 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Friends,
My son is working in USA for 6 months ... so skiing in March looking like Colorado.
Planning 10 days from 6 March ... probably flying to Denver and renting a truck.
Probably 2 of us from UK joining my son and 2 others from NY.
I'd quite like to explore a few resorts ... looking at Icon or Epic season pass at c.$900 ... Epic looks probably best bet as I might get a few days in Europe too and they have quite a few 2 day deals included.
Anyone got advice on where to go and where not to go !
I was thinking Breck, A Basin, Vail, Keystone, Beaver Creek and Crested Butte ... All on Epic pass.
I'd love to go to Jackson Hole ... but access might be tricky.
Give me some ideas please 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Jackson is easily accessible from Denver
You could do on Ikon
Winter Park, drive to Steamboat
Steamboat, drive to Jackson
Few days in JH, drive to SLC
Ski SLC resorts, drive to (say) Grand Junction
Early am drive to Aspen area, ski few days
Ski Copper or A Basin on drive back to Denver
Or a mini version
WP
SS
Aspen
Copper
A Basin
On Epic note (A- Basin has switched sides)
From a sensible base in say Frisco it's more than possible to ski Breck, Keystone, Vail and BC. Crested Butte would involve a road trip away.
So 2 options depending on how much the attraction of staying put and short drives each day appeals over the variety of a road trip and longish driving (longest leg form SS to JH) after skiing. To be fair I'd probably only consider the JH loop if I was there for 14+ days. If you flew into SLC you'd make a SLC/JH trip much more doable (but you do have to change planes ex UK)
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It really depends on how you like your trip.
If you like to stay put (sleep in the same bed) and ski a lot of different mountains, EPIC wins hands down.
Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek are all within day trip distance. Just choose the "village" you like to stay in, and pick the specific mountain based on snow condition or what your mood is in for the day. You do need to move camp for Crested Butte, but that's only one move.
Note as other already mentioned, A-basin is no longer on the Epic pass (which is a bit of a shame, as it's a mountain with more advanced terrain, the rest of the Vail collections all feel a bit "same-y")
IKON has some kick ass mountains that you can drive to within Colorado: Aspen, Winter Park, Copper, A-basin, Steamboat. All within 2-3 hours driving. Easily done after a day of skiing, but in my opinion too tiring to return to the same bed. More suitable as a "road trip" to visit one after another. (Taos is also "reachable" but quite a stretch, I'd pass on it for just 10 days) Jackson Hole is even longer drive. Again, I wouldn't for 10 days.
That's all in a nutshell. Epic if you want a relaxing ski holiday. Ikon if you fancy an adventure! 
P.S.
OK, I can't resist to add comments to the pros and cons of the 2 collections, as I've skied Colorado almost every year for the past 20 years.
If you're there to just ski, Epic wins with less hassle. In 10 days, that's more than enough, as you've got 5 mountains (average 2 day each, which is a bit short for some of the mountains in the collection  ).
The IKON collection mountains are more spread out. That entails much driving and packing/unpacking. So what's the appeal? Why would one bother? Because they're spread out, they may have vastly different snow conditions for you to choose from. And the skiing are also more diverse. Plus, many European visitors actually like the driving around seeing the scenery. In March, the days are long enough you'll get to see the sights driving after the lift closing time.
Also, March is high season for Colorado as it's college spring break (varied from state to state, basically the whole month of March you will see many 20 year old partying on the mountain, in the village). The Vail resorts traditionally are busier than the rest.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 13-11-19 21:15; edited 1 time in total
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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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Ikon hands down but forget Jackson. It’s southerly exposure favours skiing before March when the sun gets stronger. Copper, A-basin and the four Aspen hills (well 3 if you don’t include Buttermilk) will keep you busy.
Either that or check out the Aspen group and drive to Salt Lake to ski Alta and Snowbird but stop halfway at Moab to see Arches National Park.
*On a side note it’s said that Aspen locals have termed the Ikon pass holders from Denver who have infiltrated on the weekends “tunnel trash”.
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Thanks for the info ... Really appreciate it
Will let you know what we do !
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PBJ, Do you have to fly to Denver ? If not fly to SLC, get the mountain collective ( $500 ) it also gets you 50% off day rates after your 2 days at anywhere on the pass.
Gets you 2 days at each:
Alta
Snowbird
Drive to Jackson - 2 days
Big Sky - 2 days
Targhee on the way back
Drive to SLC
ski where you want - depending how you split the trip.
Yeah you'll cover some miles, but you'll see some country and different places.
Its doable if you don't mind some long drives.
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What type of skier are you? What sorta of slopes / town / experience are you looking for? Do you want to park it in 1 place for the whole time or explore. Keep in mind distances are large between a bunch of the states and pretty desolate driving.
Personally there isn't an Epic pass I like. I like steep, off-piste and am on the eternal search for pow. For me the best resorts in the US are JH, Big Sky, Utah (Atla/Bird), and Mammoth (my local). Then I would look at places like Telluride, Silverton, and Aspen, followed by some others.
If you are mainly a piste skier and looking for tons of cruising, you will love the Epic resorts in Colorado. The epic resorts have endless groomed piste skiing that is largely very mellow angled, get reasonable snow, but significantly less than any of the first tier Ikon resorts I mentioned above, but their piste's will almost always be in better shape than in Europe with zero ice.
I agree that March isn't the best time for JH. It faces east (not south) and is lower in elevation than CO, which isn't ideal. Depends on the season, like anywhere, but I prefer it earlier in the year, just like I prefer St. Anton in January for similar reasons. They can both go off in March if it snows, but I think they have the best probabilities of good conditions when the sun is low and the temps cold.
I also agree that you can road trip between various places, but be prepared for long, very quiet/lonely drives. It's the polar opposite of driving in the Alps / Europe when going from CO to JH for example. You are going through the literal middle of no where. Tough when snowing, totally fine when not. If you want to day trip to places base out of Summit Co. and go to Vail, Brek, Keystone, etc.
Hope that helps.
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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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@comish, Thanks for the reply ... I tend to ski off-piste most of the time on Black Crows Atris with a lightly used touring rig - been skiing 45 years
I'm in Gressoney in January so will get a good warm-up there.
In USA I'll be with my 2 sons (good all mountain skiers but less experienced) and 2 others who I'm told are pretty hot skiers ... so I'm expecting a full on and off piste vacation.
Pow definitely ... but I haven't got the time to go searching and ideally want to prebook accomodation.
SLC looks an interesting option too.
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| Quote: |
Personally there isn't an Epic pass I like. I like steep, off-piste and am on the eternal search for pow.
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Crested Butte, Telluride, Kirkwood, Whistler
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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abc, I stand corrected.  Only catch w/ CB and Telluride is statistically they don't get a ton of snow, especially if the pattern is a northerly one. Kirkwood is great. No argument there. Small by Alp standards and no place to stay, but great little hill with the best snow in the Tahoe area. Also agree with Whistler.
Can you wait and see which way the weather gods are smiling? Some years the pattern is better to the north (JH, Big Sky) and some years it's better to the south (CB, Telluride, Taos, Mammoth)?
What about the powder road in Canada? That is the road trip I would do in March if looking for pow, off-piste, and touring: Revy, Kicking Horse, Whitewater and Red. Those drives aren't too bad. Great snow record. If the early season sheds any light on the future I think its gonna be better in the north this year whereas last year was the opposite where we skied on July 28th in Mammoth (no glacier). This is a skiers trip. No schwanky resorts or Mooserwirt Apres, but great snow and terrain.
Statistically March is the best snow month in Colorado. I would favor Telluride (if there is snow in the south), CB, Aspen, and Silverton over the local Denver areas. Less crowded, better terrain.
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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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@comish, despite the omission of the few good Epic mountains, I totally agree with you on the rest of your posts. 
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| Bones wrote: |
PBJ, Do you have to fly to Denver ? If not fly to SLC, get the mountain collective ( $500 ) it also gets you 50% off day rates after your 2 days at anywhere on the pass.
Gets you 2 days at each:
Alta
Snowbird
Drive to Jackson - 2 days
Big Sky - 2 days
Targhee on the way back
Drive to SLC
ski where you want - depending how you split the trip.
Yeah you'll cover some miles, but you'll see some country and different places.
Its doable if you don't mind some long drives. |
That’s exactly what I’m doing in February. With a flight from SLC to Aspen tacked on at the end.
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You know it makes sense.
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I would do 4 days at Big Sky
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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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sbooker, Enjoy , we basically did this trip over 18 days with some tweaking, hitting couple of other places, back in 2015 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
Quick update.
Booked Denver flights
Booked Ikon Pass
Looking like A Basin, Copper, Aspen, Steamboat and Winter Park ....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@PBJ, If you're hire/drive, INSIST on winter/snow tyres (3 peaks, snowflake) long before you roll up at the hire desk and get a written agreement from the company (and try to get chains or socks included). This is a severe winter and not one to take pot luck on road conditions. I've been parked in a Wyoming Walmart lot for 2 days with snow sitting on black ice + a vicious x-wind and I'm about to set off for 1000 miles on snow and ice covered roads now the wind has droped.
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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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@PBJ, I second @Masque’s warning on weather. (No experience on hiring with snow tyres)
I just returned from a 4 day trip to Montana. I got super lucky that both my travel days were between storms (looks like one of said storm marooned @Masque in Wyoming). Many others weren’t so lucky. Thousands were stranded at various airports all over. Many had to spend the night camping on the airport floor as hotels all filled by the stranded travelers. Had my travel dates were 1 day prior or 1 day later, I would have found myself in the crowded airport floors! (or worse, side of road closed by storms)
My suggestion? Keep your eyes on the forecast. Be flexible on your itinerary and ready to change base on weather.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Yep - you can make all the special requests you like but DEN is a huge airport and the rental car ops all operate on a turn em and burn em volume basis so they will never hold back specific vehicles and I doubt the lot guys even necessarily know what a snowtire looks like. The best you can do is go high end like Hertz who might have more of a customer first mentality or what I do which is choose the vehicle in the lot based on its tires then go back and haggle over it.
Remember also there are 2wd SUVs out there and the average DEN rental lot will contain Texas, Arizona and California plates as well as local vehicles.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I don’t know about snow tires. But, if you rent from a “local” outfit such as Enterprise, you can at least request a 4x4 and have good chance of getting one.
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Thanks for the advice ... I have booked with Budget ... SUV but not 4*4 ... will try calling to see what they say !
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FAQ
); and
