Stagecoach, Colorado
Stagecoach was a short-lived ski resort in Colorado in the early 1970s, 20 miles (32km) south of Steamboat Springs in Routt County.
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| Stagecoach | |
|---|---|
  Stagecoach Location in Colorado | |
| Location | Routt County, Colorado  United States |
| Nearest major city | Steamboat Springs |
| Coordinates | 40°15′10″N 106°51′25″W |
| Vertical | 1,700 ft - (518 m) |
| Top elevation | 9,150 ft - (2789 m) |
| Base elevation | 7,450 ft - (2271 m) |
| Skiable area | 170 acres - (0.7 km²) |
| Lift system | 3 double chairlifts |
| Snowfall | 300" - (760 cm) |
Ski area
The ski area was developed by the Woodmoor Company of Colorado Springs. Although full of great terrain on north-facing slopes, financial problems of the developer nixed the project in 1973 and it closed after its second season of skiing in 1974.[1]
Now considered a "lost" ski hill, rumors of Stagecoach reopening are common, but are always denied by the Wittemyer family, who have owned the property for over twenty-five years.[2]
The ski area was a mile south of the present-day Stagecoach Reservoir, with north-facing slopes and three double chairlifts. The vertical drop was 1,700 feet (518 m) with summit elevation of 9,150 feet (2789 m) above sea level and the base at 7,450 feet (2271 m).
Chairlifts
| # | Lift Name | Vertical Drop |
Length | Type | Ride Time |
Hourly Capacity |
Gradient | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Hitch | 1,250' (381 m) |
5,385' (1641 m) |
Double | 10 min | 1,200 | 23.2% (13.1 deg.) |
1972 |
| 2 | Yellow Jacket Express |
570' (174 m) |
2,000' (610 m) |
Double | 5 min | 1,200 | 28.5% (15.9 deg.) |
1972 |
| 3 | Little Hitch | 347' (106 m) |
1,990' (607 m) |
Double | 6 min | 1,100 | 17.4% (9.9 deg.) |
1972 |
Stagecoach State Park
The Stagecoach Dam was built on the Yampa River in late 1988, and its reservoir filled over the next several years. The reservoir now hosts Stagecoach State Park and offers fishing, boating, camping, hiking, and winter cross-country skiing and dog-sledding.[3] The dam is at the northeast end of the reservoir; the water's surface elevation is 7200 feet (2195 m) above sea level. Originally designed in the 1970s as an earthen dam, it is a roller-compacted concrete (RCC) structure.[4]
The Community
The community is now quickly growing, along with nearby Steamboat Springs. A new firehouse was built in 2006 and new neighborhoods are under development. An elementary school site has been allocated when the current facility in nearby Yampa reaches capacity.
References
- Colorado Ski History.com - Stagecoach
- Colorado Ski History.com - lost resorts
- parks.state.co.us - Stagecoach State Park
- Water Power Magazine - Stagecoach Dam
External links
- Stage-Coach.com - homeowners' association - map of area
