Seeking Advice: Which CO Resort?

[daniwrites]

I'd like to possibly go to a trip out in CO in the Spring and looking for some recommendations on which resort would work best with our group.

I like to ski greens and blues pretty aggressively but the person I'd most likely be going with -- handle greens pretty well, but gets very timid on anything steeper. I think a few more East Coast trips will change that.

So I would ideally like a resort that contains a good amount of long beginner trails where I can also have fun on!

I am overwhelmed by the choices and I had always wanted to ski Steamboat, but then started looking at Telluride, and now I am leaning towards Loveland.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Also--if any of the suggested areas stay open until May or June--please let me know that as well.

Thanks again!

 

[SkiNurse]

Brecknridge , Keystone or Copper.

Breckenridge boasts that they groom all greens & blues every night (they lie, some of their blues they don't groom)

Keystone also does a ton of grooming.

Copper is naturally divided terrain. By that I mean, you won't have a double black that dumps into a green run. The wst side of Copper is primarily green, the middle blue & the east black.

Some of the runs at Keystone & Breck do dump into one another. In fact, that is one of the biggest reasons that I don't ski either one of them too often.

Breckenridge has the better town/nightlife for the resorts in Summit County. Stemaboat is my favorite all around for skiing & town. Loveland & Absin have no towns directly at the resorts

Most Colorado resorts usually close mid April with Loveland & Abasin closing later. Absin, depending on snow, employees available & forest service contracts sometimes tries to stay open until July 4th. Stated in the news today that someof the resorts are going to try to stay open later d/t the tremendous snow that we've had. Check www.coloradoski.com for links to the Colorad resorts and ?? closing date.

 

[Robyn]

I was going to say Copper as well. Specifically Timberline Express lift and American Flyer lift.

 

[abc]

Beaver Creek?

 

[Little Lightning]

The "Winter Park" side of Winter Park is another area to consider. There are easy blue and greens in the "Alice in Wonderland area, Tweedle Dee, White Rabbit, March Hare", Pioneer Lift, High Lonesome Lift and Sunny Side lift.

Copper is great, Union Creek and Timberline areas, and Beaver Creek (although more pricey).

Steamboat was the first western ski area I skied and I still have a special place in my heart for it.

OTH, coming to Summit County will give you the option of experiencing more ski areas.

 

[daniwrites]

Thank you everyone! It's funny how none of the ones I was originally leaning towards made the recommendations...except for Steamboat (kind of!). I am now leaning towards Copper but will continue doing some more research.

 

[Jenny]

You should check out the A Basin Diva Day thread in the Meet on the Hill section. I asked the same kind of question about late season resorts and the next thing I knew there's a trip arranged!

 

[Lisamarie]

Hi Dani,

Once again, I apologize to everyone to linking to an article. However, I put together a bunch of these so that I can quickly answer questions when I don't have that much time to post:

Spring Skiing in Colorado

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

I ski at the green and blue level and have been to Steamboat the past 2 years and love it. However, that is the only western area I have skied, so I don't have anything else to compare it to.
I think it's a great place to gain confidence-- some of the blues are pretty tame- Tomahawk comes to mind, but it's wide and a good place for a green skier to gain confidence. Other easier blues are Quick Draw and Sunshine Liftline. Many of the greens at Steamboat are narrow roads though- but long.

 

[Shellski]

Breckenridge would be a really good choice, it has excellent intermediate skiing, and a gorgeous town, scenery, places to eat and shop.

Telluride is wonderful too (I've just come back from there) but more expensive and more remote.

Beaver Creek has some of the best blue groomers in the world, and a really nice village (again, pricey).

Steamboat, another good choice, and Snowmass.

 

[lucine]

Copper for this one reason
They have the only GREEN top-of-the-world bowl I've ever heard of. You get to go up two lifts, Flyer and Rendevous and stand at a gazillion feet above the world. It will make your day.
THe view is enough to take your breath away, who needs altitude?
Breck has a better town, but Frisco/Dillon/Silverthorne or only minutes away.

 

[Robyn]

Oh, good point about the view from the top of Rendevous, it is outstanding!

 

[daniwrites]

Once again, thank you everyone for all your advice and insight.

After feeling overwhelmed with the choices I think I will
stick to Summit County and possibly try 2 or 3 resorts.

I don't care too much about the nightlife...more so the skiing.

Copper, Keystone, and Breckenridge have now become my top 3!
(in that order)...this could change at any time tough ;)

Lucine--that is precisely the reason why Copper is my top pick.

Ever since I was young I have always wanted to ski out west so I'm getting extremely anxious (in a good way) for this very likely spring trip.

 

[Telluride Ski Babe]

Telluride is wonderful too (I've just come back from there) but more expensive and more remote.

That's why we like it! :D (The remote part...not the expensive part.)

Telluride has some great greens and blues, but I don't think it fits your bill on timing...our mountain closes April 6th. (I wish we would stay open longer...we certainly have the snow to, but it's past tourist season and they won't keep it open for locals.)

 

[daniwrites]

I am looking to go probably around April 4 for 5 nights....Just started my new job in Jan so this might be tricky but I am pretty sure I can swing it

Now onto finding some deals on flights, lodging, rental car, etc...
=P

 

[SnowHot]

I would say Breck or Copper. Loved both in a huge way when I was out there.
Of the resorts I haven't been to and think would fill your gap nicely is Steamboat. The best advantage to Steamboat is that you wont' be dealing with the altitude that you would in the Summit county resorts.

Whatever you do, take pics to share with us and have fun!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Quick addition to above advice: if, in fact, this becomes your final destination choice, I highly advise staying in Frisco. It is centrally located to all of these resorts, has a nice choice of condos that are less expensive than the ones right at any of them. Breck, especially, is a bear for parking (with a charge). Copper parks you in the hinterlands (right, Robyn? - for day trippers?). The advantage to staying in Frisco is being able to use the Summit Stage (free, doesn't get cheaper than that) to/from any of these resorts, door to door.

 

[Robyn]

Breck's parking is a nightmare. I don't think I'll ever go there again except under duress because of that and the fact that I don't like the mountain. Copper does park you way out but has a great shuttle system. I really dislike Keystone's parking as well but at least it's easier to find for free than Breck these days. You can pay to be closer at any of these resorts but I will say that at Copper I don't think it's worth it.

I don't have any experience with the Summit Stage personally but have heard good things. I agree that staying in Frisco would be a good choice for centrality.

 

[pinto]

Quick addition to above advice: if, in fact, this becomes your final destination choice, I highly advise staying in Frisco. It is centrally located to all of these resorts, has a nice choice of condos that are less expensive than the ones right at any of them. Breck, especially, is a bear for parking (with a charge). Copper parks you in the hinterlands (right, Robyn? - for day trippers?). The advantage to staying in Frisco is being able to use the Summit Stage (free, doesn't get cheaper than that) to/from any of these resorts, door to door.

This is true, but depending on how late in spring she goes (ie, first couple of weeks in April for most of those places is as late as they stay open), it's a great time to get discounted slopeside lodging. Prices go way down in April.

Copper is a nice place for this if you want to ski a variety of places ... it's centrally located right on I-70, 18 min from Vail over the pass, 20 min from Breck, etc.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

This is true, but depending on how late in spring she goes (ie, first couple of weeks in April for most of those places is as late as they stay open), it's a great time to get discounted slopeside lodging. Prices go way down in April.

Copper is a nice place for this if you want to ski a variety of places ... it's centrally located right on I-70, 18 min from Vail over the pass, 20 min from Breck, etc.

True dat, but I'm just way partial to Frisco - easier to Breck & Keystone. And besides, my son lives there, and I miss him. So the town's "on my brain."