Steamboat or Crested Butte for just a weekend
 

Looks like we'll only be able to get one long weekend (Thurs or Fri-Sun or Mon) to get out west to ski this season. With the current air sale fares, flying to Gunnison or Hayden is the same price as Denver for us, so we were thinking of going to one of these instead of our usual fly into Denver and drive up to WP, Keystone, Breck, etc.<BR><BR>Not having been to either, I'm wondering if they get the same larger crowds on weekends even though they are harder to get to? Would you recommend one over the other for a quick ski trip? Recommendations for shuttle vs. car, where to rent skis, basic lodgings, any discount lift tickets like you can buy in Denver stores?<BR><BR>I'm a lower level intermediate and my husband is intermediate to advanced and enjoys taking the bumps. We'll just be going for skiing--no time for other activities. I understand that either of these places would provide scenic visit.

We went to Crested Butte last year and Steamboat the year before&gt; I loved both ski areas, Steamboat does have a gondola a little more state of the art lifts. Crested Butte has great off piste areas. You can not go wrong with either. I would find out who has better snow and how cold the temp is. We went to Steamboat in Jan 30's temps. Crested Butte same time in JAn. and -20 degrees!!!! Good Luck!

I've only been to Steamboat once, but go to Crested Butte almost every year. Spring Break is the most crowded time (at Crested Butte) and finding lodging and rentals could be hard if your weekend is around Spring Break. However, lift lines are rarely a problem. Crested Butte has a Sheraton Hotel very close to the lifts, I think that Steamboat does too. This may be your best bet in Crested Butte for a weekend. You can take a shuttle from Gunnison airport to Crested Butte and you won't need a car once you're there. Crested Butte has a central reservations number which also books for the Sheraton. I've also used VRBO.com and Condoco.com to book places in Crested Butte.

I live in Crested Butte and have never been to Steamboat. This is a beautiful area and an uncrowded ski resort that offers alot of terrain to intermediate and advanced skiiers. Great bump runs here. You will not have a problem with lift lines either. The airport is about 30 minutes by car and there is a shuttle. The free buses run from the ski resort to the actual town of CB every 15 minutes and also run to surrounding condos. There is a very nice Sheraton located next to the base area and lots of condos. I think that CB and Steamboat are priced fairly similar. I think you will find CB to be a much better place to visit and ski than the front range primarily because it is a destination resort and has so many less people. Plus the scenary and great restaurants.

I noticed on one of the ski bulletin boards that Southern CO (CB) has gotten less snow this year so has a smaller base than Steamboat does. I haven't been skiing this year so I don't know if the lower snow amount is enough to affect any runs, lifts, or the conditions for intermediates.