 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey guys,
Already trying to formulate our plans for next season and was just wondering if anyone could share some advice on how and who may offer the best option to book two weeks in Aspen. I have a decent (for Aspen, I think  ) from Crystal. Waiting for a quote back from Ski Safari. Ski Independence one was off the map a few weeks back. I don't know if anyone can recommend a particularly good company with extra specials and such, or if anyone knows of a good way to do it independently.
We can travel between mid-Jan to mid-Feb. Want to stay in Aspen, not right out on the sticks.
Also, is there a particular time of year when any of you feel may be the best time?
Cheers guys
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not much help, but I'm going over Easter and it's so easy to organise the only benefit of the T/O is if they provide a discount over independent.
I think the BA flight to Denver is the only direct flight (£600), a weeks hire car (£150) and will book accom depending on the prevailing conditions. At the mo (it's a blue sky forecast) I'm thinking of booking a couple of days only leaving the option of carrying on to Salt Lake.
The difficult bit is the lift pass. Window prices are crazy, Liftopia offers small discounts but includes 'meal vouchers' and some accomodations include tickets. Still thinking about that bit 
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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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yeah, that's the draw to a travel operator. Crystal have said I can get 13 days for 9 by booking with them... £397 each which I think is pretty darn good to be honest. I was expecting over a grand
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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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For Aspen? Go for it.
This isn't a difficult place to get to. Flight by BA direct from Heathrow to Denver. Hire a car and you can enjoy Loveland, Arapahoe, Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Vail and Beaver Creek on you way to Aspen.
We did it in 2010 by first stopping at Vail, then Carbondale (for Aspen) and then back to Silverthorne. We even managed to drop in to Denver for half a day sight seeing.
Carbondale is 30 miles from Aspen but on a fast road. It was a preferred location by many athletes competing in Aspen. The best approach we found was to drive to Buttermilk and take the ski bus there to Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highland and Snowmass. The four areas of Aspen are all unlinked. The Snowmass is the biggest and is definitely a place to be.
All the above Colorado skiing resorts except vail have purposely built car parks "outside" the resort and free ski bus to take to the lift stations. If you hire a car you can have a wider choice of accommodations and able to ski all of them. All of the above except Aspen lie along a highway of from 50 to 100 miles from Denver. Aspen is 200 miles from Denver.
Colorado resorts, except Loveland and to certain extent Arapahoe too, are all premium grade so enjoy them. Just be prepared for the 40 to 80% more expensive than the Alps ski passes. If you ski the above resorts getting a Epic seasonal pass is actually cheaper! as it covers all except Loveland, Copper Mountain and Aspen. The Epic ski pass enables the holder a discount at Copper Mountain too.
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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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Thank you for the reply. We have skiied Colorado before, spending a week in Breckenridge and a week in Vail, whilst also skiing Beaver, Arapahoe, Keystone and spending three days in Denver. We loved it! However, for this trip we just want to enjoy Aspen. We quite like the idea of the tour operator which would also mean we wouldn't need a hire car (good, as we like après  ).
Are there operators who are particularly well known for this resort?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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shenryo, We did a DIY trip about five years ago, flying straight into aspen via chicago with BMI , great transfer time ( about 5 min to hotel) . But the flights alone will cost you more than double your £397.00 . Bite their hand off at that price !!!
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Crystal sounding good. We can do two weeks with them, everything in, flights, transfers, x2 lift passes, 5 day lessons for partner, central nice location with brekkie in, for under 5k... Don't look like we can do much cheaper 
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shenryo, Sorry if I am being thick , was £397 the lift ticket price ?????, thought that was a cheap package trip !!!
Worth looking at a two centre trip basing yourself in aspen itself first then move to some great value accommodation over in snowmass, DIY was simple to put together but packages seem to be better value ATM , and a bit more protected money wise .
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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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Hahaha, I wish! 397 is the price of lift pass.... Each
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PM me specifics?
I done two whole seasons there in the 80/90's & many trips since.
Easter is the end of US (colorado)skiing,that's why you get cheap deals. The snow is generaly slush,towns are closing down & general sense amougst the workers looking at there watches "this is mexico time"
You been warned!
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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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| shenryo wrote: |
| Thank you for the reply. We have skiied Colorado before, spending a week in Breckenridge and a week in Vail, whilst also skiing Beaver, Arapahoe, Keystone and spending three days in Denver. We loved it! However, for this trip we just want to enjoy Aspen. We quite like the idea of the tour operator which would also mean we wouldn't need a hire car (good, as we like après ). |
As nice as Aspen is, 2 week is stretching.
You could consider Telluride for 4-5 days for a change.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yeah? We heard it would be good for a fortnight. How far is Telluride?
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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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shenryo, two weeks spread over the four hills , with a couple of days away from resort, maybe getting into the backcountry on a snowcat tour , or even walking down some of the winter paths by the rio grande , would be a great trip and no need to travel elsewhere , i could spend a month there and still not get bored !!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Deffo wanna do a snowcat tour if I can. Think in happy to be there or that long.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| shenryo wrote: |
| Yeah? We heard it would be good for a fortnight. How far is Telluride? |
I was in Telluride last week.
Denver to TRide in good weather drive takes 7hours
SnowPak was not a s good as last season. When I left they were just getting a storm which dumped around 17 over a couple of days."
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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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Would like to ski there at some point. Good skiing I guess?
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FAQ
