more than 1,200 acres of avalanche-monitored inbounds terrain, plus an additional 3,000 out-of-bounds acres.” 

The new area gets about 45 percent more snow than the terrain around Whiteley Peak where Bluebird hosted skiers last season but, despite the increased size and snow, the number of visitors will still be capped at 200 per day.

Co-owned by Jeff Woodward and Erik Lambert, Bluebird provides a space for patrons to try backcountry skiing in a non-threatening, user-friendly environment and also take lessons.

“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 told The Denver Post. “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.”

Early-bird Bluebird season passes are available here starting at $299.

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