Snowmass Village Appeals to the Whole Family

Snowmass Village in Colorado is already one of the most appealing ski and mountain destinations in the Rockies, but this winter the resort ups the ante with the grand opening of the tallest indoor rock-realistic climbing wall in the state.

The 54-foot-high wall, which will run directly up the front of the new Limelight Hotel in Snowmass, is part of the $600 million Snowmass Base Village project.

The climbing wall is encased in a five-story glass tower with a granite-like surface designed to mirror some of the most famous climbs near Snowmass, including the popular Grotto area on Independence Pass.

SBV Climbing Wall Rendering © David Clifford, Snowmass Base Village

The wall was designed by Boulder-based Eldorado Climbing Walls and will feature three different lanes and six routes, specifically created to appeal to climbers of all levels.

“It’s pretty unique to have this size of wall anywhere. When unveiled it will be an amazing piece of climbable art and a hub of activity for Base Village,” said Christina Frain, director of sales and marketing, Eldorado Climbing Walls. “Experienced climbers will be impressed and want to climb this rock, while beginner and intermediate climbers will be able to use their imagination and climb per their skill level.”

The wall will be unveiled when the Limelight Hotel and Residences opens later this year.

Located at the base of Snowmass Ski Resort, the base village project includes 99 rooms and 11 residences in the new Limelight Hotel; the Lumin Residences, featuring three penthouses; One Snowmass with 41 residences spread across two buildings; a community center building; and the new Base Village public plaza. The residences, which feature two-and three-bedroom layouts, offer sweeping views of the mountain slopes or the plaza in the Snowmass Base Village.

In addition to skiing, dining and shopping, families can enjoy an ice rink that turns into a summer events lawn with pop-up children’s fountains and expanded retail and dining.

“We wanted to do something different and unique, something you don’t normally see in a hotel or mountain town,” said John Calhoun, vice president of sales and marketing, East West Partners. “At more than 50 feet in height, it will be the centerpiece of the new Base Village and entice our guests and their families to challenge and accomplish amazing feats, and allow our local climbers to test themselves year round.”

To make the wall look realistic, designers used wall artists and iron workers to shape and mold the wall into natural-looking shapes, and the rock is being painted to look like local granite.