 Poster: A snowHead
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We are looking at going to Colorado in the last week of February (after Presidents Week)
My wife has been recommended Vail by colleagues in the USA, but I'm checking out any other recommendations.
We have never skied in the States. We usually visit Whistler, but the Winter Olympics / expensive flights and lack of accommodation through Feb/March have forced us to look elsewhere.
My wife is an lower intermediate, who prefers to join the guided tuition classes like Ski Esprit. I prefer to ski off-piste and would look to have some lessons or join a class for some of the time. I could do with more powder experience.
We'd prefer to have self catering but in reality would eat out most evenings.
Vail looks fairly expensive accommodation wise (even by Whistler standards - we usually go for DIY renting of condos in the village) and the cheaper properties all look to be the other side of a great motorway.
Can anybody recommend good accommodation options or indeed other options within reach of Denver.
Many thanks
Pete A
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Copper is your ersatz mini Whister experience. Breckenridge is usually popular for the lower intermediate crowd & has heeaps of condos.
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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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PeteA,
Welcome to SH!
Got ourselves booked 6 days in Vail, 4 days in Aspen and 8 days in Dillon. Will try to cover 8 resorts with a hired car. Flight will land in Denver on 23 Feb. Might see you in Colorado. Also first USA visit for the wife and I. Two spare seats in the car if your accommodation near ours for the daily explore of the Colorado area.
Our accommodation in Vail is $610 for 6 days. About $100/day/room is about the cheapest room-only rate in the area. Got everything booked (flight, accommodation & ski pass) with Expedia.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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At the risk of causing you to review your whole plans (or give you an idea you have already considered and rejected).......why not try Banff .
They do courses at Banff where you visit all three areas ie Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt Norquay and ski with simillar ability levels. Banff town has a load of restaurants which should give you a lot of options. You may go for a hotel so you lose the self catering option but if they give you breakfast and you are eating out at night what catering are you doing?
Colorado is a different kettle of fish from, say Whistler. If you want ski in ski out then I think you pay for it...if you dont then you have to get to the ski area by car or bus. If you are in a car for 10 mins then why not be in it for 20 mins and save a load of dosh by being that bit further away.
As Saikee says part of the experience is different resorts on different days....which your wife may not want as she may prefer the continuity of classes with the same instructor/class.
Have a look at Steamboat in Colorado.....reasonably easy access from Denver, probably cheaper than Vail and decent terrain for your wife as a lower intermediate. You might be underwhelmed but they get powder and the tree skiing is said to be good. However it is not convenient for other areas.
Finally, try epicski. com which is a US site a bit like this one.........you will get some insight there,I imagine
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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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I have the Canadian Banff's Lake Louise, Sunshine and Norquay under my radar and will check them out at a future date.
However these 3 areas amount to about 7,600 acres of skiing. Is this a better deal than the 15,600 acres of Vail, Beaver Creek, Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland, all of which are within 45 radius miles from Vail?
The summit of Banff ranges between 2,134 to 2,730m. Breaver Creek, Vail, Copper Mountain and Keystone on the other hand have summits of 3,487, 3,527, 3,573 and 3,719m respectively. The 3,964m summit in Breckenridge may even cause altitude sickness to some visitors. Do this not support a better bet for the power skiing, even we allow Banff is further inland than Colorado which it isn't?
On paper between the two I find Colorado hard to beat.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Aspen.
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| saikee wrote: |
On paper between the two I find Colorado hard to beat. |
The trouble with numbers, is they're not relavent without taking into context!
Colorado does get their fair share of powder. But if you REALLY want powder, Utah is the place to go. Why? It's west of Colorado. So all the moisture from the ocean has to get past the peaks of Utah first. Colorado basically gets the "left over" from Utah! 
Not that it really matters. Your chance of getting powder on a particular visit is a bit of a crap shoot. Sometimes you get lucky. Other times you don't. Statistically, Utah has the edge over Colorado (and Colorado has the edge over Banff). But statistics only works if you have a big enough sampling size, i.e. multiple visits or long stays.
In short, all of the Rockies will have plenty of natural snow covering up much of their slopes. If you're after the really steep and rocky chutes and such, it may matter a bit more. Otherwise, you'll get plenty of white stuff to slide on. And you take your chances with the powder god.
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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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Subject to getting the right deal on accommodation, the two Colorado resorts that I've skied, Breckenridge and Vail, would meet your requirements. But I've never felt the urge to return to either: not because they're not great places - they definitely are - but because they're not my favourite North American resorts, largely due to the large number of skiers that each attracts. It's a fairly safe bet that any fresh powder will be tracked out very quickly in either.
Unless you've already booked flights, my off-the-wall suggestion is to go a little further north to Big Sky. Your wife would find a huge choice of deserted, perfectly groomed intermediate runs, and you'd find extensive off-piste and powder that persists for days after a snowfall because there's hardly anyone there to ski it off.
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Aspen or Telluride.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PeteA, If Colorado is where you want to go - Steamboat is quite good for trees, I like Vail and Aspen (with its other hills) too. Telluride is now top of my US to-do list (now that going to Utah this year) but is a bitch to get connecting flights to, and perhaps might be better for your wife when she is a bit better? I would not rush back to Breck.
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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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Late February is a very prime time for good snow, yet bright sunshine in Colorado. If money were no object I'd recommend Aspen (Snowmass specifically), it is 5 hours drive time from Denver, then Vail/Beaver Creek (3 hours from Denver). Next Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone (2 hours from Denver) might offer a slightly less expensive alternative and have the benefit of being located fairly near each other. Winter Park (two hours from Denver) is another option. All of the above have plenty of skiing for all levels, especially if you visit more than one during your trip.
I feel Aspen is special because of scenery, lively town, excellent quality/quantity skiing. It has it's own airport, but involves transfer at Denver.
A lower cost option is to stay in a centrally located town like Frisco, CO (90 minutes from Denver) and use the free county bus system to travel 20-30 minutes each day to ski resorts like Copper, Keystone, Breckenridge where you will be dropped close to ski lifts, for example as done in this trip last April:
http://www.dcski.com/ubbthreads33/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=53047&page=all
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| lucky33 wrote: |
Late February is a very prime time for good snow, yet bright sunshine in Colorado. If money were no object I'd recommend Aspen (Snowmass specifically), it is 5 hours drive time from Denver, then Vail/Beaver Creek (3 hours from Denver). Next Breckenridge/Copper/Keystone (2 hours from Denver) might offer a slightly less expensive alternative and have the benefit of being located fairly near each other. Winter Park (two hours from Denver) is another option. All of the above have plenty of skiing for all levels, especially if you visit more than one during your trip.
I feel Aspen is special because of scenery, lively town, excellent quality/quantity skiing. It has it's own airport, but involves transfer at Denver. |
If the OP finds Vail lodging too dear, Aspen is heading the wrong direction!
Frisco/Dillion is a central area you can stay and access most of the Summit County resorts either by shuttle or driving. You can stay at Breckenridge. But you may find it a bit small for a week. And if you're going to drive/bus to other resorts, why pay extra to be slope side of a mountain you don't ski?
Winter Park isn't the best for lower intermediates. I'd recommend Steamboat instead.
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You know it makes sense.
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PeteA,
Breckenridge is a great all round place to visit on your first US trip. Great town and great skiing there + Keystone and Vail on the lift pass.
Vail is simply world class. Skiing for every level - and loads of it! More expensive than Breckenridge but worth it.
Aspen - ditto. Surprisingly affordable when you get there - at least as far as food and drink goes. Accommodation costs in a different league, however. You can expect to pay an arm and a leg for a basic motel. Worth it for the experience though.
Lake Tahoe is worth a visit - although the towns (generally) lack character the skiing is excellent and the views of the lake incredible (at the resorts in South Tahoe).
Utah is great - park City is a good base and (in a week's trip) we managed to squeeze in a cheapy flight to Las Vegas for the night. A great experience!
Winter Park - one of our favourites. Completely underrated and often overlooked in favour of the big boys of Vail and Breck. Best if you like steeps and bumps though..
East coast - worth a look for shorter flight times, although the snow is (er) lower in quantity and quality than the western US. But then again they are totally spoiled in the west so don't let that put you off. The westerners wouldn't know hardpack if they saw it! There are some very good ski areas in the east, however. We particularly enjoyed Killington and Stowe in Vermont. Don't let critics of the east put you off. Many have never skied there but slate the east anyway...
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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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| Quote: |
Don't let critics of the east put you off. Many have never skied there but slate the east anyway...
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Sorry, that's just not true.
I live in the east coast for some years now. While I ski the east coast when I can't spare the time or money to go out west, I'd say it's NOT worth the trouble of crossing the pond.
If you're visiting the east coast of US for other reason. And it happened to be a time that the mountains have a good coat of white stuff on, by all means take some turns. But I wouldn't in my good concience to suggest anyone pay hard earned cash to fly over to the east coast for the sole purpose of skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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abc, spot on. Stay on the plane an extra few hours.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I really enjoyed my trip to Winter Park - it's also one of the closest resorts to Denver if thats important to you. It took us about 1 hour 45 ish to get there from the airport.
Ski school is really good at WP too.
Mary Jane has a bit more of the scary stuff for adrenaline seekers. The rest of the mountain has a good mix of trails.
Speaking to the locals, Feb should be a really good time for powder.
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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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v1cky24,
Someone talked me out of Winter Park because there is a mountain pass to get through. So I play safe and head for Vail by staying on i-70.
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| saikee wrote: |
v1cky24,
Someone talked me out of Winter Park because there is a mountain pass to get through. So I play safe and head for Vail by staying on i-70. |
I70 goes over a very high contintental pass and there are often closures near the tunnel. Plus there are lots of big rigs to get stuck/add to the excitement.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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v1cky24,
I thought Loveland is just next to i-70. Will I need to go into a mountain pass to ski Loveland?
I am planning to use Dillon as the base to ski Loveland, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. Depending on the weather and the mood I shall get a day pass for the first two as I have purchased the Epic "season" ski pass already to cover Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. For Vail I have booked to stay at Vail so that I can nip over to Beaver Creek as well. There is a 30 miles distance between Vail and Dillon so I chose two accommodations instead of one so that I have a leisurely drive each morning.
I have assumed parking is not going to be a problem in these resorts and a small SUV would get me to each area without much a struggle.
In this trip I have also booked 4 days in Carbondale which is 30 miles from Aspen. That is to avoid the expensive accommodation there. I would imagine parking will be an issue in Aspen. Any information would be appreciated. With a SUV I intend after a skiing day to change to comfortable shoe and spend a evening or two around Aspen. Driving 30 miles back to Carbondale should not be an issue if we manage to eat well in Aspen.
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Very good info here so far, but a couple comments/additions/corrections
Sounds like you have a good plan. With the epic pass paid for, it will now be "free" to ski the 5 Vail resorts (including A-B) in CO, but you will have to pay additional for Loveland, Copper, Aspen and any others non-Vail that you would like to hit. I imagine that your budget may help determine how many non VR days you do. Single day tickets at the mountain can be very expensive at most of the major CO resorts (think L50+), but some have discounts. For Loveland, it is currently possible to buy a 4 pack online for $119 with the tickets being fully transferable. I think Copper's transferable package is $199 or $209 and am pretty sure that both have to be bought before the season starts.
Breck & Keystone are currently offering $225 unlimited lesson plans that may be good for your wife. Brecks are avial Thursday-Sunday and Keystone Sunday-Wednesday. Some blackout days apply, but probably not while you are there. I think they are now open to Epic Pass holders, but it is possible that you have to purchase before the season in person.
For your "Vail" accomodation, you may want to try Avon if you can find something reasonable within walking distance of the new Gondola to BC. I have only lived in CO a year and didn't make it over there last year, but have heard very good things about BC and think that the Gondola from Avon goes right up to the resort. Avon is far from "cute" and the layout isn't great for walking, but it may be worth a look as it could be more convenient than being off Mountain in Vail. Eagle is on a different bus system than Summit, but I am pretty sure that it is reasonable between Vail & BC so being in Avon and only taking the bus your Vail days (where they charge $25 to park) might be worth it.
The Summit resorts have free parking lots, but only A-B & Keystone are easily walkable to the lifts. At Copper & Breck, you have to take a bus from the free lots to the lifts or pay to park at the closer in lots. The key to the buses in Summit are how many stops/side trips they take. Frisco to Copper is the easiest with Frisco-Breck also being good, while it took me an hour the one time I did Frisco-Keystone as there was a lot of loops in Dillion. Depending where you are staying in Dillion, it could be a direct shot to Keystone and it also could be reasonable to Breck via the Swan Mountain Flyer. STaying closer to the Silverthorne side of Dilion would make Copper easier, but the others a bit harder.
I have never skied there, but have visited Aspen and know a bit about it by reputation. Not a lot of deals to be had on tickets except if you can buy in person and take advantage of their 5 days for $249 package now offered- at the window it is probably $95/day pp. Snowmass will probably be the best mountain for both of you to ski the same day and find the terrain you both like. From what I have heard (and seen from town) Aspen doesn't have much easy blue or green runs while Buttermilk doesn't have much expert. Not sure about Highlands.
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Yes, Loveland is right off I-70, but from Dillion, you would need to go back through the Johnson side of the Eisenhower tunnel to get to Loveland (which is mostly on the Denver side of the continental divide). Alternatively, you could take US6/Loveland pass past Keystone and A-B, but this is longer.
To clarify, although I-70 is a major interstate that is well plowed most of the time, it is over 11 K at the tunnel and over 10 K at snowy Vail pass, so it can be tricky or even closed during the middle of big storms. During these type of storms, your best bet is to ski Keystone as it is the most tree protected (and typically receives the least snow). The top of Breck is the most exposed and Vail typically receives the most snow.
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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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My accommodation in Dillon is at Silverthorne possibly a stone throw from I-70. My plan is on arrival at Denver, pick up a car and drive to Vail where I would stay 6 nights skiing only Vail and Beaver Creek. Then I shall drive to Carbondale hopefully skiing Aspen for 4 days as I bought the ski pass there too. Thereafter I will drive back to Silverthorne Dillon for another 8 nights there. The arrangement is to give plenty of time to anticipate bad weather, especially for the arrival and departure days.
It is just a trip to sample what Colorado could offer. I have initially included Steamboat and Winter Park too but a bad weather can knock holes in my plan. The current arrangement is to stick to i-70.
Everyone rates Aspen in the same league as places like St Anton/Lech, Zermatt, St Moritz, Cortina Ampezzo... I might as well find out if it as good as it claims. Didn't know before the valley is closed in winter at the other end so with its own airport, good snow, difficult to get to then this place could be made expensive by the wealthy people buying up the properties and land to create an exclusive environment. That is exactly what happen to St Moritz. Difficult for the normal folks to get to but alright if one has a private jet.
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| MEfree30 wrote: |
| Not a lot of deals to be had on tickets except if you can buy in person and take advantage of their 5 days for $249 package now offered- at the window it is probably $95/day pp. Snowmass will probably be the best mountain for both of you to ski the same day and find the terrain you both like. From what I have heard (and seen from town) Aspen doesn't have much easy blue or green runs while Buttermilk doesn't have much expert. Not sure about Highlands. |
Aspen has it all. Skiing for all, real ski town, accommodation for all tastes although budget accomm gets booked up pretty quick. Paying in advance Always negotiate for at least 20% off.
Tickets can be bought through UK tour operators at significant discount. I have done this a number of times( I do not even live in the UK) . They provide you with the pre-paid voucher that you just present to the Apsen Sking Company who exchange for a valid 7/10/14 day pass.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Saikee, sounds like a great trip. With your Epic pass and the passes you have prepurchased for Aspen you are in for much great skiing. I could spend many days at each place you have passes for. And frankly, I wouldn't bother with Copper, Loveland or Winter Park and others not covered by your passes, although they are all good. The front side of Keystone will be a terrific place for your wife to ski: http://www.dcski.com/articles/view_article.php?article_id=1022&mode=headlines
Arapahoe Basin is quite scenic and contains some interesting and extremely challenging terrain. It also has a few nice mellow trails to keep your wife happy for a half day. It is one of the oldest ski areas in the US and I would recommend at least one day there to sample what early skiing was like in North America. The original base lodge is built like a WWII bunker for avalanche protection. Lots of reasonable dining choices in the Silverthorne/Dillon/Frisco area.
I haven't skied Breck, but it has many mellow slopes too, as well as challenge at higher elevations, good for multiple day visits. Vail should not be missed and could keep you busy for a week all by itself, but avoiding high parking fees is an issue. Nearby Beaver Creek is not as big, but has highly regarded ski terrain, upscale ambiance and offers lower crowd levels.
Snowmass is the largest single ski area of the Aspen group and has excellent variety and scenic intermediate terrain. Worth multiple day visits. Aspen Highlands ski area should not be missed for at least one day. Outstanding steeps and the best scenery in Colorado. Perhaps only good for a half day for your wife. Aspen/Ajax mountain is smaller, but has some challenging terrain that leads right to the edge of town of Aspen, not so good for low intermediates. It would be a good choice for a day when you ski and wife goes shopping nearby. Buttermilk is reserved for teaching and halfpipe/terrain park addicts. The town of Aspen is a bastion of American conspicuous consumption for the super rich, but also a guilty pleasure for us regular folks to observe, bar-hop, and window shop. (You could say the same about Vail.) Certain Aspen restaurants such as Chinese can be decent values. From Carbondale you might enjoy an evening soak in the giant outdoor hot springs pool in nearby Glenwood Springs, restaurants will be cheaper there too.\
Sorry, I may have confused Pete's plans with Saikee's plans in above post. 
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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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| saikee wrote: |
In this trip I have also booked 4 days in Carbondale which is 30 miles from Aspen. That is to avoid the expensive accommodation there. I would imagine parking will be an issue in Aspen. Any information would be appreciated. With a SUV I intend after a skiing day to change to comfortable shoe and spend a evening or two around Aspen. Driving 30 miles back to Carbondale should not be an issue if we manage to eat well in Aspen. |
Parking is an issue all over Aspen. There are meters but the cost per day is expensive & what you save staying out of town doesnt warrant it.
There are parking lots at Highlands, Buttermilk & Snowmass.
http://www.aspenpitkin.com/Departments/Parking/Commuter-Parking-/
There is a bus service from Aspen to Carbondale.
http://www.rfta.com/valley.html
BTW Carbondale is just a Junction with a few new gas stations & shops. IMO it would be easier & cheaper to go down to Glenwood Springs to eat.
One thing to bear in mind is the rush hours on HW82 is as busy as London or NewYork, there are frequent queues getting into Aspen in the morning.
(Buses now have priority Bus lanes). Also the Police are red hot on Speeding enforcement.
I have been to Aspen about 15 times & have always resisted staying down valley, Snowmass or even at the Aspen Inn at Buttermilk.
I always stay as budget as possible downtown & IMO I would honestly recommend you try to change your booking.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 6-10-09 17:08; edited 1 time in total
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I agree with lucky33 that you may just as well skip Copper and Loveland, unless you can score some cheap tickets. (although Loveland's day ticket is only $50 isn't too bad, and Copper often has coupons at the airport you can pick up).
If you do get some deal on day tickets, you can do Loveland either on first day or last day, during your drive from and to Denver. Similarly, you can do Copper on the way to and back between your trip to Vail/Aspen from Summit County.
Both resorts are nice in their own right. But when you're already doing 8-10 resorts in your road trip, neither of them stand out enough to warrent the extra cash.
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You know it makes sense.
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saikee, Your plan is disturbingly similar to what I did a few years back, including the stay in Silverthorne. It was a great week. I Skied Winterpark, Loveland, Keystone and Vail. didn't really like the latter because of the over-posh ambiance, a collection of oligarch types, fur clad synthetic blonds and, er... legitimate businessmen. Loveland has a rural charm and is good for two solid days; WP merits at least two more and Keystone can be explored for 2-3 days without getting bored.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've just booked to fly to Denver in March with ba air miles in their half price sale.
We've booked a cheaper motel/hotel in a town called Frisco just off the I70 between Keystone and Breckenridge, but looks ideally located for multiple resort hopping. We're slumming it a bit as I've already got my main family trip to Courchevel in Jan, so three of us are staying in 1 room which has 2 queen beds and a roll out, but this is just costing 109$ a night for the room.
Ive hunted high and low for ways of getting good priced lift pass deals. I have a mate in Denver at the mo and he looked into the 4 pack offers but you have to buy them in person and give a photo and sign a disclaimmer to say only you will use it (rather like a season ticket). So the best deal i've found is to buy a "09/10 Bonus Season Ticket" for Arapahoe basin. This is a full A-basin season ticket but also gives 5 days at Breckenridge or Keystone (1 of which can be taken at Vail). and even though we are going for just 6 days skiing it's cheaper than a normal 6 day area pass.
So for our 6 days we'll do at least 1 at A-basin, and the remaining 5 spread between Breck, Keystone and A-basin, and maybe use one of the days at vail or beaver. This pass is 349 dollars, which is favourable against the normal 6 day Summit lift pass price for the dates of our trip which is something like 440 dollars. It is also gives us 10% discount at vairous food outlets and shops and I think you can also bag a free half day lesson. Crazy to think I'm the proud owner of a season ticket but I'll only be using it for 1 week at the end of March ! Still for the Summit area resorts this seems like the best deal out there. If you plan on doing the Summit resorts this might be worth you thinking about. Look at the Arapahoe basin website for details.
Never been before though so looking forward to it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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dfl,
Don't think I copy your plan but there have been a few SH who did this touring around. I hatched a plan for a year or two and now put it into practice.
stanton,
Thanks for the tips on parking. I need to get this one right.
abc,
For visitors coming across the pond it may be worth for us to spend a bit more to look at the two skiing resorts not covered by Epic season pass. I am leaving it to the last minute and possibly on arrival.
PeteA,
Sorry it seems I have highjacked this thread but everything about Colorado should be useful to any new visitor.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| saikee wrote: |
abc,
For visitors coming across the pond it may be worth for us to spend a bit more to look at the two skiing resorts not covered by Epic season pass. I am leaving it to the last minute and possibly on arrival. |
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide.
I haven't skied Copper for some years now. So my opinion of it might be dated. But my re-collection of it, you may have difficulty distinguishing it from Breckenridge the day after skiing it!
Loveland can be confused with A-basin in the same vain.
Those two simply aren't distinct enough to add noticably to your "ski the states" flavor. Frankly, the Vail+ resorts give you more flavor than either Copper or Loveland. Aspen, of course, is in a league of its own.
(For me, I would instead devote a season to exclusively ski Copper/Winter Park/Steamboats by buying a 3-areas season pass -- they're all under Intrawest. Basically, I would do the Vail etc. resort in one year and the Intrawest on another)
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FAQ
