Cuchara Mountain Park has its target date for a grand re-opening of lift-powered skiing

HUERFANO COUNTY, Colo. — Cuchara Mountain Park, the long-abandoned southern Colorado ski area that’s been the subject of a yearslong revival, has set its sights on a grand re-opening date that will bring lift-powered skiing back to the hill for the first time in a quarter-century.

In a social media announcement Friday, park stewards Panadero Ski Corporation announced that “the lift returns” next weekend, Jan. 17 and 18.

"We need people up here celebrating. This first weekend is going to be music, food, a lot of family fun," Panadero Ski Corporation board member Ken Clayton told Denver on Friday. "[And there will be] people riding the lift for the first time in 25 years at Cuchara Mountain Park."

The hope is for Cuchara to be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays moving forward, Clayton said.

The reveal comes as the park officially received its state-issued license to operate Lift 4, which serves about 50 acres of skiable terrain at the base of the mountain, on Thursday. Last month, Panadero announced Lift 4 had passed the acceptance test, clearing the way for re-opening after a few minor tweaks were made.

Panadero has hired a small group of employees to staff the mountain full-time and hopes to hire a few more seasonal employees, Clayton said.

Cuchara’s resurrection has happened thanks in large part to the small-but-mighty team of volunteers at Panadero Ski Corporation, who have slowly but surely added key upgrades to the ski area’s infrastructure. Grant money has helped pay for operational expenses and the costs to repair Lift 4, which was built in 1981 but has a complex electrical system.

Denver7 Gives viewers donated $3,000 to the mission of rehabbing the chair lift after Denver7 first visited in 2023.

• Watch our initial reporting on Cuchara's comeback attempt in the video player below:

Last May, Panadero solidified its future at the helm of the park, inking a 40-year operating agreement with Huerfano County.

For the past two winters, Cuchara has offered snowcat skiing on the runs under Lift 4 to rave reviews from participants.

Panadero’s mission has long been to bring affordable, lift-powered skiing to a historically low-income part of the state in the Cuchara River Valley. Day passes cost just $45 and kids under 15 can ski for free.

"We're really focused on getting youth on that mountain, people that can't afford to go anywhere else," Clayton said Friday. "We hope they can come up here. We've got a full rental fleet now of skis, snowboards, so we're trying to make it a one stop shop for people who want to get into the sport."

Season passes can be purchased for $230 ahead of opening day and $250 after.

Cuchara also has a full rental fleet of skis and snowboards at the hill.

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