Where to go in Colorado for ski vacation?
 

My girlfriend and I (both in our mid 20's) want to plan a trip to Colorado to ski in late-March. I'm looking for advice on where to go. We're beginners (both skied once) and are looking for a scenic town and entertaining night life. Thanks!

Breckinridge fits your criteria.

all the mtn towns are scenic. most have some nightlife. so - as you are beginners i'd look at keystone as it's easy to get to and has good beginner terrain. or steamboat springs which is very picturesque. its still a working ranch town in addition to the ski area. steamboat has a great ski school and you should definitely take a lesson - you'll have more fun if you do.
if you have a higher budget vail is a newly built tyrolean style village and aspen is a beautifully restored 1800's mining town with victorian look. both offer good beginner terrain.
crested butte and telluride are beautiful but not good for beginners.
copper mtn has great beginner runs and ski school but boring base area. you could stay in nearby frisco - a town with a lot of personality...

Breck is your best bet.

Breckenridge is you best bet. Virginia comments were good except that Keystone is not scenic and min night life. Steamboat and Aspen is great but a long way from Denver. At your ski level you will not appreciate Vail. Frisco would provide some cheaper rooms and is equal distance (10 miles) to Keystone, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain. Frisco has some nice resturants but night life is min.

I'd concur with Breckenridge, and would also consider Crested Butte, Steamboat, Aspen/Snowmass, and Keystone (in part because it's so close to Breck). In making your choice, keep in mind that you don't always have to go through DIA depending on where you're coming from. Several airlines have non-stop flights, for ex., to Steamboat/Hayden from NYC, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City, and there are similar non-stop flights to Crested Butte/Gunnison. Out of these, Crested Butte probably has the least night life IMO.

Hi GoHeels, ask 3 different people in Colorado where to ski and you are likely to get 3 different answers. Luckily though, as others have said, you will have fun at all!

Of the Summit Resorts I am partial to Keystone. Great grooming. It is a great Mountain for newbies. (Gets bad marks on "Expert" terrain though.)
I think of Keystone has Very scenic. Lots of folks like Copper. Have not skied there in a couple of years. Personally not a fan of Breckenridge for a number of reasons. Love Vail, the drive is only a bit further down the highway in good conditions. Depends on your budget.

You are correct -- ask 3 CO skiers and you will get 4 recommendations. Coski may not like Breckenridge and five years ago I would have concurred. But with the addition of Peak 7 and several new chair lifts it is vastly improved and has moved to my second favorite slope but at some distance behind Snowmass. Maybe third, probably should fit Vail ahead --- well ..... maybe fourth - have to put Beaver Creek in there somewhere. -- never ends -- too many choices. Stick with Breckenridge !!!

Finally thought -- late March will put you in late Spring skiing which could mean marginal snow.

Not so sure about that. March typically is one the snowest months of the year.

I understand what fmpden is saying about late March skiing. It was so warm last March that by the end of the month the conditions at Keystone were slushy and not great.

Of course, if the snow and cold keep up this year, conditions may be terrific.

Don't know how long COSki has lived in Colorado -- I am been here 27 years and skied since 62 and many late March sking has been poor. The snow we get in late March and early April can be very wet and heavy unless the powder we get in the colder weather of Jan and February. Just saying that by the last week in March you could have good conditions and they could be poor.

I think Vail has very good beginners terrain--and particularly so because it can be around the top of the mountain. Whatever you do, TAKE LESSONS!! You will improve dramatically and be able to really enjoy your time skiing.

I'm surprised no ones mentioned Telluride. Very scenic with good nightlife. Good beginner areas also. It's more expensive to fly into though, and if the weather is nasty your flight will be diverted to Montrose, Durango, Cortez or even Grand Junction which can be a pain.

My second choice would be Breck. Esay to get to from Denver, with lots of beginner terrain and great scenery.

Just because fmpden asked, been here since 91. Ski bewteen 40 and 50 days a year. Live in Summit County.

Coskier, are you going to brave the frigid temps this weekend and hit the slopes? We're wimps so we won't be skiing this weekend.

yes we are. Got a new coat that I wore last weekend. I am a thermal wimp and it kept even me warm. :)

It really is a New Coat, the company is launching this weekend
http://www.yeticlothing.com

Just what I thought, COski is a youngster with min experience :-)

I'll check out the website this weekend - hopefully it will be up and running. Have fun and stay warm!

Will do wtm003! fmpden if you happen to be skiing Keystone this weekend keep an eye out for me. I will be in a Yeti Coat, red helmet. Trust me, if you see one you will know it. ;)

Coski, I will look for you. I will be old fart in leather boots and on wooden skis.

Keystone is a great place to learn and yes TAKE A LESSON. Breck has a nice village, but is $$$$$ and crowded (imho). Stay in Keystone and ski in Keystone to save $'s for better skiing and lodging, and drive 20 mins to breck for the nightlife (which is only at the Snake River Saloon in Keystone).

www.skyruncondos.com has great specials on lodging and lift tickets. i like www.mountainviewsports.com for renting ski gear if you need that (vs. renting from the resort).

We go nearly every year to Steamboat Springs the last week in March and haven't been disappointed yet. We've been doing this for the past few years.

During this time of year the crowds are lower, the temperatures are warmer, but there has been plenty of snow to keep us happy.

Good luck and enjoy regardless of where you decide to go. Have fun.

I was wrong! ;) April turned out to be the snowiest month. Skied this weekend at A-Basin, looked more like Jan than May.

This from the Local Paper

BOB BERWYN
summit daily news
Summit County, CO Colorado
May 4, 2007


SUMMIT COUNTY - April ended up being the snowiest month of the winter season, according to weather watcher Rick Bly, who tallies snowfall stats for the National Weather Service at his backyard weather station.

Bly measured 38.5 inches of the white stuff last month (average, 24.7 inches), just inching out October, which saw 36.8 inches of snow.

"We had bookends to the winter," Bly said. The snow melted down to 3.32 inches of water, also well above the average April precipitation of 2.1 inches. In fact, the April 2007 amount was more than the combined 2006 April to June total of 2.61 inches.

For the winter (Oct.- April), Bly measured 192 inches of snow, 42 inches above the historic average based on records going back more than 100 years.

In average May, Breckenridge can expect 11 inches of snow. As recently as 1995, the month brought dumps totaling 25 inches, but the record dates way back to 1895, with 43.9 inches.

At the second National Weather Service site in Summit County, Denver Water officials recorded 22 inches of snow (average 18.2 inches.
Temperatures at the Dillon site were slightly above the historic average based on records dating back to 1909. That continues a month to month and year to year trend of warmer temperatures at the station near Dillon Reservoir.

The average April high, combining daily high temps, was 48.2 degrees (normal 47.7 degrees) and the average minimum temperature was 19.6 degrees (normal 18.2 degrees).