CASPER, Wyo. – After many months of planning and construction, a new Casper Mountain Trails Center is poised to start operations today.

The steel structure replaces the old lodge that was demolished in late 2020, after engineers discovered critical structural issues.

While some in the community have voiced unenthusiastic opinions on the exterior design compared to its wood-sided predecessor, the new building is designed with energy efficiency and structural strength in mind, according to Casper Parks & Recreation Director Michael Brown. It will also offer more amenities and year-round use, he said.

(Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)

A lobby area will be open from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., allowing skiers to warm up, use the bathrooms and access vending machines, which will be installed at a later date.

Bathrooms are larger than before, and a family bathroom has been added.

The remainder of the building will be open during staffing hours from Wednesday through Sunday, and features a large banquet hall, offices with extra storage areas, and a warming kitchen for commercial events.

A state-of-the-art dual-zone energy recovery and heat transfer HVAC system helps reduce costs, and the building will feature air conditioning, allowing it to be used during the summer, said Brown. The building is extremely well insulated, which also helps reduce heating and cooling costs, as well as isolates users from wind noise.

A fireplace was stripped from the early design due to budget constraints, but funds and materials were donated by community members and organized through the Casper Nordic Club to have it added in the final construction. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)

Acoustical ceiling panels keep down noise in the banquet hall and add a modern aesthetic, and rubber flooring reduces slipping with wet boots. A key feature is a fireplace that adds visual and physical warmth. The feature was scrapped from early plans due to cost constraints, but community members donated money and materials through the Casper Nordic Club to have it built.

The building will have WiFi access, a large flatscreen TV and multiple digital ports for access and device charging.

The roof is designed to dump snow behind the building, which is then gathered by staff and placed on the trails.

Because the building does not have a fire suppression system, the original occupancy rate of 250 people has been reduced to 99 people by fire inspectors. A fire alarm system is in the planning stages, bringing capacity up to 200.

“I can get exception for special events at this point, as long as I submit an application for the fire marshal and have them review it,” said Brown. The first large event for the space, a high school ski race scheduled for next week, will have approval for large crowds, he said.

The total cost of the project was around the $3 million mark, he said.

Casper Parks & Recreation Director Michael Brown demonstrates a partition that will separate the lobby from the remainder of the building at the new Casper Mountain Trails Center. The lobby will remain open for skiers to warm up or use the bathrooms after staffing hours. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
A staff office looks out into the banquet hall. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
An office shows some storage. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
The systems room shows some of the state-of-the-art efficient heating equipment installed in the new lodge, which will help reduce operating costs. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
Bathrooms are considerably larger than in the previous building. A family bathroom is also available. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
The lobby portion looks out to the front doors of the new Casper Mountain Trails Center. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
A simple kitchen will allow for use during reserved events. Commercial sinks and counter space will be installed soon. When not in use it will remain closed off from the hall area. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
Sun shines through the large windows in the banquet hall at the new Casper Mountain Trails Center. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
Acoustic ceiling panels help keep echo and noise in check. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
Casper Parks & Recreation Director Michael Brown shows some leftover flooring used in the building. The flooring is designed to minimize slipping of wet ski boots and shoes. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
(Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
The roof is designed to dump snow onto the ground, which is then collected and placed back on the trails. (Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)
(Dan Cepeda, Oil City News)

Oil City News LLC is a nonpartisan media organization and Central Wyoming’s largest locally owned, independent news platform. The mission of Oil City’s award-winning team of Casper-based journalists is to build a more informed and connected community by producing local stories first, fast and forever free. If you would like to read the original article, click here.

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