Colorado Springs, Colorado — For it being state’s second-largest city, it’s surprising that Colorado Springs doesn’t have a nearby ski area. However, that wasn’t always the case.
Opened in 1959, Ski Broadmoor became a popular spot for guests staying at the historic Broadmoor hotel and locals that lived in the Colorado Springs area. Ski Broadmoor had an impressive backdrop that reminds me of Lee Canyon, and was among the first to offer in night skiing. However, it had limited terrain and received less natural snowfall than the big names in Colorado’s ski industry. In response to a lack of powder, Ski Broadmoor installed the “Phenomenal Snowman,” a first-of-its-kind snowmaking system in the Western U.S.
However, the ski area was eventually sold to the city. After the debt piled up, it sold to guess who? Vail Resorts. Well… kind of. Back then, it was known as Vail Associates, Ltd. Vail added Broadmoor to attempt make it a feeder hill for its bigger properties, which was just Beaver Creek and Vail at the time. Vail didn’t have the money back then though to make it worth operating, closing Ski Broadmoor for good in 1991.
Denver 7 recently covered the history of the ski area, why it closed, and what remains. Denver 7’s feature includes interviews with Michael Childers, a ski historian with Colorado State University, and Sarah Beatty, the Director of Communications with Colorado Ski Country USA. Long live Ski Broadmoor!
Image/Video Credits: The Broadmoor (Featured Image), Denver7, Skimap.org
