Which Ski Town is closest to Denver
 

Last year we flew into Denver and drove to Breckenridge. Which ski resort towns (if any) are a closer drive? I know we could fly into another airport-but the flight deals to Denver are simply too good.

Arapahoe Basin is closest. Next closest is the ski area at the summit of Berthoud Pass (I cannot remember its name). After that Winter Park, Keystone, Copper Mountain and Vail.

Berthoud Pass and Winter Park are on US-40 above Empire. All the rest are along I-70.

The distance and travel time are so slight why bother. Breckenridge is 1 1/2 hours. Winter Park is maybe just over an hour over a really hairpin pass road. I have always found the drive into the mountains interesting. I guess it is the alpine air or something but it SEEMS to be so much longer than it really is--1 1/2 hours to Silverthorne/Dillon/Keystone, 2 hours to Vail. And even in a lot of snow, it is still the same. However, the weekend traffic does get congested--and perhaps particularly to the closer areas because of day skiing traffic. I know our kids leave the slopes soon after lunch on a Sunday to get ahead of the traffic.

A-basin is not a town, it is a destination ski area, no accommodations. The closest ski area is actually Loveland (also just a ski area), at the base of the climb to A-Basin. The Berthoud Pass area is closed, and was only open to X-country skiers for the past few years, anyway. So, going to Breckenridge, Keystone (about the same distance), or Winter Park/Mary Jane (over Berthoud Pass) are the best bests for stay and ski.
(Copper has added lots of lodging in the past few years, and is probably, like the others, still a bit cheaper than VAil/Beaver Creek.)

Drive time is about the same from Denver to Breckenridge vs. Denver to Winter Park, assuming clear roads. Berthoud Pass to Winter Park can be a challenge, especially if you're not comfortable with mountain driving. They do a good job of clearing it during storms, but there are some tight turns and sometimes drivers too eager to pass.
Another option would be to fly into Denver, go downtown to the train station, and take Amtrak to and from Winter Park (the stop is Fraser). Or a shuttle, called Home James works to and from Winter Park.