 Poster: A snowHead
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The 2 of us will be in US for a 10 days end of feb and plan to extend that by 5/6 nights to ski. we would probably fly into denver and are looking for suggestions, we have a few of our own ideas - mainly based on steamboat as we have been there before but interested in a few of the places closer to denver.
We would ideally like a ski in/out or walk to the lifts but not keen on the idea of bus or driving to and from lifts - although willing to listen to suggestions.
Village type location so that we can walk somewhere in the evening for food and hotel rather than condo(or is that to European way of thinking).
Will be taking our own boots but hiring ski's - advanced skiers.
Will probably be hiring a car from denver although only planning on this staying parked until we return to the airport - are transfers available from denver to ski resort/hotels.
We have googled a lot of places but interested on other peoples thoughts.
thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's America, so Condos are quite popular. I've not been for a while, but I really like Winter Park. It's a shorter drive from the airport than most places, so easier to get to on a dark snowy evening with jet lag. Then.... it's steeper (in places) than the touristy flat stuff, real people ride there, and they cultivate great bumps.
I usually just hire a car and drive west; I don't know about transfers, except if you're in somewhere like Vail they'll charge you to park your car.
Personally I'd rather fly into SLC, stay in the city, and raid the resorts around there. Better snow, tougher terrain, fewer tourists. On the other hand if the "village type" places tend to not have the best terrain. It all depends who has the snow when you're there of course.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Keystone has a small village area but all walkable and pretty much ski in ski out - we have a 6 and 8 year old and always try and have the shortest walk possible. Vail has also a few places right in the base areas that would satisfy your request to be close to snow but also in the village, and they're whole village is pedestrianised so very walkable in the evenings.
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ksb76, thanks, just looking at the trail map for keystone and it looks like most of the lifts end and then it is snowcats to get to the top..are the snowcats included in the lift ticket or is there an additional charge?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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MogulMonkey, depends on your budget but Vail would fit the bill because there are slopeside hotels (as opposed to condos like in Keystone) and just grab a van transfer from DIA - Colorado Mountain Express have a desk in arrivals but best to book ahead.
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+1 for Vail. Great resort and terrain.
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One benefit of a car if in Vail, is that depending upon the lift pass you buy, it may have access to Brekenridge and Beaver Creek. Both are a short drive away and have free parking lots with buses / gondolas to the ski areas.
If you intent to stay in Vail and go nowhere else, then CME sounds like a good idea.
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Good point on a car, but you can easily spend a week at Vail and not get bored.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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another +1 for Vail. Good backbowl skiing (fine without a gyuide as is in bounds) and very good restaurants. I can give a list if you PM me
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philwig,
Hmm, I like Winter Park as well, but I wouldn't fancy driving over Berthoud Pass in a storm.
MogulMonkey, There are lots of transfer buses from DIA to all the Summit County resorts, and I usually use these. As far as WP is concerned, I think the mountain's great, and it's got some good terrain for the advanced skier (and right now, a seasons pass comes in cheaper than a 5-6 day p[ass, plus you get the benefits of discounts on ski hire and other things), but............it's not the best place for a village you can wander around: the base area's been developed......a bit, but not much, and downtown WP is basically an anonymous strip along the highway.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, I love Copper, but I work there, too, so you may want to factor that into my commentary.
The most cost-effective approach is to stay in Frisco and use the Summit Stage (free bus system throughout the county). I know you said you didn't want busses, and that's all well and good, but the Frisco/Stage setup is pretty sweet.
That said, Breckenridge is the real town in Summit County. It's beautiful, Victorian, and full of tourists from all over the world for most of the season. Copper has a walking village, is a locals favorite, and is more relaxed as a result. Araphoe Basin is the most throwback in the County, and if it really dumps but isn't blowing, it's definitely worth a visit. Keystone is for tourists, IMNSHO. Vail is, too, but for those more well-heeled.
As I've stated elsewhere, I'm not a Winter Park fan, primarily due to a combination of the terrain (lots of bumps, horrendous traversing between Winter Park and Mary Jane) and the town (1970 US shopping plaza chic!).
Steamboat is nice in that it's away from the crowds, usually gets great snow, and is lower elevation (usually nice for lowlanders, but sometimes means that the snow level is a bit challenging). If you haven't been to Aspen, that's one place I would definitely recommend you consider, as well!
Since I live in Boulder, work at Copper, and have skied all of these many times, please do let me know if I can assist in any way!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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"As I've stated elsewhere, I'm not a Winter Park fan, primarily due to a combination of the terrain (lots of bumps, horrendous traversing between Winter Park and Mary Jane) and the town (1970 US shopping plaza chic!). "
We've been to WP three times and love it!
Steep runs (some nearly vertical!), great snow and a decent town. And we've been during UK Feb half term 3 times and had many runs to ourselves on each visit. It's not uncommon for there to be no other skiers in sight!
Yes, it's strung out along a road but if you stay in the right place you've got a good selection of dining options within a 5 minute walk. We stayed at the Viking Lodge - great value and a bit rustic but clean and very very affordable. There's a ski bus stop at the door and it's no big deal to take the 10 minute, free bus journey to the slopes.
The Lodge has a Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Italian and 2 steakhouses within 2 minutes walk.
We used Home James for transfers from Denver as you don't need a car once you are in WP. Oh, and it was cheaper to buy a season pass in advance than a 6 day ticket on arrival....
All in all, highly recommended.
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Winter Park - Expert/blacks because of the bumps, less great if you like accessible off piste or long runs around, bit constrained I thought in area. I'd go back for the excellent boot fitter (recommended to me by one of the speedy Bells on either this or the tea club forum years ago).
Vail - village feel, good accessible off piste, lots of on piste variety, lovely US levels of tender care for rich skiers, great intermediate resort.
Aspen - liked even better than Vail for village feel, great (unusually for US) apres scene at the bottom of Aspen mountain ski area (which is where the main very charming town is). Sky hotel for drinks round outside heated pool and at least 2 other bars right at the bottom of the mountain. There are 4 ski areas - Highlands area has absolutely great back bowls, some really decent long runs down, including some scary levels of drop off from the rim of the bowl, but options to go just a bit further round and slide in, lovely tree skiing, all bootpacked pre season so all in bounds and snow pack very stable. And no one actually skis if its not blue sky and between 10am-12, and 2 to 2.30pm, so you have the mountains to yourself (although you can't get a restaurant booking...) Finances and company permitting, I'd go back like a shot - felt like you had best of european apres feel and US skier care.
Appreciate you said you wanted to stay somewhere and not drive to the slopes, but if you wanted to rock the skiing rather than relax in the evenings you could make like a local and drive and do a day in 4 different places, staying in cheap motels to break the drive each evening 
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You know it makes sense.
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Bergmeister, proof that YMMV... I would much prefer Breck (or Aspen) for a visit of more than a day. My wife and I spent a couple of nights in Fraser (up the road from Winter Park) at a B&B, and while the place was lovely, I just don't fancy the geography or the town. Have you visited Breck? Or Aspen? Or Copper? I'm curious as to how you compare them.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Well, with a handle of MogulMonkey, I'd say go to Winter Park/Mary Jane and bump your heart out! 
That said, Vail is really nice and the back bowl is something to behold. And you can usually walk to shops and lifts, even though the "village" is fake.
The only non-fake village is Breckenridge. But I'm not a big fan of Breck, at least not for a whole week with Breck alone. Yes, you can get to other resorts, but then you're on the bus which you said you don't like...
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 12-11-13 21:38; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
we would probably fly into denver
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Do you have a choice then ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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thanks for all the comments..some really useful information.
Nickski, we do have a choice..will be in phoenix for 10 day visiting our daughter and we wanted tpo add a week skiing in at the end. we can fly into anywhere from phoenix, that would be a convenient location to fly out of at the end of the vacation back to the UK, we do have the other option of flying back to the uk and then a week in europe.
slopeside places do seem to be much higher than europe so i think we may have got a good deal when we last stayed in steamboat so it seems,with it being our 3rd week of vacation in 2014, we need to have one eye on the expense.
looks like i have some more research based on all your feedback..thanks
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Bergmeister, proof that YMMV..
YMMV? 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you have the funds, Aspen will be perfect. Great skiing, nice REAL village. A bit of busing will be needed to access the "other" mountains though. Still, the skiing is usually fantastic.
The opposite end of the spectrum, if you want to have great skiing for cheap, Salt Lake City area will be the perfect destination for that!
From Pheonix, you can almost DRIVE to Salt Lake City... (going through some of the most stunning scenery on earth along the way too)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Well, can drive it yes, but it's about 1400 miles round trip. In the winter.
Denver is the obvious gateway back to UK because of the direct flight.
Or, another suggestion, hire car in Pheonix and do Taos NM.
Or fly in/out Montrose and do Telluride and fly back to UK from Pheonix.
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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| In the winter. |
It's a desert!
I'm not saying the drive is short. But it passes some of the most stunning landscape of the entire continent. The drive itself would be the highlight! Getting there would just be the byproduct. 
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Bergmeister, YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary. Sorry. Probably a more US-centric acronym than I realized!
Bode Swiller, great idea on Taos or Telluride. Not near Denver, but both stunning mountains with amazing skiing. Well worth it, and, as with SLC, some amazing scenery along the way (the Anastasi ruins are on the way to Telluride from Phoenix).
Given a choice, I'd do that or Aspen. The Front Range resorts are great, but Telluride, Taos, and Aspen are much more an experience than they are.
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Another vote for Vail. Good slopeside accommodation and some good bars and live music. We stayed in Beaver Creek last year - if the budget is high enough this will give you a classy experience, plenty of good slopes for 6 days and particularly good tree skiing.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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we had thought of telluride - daughter has been to several weddings there (her fiance has family there) but it is a 7 hour drive from phx so i see driving that as a wasted day where i could be skiing. another advantage of denver area is we have points to use and at the moment a flight from phx to denver will only cost $2.50(if only we could get those deals in the UK)
i agree scenery is spectacular but we ave spent many days and nights around sedona and the grand canyon on previous visits so skiing is the main objective of the trip.
Bode Swiller, Taos could be an option,flights work ok to albuquerqe, how does the ski are compare to flagstaff where we have spent some time earlier this year? looking at the trail maps it does look like an area that is big enough for a 2/3 days rather than a week but i may be wrong on that.
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