• After missing a Christmas opening, Pine Creek welcomed skiers New Year’s week
By Amy Peck
On the top of many people’s Christmas list was that ski lodges would be open for Christmas; unfortunately, Santa or Mother Nature were unable to deliver this year.
Pine Creek Ski Resort opened in time for a week of skiing before most kids returned to school from Christmas break; December 29.
The resort is now open for its 74th season. The resort is open Friday through Sunday for the public and on certain Thursdays for ski-schools, where the public can access the mountain as well. Open dates can be found at www.pinecreekskiresort.com.
Assistant manager, Alicia Etcheverry said “Our mountain has been skiing well, better than people expect. While it is still early season conditions with some thin cover in various places, feedback has been positive and skiers have been having fun full days. Of the 30+ trails, most of them are open (as of January 3).”
The hours for the lift are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Magic Carpet, a conveyor lift for beginners runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Retail and rental shops are open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ages 6+ there is a charge of $10. Those five and under need a ticket but can use the conveyor free.
The Pine Creek Ski Resort tune shop offers services to revive ski and snowboard equipment. Services include hot wax, base repair, edging and a base grinding machine. The tune shop is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gear can be tuned during the day or left overnight.
Hand pressed hamburgers from local beef from Jackknife Ranch, in Star Valley and fresh cut fries are the highlight of the lodges grill. Brookies, a cookie brownie combo tops the dessert menu. Grill hours are from 11 a.m. to 4p.m.
Ski lessons, private and school-based lessons are also available. Private lessons are available for all ages. To book a lesson the best way is to call 307-279-3201 or email skipinecreek@gmail.com one to two weeks in advance.
Etcheverry exclaimed; “We’re excited to get into another year of Cokeville ski school starting Friday Jan. 9th from 9:30-11:30. Kids in 3rd grade and up can enroll for the 8-week program. Cost including rentals is $280; cost without rentals is $200. Sign up in the lodge. This year we’ll allow late sign-ups the first day of classes Jan. 9th”
Lift tickets can be purchased in full-day or half-day options. Adult tickets start at $68 for a full-day and $58 for half-day. “Big Kid” 11-17 full-day passes are $58 and half-day passes are $48. “Little Kid” passes for a full-day $48 and $38 for half-day passes. Those five and under are free with purchase of an adult ticket.
Even though Santa failed to deliver, Mother Nature pulled through with a late December storm to allow the resort to open before the new year.
