Today's Airfarewatchdog.com front page lists Hartford CT to Denver 157.00 RT!

Seems like some restrictions of travel...but maybe $157.00 RT could be convinicng?

Hmmm, Living in Summit County, maybe I just don't get that fazed by the weather. I think people who don't live here expect it to be awful much more of the time than it actually is. That's why my advice is play it by ear. Also, other than this holiday week, it's usually not impossible to get a room without a reservation.

Yes, Colorado Springs will add an hour to the travel time. But as the poster has indicated, the arrival times may make that hour well worth it.

I agree with playing it by ear as far as 24 vs. I-70. I don't think I get fazed by the weather or expect the conditions in Summit County or Aspen to be awful. The roads up there are well maintained.

I-70 can be a real nightmare, though, in good or bad weather. I make frequent trips on that highway. Sometimes it is a breeze, but several times I have sat there for hours due to weather, accidents and rockslides. A friend just spent 12 hours on the Vail to Denver portion due to snow and accidents.

In March it can be 70 degrees or a blizzard. It is more likely to be nice. It sounds like odie understands the variable conditions.

The reason I tend to recommend advance reservations in this instance is that odie has her 4 year old along.

1Jar- That fare is awesome and comes out to $198 pp but it is the flight for the same time frame I am in a quandry about. CO Springs is about $60 more per person.

I think we have definitely decided on CO Springs. I just think it leaves us more options as we will definitely not be up and ready to be on the road at 6:30 AM. If we are able to drive the 24 is it still a 4 1/2 hour drive to Aspen that way? or is it longer because of slower driving?

Thanks again everybody.

If you take 24 through Leadville it is going to be at least a 6 hour drive, probably longer to Aspen.

Independence Pass will probably be closed in March, so I-70 will be the way to go, (forget Leadville). You could easily make it to Aspen if you arrived at 1 p.m.

Wow, 6 hours, I did not realize that! In that case I will probably drive straight through to Aspen on arrivel via Denver and then come back on 24 for the scenic drive, that is if weather allows, and stop part way. My husband's conference ends on the 9th, we are not too sure of the time, so we would leave after that. Our flight would not go out until 2 PM on the 10th so we could stop part way and have a two hour drive into the airport in the not too early AM.

Thanks for the info on the drive time because I was under the impression the 24 was not going to add much more travel time than skirting around Denver.

I live in Colorado Springs and the time on 24 to Leadville is 2-2.5 hours with good weather. Since Independence Pass is closed at that time of year I-70 is going to be your best bet.

skl, how long would it take you to get to I-70 if you went on 24 (say, go through Leadville to Copper or Fairplay to Breck)?

I'm asking because if odie wanted to have a scenic trip, it doesn't seem like it adds that much time to me. Isn't CS to Summit County a good 2 and a half hours?

It took about 3 hours to reach Vail from the Springs. so about 2:45-3:00 hours. It is a really pretty drive!

Thanks, that sounds more reasonable and again perfectly doable.

If we stayed in Breckenridge the first night would we be past all the Sun morning traffic everyone had mentioned earlier or would we be right in the middle of it?

What is the driving time from COS to Aspen skirting around Denver?

I was wrong. My husband's conference ends on the 8th so we will stay that night in Aspen and then leave on the 9th towards COS. We have all day to travel. Since our flight doesn't go out until 2 on the 10th we could pretty much stay just about anywhere in between (including the 24), any suggestions? or should I make that a new post?

You guys are the best. I keep telling all my friends who are planning trips they have to use this forum!

What is the driving time from COS to Aspen skirting around Denver?

Five to five and half hours.