GRAND JUNCTION — — Powderhorn Mountain Resort will celebrate a 45th and a first on Thursday when the lifts begin rolling for the 201-1/12 season.
The ski area has been operating on the Grand Mesa near Grand Junction for 45 years. And it opens this season for the first time under the new ownership of Colorado mogul mogul Andy Daly who bought the ski resort at auction this summer.
To celebrate, Grand Junction business and civic leaders will be on hand to cut a ribbon on the area’s main lift that has been refurbished as part of $800,000 in improvements Daly has made to the area since he purchased it for $1.4 million along with partners, Ken and Tom Gart.
Improvements have also been made to the lodge and to snowmaking equipment. A halfpipe is being added and will be the only one within a 100-mile radius.
As part of the celebration, adult lift tickets will be $50 through the weekend and Thursday half of proceeds will benefit Partners and Colorado Discover Ability.
Daly has been part of the Colorado ski industry since 1970. He was president of Vail Associates, now Vail Resorts, and has been involved in the Copper Mountain, Eldora and Beaver Creek resorts. Last year, he was honored with the National Ski Areas Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Gart brothers have extensive experience in the Colorado ski industry, real estate and in retail as part of the family-owned Gart Companies.
Nancy Lofholm: 970-256-1957 or nlofholm@denverpost.com
