 Poster: A snowHead
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We have been doing some working out and thinking. We were going to attend the ski camp at Tignes in November and then head out to the Alps again in March time for the usual weeks ski trip. However, now thinking of abandoning that idea and going to USA for 10 nights instead. I have done the East coast (Killington) and wasnt that keen. So, been looking into going to Colorado/Utah/California. Flying into Denver gives us the biggest choice of ski resorts so i think this is what we will possibly end up doing. Is Winter Park a good choice, we like long cruise type pistes and to ski different areas, not covering the same runs over and over again (like Killington). Also never really skied off piste of in the backcountry, is Winter Park a good place to do this and get guides? Do you think hiring a car is a good idea so we can visit other resorts whilst there and can you buy a lift pass that covers several of the resorts near to Winter Park? I would like as much info from people that have been there as possible please. The other reason for going to the USA is the exchange rate is so much better, and with the Euro on its back bottom it looks like a good option!!! Cheers. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Consider Frisco/Copper/Breckenridge if you want a few resorts easily accessible from 1 base (by local free bus). Winter Park is a bit more isolated though near Denver. Forget backcountry as a novice, you can ski plenty of offpiste inbounds.
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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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Ricklovesthepowder, absolutely definitely hire a car. Winter Park is a good choice in my opinion - just that bit nearer to Denver and not so headachey high as Breckenridge. In one direction you have Breck, Keystone, Copper and Arapahoe Basin and in the other you have Steamboat which has a different flavour to it.
(Your idea of hiring a supercar might not be a good idea though!)
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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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fatbob, That's what I meant. Stay in the boundaries but try off-piste.
Bode Swiller, Cheers. I will look into hiring a car then. It would make sense to try other resorts with so many nearby!
Does anyone know about a multi resort ski pass for this area?
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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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Ricklovesthepowder, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone (I think with A Basin thrown in) can be had on one pass.
Book an SUV with 4x4 (some only have 2x4) - they don't seem to obsess about winter tyres and chains as much as we do and nor do they sweep the roads as well as say the Austrians or the French. The i70 heading west towards the mountains can be trecherous if the weather closes in and the wind picks up. The BA flight lands around 7pm. Not ideal time to tackle it and after a trans-Atlantic, so many people make their first night in Denver and do the transfer in the light next day (you'll be wide awake at 3am anyway).
As fatbob says, also consider Frisco as a base.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Also never really skied off piste of in the backcountry, is Winter Park a good place to do this and get guides?
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If you stick to the in bounds off-piste you won't need a guide. In fact, in years of going there I've never encountered someone who would pass for a guide. To give it a good go I'd recommend you add Vail to your list and take in Blue Sky Basin, or there are the back bowls at Copper or Winter Park has plenty of scope. Arapahoe Basin is great too but might involve a hike up to access the best stuff.
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It's not clear in the OP whether you want to just ski off-piste or specifically go backcountry.
All N America resorts have avi controlled inbound off-piste. So there's no need for guides.
For specifically back country guides, they're not always affiliated with the resort. Many are located in the town/village near the resort though.
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Winter Park is a bit out of the way.
The main resort attractions are along I70 highway. The action starts at the Ensenhower Johnson Memorial Tunel. Next to the entrance is the Loveland resort. After the tunnel the road is down hill to a town Dillon and Silverthorne where Keystone and Breckenridge lie nearby. The high altitude resort Arapahoe is midway in the Loveland Pass linking Loveland resort with Dillon (off the i70). Further away from Dillon/Frisco the next junction is the Copper mountain resort. Further down another couple of junctions is Vail with Beaver Creek one junction further after.
You can hit all of them in a week with a hired car. Breckenridge is the biggest. Vail and Beaver Creek are expensive places, with their own TV channel selling the real estates. Arapahoe is high and comparable to Brekenridge. Loveland is small and cheap. Copper Mountain is about same size as Winter Park but the latter is known to be more challenging and is among the toughest in Colorado.
You can also take the car to Aspen where there are 4 unlinked areas.
If you purchase the season pass, which work out cheaper than paying individual resort charging close to $100 per day, it covers most of the above resorts except Winter Park, Loceland and Aspen. Copper Mountain is not included but you do get a decent discount with the Epic season ski pass.
All the Colorado resorts have ample backcountry 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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Ricklovesthepowder, if you want long cruisy type pistes, winter park is not for you. not sure on the guide situation as never used them out there, but am sure you can get an answer from winter park website http://www.winterparkresort.com/aboutus/contact_us/index.htm
i really like winter park resort though, snow conditions have always been excellent while there.
we will be there from 14th jan 2012 for 2 weeks, if your around there at that time give me a shout
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Sorry for the confusion. I thought off piste and back country were the same, i now understand the differences. Basically want to ski in America, but not the east coast. So, looking into flying to Denver, pick up hire car, 4x4, then head off somewhere. I like long pistes and a variety of runs. Also want to try off piste skiing. So if Winter Park doen not fit my bill, where do you recommend??? Cheaper the better!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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graeme, Cheers mate, will let you know!
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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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If one has a hired car one can select affordable accommodations at a convenient distance from the Colorado resorts. I stayed in Vail, Carbondale and Silverthorne at the cost of $101, $111 and $109 (£64,£71 & £69) per night for a couple with B&B in a en-suite room in Feb 2010. That were marginally more expensive than the European accommodations in the Alps. I went through Keystone, Breckenridge, Arapahoe, Loveland, Copper Mountain, Vail, Beaver Creek and all the areas in Aspen. The accommodations were just picked off from the Internet. The hired 4x4 was $405 for 17 days. I am sure there are cheaper ways to do them but these accommodations weren't bad for skiing places like Vail, Beaver Creek and Aspen.
The down side of the American resorts is the ski pass cost is out of this planet. It cost us about £41/day/person but that was because we chose to ski Aspen, Copper Mountain and Loveland in additional to the Epic season ski pass which gave us unlimited access of Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek and Arapahoe. The Epic ski pass was just below $600 per person in 2010.
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| Ricklovesthepowder wrote: |
| Sorry for the confusion. I thought off piste and back country were the same, i now understand the differences. Basically want to ski in America, but not the east coast. So, looking into flying to Denver, pick up hire car, 4x4, then head off somewhere. I like long pistes and a variety of runs. Also want to try off piste skiing. So if Winter Park doen not fit my bill, where do you recommend??? Cheaper the better!!! |
Winter park is a decent choice. But there're better options by far.
Get the Epic ski season pass. You get to ski Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Araparho Basin for 1 low price.
The most convenient base is probably Frisco/Dillon. There're lots of places to stay.
N American mountains have shorter verticles than the Alps. So the runs won't be nearly as long as in Europe no matter wher you go. Adjust your expectation, Colorado is as good as any in N America
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You know it makes sense.
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Ricklovesthepowder,
We've been to Winter Park twice and love it!
The bump runs are incredible - steep, challenging and very long - and there are some excellent ungroomed areas that you hike a short distance to for powder, such as Vasquez Cirque.
Also, there are some fantastic runs in glades, the likes of which are hard to find in Europe.
However, (and from your comments it may be a big however) there is not a wide variety of long, cruising runs. What there is however, is excellent.
We go there for the steeps and the bumps, which have to be experienced to be believed. One mountain ("Mary Jane") is more or less left entirely unpisted and (IMHO) becomes the bump capital of the world! There are also a number of less steep bump runs (equivalent to our blues) which are great for learning to ski bumps and for practising on.
It's definitely worth a visit and (if I remember correctly) you can buy a season pass for about £250 before September! Failing that, you can order online a month or so in advance for a significant discount on day tickets.
We stayed at the Viking Lodge, which is an absolute bargain. It's a small, rustic hotel, great value for money, includes a continental brekki and is located in the town next to some nice restaurants and bars (a Chinese, a Mexican and 2 steak/grill restaurants). The bus to the slopes (about 10 minutes away) stops at the door.
The town is really quiet (almost non existent as a town) and a bit spread out but suits us as there is enough of a choice of places to eat for a week. It does not seem to have any night life to speak of but that doesn't bother us.
Alternatively I'd recommend a trip to the Breckenridge/Summit County area - where Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Vail are all on the lift pass. If you go there you would not need a car as a bus runs between the areas (free I think, except to Vail). You could then just book a shuttle transfer from Denver airport.
The variety of skiing there is fantastic and you couldn't go wrong!
Breckenridge is a lovely old town with an old fashioned main street and a great choice of bars and restaurants. A great choice for your USA debut! 
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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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The down side of the American resorts is the ski pass cost is out of this planet. It cost us about £41/day/person
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That doesn't have to be the case however.
If you buy well in advance a season ticket for the Breckenridge area is $409! (Excluding Vail). They are available now on the Breckenridge website.
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Poster: A snowHead
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another vote for WP from me. Although I've only skied in 4 US resorts, all in Colorado and they were all ace. 
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