Cuchara Ski Season Unlikely
News
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Cuchara, CO, Dec. 13, 2000–Without a miraculous and expedited sale, Cuchara Mountain Resort in south-central Colorado will not open for skiing this year.
John Lau, Cuchara’s owner and proprietor of Ski Rio, NM, has been negotiating with an unnamed buyer for three months. Initially the potential buyer expressed a desire to open the resort for this season. However, the prospective buyer has since backed away and Lau has begun to consider other offers.
Cuchara has opened and closed five times since 1981 and Lau is the resort’s sixth owner. Needless to say, local business people are accustomed to uncertainty and most do not rely on the ski area as a sole source of income. Local businesses have taken up creative enterprises and winter activities to lure visitors into rustic Cuchara. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and rental equipment for both will be offered by some locals.
Until Lau finds a buyer, the residents of Cuchara and skiers who frequent the mountain will just have to wait.