Bryce Resort, about a 90-minute drive from Dulles, is opening four ski trails on the backside of their mountain this winter. The additions bring the resort’s total trail count to 12, and promise to increase skiable terrain by 33 percent, according to Andrew DeVier-Scott, marketing director for Bryce.
Green, Blue, and Black Trails
The need for the new trails came from Bryce realizing they’re not a big mountain, so additional trails should improve the experience. DeVier-Scott says that Bryce prides themselves on being a beginner-friendly mountain, and until now, they have only had one green trail, and it can get crowded on weekends.
The new green beginner trail is similar in length to the resort’s existing green trail. There are also two new blue/intermediate trails and one black/advanced trail.
Bryce has also connected a snowmaking infrastructure to all four trails. A new quad chair lift was installed on the backside to provide access to the new trails. With those additions, the resort now has five ski lifts in total, three chairlifts and two carpet lifts.
“By adding new terrain for all skill levels, this will help spread out traffic on the mountain,” DeVier-Scott says.
Catering to All Skiing Levels
“Improving accessibility for first timers was a major priority, but we also wanted to cater to the advanced skiers and snowboarders by adding more intermediate and advanced trails,” DeVier-Scott says. “Our customer base has grown over the past five years, so it was time to expand.”
If you’d like to schedule a refresher lesson, or perhaps have family that are new to skiing, Bryce offers private lessons and first-time ski packages as well. The first-time package includes equipment rentals, a lift ticket and 90-minute lesson. All lessons must be booked 24 hours in advance. Bryce also offers discounted rates for online booking. Keep in mind, the busiest times are holiday periods and weekends.
DeVier-Scott says to expect the new trails to open this season dependent on weather. “We rely on snowmaking, so we’ll be ready to go as soon as the temps drop,” he says. “If we have a winter like last year, with consistent periods below freezing, we’ll be able to open the new trails fairly quickly.”
Feature image courtesy Bryce Resort
