Colorado’s next big ski resort seems well on its way. A developer known for high-end resorts has unveiled plans for a new ski and golf destination near Steamboat Springs. Discovery Land Company, known for creating a private Montana skiing community called the Yellowstone Club, aims to turn 6,500 acres of Colorado real estate into a luxury resort called Stagecoach Mountain Ranch.
Spanning about 6,500 acres, the proposed development is planned on a plot of land just south of the Stagecoach Reservoir. It will encompass 697 residences with easy access to ski slopes and golf courses. In a recent draft letter addressed to the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District, the company seeks assurance of water availability for snowmaking and irrigation.
A full development application is expected in May.
Stagecoach Mountain Ranch is a planned redevelopment of the short-lived Stagecoach Ski Area, which closed 50 years ago. A resurrection of the ski area has “fueled rumors in the Yampa Valley for years,” the Yampa Valley Bugle reported.
A Comeback in the Making
Local officials have identified the Stagecoach area of Colorado’s Routt County as a prime zone for development as Steamboat Springs continues to grow rapidly.
Originally opened in 1972, the Stagecoach closed after two seasons, with blame placed on financial problems. The planned development includes private land and a state park managed by Colorado Parks & Wildlife.
Last year, landowner Chris Wittemyer submitted the first plans for a new ski resort. It will include a private ski area with five lifts and a golf course bordering the shores of Stagecoach Reservoir to the north.
Current documents for Stagecoach Mountain Resort don’t include any details about pricing. But the homes won’t be cheap, judging by the Yellowstone Club website. Homes in the Montana community can sell for $25 million, with initial membership dues at $300,000, Business Insider reported in 2021.
According to the Yellowstone Club’s website, it’s the world’s first members-only ski and golf community. If completed, Stagecoach Mountain Ranch may become the second.
However, several obstacles remain, like infrastructure updates for water and wastewater that the local government lacks funding to complete. So the resort may get built, but don’t expect a grand opening for at least a few years.
