Industry News
After more than two decades of silence on the slopes, Cuchara Mountain Park is steadily moving toward its goal of offering lift-served skiing again. Thanks to a recent wave of public funding totaling $545,000, the once-defunct ski area in Colorado’s Huerfano County is making real progress on both infrastructure upgrades and long-term operations. But as work ramps up, questions are emerging from the local community about the park’s future and potential private development plans.
The nonprofit Panadero Ski Corporation, which currently operates the park under a county agreement, is using a $195,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to revive a dormant chairlift and repair park facilities. Panadero has kept limited ski access alive in recent years with a snowcat-pulled “ski bus,” a custom-built sled outfitted with seating that brings guests to the top of several beginner-friendly runs. The goal now is to have a functioning chairlift spinning by the start of the 2025–26 ski season, as Colorado Public Radio reported earlier this week.
These new funds come in addition to the $250,000 Colorado State Outdoor Recreation Grant awarded last December through the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). That grant, announced by Governor Jared Polis, was part of a broader $3.7 million package aimed at expanding access to outdoor recreation and strengthening local economies across 27 Colorado counties. In that announcement, state leaders praised the reopening of Cuchara as a win for rural tourism and family-friendly skiing.
Panadero has emphasized its mission to maintain the park as a community-centered space, offering low-cost, beginner-accessible skiing and year-round recreation. Volunteers say the lift restoration is on track and could be a game-changer for the small ski hill and nearby businesses. “We think the ski lift will be running next season,” Ken Clayton, a Panadero volunteer, told CPR News.
Despite the momentum, uncertainty has crept into the community as rumors of a private development project have surfaced. According to Colorado Public Radio, local residents expressed concern during a Huerfano County commissioners’ meeting in February about a proposed plan from Buckhorn Ridge Outfitters to build 20 tiny homes and other amenities on park grounds. The Cuchara Foundation, which originally bought the land and later donated it to the county, submitted a letter saying such a project would violate the park’s intended use as a public space free from commercial exploitation.
In response, Commissioner Karl Sporleder acknowledged the rumors but denied any finalized plans, saying the county has not entered into any contracts and would not move forward without public input. “Nothing is set in stone,” Sporleder said, adding that the goal is to bring all stakeholders together before any major decisions are made. While some locals voiced concern over the direction of the park, others expressed cautious support for development—so long as it benefits the broader community and is done transparently. Resident Jessica Loveless told commissioners at the public commissioners’ meeting that she values both preservation and growth: “I’m all for someone investing into the community and development,” she said, “but people just want to know what’s happening.”
Additional grants totaling $350,000 have also been awarded to support programs at Cuchara, including ski and bike activities for youth in Huerfano and Las Animas counties, CPR reported. For now, Panadero’s focus remains on the snow. The ski bus continues to ferry skiers up the hill, the lift work is progressing, and volunteers are hopeful the 2025–26 season will mark a major comeback. Still, with development talks looming and a long-term operating contract between Panadero and the county still being finalized, the park’s future may depend as much on community consensus as it does on snow conditions.
For updates or to support the project, visit www.cucharamountainpark.org.
Bill Cappola involved?