As a child growing up in a Northern Colorado farming family, there were very limited opportunities for recreation, let alone expensive recreation, like trips to the mountains for skiing. There was at one time, a smaller local resort or ski hill just outside of Greeley Colorado that ran from 1971-1986 called Sharktooth Ski Area, Water Valley owner Martin Lind recalls his experience there “It was just a guy and his vision to build a little ski hill there and it had the right northeast slope topography on the Poudre river and as a kid, I remember getting to go over there and the lift tickets were like a dollar a day and it had a little tow rope to take you back to the top and it was a fun childhood memory and so I always envisioned someday building a sophisticated one of those.”
True to his imagination and that distinct childhood memory, that idea transformed within Martin. Having always visualized a place for a ski hill within his company’s developments, they gave it a trial run last year to investigate the project's potential. With technology having grown leaps and bounds over the last four decades, Martin and his team tested out the idea last season and the equipment worked perfectly. With his vision in hand, the team committed to the project and used the knowledge from last season to focus on what they wanted to bring to life within Hoedown Hill. Building onto and expanding the development for the last 12 months very intensely, the Water Valley team is bringing a winter wonderland to life for everyone. Hoping to open, weather dependent, around either Thanksgiving or near the middle of December 2023, Hoedown Hill will offer more than just a tubing experience. It is aimed at the goal of providing affordable family entertainment for all of Northern Colorado, saving money on travel and drive time to enable quality time for families to spend together.
Located in the town’s premier Raindance National neighborhood, the 12-acre attraction also features the highest point in Windsor with an elevation of around 150 feet above the surrounding plains. Hoedown Hill is not only a playground for winter activities but will offer northern Colorado unique year-round activities as well. The hill itself includes seven runs, two magic carpets, and a tubing hill that is nearly 1,100 feet in length, the longest tubing hill in North America. The Water Valley Company brought in the best and the brightest to help design and engineer everything on the hill, ensuring it brings an authentic experience to the front range. In the winter months, the hill offers attendees several outdoor activities including tubing, skiing, and snowboarding. Transitioning in the spring and summer months, the hill will also have mountain biking, hiking, and ziplining, bringing year-round outdoor fun for the whole family. The unique layout also boasts a venue for year-round concerts and features the resort's very own restaurant, The GrainHouse, which includes a full bar and an elevated menu. The hill will also be lit in order to offer nighttime skiing, full-service ski and snowboard rentals on-site, outdoor fire pits, activity areas, and more.
As part of the hill’s elevated appeal, all the equipment and terrain are top-of-the-line. The lifts themselves, are nicknamed “magic carpets” and they feature a conveyor system that attendees can step onto and ride back up the hill. Lit and enclosed, the lifts offer riders a comfortable break from the elements as they head back up to the top of the hill. With a three-foot snowpack and groomed runs, the snowmaking system is state-of-the-art thanks to their collaboration with CHS snowmakers. The hill will also have two terrain parks designed by Effective Edge, that include over 20 features that will change on a weekly basis giving an ever-changing experience for parkgoers. With a variety of terrain, the resort will have beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs with at least 4-5 black diamonds.
Operating hours will offer after-work time for families through the week with varied times between 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday with the ski area closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lift ticket prices will be announced in the upcoming weeks, with reservations becoming available as well. Check the website for all new information at hoedownhill.com.
Bringing childhood visions to life, The Water Valley Company makes good on its promise for affordable family entertainment and wholesome activities for the Northern Colorado community as a whole.