I have skied both the Park City area and Colorado for years. I still prefer the Colorado area. From you description, Breckenridge would work well for you. There are lots of property along 4 O'clock run and Snowflake lift that are ski in and out. Breck also has an excellent free bus system that makes it is easily to get to the lifts if it is not a true ski in and out. And there are many places in Breck that are ski in but not out.

Unless you are very experienced with driving a 4wheel drive in snow, I would never recommend getting a 4wheel drive. One reason that 4wheel rentals are so expensive is that inexperience drivers but then in the ditch all the time. I remember coming down from Eisenhower/Johnson into Denver in some very bad weather a few years with about 10 cars off the road. Everyone was four wheel and need to be towed.

The requirement is "chains or adequate snow tires/all season." I have not seen a car in chains in years. If it bad enough for you to need chains - park it!!! Only truckers are chaining up. Rental cars will have adequate tires.

One problem with inexperienced 4WD drivers is that they consider themselves invincible--and on ice, (which can be just below all that slush!!) it is of no more use than regular drive.
Agree about the chains--now in the NC mountains, we have indeed been there done that!!
We have skied Snowbird and it was fun and beautiful--what ski area isn't. But I prefer Colorado for the variety and length of the runs possible on the blues and greens. Our kids are the black runs--not us!!!

I was just flipping some channels and saw the "X-Games" was just held at Aspen (Colorado). I do know that there is a good bus service from Glenwood Springs up to Aspen (41 miles).
I have spent a couple nights in Glenwood Springs after getting off the train (California Zephyr).
I tend to do my snowshoeing in the Cascades of Oregon.

You can always take a shuttle from Denver to your ski town and leave the driving to someone else. We had a winter meeting at Keystone one time and most took the shuttle (I rented a car).

A few thoughts on Breck, we were up there for a week mid-January. As fmpden says, they have a bus system called "Free Ride" that actually ran on a schedule. On the route is a great rec center(used by me, the non skier). They have many machines & a great variety of exercise classes.

The restaurants can be busy but we either make reservations or go early. MLK weekend the town was very crowded but by Monday it was pretty quiet. I imagine the crowds picked up for the International Ice Sculpture event so watch when events are scheduled.

If you need overnight parking & it is not included in your rental, there are a couple of public lots on the bus route which charge $5/night. Info is on the Town of Breckenridge website.

Hope that helps.

"International Ice Sculpture event "
We were there for that one year.

Just a couple thoughts after returning from a skit trip to Vail last week. There is so, so much terrain that is great for "greenies/easy blues", that I had a wonderful, if very tiring, time. The price of lift tickets, however, took my breath away - $145 for a one-day pass at the window, and $135 for 3+ days. Ouch!!

I like all the places mentioned, and would also suggest considering Steamboat and Telluride in Colorado and Jackson Hole Wyoming.

I love Park City for the easy access and convenience to so many mountains.

I think Aspen/Snowmass is probably my favorite in Colorado for the variety of terrain and the town. Breck and Vail are great, but can get crowded. Telluride is pretty isolated, but about scenic as it gets. Steamboat is great, and might even have direct flights from Newark. I really like the local feel of Winter Park even if the town isn't as charming as some of the others.

Jackson is amazing and a snow mobile tour through Yellowstone in the middle of winter is truly magical.

Bottom line, you can't go wrong at any of these places!

All these areas will be scenic, no doubt. But some will be better for a non skier.The problem with Steamboat is that the town is separate from the mountain. Is this best for the non skier? I have heard Jackson is very expensive.

Starrs, we have also been to Breck for the Ice Sculture Competition. It is very cool & worth weathering the crowds to see.

Jackson is not a green ski area and neither is Ajax at Aspen.
There is good bus service between Copper, Frisco and Dillon--and Breck.
Jackson is also really isolated.
Copper has shops at the area, and Frisco and Silverthorne are 15 minutes away--by bus, if desired.

I would put Jackson Hole on your list. It is a great ski area but not for beginners. Most the greens at Jackson Hole would a middle blue elsewhere and it goes up rapidly from there. Grooming can be a issue because of the steepness.

Did you mean "NOT" put it on your list? Just wondering in the context of what we both said.

sorry- misread the part about "easy blues". While Jackson has terrain for all levels of skiers, and the apres-vous side of the mountain especially has lots of blue cruisers and a great (but small) true beginners area towards the base, it certainly doesn't have the abundance of easy blues you can find at most of the other spots mentioned.

still an amazing place!

I did.

Well ???? What did you decide?