SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch Snowboarding Zone
Riders Guide: SolVista Basin offers 33 trails over 406 skiable acres. The area gets 220 inches of snowfall a year, and features slopes for beginners as well as more advanced skiers. The longest run is just shy of 2.5 miles long, and there's a separate area for first-time skiers to remove the intimidation and pressure of being surrounded with experts. A full half of the slopes are classified as beginner, so it's a great place for new or less-experienced skiers. The West Mountain is reserved for the more advanced, with moguls and steeper terrain.
Parks and Pipes: The terrain park at SolVista Basin is designed for beginners. There's a half-pipe, and the entire park is lift-serviced. New features become available as the season goes on, but the resort area is designed for beginner and families so there are fewer features here than at other resorts. All runs on the mountain end up in the same place at the base, so it's all a very centralized park which is ideal for kids and families. A snow play park is available for kids.
Out of Bounds: Snowshoeing and skiing are the wintertime activities here, with nearby Winter Park offering up more snowsports. Night skiing and snow tubing are popular. The nearby Rocky Mountain National Park offers outdoor activities designed for families and kids, like letting kids become Junior Rangers.
Hangout & Hookup: There are grills for après ski drinks and dining with a variety of fare available from standard pub and grill food to slightly fancier dishes. A fire pit at the base of the mountain is the family hot spot at SolVista Basin, where families and friends meet up to enjoy hot cocoa and tales of the day's adventures on the slopes. The management of Granby Ranch likes to classify the resort as designed for those who prefer to be fueled by cocoa instead of adrenaline, so the family atmosphere is evident everywhere you go.
The Deal: SolVista Basin is located just 15 minutes from Winter park and 87 miles northwest of the city of Denver, Colorado. Getting there is easy from Denver International Airport. From Denver, follow I-70 West to Exit 232. Highway 40 then takes you past Winter Park to SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch. It's the perfect resort for beginners and families with skiers of all skill levels, who want to enjoy the family atmosphere and activities.
