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Echo Mountain has a long and rich history. What you know as Echo Mountain today was once entirely different (even entirely dormant!).
Echo Mountain has grown from a 1960s public ski area, to a terrain park, to a private ski training center, to its current iteration: Denver’s closest, most affordable ski area.
We’re proud of our history, and we’re even more proud of the future we’re building at Echo Mountain.
Echo Mountain Timeline
1960-1975: Squaw Pass Ski Area
The ski area originally opened in 1960 as Squaw Pass Ski Area. For fifteen years, it was a Denver family favorite because it was much closer to the front range than other options further out. That changed in 1973, when the Eisenhower Tunnel opened and ski areas on the west side of the Continental divide began to expand.
1975-2005: Closed
After closing in 1975, the ski area changed ownership a couple of times. Eventually it laid dormant until 2005 when it was resurrected as Echo Mountain Park.
2005-2012: Echo Mountain Park
Echo Mountain Park opened with a sole focus on terrain parks. A few years into the concept, a Ski School was opened and Echo began targeting a broader customer base.
2012-2016: From Private Training Center To Public Ski Area
In 2012, it changed hands again and became a private ski race training facility. After solely focusing on ski racing for several years, the owners decided to open to the public in 2015. Despite a successful season and renewed interest in Echo as a general ski area, the owners decided not to continue in that direction and filed for bankruptcy in February of 2016.
2016-2017: Echo Mountain
Echo Mountain, as it’s known today, opened in October 2016. Under new ownership, Echo Mountain was reborn with a vision to be Denver’s closest, most affordable option for snow sports and outdoors enthusiasts in Colorado’s front range.
2018: BIG Slide In the Right Direction
After a complete renovation of our kitchen and lodge in 2017, and a total revamp of our food and beverage offerings, we knew the next step was making some BIG changes to the mountain itself. Echo Mountain now offers a brand new tubing hill, an expanded beginner area, a revitalized menu (including “life-changing fries”), and a fresh new look and logo.
2019-2020: Things Start Rolling
The 2019-2020 season saw some big changes in that for the first time, we opened 7 days a week and moved out opening time up an hour to extend our weekday operations even more. These big steps helped improve access to the mountain and create an overall better experience for guests. As a result, it was Echo's longest season to date despite our early close as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It put a bit of a damper on the season's end, but it couldn't undo all the great memories made that season!
2020-2021: COVID Can't Stop All The Fun
Heading into last season, we anticipated some big challenges, but we're committed to having as normal a season as possible and welcoming guests to an awesome ski, snowboard and tubing experience. We learned a lot and made some big improvements in technology and process, and while some things may go back to the way they were (yay indoor seating!), others we'll carry forward with us in seasons to come! We experienced historic snowfall in March and April causing yet more changes in operations, but it made for some pretty incredible days on the mountain. Last season was Echo's longest yet again, and tubing even saw a couple of days in May!
Echo Mountain Today
We are thrilled for the 2021-2022 season and can't wait for it to get here! It is sure to be another great one. We can't wait to see the familiar faces we've grown to know and love, along with new skiers and snowboarders with which to share this wonderful mountain.
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