When to Go

Summit County is a haven for winter enthusiasts: the resorts of Arapahoe Basin and Breckenridge—and nearby Loveland in Clear Creek County—are so high that the ski season often dawns here weeks before it does in the rest of the state, with Arapahoe Basin and Loveland competing to see who has the longest season, which can begin as early as October and end as late as July. The altitude also means that it can snow on any day of the year, so be prepared. Traffic, particularly on the I-70 approaches to the Eisenhower Tunnel and the Georgetown-to-Idaho Springs stretch, moves at a snail's pace around weekend rush hours—3 to 10 pm on Friday and all day Sunday.