Help-need Colorado snow ski trip recomendations

[jdl xstar]

Originally Posted by gts-20

Thank you so much again for this information. This is stuff you can't find out just searching the net. I knew i could count on the MC family to help me out.

We are planning on going sometime between the last week of Jan. and the first week in Feb. I will look into booking something either @ Breck or Steamboat. From what it sounds like, we would be better off @ Breck, but I want my GF to look at both and see what she thinks. We still like to hit up a bar or three in our old age. lol...

Breck is great. I say its one of the best all around ski resorts in CO. Nice town with a good main street... large mountain with lots of diverse terrain... and its closer to Denver than most other resorts. Funny, I will be in Vail during end of jan and early Feb. Never been to Vail so i wanted to try out the big daddy mountain out there.

Been to Steamboat a few times and the mountain is one of the best IMHO, but the town is a short drive from the mountain base which is a negative. Its nice to have everything right at the base which is what most resorts have.

[shepherd]

Wife and I go to Breckenridge every December before the busy season. As said already, it's a real mountain town so they have a lot to offer away from the slopes -- good restaurants and bars.

So far we've stayed at the Mountain Thunder Lodge (ski in but not out) and Crystal Peak Lodge (liftside, ski in and out, ski rental shop on premises). We usually visit family in Denver during the weekend and then head up to Breck on Monday for 4 nights. Crystal Peak is probably one of the nicest places on the slopes, but when I checked the price was only a few hundred $$ more (total) than the cheaper 3 star ski in/out places. Not saying they're cheap, just the other places are that expensive. I always look for lodging/skiing packages. This year, 1 BR condo, 4 nights, with two 4-day lift tickets is going to run us about $2,000 total. Keep in mind, though, that if bought separately the lift tickets alone would cost around $800.

Mountain Thunder is a bit cheaper. Both places have free shuttle service that will take you anyplace in town and pick you up later. We always rent a car, but now I'm going to check into a shuttle since we never have to use the car in Breckenridge.

[h2oskifreak]

My choice would be Snowmass/Aspen. Snowmass has affordable lodging and is close to Aspen for a change for a day trip or visit for dinner. I don't know if this is your type of thing, but a few years ago I took my 10 y/o to a place in Snowmass called Krublinik Kennels(sp?). We went for a really cool dogsled tour and had a wild game lunch afterwords. Our sled fit 3 and it wasn't cheap, but what is anymore? It was something he and I will never forget. Hope you have fun.

[Kyle's_prostar205]

I would recommed Keystone. They have good snow, fun mountain and pricing is pretty average for the area. It is nt far from Denver and easy to get to off I-70. They also have the skating pond and night life around the base of the mountian. Don't forget the night skiing as well. Sounds like you have gotten alot of good advice so far but thought I would throw out my two cents worth as a Colorado native.

Kyle

[Dylan]

to echo what everyone else on here is saying, Breckenridge is my favorite. I went to college in Colorado and managed to hit every single ski park in the state. We have a time share at the Grand Timber Lodge, and spend the week of Thanksgiving there every year. The lift prices are expensive but well worth it. Even on the busiest day you can work the top of the mountain and not wait in lift lines! Good luck!

[mzimme]

Originally Posted by Kyle's_prostar205

I would recommed Keystone. They have good snow, fun mountain and pricing is pretty average for the area. It is nt far from Denver and easy to get to off I-70. They also have the skating pond and night life around the base of the mountian. Don't forget the night skiing as well. Sounds like you have gotten alot of good advice so far but thought I would throw out my two cents worth as a Colorado native.

Kyle

I tend to disagree about Keystone. While I think the resort is great, the snow is usually terrible. Unless summit county as a whole has a bunch of snow at the time, keystone just tends to get very icey and very crowded, especially on the few trails that make to the bottom of the hill.

Night skiing is fun once, but that's about it. Once you experience how cold it is, the shadows everywhere, and the layer of ice, you'll never want to do it again.

My opinion of course

[bobx1]

Originally Posted by h2oskifreak

My choice would be Snowmass/Aspen. Snowmass has affordable lodging and is close to Aspen for a change for a day trip or visit for dinner. I don't know if this is your type of thing, but a few years ago I took my 10 y/o to a place in Snowmass called Krublinik Kennels(sp?). We went for a really cool dogsled tour and had a wild game lunch afterwords. Our sled fit 3 and it wasn't cheap, but what is anymore? It was something he and I will never forget. Hope you have fun.

X2

I learned to ski at Snowmass close to 35 years ago. Have skied mutliple resorts since and it was the best Mtn I have ever skied. Plus in that area, you have options of Aspen (AJAX), Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass (skied all four) and as H2O said, a trip into Aspen is great fun.

[mzimme]

Originally Posted by bobx1

X2

I learned to ski at Snowmass close to 35 years ago. Have skied mutliple resorts since and it was the best Mtn I have ever skied. Plus in that area, you have options of Aspen (AJAX), Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass (skied all four) and as H2O said, a trip into Aspen is great fun.

Aspen is awesome, agreed. Just not cheap. If you're at the snowmass side it's really not friendly to a person without a car since most of everything happens in the town of aspen. Great area though.

[bcd]

If any of your family out there get season passes, you could hit them up for buddy passes while you're there. Each season pass comes with a certain number of buddy passes, which are just discounted single day lift tickets.

[jdl xstar]

Originally Posted by mzimme

Aspen is awesome, agreed. Just not cheap. If you're at the snowmass side it's really not friendly to a person without a car since most of everything happens in the town of aspen. Great area though.

Aspen town is nice but the mountain itself is very overrated. Snowmass is the place to go if you are in that area. Very cool mountain and LOTS of ski in/out lodging.