Denver Ski-Snowboard Terrain Park
Winter Park Resort has begun snowmaking at Denver’s Ruby Hill Rail Yard Terrain Park in Ruby Hill Park, a free, public ski-snowboard facility.
The country's first-ever city/ski resort cooperative ski-snowboard terrain park is being constructed in Denver, where it's scheduled for a January 20th opening.
Weather forecasts for cold temperatures in Denver have sparked Winter Park Resort terrain park and snowmaking personnel into action creating the first resort-built city terrain park of its kind—the Ruby Hill Rail Yard.
Located just outside of downtown Denver, in the city’s Ruby Hill Park, Ruby Hill Rail Yard will encompass include rails, ranging from beginner to intermediate to advanced.
This new rail park is free and open to the general public. It’s the first-ever city terrain park of its kind, built through the combined, cooperative efforts of a ski resort and a city.
With the opening day for Ruby Hill Rail Yard slated for January 20, 2007, current cooler temperatures give resort employees the green light for perfect snowmaking conditions off the mountain and in the city.
As of January 12, Winter Park Resort personnel began 48 hours of intensive snowmaking at Ruby Hill, pumping out approximately 1 million gallons of water to create a snowy landscape for Ruby Hill Rail Yard.
More than an acre of snow, 2-3 feet deep, will be made for Ruby Hill Rail Yard in hopes that it will last many weeks.
Man-made snow is a natural choice for this city park in that it melts more slowly than natural snow, and is more resistant to warmer temperatures and sun.
The terrain park’s Northeastern exposure should reduce the angle of mid-day sun and help to prolong the snow's melt-out.
Scheduled to open to the public on Saturday, January 20, Winter Park Resort and the City of Denver will kick things off with a demo event from 12–4 p.m., featuring reps from Never Summer, Ride, Vans and Burton.
