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THE COLORADO SKI TRAIN

By Kitty & Doug McCarthy, Mary & Roger Listenberger and Terri & Brad Gillmar

About this time every year we meet with our ski-loving neighbors and friends to begin plans for our annual ski trip. Our group includes Doug and Kitty McCarthy and their two daughters, Keri and Katie; Brad and Terri Gillmar and their three children, Chris, Nick and Jenna; Roger and Mary Listenberger and their two daughters, Molly and Becky; Gary and Terry Towne and their two children, Maggie and Christopher, and occasionally Kim and Patty Hazelhurst and their three sons, Matt, Mike and Chris.

We meet to discuss possible destinations and the dates we can go. Even though we always discuss the many magnificent ski resorts out West, every year we realize the fact that Winter Park, Colorado has everything we could possible want in a family ski resort. And though we usually know the outcome of our destination choice, the planning stage is really half the fun. It requires several cookouts, pizza parties and lots of libations to arrive at our decision.

The date is getting a little more complicated. We now have to plan around college schedules, boyfriends and girlfriends, and the social and school calendars of our teenagers. Occasionally we even discuss work schedules! Life was sure a lot simpler when the kids were young enough that the parents could plan vacations according to their own schedules. But we are always up to the challenge...

Planes, Trains & Automobiles
The destination having been determined, the mode of transportation becomes an individual family choice. Winter Park is easily accessible by plane, train or automobile (Remember the movie?).

The McCarthys like traveling by Amtrak and have chosen this mode of transportation since participating in the inaugural Ski Train arranged by Linda Roberts at Franklin Travel in January 1987. The Ski Train is a great opportunity to expose the kids to travel by rail before this type of transportation becomes extinct. The Ski Train offers a great group package that allows a family to enjoy 3-4 days of skiing a top rate Colorado resort at an affordable cost. The family arrives in Galesburg to board Amtrak about two hours before the 5:00PM departure to enjoy a casual meal at one of the many quaint cafes near the station.

Travel by train has its unique quirks. When the porters instruct you to wait for the train behind the yellow line, it is wise to follow those instructions precisely. Who can forget the look on Greg Brock's face when an oncoming train struck his nine pieces of Gucci luggage? We watched as Greg peeled bags of chips and clothes off the engine of the train when it finally came to a stop. Not a great way to start a trip!

Traveling across the country on an overnight train trip is a great way to travel IF you have the unique ability to sleep anywhere - anytime. When the McCarthy girls were young, the adults merely slept in their reclining seats with the girls in makeshift beds under the seats. The girls would sleep the entire trip and awake in time for breakfast in Denver. It can be quite a challenge for adults to get comfortable for an entire night, but having a Lounge car certainly helped. This system worked quite well for many years and saved the cost of buying a sleeping cabin.

Now that their daughters are older, the McCarthy's strongly recommend the purchase of that sleeping car if your budget allows. The Family Unit sleeping car has either two or four seats that turn into beds at night. It is actually quite comfortable and allows a little privacy during the train ride. Meals are included in the price of the sleeping car so they can be worthwhile. Make sure to reserve these units early - they are very popular.

The real treat of the train trip comes right after breakfast in the morning. Leaving Denver, the train winds up the mountain and passes forty tunnels on its way to Winter Park. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, especially if there is freshly fallen snow. The last tunnel is the longest - approximately twenty minutes - and as you exit the darkness, you immediately see Winter Park.

Upon arrival at the train station in Frazier, CO, the group is met by shuttle buses that quickly take you to the condominiums. The Listenbergers and Gillmars prefer to travel by plane or car. By experience, they'll tell you it's actually quicker to drive since the new Denver airport is closer to Kansas than Colorado.

The Ski Train accommodations are usually at Beaver Village Condominiums. They are centrally located and within easy access to both the mountain and the main shopping and dining area in Winter Park. The rooms are comfortable with fireplaces and kitchenettes in each unit. The Gillmars and Hazelhursts generally stay at a family owned condo in the neighboring town of Frazier.

TO THE SLOPES
Finally, we all manage to connect at the slopes. We quickly place the younger children in ski school and from 8:00AM to3: 00PM the adults take off for hours of kid-free skiing. Of, course this only works until the kids learn to ski better than their parents do - which usually happens by age 6. Winter Park boasts the largest Children's Center in the country and is well known for the wide variety of children's activities they provide.

After we lecture the older children about safe skiing, we jealously watch as they schuss off toward the double black diamond slopes (expert slopes.) If your bones don't heal like they used to, it is advisable to take a refresher course before you hit the slopes. Mary and Kitty strongly recommend a young Swedish instructor named Hans.

Winter Park is actually three inter-connected mountains - Winter Park, Mary Jane and Vasquez Ridge. Each mountain has it's own unique characteristics. We all get a turn at leading the pack on our favorite slopes - Doug always picks Bluebell because the trail leads to his favorite mountain watering holes. Did we mention that dehydration is a common illness in the high altitudes?
If weather permits, Roger leads the troops to the top of the mountain - the Parsenn Bowl. At 12,060 feet, Parsenn Bowl is the summit of the resort, but feels like the top of the world. Since you are actually above the tree line, the view is absolutely magnificent. It is also an ungroomed area of the mountain, so skiing can be a bit treacherous. This is not for the faint of heart.

Fortunately, Winter Park offers ski runs for every level of skier. Occasionally, the group will split up for a few hours so everyone has the chance to ski within their limits.

APRES SKI
The slopes all close at 4:00PM with no lights for night skiing. It's usually just as well - the altitude and our aging bodies' combine to ready us for our favorite pastime - apres-ski.

We normally stop at the Base lounge at the bottom of Winter Park mountain for a quick refreshment. The lounge has good bands and friendly waitresses. Then we head to the bus stop for the one-mile ride downtown for dinner. We have found that it's best to head straight to dinner in our ski clothes. Once we go back to the condo and shower, no one has the energy to leave.

The cuisine is varied, with excellent choices, and we usually splurge one night and go to Deno's where you can actually order buffalo or elk if you want to.

Another hot spot is The Slope, for pizza and darts, and it's close to the mountain. The Crooked Creek Saloon in Frazier is next to the train station and everyone meets there for dinner and drinks before boarding the train for the trip home. Mary and Kitty have timed it just right so they can ski the mountain as long as possible and still make the train.

The train ride home is generally more subdued after several days of hard skiing, but we are entertained by the many amusing stories from both on and off the slopes.

More Information:
Contact Linda Roberts at Franklin Travel, 217-429-2525.

This article originally appeared in the December/January 2001 issue of Decatur Magazine.
It may not be reproduced or redistributed in whole or in part without the publisher's consent.
© Copyright 2000 Decatur Magazine - First String Productions. All rights reserved.