October 27th 2024.
Eldora is excited to announce the grand opening of their newest addition, the Caribou Lodge. This 12,000-square-foot lodge, located in the lower mountain area, will serve as a gathering space for visitors and a home for two of our programs. The lodge is designed to be energy-efficient and follows green building codes. It features a café, modern restrooms, a retail shop, and a second-floor deck, as well as spaces for lessons and gear rentals.
Hunter Wright, director of sustainability and project development at Eldora, expressed his enthusiasm for the new lodge, stating, "This is more than just a building in our lower mountain. It's a new place for people to come together and share their love for winter activities and the great outdoors." The planning and design for the Caribou Lodge began in 2019, and construction began in 2023. Wright believes that this lodge is a huge upgrade for the base area of the mountain, making it more accessible and providing more space for programming. It will also give visitors a comfortable place to take a break from the cold and allow parents to watch their children during lessons.
One of the main highlights of the Caribou Lodge is that it will be the permanent home for Ignite Adaptive Sports, a non-profit organization that has been a partner of Eldora since 1975. It is the second oldest adaptive winter sports program in Colorado and helps people with disabilities learn how to ski. Last season alone, Ignite provided over 1,300 lessons to approximately 360 athletes. Carol Nickell, the executive director of Ignite, expressed her gratitude for the new home Eldora has provided, stating, "It's beyond words. Before, we were working out of temporary trailers, but now we have a beautiful, permanent space." Nickell also noted that this new lodge shows Eldora's dedication to making sure that everyone, regardless of ability, can enjoy the mountain.
David Pettigrew, a Colorado Springs resident and military veteran with an amputated right leg, has been skiing with Ignite for two seasons. He uses a single sit ski, a device that allows him to sit and ski using one ski. Pettigrew shared his experience, saying, "I never thought I could go crazy fast down a mountain, but thanks to Ignite, I can. I hope that this new facility will allow them to store more equipment and accommodate more participants." The new lodge is also ADA-compliant and features an elevator and a bridge for Ignite volunteers to easily transport sit skis to the slopes.
Eldora's main goal with the Caribou Lodge is to support Ignite and help them expand their offerings to more individuals with disabilities. Wright stated, "We want to increase diversity on the mountain and ensure that it is accessible to everyone." This new addition to Eldora will not only benefit visitors but also make a significant impact on the adaptive skiing community. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Adventurist, to stay updated on all the exciting news at Eldora and the great outdoors.
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