New for the winter

Colorado Ski resorts are whipping out new terrain and lifts for the 2006-2007 season.
Starting closest to home, Breckenridge is adding a gondola connecting the town to the base of Peak 8. It's slated to be done right around Christmas. Combined with the new Skiway from Peak 8 down to town, it means no more shuttle bus rides with the driver blasting Bob Marley. (We'll miss that.)

A-Basin just got the nod from the Forest Service to build a lift in Montezuma Bowl, on its south side. The lift will mean over 300 acres of intermediate and expert terrain. While it probably will be open next winter, at the latest, skiers can test out the area this winter (they just have to be willing to walk back up or hitchhike out from the Montezuma road at the bottom).

Beaver Creek just announced it will open Stone Creek Chutes, a candelabra of short, steep, gladed, backcountry-like runs inbounds. It's the latest step in the in-bounds backcountry trend that has introduced areas like Vail's Blue Sky Basin and Monarch's Mirkwood Basin.

Monarch redid its base lodge this summer to add more room and more dining areas.

Winter Park Resort has added a chairlift granting access to 690 acres of intermediate/advanced and advanced skiing and riding to the back side of Parsenn Bowl. The 7 new gladed runs open up powder stashes that only the locals used to know about.

Wolf Creek Ski Area has replaced 34-year-old Dickey double chairlift with a quad chair that will double uphill capacity. Go enjoy it before the planned Wolf Creek Village is built.

Aspen Highlands continues to expand its Deep Temerity bowl - acres of advanced and expert terrain that opened for the 2005-2006 season along with the Deep Temerity triple chair, which rises 1,700 vertical feet in 7.3 minutes. New terrain will be added for the 2006-2007 season with a total buildout of 270 acres of new terrain in years to come. This is some of the toughest skiing in Colorado.

The bottom line: Even if you've been skiing here for years, there is plenty more to keep you occupied as soon as the snow starts flying.