# Dilemma: Which pass to get in Colorado?



## Guest (Oct 23, 2007)

Ok, so I live in Evergreen, and Echo Mountain Park is super close to me, like 10 minutes. Their pass is $150 for the season, or $40 per day, so it pays for itself in 4 days, which I can easily take care of in a week, especially since it's close, I can go before or after work. They've added more lighted terrain, and some regular runs, so it's not 100% park anymore.

but, it's small, and I don't know anyone who has a pass there, so it may just be us riding up there, and it doesn't open until November 21.

then we have the summit pass(I don't care enough about vail or beaver creek to shell out the extra $40) which costs $409, but gets me to keystone, breck and A-basin all season, and they aren't too far off either. They have longer lifts and the drive can be full of traffic, but they offer much more terrain, and since my days off are on weekdays mostly I _think_ I would be avoiding the crazy weekend crowds and drive already. just going off the Abasin ticket price this pass would pay for itself in aboud 9 days, which again, wouldn't be hard to rack up, especially considering abasin is open already. Another plus is that most people seem to have this pass, so chances are that people I know already have this pass or will get it.

Then there is loveland which is 319 for the season, but no other mountains. I won't use the days in Monarch. shorter lift lines, it's already open, and closer than 2 of the three places on the other pass are plusses.

so I have no idea what to do. what I was planning on doing is getting the echo pass, since it's so close, and if someone else wants to ride elsewhere just get a day pass there, and sometimes with a season pass holder tickets are cheaper. I plan on riding pretty much every day I have off, which can be anywhere from 1 to 5 days a week. so with the echo pass that means I'd have to drive less, but I may get bored with such a small area if I'm riding that often.

yeah so, I dunno WTF I should do, thoughts?


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## Mr. Right (Sep 27, 2007)

If you live in Central or north Evergreen you are only 40 minutes away or so from Loveland, A-basin being another 10 minutes away. During the week traffic isn't so bad up here. I can make it from my house just west of Idaho Springs in just about 15 minutes. The weekends are worse unless you get up there early, especially if it's snowing. If you leave around an hour before all the resorts start closing, you will have a clear path. I never minded the traffic when I lived in Evergreen though, I would just get immaculately stoned sitting in traffic listening to music. It didn't bother me much. I know some people that ride echo if you get a pass and you're looking for someone to ride with. If you go Loveland, I'll ride with ya as well as I know some people that go there regularily as well. The Colorado pass is cool if you want to cough up the dough and don't mind larger crowds. Keystone, A-Ba and Breck are all nice mountains, but get very crowded. Breck also has fucked up expensive parking everywhere. If I was you, I'd go loveland. You'll get a pass to Loveland next year for less money too. Also if you ever want I can show you the sideroad assault to Loveland where you are only on I-70 for about 1/4 the drive from Evergreen. So many times I've flown up the frontage roads watching I-70 sit still. I'll shut up now.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2007)

well I got my bindings so I just need to find some mitts and my goggles, then I'm set to go. I definitely want to try loveland and other places as well so I can get a better idea how things are before next season. I've been to keystone, breck, copper, winter park and one other places I can't remember, but they all sorta blur together in my memory and I don't remember what trip was to what mountain. I'm leaning towards Echo and just paying per day elsewhere so far, but I'll probably get a couple days in at loveland and/or Abasin before I buy my pass.


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## bravo_castle (Aug 16, 2007)

Only interested in riding park?

If you have the $$$ & the intent of riding other resorts more then a few (4 to 6) times pick up another pass besides Echo. In the long run it will save you money. The catch is coming up with the $$$ up front.

FWIW I always have a hard time justifying the cost of riding a lot at resorts I don't have a pass for. :dunno:


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2007)

No I'm not interested in just riding park, I want to hike some stuff and hit some regular runs too. Echo added more terrain, so it isn't 100% park anymore.

the bad thing is that I need to buy TWO passes, one for me and one for my girl, so the summit pass ends up being over $800 and shit like that. 

bleh. I'll get it figured out soon.


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## bravo_castle (Aug 16, 2007)

Jwilliam said:


> No I'm not interested in just riding park, I want to hike some stuff and hit some regular runs too. Echo added more terrain, so it isn't 100% park anymore.
> 
> the bad thing is that I need to buy TWO passes, one for me and one for my girl, so the summit pass ends up being over $800 and shit like that.
> 
> bleh. I'll get it figured out soon.


ugh, now I see your predicament. Your g/f can't chip in some $$$?
She better be hot... the freeloader.  

I'm not a huge fan of the 5 mountain pass. 
Only reason I'm tempted to get one is that some of my buddies will not buy the RMSP. 
So if I want to ride with them I have to buy a 2nd pass.  

Regardless all of us Coloretards will have to do some "group" rides.


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## Mr. Right (Sep 27, 2007)

If you don't want only park forget about Echo. If you don't like driving go Loveland or A-basin (which is close to the others but still the 2nd closest). Loveland is $319, A-Basin I believe is like $275. Not much more for the Colorado pass but then you will be stuck with more driving. I believe all the resorts have a park. I have not been to Keystone in a long time, I went to Breck 2 years ago and they had a park, and I know for a fact that A-Ba and Love both have a park. Unless you are a serious park junky, I don't think you will find much to love about Echo. Honestly I look at that whole mountain as a 1 minute run, but I freeride, haven't dove into the park much yet...

Also never forget the fact that if one of your buddies has a pass at other resorts, you should almost always be able to get a decent to significant discount on a lift ticket. I couldn't justify having a pass at Loveland and going to WPark and paying I'm guessing $60 or more for a ticket for one day. I do miss Winter Park a LOT though and haven't been to Copper since I was an eleven year old skier. I may have to get up there this year. Missing the Jane!


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## bravo_castle (Aug 16, 2007)

I agree with Mr. Right about getting sick of Echo if you're not a total park junkie. 
Keep in mind I've never been to Echo.
FWIW, I'm into freeriding & not the park scene.


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## Mr. Right (Sep 27, 2007)

I've never ridden echo but I popped in all through the construction and have stood at the top of it contemplating buying a ticket, but I just couldn't do it. It's a park junky hill, and literally nothing more. I could tell just by looking at it, it wouldnt be my freeriding idea of fun at all. Check out their website, they have a pretty good map and a bunch of photos to show you what you are getting yourself into.

Here is a link Echo Mountain Park


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