Echo Mountain Park

Projected Opening: Winter 2005
Area Statistics:

100% Snowmaking
1 Surface Lift, 1 Triple Chair
5 Runs
Night Skiing
Terrain Park/Half Pipe
Snowboarding and Skiing
Lodge Facility

Background on the Project:
Squaw Pass Ski Area last operated in 1974 as a weekend only resort.
The area had one T-bar lift that provided access to all of the area's runs.
Skiing was commenced on the pass primarily due to rising operation costs
and trying to compete with larger areas. Also, the area did not have a
snowmaking system.

Back in 2002, the area was purchased by the Petitt family of Colorado.
Since then, they have been working on obtaining correct permits to open
the resort as a snowboard park. The primary coordinator of the area is
Doug Donovan, who managing construction at the area.
Current News and Issues:
Update 3/8/06
Echo Mountain opened for their preview weekend on March 4th. The
area officially opens this Thursday.

Update 10/14/05
Echo Mountain Park is looking like a ski area. Their chairlift now is ready
to have its cable spliced and the chairs added. The lodge has the concrete
poured, but there still is a good amount of work to be done there. Since
there will be no utilities at the area for the first year, the whole area will run
off of a generator. This includes the chairlift and lodge. Snowmaking and
fresh water will be fed by four wells located on the property. Two holding
ponds near the center of the area will store water for snowmaking
operations.

Update 9/15/05
After making a trip to Echo today, I found construction everywhere I
looked! I talked with the chairlift crew for quite sometime and they were
actually the same people that installed the chairlifts at the reopened resort,
Crotched Mountain back east (check out nelsap.org for info). The lodge
was in the process of being started, but there wasn't much to report there.
Most of the snowmaking lines were in, but I could not find a water source?

Update 9/1/05
We now have the official press release for Squaw Pass/Echo Mountain
Park. To view it, click here.

Update 8/26/05
Squaw Pass cleared their final hurdle by gaining an easement from the
Forest Service to access the property's parking facilities. A press
conference is scheduled for this Thursday when a new name will be
announced. We will have full coverage of this event next week.

Update 7/21/05
Squaw Pass has made much progress since the last update three weeks
ago. Trail work is approaching an end. The area was expanded below
the old trail line, adding about 200 more vertical feet to the area. Along
with trails nearing completion, the Yan chairlift arrived on site. The
majority of the old T-bar was also removed. It appeared that work has
not begun on the snowmaking system or the lodge as of yet

Update 7/4/05
As of July 4, 2005, Squaw Pass has begun to clear the old trails and
grade the access road. No construction on a new chairlift as of yet!

Original Story 6/1/05
On June 8th, Squaw Pass asked the Clear Creek Planning Commission to
approve the final plans for the terrain park. The hearing was suspended
until approval is given for a light variance and construction access by the U.
S. Forest Service. The area is hopeful that this will happen shortly so
construction can begin. Due to the high alpine nature of the property,
construction time is limited to only a few month. While Donovan said this
should only take 3-4 weeks, the Forest Service's time line is months.

Water rights have already been purchased for this upcoming season
costing 100,000 dollars. This will ensure adequate coverage for early
season.

New Press Release!