Ruby Hill Railyard's Fifth Season Comes to a Close

2011 On Track to be the Most Successful Season Yet

Denver, CO - Ruby Hill Rail Yard, Denver’s one-of-a-kind free urban ski and snowboard terrain park, will close for the 2011 season on Sunday, February 27.

Now in its fifth season, the 2011 Ruby Hill Rail Yard opened on January 8, 2011 for seven weeks and is on track to be the most well attended season to date. Ruby Hill’s success is largely due to the thirty-five volunteers who logged more than 900 hours to maintain the park, and to a snow cat that was provided by Winter Park Resort for maintenance purposes.

Ruby Hill Rail Yard is a result of a partnership between Winter Park Resort, Denver Parks and Recreation and Christy Sports: Winter Park provided seven rails, terrain park design and staff; Christy Sports provided over 300 free equipment rentals; and Denver Parks and Recreation provided the physical space and the youth programs that utilized the terrain park.

Thank you to the following partners for another successful season and for making Ruby Hill Rail Yard possible: Denver Parks and Recreation, Christy Sports, Johnson Controls, Denver Water, The North Face, Choose Outdoors, Wahoo’s Fish Taco and the Snowboard Outreach Society, along with the crew from Winter Park Resort.

Ruby Hill Rail Yard is located off of South Platte River Drive and West Florida Avenue. The Rail Yard will be open every day through Sunday, February 27, from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Snowmaking Begins at Ruby Hill Railyard, Denver's Free Urban Terrain Park!

Winter Park Resort, Denver Parks and Recreation and Christy Sports Again Team Up To Bring Winter Sports To The City Of Denver Free Of Charge

Denver, CO - Due to cold temperatures in the Denver area, snowmaking at Ruby Hill Rail Yard has begun with over an acre of snow in anticipation of the Rail Park opening mid- January through February 2011.

Approximately 1 million gallons of water will be used to cover the area with snow. When it melts, it will return to the surrounding vegetation. Denver Water has agreed to let the City use this water as long as they reduce water needs in the summer by an equal amount. As a result, no water is being wasted – just reallocated.

First established in 2007, Ruby Hill Rail Yard was the country's first free urban terrain park based in a city. The experimental program instantly became a nationwide model for numerous cities and ski resort collaborations.

2010 Photo Credit: Dave Watson Photography

Ruby Hill Rail Yard in Denver Opens

Winter Park Resort, Denver Parks and Recreation and Christy Sports Team Up To Bring Winter Sports To City Of Denver Free Of Charge


Denver, CO - Winter Park Resort announces the earliest recorded opening day of Ruby Hill Rail Yard, Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 12 p.m. Ruby Hill Rail Yard is a free urban terrain park for skiers and snowboarders, located at the intersection of Platte River Drive and Jewell Avenue in Denver.
“With Ruby Hill we’re able to bring the mountains to the metro area, to the backyards of city dwellers that may not otherwise have the chance to experience rails on a regular basis,” said Bob Holme, terrain park and youth marketing manager at Winter Park Resort. “Plus, this is a great way to give back to a community that has supported Winter Park Resort for the past 70 years.”

This is the earliest opening for Ruby Hill since its inception in 2006. The rail yard will be open through the end of February, weather permitting. To prepare the park, snowmaking equipment has pumped more than an acre of snow and a snowcat, on loan from Winter Park Resort, is putting the final grooming touches on the terrain park.
Ruby Hill is a result of the partnership between Denver Parks and Recreation, Christy Sports and Winter Park Resort. Winter Park provides the rails, terrain park design and staff; Chirsty Sports provides free rental equipment; and Denver Parks and Recreation provides youth programs. Thirty volunteers and private donations also help make the terrain park possible.