A Brief Guide to Skiing in Colorado

Over the past four years my husband and I have had either the Epic or IKON ski pass and have taken advantage of skiing in Colorado because of it. So we’ve been able to ski most of the major mountains throughout Colorado. Throughout this time, we’ve learned the value in staying up in the mountains to avoid the drive on I-70. Don’t get me wrong, that highway is never great, but Saturday mornings heading to the mountains or Sunday afternoons coming back to Denver are almost guaranteed to be some of the worst. The season over 2020 and 2021 were a little different but this year, we’ve haven’t been as often but we’ve been enjoying it more with less time in the car.

Living in Colorado and having access to the ski mountains is great if you can go during the week or don’t mind the drive. Without traffic (or snow) most of the bases are 1.5-2 hours from Denver. Each mountain has its own stereotype, so forgive me if I’m wrong. Also nothing against anyone who wants to go stay in the mountains and relax at the resort, but the fireplace with a good book! Two areas I don’t dive into are Aspen-Snowmass and Steamboat Springs, both of which are about 3.5 hours from Denver. We were supposed to go to Aspen in the spring of 2020, but for obvious reasons, that didn’t happen. From what I’ve heard, Aspen has some of the best skiing around. My husband has been to Steamboat a handful of times, and it’s his favorite by far. The snow conditions are supposed to be incredible.

Arapahoe Basin

About 65 miles west of Denver, you’ll find Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. The base can be accessed from Loveland or Silverthorne/Keystone. Check out the winter guide for more information on passes and what runs are open! Arapahoe Basin, otherwise known as A-Basin, doesn’t have a base area so if you’re looking for a place to stay you’ll have to stop at nearby Keystone. My husband and I love A-Basin. It’s not as busy as some of the other mountains and seems to be more enjoyed by locals.

The front side of the mountain is where the green runs are located. From the top of the main lift, you can access another lift that will take you to the peak. From there, you can choose to ski down the front or back side. The back side and the Beavers area are where the more difficult runs are. Although steep, the blues down the front side are really fun.

Breckenridge

Between Frisco and Fairplay, approximately 85 miles west of Denver you’ll find Breckenridge, Colorado. A great spot year-round, Breckenridge has a lot to offer both on and off the mountain. The mountain is split into Peaks 6-10 with base areas at Peaks 7-9. Peak 6 is where you’ll find some bowls with blues and blacks. Peaks 7 and 8 have a lot of fun, more intermediate blue runs. On Peak 9 you’ll find mostly greens and this is where the lessons meet if you’re taking one. Peak 8 also has some greens. Lastly, Peak 10 has all black runs and is more difficult. From the top of all of the lifts you can travel higher up and reach various bowls around the mountain.

Breckenridge is perfect for large groups, both families and adults. It’s also more affordable for what you can get. There are a ton of restaurants to explore. Some of our favorites are Empire Burger and Downstairs at Eric’s. When looking for places to stay, definitely check out Airbnb for larger options with more bedrooms. You can go through Breckenridge’s website for hotel style rooms and some condos, which is a great option if you have an Epic season pass because there’s a discount. When we go again, I think we’d plan to stay closer to the town for access after skiing. The shuttle system throughout the area is robust and easy to use for getting to the base to ski.

Copper Mountain

A bit further west on I-70 at about 80 miles from Denver, you’ll find Copper Mountain. Acreage wise, it’s not that much smaller than Breckenridge but the town area is a lot smaller. There are plenty of places to stay and eat, just not quite as many as Breckenridge. Copper Mountain is spilt into three base areas: East, Center and West. The lifts from the East Village provide access to blues and blacks as well as bowl. If you don’t know what a bowl is, you should probably steer clear. From the Center Village you have access to greens and blues as well as some blacks in the back bowls. At West Village, you have access to the greens. Copper Mountain is a really awesome mountain with a lot of fun runs that is a great option for IKON pass holders.

Crested Butte

Crested Butte is by far one of my favorite places in Colorado, beyond the ski mountain there. If you’re new to skiing in Colorado, Crested Butte is a trek. At just over 230 miles southwest of Denver, it’ll take you about 4.5 hours to get there. Another option would be to fly into Gunnison, but it’s a very small airport. Crested Butte’s ski area was purchased by Vail Resorts back in 2018, and is now part of the Epic Pass. The base area and town both have more of the small mountain town vibe compared to a resort town, like Vail. The shorter side of the mountain is where you’ll find the greens as well as som shorter blues that are worth practicing on. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you’ll want to head further up the mountain.

Keystone

At about 70 miles from Denver, up on Loveland Pass near A-Basin, you’ll find Keystone. Keystone is similar to Copper Mountain in that there’s a smaller village area with places to stay and eat, just not as many as Breckenridge or Vail. A few years ago, when we got our first season passes, I had never been skiing. On opening day, we headed west to Keystone, my husband anxious to get on the mountain. It was not a good experience for me. I was so scared and felt helpless. Thus, the following weekend I went back on my own and took a lesson. If you’re new to skiing or snowboarding and need some confidence, I highly suggest a lesson. One is really all you need if you get the hang of it. The front side of the mountain is where you’ll find all of the greens and some blues. If you want more challenging terrain, you’ll have to venture to the backside of the mountain where there are a ton of bowls and other runs you can hike to.

Telluride

While we haven’t skied Telluride yet (but are going soon), we’ve been to the town twice and it’s incredible. The town is about 330 miles from Denver, so it’ll take you about 6.5 hours to make the drive. Telluride is similar to Crested Butte in that while expensive to visit, it still has the small mountain town feel. There’s a free gondola that runs year round between the town and the mountain base. Every time we’ve visited we’ve staying in the town, so for our ski trip there we decided to do the same. Especially with the gondola available, so we wouldn’t have to worry about parking and then after skiing we’d be right near all of the restaurants in town. The areas accessible from the mountain base seem to be where most, if not all, of the greens are. From there, you can make your way higher up to reach the blues, blacks and bowls. Based on what I’ve heard, Telluride is steeper than other mountains and is geared towards more experienced skiers.

Vail

About 100 miles west of Denver, straight on I-70, you’ll come to Vail. Vail is one of the more popular spots in Colorado, and has a price tag to match. The town is one of the more ritzy ones in the state, but the skiing is incredible. There are two village areas at the base: Lionshead and Vail Village. Both times we’ve stayed in Vail, we’ve been in the Vail Village. We really enjoyed staying at the Austria Haus Hotel and the Sitzmark Lodge. From the Vail Village, it’s a short walk to the gondola with a ton of restaurants and shops to stop at along the way. Highly recommend Two Arrows for coffee and the Blu Cow for the best hot dog you’re ever had. The ski runs on the front side a pretty spread out with a lot of trails criss-crossing each other. The backside of the mountain is what Vail is known for. With all blues and blacks on the back, it’s still worth checking out even if you’re a beginner. There’s a blue catwalk if you want to see the sights but not challenge yourself too much.

Winter Park

On the IKON pass, there’s a great option if you want to avoid the tunnel on I-70 and want more of a local vibe. About 65 miles northwest of Denver, you’ll find Winter Park. The ski area of Winter Park is a few minutes south of the actual town. Parking and shuttles are readily available so that shouldn’t be a deterrent. We’ve only done day trips to Winter Park but every time we drive through the town it looks worth exploring. It’s still a busy mountain, just doesn’t seem as popular for out of town visitors compared to the resorts on the Epic Pass. The front of the mountain houses the easy and medium runs. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, head to the Mary Jane area of the mountain.