Hoedown Hill is Colorado's newest and most unlikely ski area

Colorado's newest ski hill is located east of Interstate 25.

Yes, that's right: Hoedown Hill, with a 130-foot vertical drop, hopes to open in Windsor by the end of the year and offer tubing, skiing and riding in an area known better for dust storms than snow 90 minutes north of Denver.

What's happening: The 12-acre property is the dream of Martin Lind, the CEO of Water Valley Company, which owns the RainDance golf resort where the new ski hill is located, the Loveland Reporter-Herald writes.

• He recalls visiting Sharktooth Ski Area in Greeley — affectionately dubbed "the world's smallest ski resort" — before it closed in 1986 and the "incredible childhood memories of getting to go over there."
• The hill, built on an old landfill, will cost at least $3 million to build, according to the Colorado Sun, but the company wouldn't disclose the full cost.

What they're saying: "We ask people to drive for hours out of the city to get to the slopes. This resort brings skiing to the people," said Eric Lipton, of Snow Operating, the company that designed the new ski area.

Of note: Windsor averages 44 inches of snow a year, so it will rely on 15 snow-making guns to keep it open.

• It is expected to feature four "magic carpet" conveyor lifts alongside 10 tubing lanes and ski runs with varying difficulty ratings.