The Winter Park Fraser Valley is both a winter and summer paradise. Because both the town of Winter Park and Beaver Village Condominiums are surrounded by the Araphoe National forest, we have the advantage of being situated just minutes from an endless variety of outdoor activities. Visitors to the Winter Park area may have a hard time deciding what activity to do for the day. Downhill skiing and snowboarding , cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling are some of the winter activities in our area. Check out more information on summer events in Winter Park, enjoy mountain biking, music festivals , hiking , and golfing .

Winter Park boasts a number of fine restaurants and pubs. Check out our extensive list of places to dine or have a beer after a long day of playing in "the Valley".

Historical Information
Visitors to Grand County are quick to realize the magnificence of their surroundings, being engulfed by the Continental Divide it is hard not to. Visually it can be overwhelming; one can easily neglect the history behind the rustic mountain towns that make Grand County what it is.

WINTER PARK
Winter Park began as two small settlements, Old Town and Hideaway Park. Old Town came into existence because of the construction taking place on the Moffat Tunnel. This Tunnel named after David Moffat was constructed to connect Denver and Salt Lake City. It is over six miles long and travels underneath the Continental Divide. Today, it is visible from the base of Winter Park Resort. Hideaway Park came to be simply because it is located near the ski resort. It began as a small settlement with only a handful of buildings and people.

On August 1, 1978 the town was founded and became Winter Park. Shortly after that Nick Teverbaugh was elected mayor and has remained the mayor for over twenty years. In 1980 Winter Park grew again incorporating the West Portal Village. The West Portal Village became the home of the Mary Jane Base and various other buildings at the resort such as the Iron Horse Resort.

With the mission statement being, "To actively develop as a quality resort community, which reflects the beauty of our natural surroundings" visitors can be certain to have a unique experience taking in the culture of such a passionate town.

FRASER
At an elevation of 8550 feet Fraser is nicknamed the "Ice Box of the Nation" for obvious reasons.  This is a quiet town with a colorful history. Fraser was founded by loggers and railroaders who originally named it Eastom. During World War II Fraser became the home of a German prisoner of war camp. The prisoners were captured in Italy and forced to become laborers for the production of lumber. It is stated that for the prisoners it was a time of learning about independence and the unforeseen kindness of the locals. Even though the Germans were prisoners of war they were paid seventy-five cents a day for their labor. They were also allowed to form a dance band and take trips to the movie theater. Many of the prisoners stayed in Colorado after the war was over.

Fraser was also home to Susan Anderson in the early 1900s. She was called Doc Susie and was one of the first female physicians. She is described as a tough woman who would travel by snowshoe for her patients no matter what the weather conditions were.

Fraser is currently beginning to develop more land and over the next couple years is going to continue to build thousands of new residential homes and a golf course.

TABERNASH
Tabernash is interesting because it has never been incorporated, there is no mayor, no town council, and has no tax, but it does have a Post Office! It was named after a Ute Native American Cheif Tabernash.  Author Robert Black, in Island in the Rockies: the Pioneer Era of Grand County, stated that a cowboy shot Tabernash in 1878 after a dispute that was responsible for the death of both settlers and Native Americans.

In 1913 the railroad was moved from Fraser to Tabernash. During this time Tabernash reached its highest population with over six hundred people. There were actually three areas of Tabernash called Tabernash, the Swamp Town, and Sunnyside.

GRAND LAKE
Grand Lake is a small town that is located on the west side of the Continental Divide next to the Colorado River. It is named after the largest natural lake in Colorado that was formed by a glacier. The first person to settle in Grand Lake was Judge Wescott. He then set his land up in plots for people to come and live. Grand Lake's population grew in the 1880s when miners moved in. This made Grand Lake the center of activity for a while which caused a rivalry between Grand Lake and Hot Sulfur Springs. Today Grand Lake is popular to visit in the summer time with its breath taking views and Western style town. Grand Lake is also known as the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park with Estes Park being the eastern entrance to the park.

For More Information
When you visit Winter Park, you will be assured of a grand time. Please let us know if you would like any more information on the area by emailing us at onlineres@beavercondos.com

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your visit.

We may not have all of the activities listed that are available, so be sure to contact the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce for a more extensive list: 800-903-7275.