Powderhorn Ski Resort

Powderhorn Resort, previously known as the Powderhorn Ski Area, is a great family friendly ski resort, in part because of its affordability. Powderhorn is not the place to go to strut in your fur coat; it's renowned for the very informal and friendly atmosphere. At Powderhorn it's all about the skiing and snowboarding!

Powderhorn sits on the edge of the Grand Mesa, one of the largest flat top mountains. Due to its location where the desert meets the mountain, the ski resort affords really unique vistas that extend for miles across the desert floor.

Powderhorn Ski and Snowboard Terrain

The 1,600 acres (648 hectares) of terrain includes a variety of trails that drop down from the rim of the mesa. The main focus at Powderhorn is on groomed beginner and intermediate ski terrain, but there are bumps runs and impressive glades that provide some decent challenges for advanced riders. Powderhorn also has a terrain park that continues to evolve.

The bulk of the ski area is serviced by only two slow chairlifts, and the beginners' area has a double chair and magic carpets.

Powderhorn receives an average of 250 inches (6.4 metres) of snowfall on average per season, which is a little less than many of the other Colorado ski resorts. However Powderhorn does really well in the quality stakes because the semi-arid climate of the region contributes to delightfully dry powder.

Powder hounds will also be happy because the ski resort does not suffer from a crowd affliction. A mostly local population frequents Powderhorn, so thankfully powder stashes last much longer than a nano-second, unlike at some of the ski resorts closer to Denver!

Where is Powderhorn Resort?

The Powderhorn Resort is located on the Grand Mesa, 40 miles (63km) east of Grand Junction Colorado, a drive that takes about 45 minutes. Powderhorn is in Western Colorado, only 69 miles from the Utah border and 233 miles west of Denver.

The Grand Junction Airport receives flights from various cities including Las Vegas, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston.

Powderhorn Condos and Grand Junction Hotels

There is limited on-mountain accommodation at Powderhorn. Other visitors tend to stay in Grand Junction or Palisade and commute to Powderhorn each day. Grand Junction hotels and motels vary from economical options to more upscale hotels.

Grand Junction Accommodation Listings

Ski Resort Facilities

The Powderhorn amenities are reasonably low key. There is a ski school, equipment rental shop, a retail shop and a couple of restaurants. There's also a good picnic area for brown baggers.

Powderhorn Activities

The Grand Mesa offers a vast network of trails for snowmobiling, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The trails can be accessed from the top of Powderhorn Resort, and the resort rents out cross-country ski equipment and snowshoes.

Or for off-snow activities, nearby Palisade (a town near Grand Junction) is wine central and you can go wine tasting (or guzzling!) at ten plus wineries! Alternatively just driving around the area is an activity in itself. The desert rock formations are strikingly spectacular.

Why Ski or Snowboard at Powderhorn Colorado?

The major strengths of Powderhorn include the beginner and intermediate slopes, the tree skiing, the lack of crowds, the family friendliness, and the dry powder.

Another major benefit of a Powderhorn ski vacation is that everything is very economical; the lift tickets, equipment rentals, kids’ ski school, and food. Furthermore Palisade and Grand Junction hotels offer exceptional value for money.