Media Center

• Winter 09/10 Press Kit
• Winter 09/10 Stock Photos
• 2009 Summer Press Kit
• 2009 Summer Stock Photos
• Press Releases
  • Summer 2008
  • Winter 2007 - 2008
  • Summer 2007
• In The News...
• Media Visit Guidelines

April 10, 2008

WINTER PARK RESORT BECOMES ONLY RESORT IN THE ROCKIES WITH TWO MOUNTAIN BIKE CARRIER CHAIRLIFTS

Media Contacts:
Darcy Morse: (970) 726-1565
Maryanne Keeney: (617) 848-8805

The Resort's Olympia Express Chairlift Operates this Summer to Provide Better Access to Mountain Bike Trails

Winter Park Resort, Winter Park, Colo., April 10, 2008 – Boasting 28 miles of chairlift accessible mountain bike trails via the Zephyr Express chairlift, Winter Park Resort is excited to announce the addition of another chairlift - the Olympia Express - to its roster of operating bike transportation systems for the summer of 2008. The Olympia Express serve as the resort's first dedicated mountain bike-only chairlift and gives Winter Park Resort the title of being the only resort in Colorado and the Rocky Mountains with two chairlifts devoted to mountain biking.  With the Olympia Express, the resort's mileage of trails connected directly to chairlift doubles and the resort's uphill chairlift capacity increases by over 55 percent.  The Olympia Express is slated to open the first week of July 2008.

"The significance of the Olympia Express to Winter Park Resort's bike park is that it puts the vast majority of our trail system within reach by two chairlifts," said Bob Holme, bike park and youth marketing manager for Winter Park Resort. "Downhill mountain bikers will love the Olympia Express because it gives them direct access to trails that have traditionally required climbing.  Now, mountain bikers will have over 14 miles of different trail configurations accessible from the Olympia Express alone."

The Olympia Express, along with the resort's Zephyr Express chairlift, will provide downhill and freeride bike enthusiasts with over 28 miles of lift accessible mountain biking terrain at the resort as well as the option to connect with another 550 miles throughout the Fraser Valley. Both the Zephyr Express and Olympia Express will be equipped with bike carrier systems that allow guests to roll their bikes onto chairlifts versus hanging them from tedious, back-breaking hooks.

Additionally, "The Olympia Express opens the backside of Winter Park Mountain that downhill mountain bike enthusiasts avoided in the past because of the climbing required to get out," said Holme.  Home to the 2008 Crankworx Colorado Mountain Bike Festival July 31 – August 3, 2008, the Olympia Express will play a major role during the four day event by carrying downhill athletes and their bikes to the top of Winter Park Resort's bike park so to access Mountain Goat trail – the official downhill mountain bike race course. 

Extending from 9,700 feet to 10,812 feet above sea level, the Olympia Express' vertical rise is 1,112-feet and unlike the Zephyr Express, which is used to transport mountain bikers and sightseers, the Olympia Express will operate to exclusively transport mountain bikers and their bikes. 

For more information on Winter Park Resort's bike park, the Olympia Express or Crankworx Colorado, contact Darcy Morse at (970) 531-8681 or Maryanne Keeney at (617) 848-8805.   For more information on Winter Park Resort visit www.winterparkresort.com.

Quick Facts:
The Olympia Express
1)  Doubles milage of trails with uphill transport system
2)  Increases uphill capacity by more than 55%
3)  Only bike park in Colorado with two chairlifts that serve mountain biking
4)  45 new bike carriers will be installed on the Olympia
5)  Total vertical of bike park = 1,800 ft
6)  Will service the downhill course for 2008 Crankworx Colorado
7)  Slated opening for first week of July
8)  Base is 9,700 feet; top is 10,800 feet