Pioneering Bluebird Backcountry Cross-Country Mountain Shuts Down
Colorado's ski area maverick, which had in-bounds, lift-free, and exclusively cross-country skiing, has closed due to lack of second-stage funding and a location that turned out to be too remote.
Owners of Bluebird Backcountry have announced the end of a three-year run at the 1,200-acre Colorado X-C area located on Bear Mountain between Steamboat and Kremmling that aimed to take advantage of the backcountry backlash to crowded, lift-served resorts.
The founders leased private ranch land west of Rabbit Ears Pass, drew up a map of runs and skinning tracks, threw up a yurt and opened for business in the winter of 2020. The appeal was to free-heelers will to buy a ticket to cut their own tracks up and down Bear Mountain. They even sold a dog pass.
Some 1,240 feet of vertical feet off of 9,845-foot-hgh Bear Mountain splayed down into a plethora of wide meadow runs and forested acres to explore. Much was gentle slopes, ideal for youngsters and newcomers.
In an interview with Storm Skiing Journal, co-founder Jeff Woodward said ticket sales were ample the first couple of years, with some 60% coming from the Front Range. Bluebird joined the nationwide Indy Pass network to attract other skiers.
But because the ranch lease prohibited permanent structures, a lack of overnight accommodations hurt ticket sales. As did the locale despite a loyal clientele: The two-hour-plus drive from the Denver area -- the longest of all day-trips from the Front Range -- reduced repeat visits.
Then, at the end of this past season, Woodward said the owners couldn't procure investment funding after initial start-up funds began to dry up.
