 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been searching the forum and have picked up bits and pieces, but it gave me nearly 800 results when I searched for "Colorado Best Time" 
So, it's just me and the missus, for about two weeks (early next year?), and our priorities are:
1. Snow condition
We've never been to the US before so I'm expecting fresh powder every morning (or at least thats what i'd like!)
2. Weather
From what i've read on the forum, it gets cold in January, then 'warms up' in March, so what sort of temperatures are we looking at? We were skiing in -22c in France a couple years beck, which was unpleasant, but if we were to go to the US we would be better prepared!
3. Cheaper/Quieter time?
I can probably find out the dates of the half-terms etc over here, but havent a clue about them (and other times to avoid?) over there, can anyone advise?
We've not ruled out anywhere else yet, but we just need to get the dates booked off work then worry about the location later, but from what i've been reading, Colorado seems to tick the boxes...
Thanks for any help/advice,
Joe 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Find out when President's Day and MLK day are and avoid those weeks. Front range places e.g. Summit County. Winter Park etc even Vail are busy weekends but reasonable mid week. Ignore the temperature just be prepared to mask up.
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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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Fatbob, thanks for the heads-up on those dates
johnboy, thanks for the link, some useful info there but still not much on when would be best to go...
I've had a look about, and MLK day is Monday 19th Jan, and Presidents day is Monday 16th Feb, which is the same week as English half-term holidays.
So avoiding those dates, the slots we have in mind are;
3rd Jan - 17th Jan
24th Jan - 7th Feb
31st Jan - 14th Feb
21st Feb - 7th March
(all Sat - Sat)
So can anyone suggest any of those two weeks it would be best to go? 
Many thanks,
Joe
..and possibly dates in March, but from what i've read, the more 'consistent' powder conditions are to be found in January?
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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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Thinking of a trip to Colarado myself now. Possibly Steamboat.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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TangoFiver, I've never skied in the US but several keen American skiers I met at a wedding in Chicago last year assured me that the best place for powder was Utah. They may, or may not, be right.
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| TangoFiver wrote: |
..and possibly dates in March, but from what i've read, the more 'consistent' powder conditions are to be found in January? |
Isn't spring break in march?
we went to steamboat end of jan start of feb, and winter park 2 years later at the same time. Enjoyed both, apart from thomson charter on the way back........crew was great, passengers were hell.................
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carroz,
Where did you prefer? Steamboat or Winterpark? Seriously looking at both options.
I want cruisy well pisted runs and a bit of nightlife. Thinking of going in January.
Like the look of Steamboat, but Winterpark is a shorter transfer and possibly gets a bit more snow? It is a fair bit higher?
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| TangoFiver, I've never skied in the US but several keen American skiers I met at a wedding in Chicago last year assured me that the best place for powder was Utah. They may, or may not, be right. |
Ah right, when did they/do they go there?
| carroz wrote: |
Isn't spring break in march? |
I've just had a look, and found that Colorado Uni is within the week 22nd - 29th March, and another institution has it in the week before (14th - 21st March), but apparently they all differ between state, city and school district, so maybe i'm best steering clear of March altogether? Or possibly include just the first week?
So, given all that, and looking at te way my long-weekends work out, the 31st Jan - 14th Feb look good for me...
Any more advice on that time of year etc?
Ta!
Joe
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| Quote: |
24th Jan - 7th Feb
31st Jan - 14th Feb
21st Feb - 7th March
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All of those dates are good as far as less crowd is concern. If it makes no difference to you, you may want to check out the prices for each period. I would guess the Jan/Feb periods may yield better prices.
BTW, I wouldn't worry too much about MLK day (Jan). I skied that day this year, there were no more skiers that day at Aspen than the rest of the week.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
BTW, I wouldn't worry too much about MLK day (Jan). I skied that day this year, there were no more skiers that day at Aspen than the rest of the week.
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It may depend on where you are skiing, particularly if you are close to a large urban centre which gets a 3 day weekend because of the holiday. I skied Whistler over MLK weekend a couple of years back and the crowds from Vancouver/Seattle were there and left after skiing on Monday so it was a lot busier than a "normal" Monday. Aspen may not get that weekend traffic to that extent
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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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| Quote: |
So avoiding those dates, the slots we have in mind are;
3rd Jan - 17th Jan
24th Jan - 7th Feb
31st Jan - 14th Feb
21st Feb - 7th March
(all Sat - Sat)
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February to the middle of March is pretty much prime time in terms of expected conditions thought you'd generally expect pretty good conditions from Christmas on and March and early April can be very snowy. In terms of crowds and price, 3rd Jan - 17th Jan would likely be good. Things usually get fairly quiet after January 1. But you'd be more likely to hit pretty cold temps and the hours of sunshine will be fairly short. I'd say the 31st Jan - 14 Feb or 21 Feb - 7th March would be better bets in terms of of conditions and weather. College Spring Breaks are kind of spread throughout March. The week of Presidents Holidy is a weak when many primary and secondary schools have breaks and that would be the week I'd probably avoid. In Colorado the resorts fairly close to Denver (Keystone, Copper, Breckenridge, Vail, Winter Park) tend to get quite a bit of day-trip traffic on weekends or holidays. Places like Steamboat or Aspen are more destination resorts and generally don't get as busy. It would seem that from Europe right now U.S. dollars are almost free so costs should't be much of a consideration. In terms of getting powder, who knows when the snow gods will grant their white gold. Someone mentioned Utah. In general, you'd have a higher probability of getting powder in Utah. Alta already has over 500 inches this year. But the last two times we've been to Utah we've gotten very little new snow (still had great skiing, but not much fresh powder). There's lots of skiing within about 1 hour of the Salt Lake City Airport but I think it's more difficult for folks from your side of the pond to get to Salt Lake City than Colorado.
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We've skied Vail, Winter Park, Jakson Hole and Alta during their Presidents Weekend bank hol - most recently, 2 weeks ago at Winter Park.
The Sunday was described by locals as the busiest and (using their terminology) "most crowded" day of the ski season but we never queued more than 7 minutes for a lift - and that was only occcasionally. If you are prepared to use the singles line (which ensures that every chair is full) you can be on the lift within 3 minutes, even when there are (seemingly large) queues for the usual 4 person lines. In practice, the queues are so well managed that they move rapidly and there are often staff on hand to ensure that every chair is full.
After the Sunday "the crowds" went home and we had a week of deserted skiing (at least by European half term standards) - with some runs totally empty of other skiers.
The same applied to Vail, Alta and Jackson hole in recent years.
Best not to expect (deep) fresh powder every day though, depite the fact that the resorts marketing people do a good job of building up expectations....
Although we have experienced the occasional "big dump," what seems to be more common is a couple of inches top up every few days. That has meant exceptional skiing conditions (packed powder and no sign of hardpack, never mind ice...) which tend (ie not always but generally) to be more consistent/better than those in Europe.
For example, the locals described "icy conditions" in Vail, Winter Park and Jackson Hole, (which had us flabbergasted) when we described the same conditions as hardpack.
My conclusion is that (in terms of snow conditions) the skiers over there don't know how lucky they are...
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You know it makes sense.
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malcolm1, I was mindful of TangoFiver's interest in Colorado. Unlike Whistler, there's not the same population density in the Danver area, because there're over 10 resorts to spread that small'ish crowd. Whislter, on the other hand, is pretty much the only game in town for the entire Vancouver and Seatle area.
RISkier pretty much nail it with regard to the dates, as far as "crowd control" is concerned. Other factors might influence the final choice.
Everything else being equal (which they never are), I'd take the last period. Days are longer and warmer. And historically, more snow fall that time of year. But I suspect it'll be slightly more expensive than all the other dates. Many (though not all) of US resorts consider the period before President's day as "value season" and after as "prime (or regular)". Prices tend to reflect that. Much more important than that, however, is the price of the transatlantic airfair. That's likely to dominate the final pricing of the complete package.
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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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| abc wrote: |
malcolm1, I was mindful of TangoFiver's interest in Colorado. Unlike Whistler, there's not the same population density in the Danver area, because there're over 10 resorts to spread that small'ish crowd. Whislter, on the other hand, is pretty much the only game in town for the entire Vancouver and Seatle area.
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Most of Seattle ski at the local Cascades mountains (Crystal, Snoqualmie, Stevens, White Pass, Baker), and typically only head en masse to Whistler during holiday periods.
My experience is that Vail and Breck are in the same 'zone of crowds' as Whistler. Colorado attracts the hoards from the east coast and mid-west big time!
If you don't want crowds - ever - go to Big Sky!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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January is snowy, but cold... -15 to -20, February will give you a good base cover, and better weather, but can be a bit of a 'snow hole'. Presidents Day is the 3rd Monday in Feb. March can be incredibly snowy. Late Feb to March is into high season, it will probably be cheaper to go in Jan or early Feb.
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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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Deleted
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 21-03-08 23:56; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well thanks for the feedback 
Shellski, sorry to sound daft, what do you mean by 'snowhole'?
Max13biker, thanks for that info. I've had a look on those links, and a quick search for accommodation, and it would appear that the cost could double if I went 21st Feb - 7th March, which I wasn't expecting
So with that in mind, i'm now steering more to the first 2 weeks in Feb, and we'll just have to wrap up warm!
There is also a possibility of going 4th - 18th April, but I don't want to risk it at that time if the quality/quantity of snow is going to be compromised?
I think i'll have a search for historical data on the snow from past seasons, I know it looks good this season but I want to see what it would be like if it weren't so good!
Thanks once again,
Joe
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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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Try this website. If the link doesn't work do a google search on Tony Crocker snow. http://members.aol.com/crockeraf/ There's a lot of info here on mountain aspect and best time to visit in terms of snow and surface conditions. Again, there's no certainty regarding what you'll get in any given year but this is a pretty decent guide as to where you're most likely to get good conditions.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Deleted
Last edited by After all it is free  on Fri 21-03-08 23:59; edited 1 time in total
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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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Greetings
DEFINITELY avoid the President's Day holiday week (probably the week of February 16 in 2009) because the slopes will be packed with families on holiday. Prices (other than for lift tickets, which are usually cheaper in early and late season) will also often be inflated in order to make maximum $$$ out of people who only have vacation that week.
Spring break is later on - and that varies by year and by state/city/school district. But March in general is quieter as it's not such a peak time for families and can have great snow conditions. They've had new snow nearly every day the past few months in Vail for instance, and the temps are still well within the range needed for good snow-making.
As to the snow - Colorado (and Utah) powder is second to none, but Mother Nature can be fickle. Last time I was in Vail (back before I moved across 'the pond'), it hadn't been a great winter and the snow in parts was being scraped down by the sheer number of skiers. This year the snows were very late - they barely got the World Cup at Beaver Creek off because of the lack of snow (however it was quite cold, so they were able to make what Mother Nature didn't provide). But it started snowing in December and has hardly stopped - they've had more snow than any other year in the history of the resort. When my parents were out in January, they had more than 55 inches of snow in a week, including one foot in a single day.
Also, most of the Colorado and Utah resorts are at high altitude and have great snow-making capabilities, so even in Mother Nature is being a pain, you can still have snow to ski on, and pretty decent quality snow too. I have to admit that I'm probably one of those people that moan about 'icy' conditions, when most people would consider it to be packed powder. Then again, my idea of a good day is fresh powder in the Back Bowls of Vail.
The Flying Snowplough, though, does make a good point about altitude. If you've never skied in Colorado or Utah before, be aware that you'll probably need a few days to get used to the relative lack of oxygen. And getting shocked every time you touch a light switch or shuffle your feet on the carpet - ZAP! - welcome to dry, dry air!. At Vail, for instance, the base of the mountain is around 8000ft (2600m), and the top is several thousand feet above that. So if you are going to a resort that's high up, be prepared for the altitude - drink lots of fluids, if you drink take it easy for the first few days, wear PLENTY of sunscreen and always wear good quality, UV/UVA/UVB- tightly fitting protective sunglasses or goggles. At that altitude the sun is STRONG, and skiing without proper eye protection can really strain your eyes.
Have a wonderful time! Yearly ski-trips to Colorado are one of the things I've missed most since moving abroad. I've got a brand new pair of ski-pants waiting for my next trip West.... but my I've just discovered that the padding on my goggles has started to fall apart, so I'll be hitting the ski shop before the slopes!
Kate
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Depending on where you ended up going, it may get busy in March. Or it may not. Though I doubt it'd be half term busy (never ski the Alps during half term so can't say)
It'll also impact your wallet too. March is "prmie season" while Jan/1st half of Feb is "low season". Lot more deals Jan/Feb.
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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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Definately look at altitude of resorts, specifically bed height. I would do two centre and do steamboat first as you are far less likely to get altitude sickness there. Then go whereever for second week. We went to Staemboat / breckenridge at Christmas time- we hit what they described as an unseasonally cold artic spell. It was -25 F and our eyelids froze. I had to go in the warming huts every hour or so.
Gryphea
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Deleted
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Fri 21-03-08 23:57; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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| Max13biker wrote: |
Why on earth would you want to try and do it on your own? 
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Flexibility and choice.
Based on the resorts on your list, I'd prefer:
1 day Breck (at the most)
2-3 days Vail
1-2 days Beaver Creek
2 days Keystone
2 days Arapahoe Basin
1-2 days Copper mountain
...but it would also depend on the conditions. If there's big snowfall, I'd stick to Vail, Beaver and A-Basin.
P.S. Do you work for Grampian Tours?
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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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Deleted
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Fri 21-03-08 23:57; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Max13biker, not sure where you'd pay $267 for a 3 day pass at Vail, unless you went to the ticket windo and paid for 3x1 day passes at full price (which very few people are stupid enough to do) I'd expext 3 days at vail to be well under $180.
My 1 day at Breck is not to ski the whole area, I just don't like it - tends to be crowded with Brits!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Why on earth would you want to try and do it on your own?
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However, to get the advantage of a group booking and organised transport - we all have to go to the same places.
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So flexibility is sacrefised for the sake of saving money.
I think WTFH answered your question of "why on earth" perfectly well. Put in another way, why on earth would you want to be locked into a fixed schedule when the snow condition could be best in another resort on a particular day???
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 19-03-08 18:32; edited 1 time in total
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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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Just checked season pass prices - you can get the epicpass for $579, or roughly £290. For that you get unrestricted and unlimited access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly. Not bad. And certainly better value than $267 for 3 days at Vail!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Deleted
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 21-03-08 23:58; 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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Deleted
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Fri 21-03-08 23:58; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went to Colorado in Feb this year 2008, Stayed at Keystone, went to Keystone, A-Basin, Vail, Brekenridge... all good, snow was fantastic! (lot's of it and no ice)
Temperatures were approx -5 to 0c during the day, resorts are big and were very very quiet compared to e.g. France.
Only thing to watch out for is Altitude, like it's high - 2,800m in hotel, resorts up to 3,700m - drink losts of water to stop headaches.
book your ski passes online for discounts / covers multiple areas.
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Deleted
Last edited by After all it is free on Fri 21-03-08 23:58; edited 1 time in total
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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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FAQ
