After more than two decades without lift access, skiing at Cuchara Mountain Park is poised to return in the 2025–26 season, following a new long-term operating agreement and state funding that clears the way for long-overdue repairs. The nonprofit Panadero Ski Corporation, which has overseen the park’s winter operations since 2017, signed a 40-year operating agreement with Huerfano County earlier this month. That deal, paired with a state grant for infrastructure work, will fund the restoration of Lift 4, the park’s only chair entirely located on county-managed land, Denver7 News reports.
Lift 4 is now scheduled for a full rebuild ahead of next winter. A contractor based in the Pacific Northwest has committed to completing the work before snowfall begins, pending final inspections by state regulators.
“We feel really good about where we sit,” Ken Clayton, president of Panadero Ski Corporation, told Denver7 News. The chair will serve a compact network of six runs across roughly 50 acres, offering family-friendly terrain at a lower price point than many regional ski resorts. While other lifts on U.S. Forest Service land require additional permitting, Lift 4’s location on park property allows it to move forward without federal review.
Cuchara hasn’t offered lift-served skiing since its private resort days ended in the early 2000s. Since then, Panadero has kept momentum alive with a growing base of volunteers and snowcat-powered ski access. This past winter, the park logged about 1,200 skier visits, triple the number from the year prior.
Recent fundraising efforts, including grants from the Department of Local Affairs and community donations, have supported infrastructure upgrades, while a separate $250,000 outdoor recreation grant is covering operational costs. The organization has also acquired 100 sets of ski rental equipment, which it hopes to offer on-site once certified. The new agreement comes with guardrails, however. Lodging will be prohibited on park grounds, a policy supported by a majority of locals in a recent public survey. The same survey showed strong support for retail rentals and food service, but less enthusiasm for large concerts or commercial development.
While the focus remains squarely on restoring lift operations, Panadero also plans to expand summer offerings. This year’s calendar includes youth bike camps, a disc golf tournament, and a concert fundraiser—with longer-term hopes for a small network of bike trails on the mountain. Cuchara’s comeback marks one of the few nonprofit-led ski area revivals in the country. Supporters say its small scale and community-first model offer a different vision for mountain recreation in southern Colorado.
