 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm going to NY with swmbo in January for a week city break and thought about combining this with a week's skiing as the extra for a multi-destination flight is about £100 each.
Can anyone recommend a relatively cheap and easy to get to ski resort/accommodation combo near Salt Lake City or Denver? Ideally I'd want to avoid the expense of hiring an SUV (and recent snow/ice driving experience suggests anything smaller would be stressful to drive) and don't enjoy driving to/from the slopes each day so would want somewhere either walkable to the lifts or on a local bus to the slopes. I'd be looking at a shuttle transfer airport-resort.
I looked at the resorts round SLC (Alta, Park City) but suitable accommodation seems really expensive. Breckenridge looks quite reasonable with hotel rooms available from about $100 a night and deals on combined room/lift pass and a regular shuttle service to Denver.
Any other suggestions?
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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We looked into a SLC trip last season (but didn't go for it in the end) - from memory if you're staying the right side of SLC (i.e. SE) then the drive up to Alta and the surrounding resorts (Brighton?) isn't that bad. I think that's the way most people do it. There may also be a morning bus option...
If you're keen on staying at the foot of the slopes then I'd look at Park City of Breckenridge (the latter might end up cheapest, esp. if the Sundance festival is on when you're there).
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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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| ChrisWo wrote: |
| There may also be a morning bus option... |
There may be.
I guess it depends on what counts as suitable accommodation, there are cheap motels clustered around the major bus stops. I had a rental car the one time I was there but ended up with basically the same as my own car (Mondeo) which works fairly well in snow.
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Sideshow_Bob, it put together a pretty good value long weekend in SLC using expedia. i drove up every day which wasn't really a hardship even in the poxy car i hired. there wasn't much snow falling at the time though...
a mate of mine went to use the buses last year and managed to hitch a lift every morning. the skiing locals in SLC are really friendly IME
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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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Thanks. Were it only me going I'd probably just hire a car, stay down in SLC and do the driving thing but the missus is dead set against it  She's also probably not going to ski all day every day (probably just as well as she's a timid beginner and I'd have to get her lessons if I wanted to do any skiing of my own) but wants to meet me for lunch etc so I'm erring towards somewhere like Breck where there's something of a town at the base of the lifts.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Not been to the denver side but Utah is ok. We stayed in Sandy / Cottonwood at the south east corner of SLC, and drove to the resorts each day. 25 minutes to Solitude (the closest) and 45 minutes to Alta (the furthest) if you stay in the cottonwod canyons, you can go further afield but for a week I wouldn;t bother. Getting to and from the resorts is straightforward, we had one morning delay while waiting for the snowgates to open, and a couple of days we were glad to be using an SUV as it snowed quite heavily. There are buses up to the resorts, and meeting places where you can get lifts off people, I presume you might offer them some petrol money or a coffee or something. The resort bases are quite compact so it's easy enough to find people - there's accomodation at each resort, but if you want to stay in resort Snowbird looked to offertthe widest choice, and Solitude looked prettiest. From snowbird you can also ski to Alta, remember though no boarders at Alta. Food overall was terrible, all loaded with sugar and salt and yucky, but the freshly cooked pasta we had for lunch @ snowbird was one of the nicest resort meals I've had in north america
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Sideshow_Bob,We were in Breckenridge in 2008, diy trip, stayed at Good complex called Beaver Run right next to base lift a few minutes walk to town centre. Good skiing but very cold and high alltitude caused one of the lads problems. No après ski at all but great hosts in all the bars & restaurents. We got to and from airport with a company called rocky mountain cabs.
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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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You might like AspenSnowmass.com
Transport is Colorado Mountain Express (CME)
from Denver International
You might look into flying into Eagle (EGE) for any CO central rocky resort.
Snow is better in Utah right now but OK here.
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There is plenty of inexpensive accommodation in SLC itself. Ramada or Super8 to name two national chains. You can also get those self catering apartments(forget the brand name) in Midvale
You can get a bus to Alta/Snowbird, Brighton/Solitude.
Midvale is a handy spot for the bus terminus but TRAX rail system runs from downtown(city centre) to Midvale anyway. You can take skis on both and crowding is not a problem. Bus is right by the TRAX station at 7200. Midvale itself has shopping mall facilties.
You do not need a car for this. Airport is a short taxi from the city some places will pick you up from there at no charge.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sideshow_Bob, I've skied Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone - in Colorado - and Snowbird and Alta in Utah (basing myself in Salt Lake City).
For the type of trip you're describing I'd go with Breckenridge. The town has a lot going for it, and the accessibility of the slopes is good.
I was impressed with Stowe in Vermont too, by the way. Easier to reach from New York, though January could be cold for skiing eastern resorts.
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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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I'd second the recommendation of the Colorado Mountain Express shuttle service from Denver up to Breck.
From Breck there are free buses to Keystone and A-basin. You can pay for a shuttle to take you to Beaver Creek/Copper and Vail - although I think if you're organised enough you can get a free bus out to Beaver Creek but it involves a change or even two.
I stayed at the Fireside Inn which was cheap and friendly, good breakfasts and they arranged cheap lift tickets too.
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Sideshow_Bob, I think you would find Breck cheaper than Utah. CME is hassle free and would drop door to door, easy to book online then just turn up at the airport desk. As others have said you can also ski other areas from Breck - Keystone and A Basin etc. all on the same lift pass.
Breck town is ok and easy to get around, deffinately has that western feel to it. We havent skied Utah, yet, but heading there this season on a DIY trip. So far its looking that prices arent really that cheap, but bargains are to be had if you look.
Aspen is another that would probably suit too, although the prices tend to be higher than Breck, for most things - and unless flying into Eagle, transfers are much longer. You could risk flying into Aspen, as we did , but then you could get delayed too as we did 
From what you say you are looking for, Breck seems like the best choice, as echoed by others here. Have a great time whatever you decide. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Sideshow_Bob,
A second vote for gryfon's, suggestion of the Chateau Apres in Park City. This is a pretty basic accommodation (you make your own breakfast, and if you're really skimping on cost, offers you the option of very cheap dormitory accommodaion) but convenient for the PC base area and Town Shuttle bus.
Park City is a relatively short distance from SLC airport, and there's a bus service from the airport to PC, and there's a ski shop in the airport terminal where you can get (slightly) discounted lift tickets. The (free) shuttle bus takes you around PC, and also goes to Deer Valley and the Canyons, obviating the need for a car.
You can also get buses ( not free) to the Cottonwood Canyons ski areas.
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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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| David Sockpuppet wrote: |
| Sideshow_BobI was impressed with Stowe in Vermont too, by the way. Easier to reach from New York, though January could be cold for skiing eastern resorts. |
I've been to Stowe a couple of times and think it's perfect......The cost seems comparable to skiing in Europe and the slopes just aren't as busy.....Anyone fancy a trip to Stowe in March?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Best option if going to Denver would be Winter Park, great skiing, good apres Ski and bus service to all slopes and lots of low cost accomodation and not the altitude issues of Breck, also only 1.30 hr from Denver International.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sadly I've had to bin the skiing trip due to work commitments, although I do get an extra week in New York and possibly a week outside of Chicago on my company which is nice. Currently sat in my new office on 5th Avenue (empty apart from me as it's a bank holiday over here) looking out over the Empire State Building, and have tickets for the Late Show recording tonight. I'd still rather be skiing though.
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