# Best Resort for First Timers in Colorado



## donm3ga

Hey all, I am planning a snowboard/skiing trip for my group of friends in the 08-09 season. Sometime in December or January most likely. I just finished my first season of snowboarding and I am addicted. My last trip was to Mammoth Mountain, great place.

My buddies want to give snowboarding a try next season and are wanting to try Colorado. Looking for something that will expose my friends to a GREAT snowboarding experience that why they will be just as hooked as I am. Any good recommendations? I am from Houston, TX.

Thanks!


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## Guest

If you're set on Colorado, I think the best beginner mountain is Breckenridge, as there are many very mild runs. It's definitely a perfect place to learn to ride and once you improve, its close proxity to other more challenging mountains is great. Also, it has a fun town with lots of stuff for apres riding.


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## donm3ga

I just want something where they don't have to do a lot of skating around, or a place where there a lot of flat areas. I want them to have the best experience the possibly can.

What other resorts are good outside of Colorado for learning, as well as getting a great experience?


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## killclimbz

^^^Good choice, if you decide on not going to Colorado.

Breck, Keystone, Winterpark, Vail, Crested Butte, Steamboat all have good beginner areas. The best one imo is Copper Mountain. The mountain is naturally divided expert terrain is at the top and east side of the mountain. The middle of the mountain is intermediate and the far West side (Union creek, junction something like that) is nothing but beginner level terrain. Basically an entire ski area for beginners. The way the terrain is divided it keeps the experts and the intermediates from bombing those runs. It's a serious hassle to get there and no reason for people of that ability to go there. There is also food services and such at this area. Makes for a very nice and comfortable area for beginners to learn to ride. The rest of the areas you have to intermix with riders/skiers of various abilities which can be nerve racking for the beginner. Once they have gotten comfortable with their abilities you can move on to more challenging terrain that the mountain offers. 

I would also recommend going in January over December. Last year December was great, but it was bone dry until literally December 1st. I have seen seasons where December does not get much snow and others where it just gets pounded. The one thing I haven't seen is a dry January. That seems to be the month where the snowpack really gets established. Frequent storms are the norm. Generally speaking the second or third week of January is a good time to visit. Just bring the super warm clothes. With the altitude, few places can equal the cold that hits in Colorado at that time. Be ready to bundle up as temps well below zero 40 below wind chills hit from time to time. It is also the time that the snow is at it's lightest and driest of the season and plenty of blue skies can be experienced.


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## Guest

killclimbz said:


> ^^^Good choice, if you decide on not going to Colorado.
> 
> Breck, Keystone, Winterpark, Vail, Crested Butte, Steamboat all have good beginner areas. The best one imo is Copper Mountain. The mountain is naturally divided expert terrain is at the top and east side of the mountain. The middle of the mountain is intermediate and the far West side (Union creek, junction something like that) is nothing but beginner level terrain. Basically an entire ski area for beginners. The way the terrain is divided it keeps the experts and the intermediates from bombing those runs. It's a serious hassle to get there and no reason for people of that ability to go there. There is also food services and such at this area. Makes for a very nice and comfortable area for beginners to learn to ride. The rest of the areas you have to intermix with riders/skiers of various abilities which can be nerve racking for the beginner. Once they have gotten comfortable with their abilities you can move on to more challenging terrain that the mountain offers.
> 
> I would also recommend going in January over December. Last year December was great, but it was bone dry until literally December 1st. I have seen seasons where December does not get much snow and others where it just gets pounded. The one thing I haven't seen is a dry January. That seems to be the month where the snowpack really gets established. Frequent storms are the norm. Generally speaking the second or third week of January is a good time to visit. Just bring the super warm clothes. With the altitude, few places can equal the cold that hits in Colorado at that time. Be ready to bundle up as temps well below zero 40 below wind chills hit from time to time. It is also the time that the snow is at it's lightest and driest of the season and plenty of blue skies can be experienced.


That's really good advice.


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## Guest

the only experince I have with beginner slopes here in Colorado of late, is Loveland and A-Basin.

the beginner slope at Loveland is pretty wide and not too short or long with a nice "slope" (just right, IMHO) but their green slopes in the area are not that green (very narrow and slope quite a bit more)


A-Basin has two beginner areas (adjacent) a short lift ride, slope is just about right, but the lentgh of the run is a bit shorter than Loveland (I've taken my daughter up and down this one, it's not bad) the adjacent area has a carpet to pull you up vs a chair lift. My daughters instructor had her up that one or two times.. it's great for children. there are a couple green runs, one is pretty nice, wide open area with only a couple 'problem areas" and it's adjacent to the terrain park. the other is a borderline blue run, but my daughter handled it quite well and actually liked it better!.



just adding that to the list of places already mentioned, they're probably better for first timers


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## Guest

Just felt like adding Beaver creek, CO, yes the resort is very expensive but if you have the $$$ it's a great resort for learning. This resort over grooms its runs, so conditions are always pretty good for learning, they also offer steeper terrain for those who are more experienced. Most of their main runs are extremely wide and the skier density is pretty low, you are also going to find less crowds than Breck, Vail and definitely Cooper. Granted I didn't stay at their village, but I do have to say that the place is amazing (a lot of money going around, restaurant, activities ect.) 

If you guys are on a budget I would recommend Loveland, CO. That place has it all vibe, cool terrain, no crowds, friendly people and best of all an affordable price. I am not sure how beginner friendly it is, but there are a good amount runs that I would consider good for beginners. They are not as wide as the runs of Beaver Creek though. 

With Cooper I found the resort to be great but my main complain were the crowds, men that place gets crowded. Breck I usually avoid it for the same reason.

I do have to agree December can be a scary month, I am not sure where but I read somewhere that Colorado gets a big dump October/November and they get a dry spell. The key issue is how long does it last, usually it's not that bad, but this season had me second guessing how the conditions in early January were going to be.


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## Guest

Put your priorities right. Snow-certain area goes for a big area. It happens alot that ppl quit the first time due to bad conditions. I the conditions are great, that`s already a big step! The area also doesn`t have to be that big, since you`re just beginners it is even preferable to do the same piste a couple of times, so you can `easier` learn from your mistakes by taking the same difficult turn every time again.

I`m from Europe so I can`t really pick a good resort (unless you have plenty of money  )


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## Guest

^^^^ I am not sure if agree 100% with you, I learned on the ice coast on a not so good day """RAIN!!!""" the conditions were horrible, and in addition to that on my second day I landed on a ice patch and fractured my tail bone. And all of this did not stop me from it, I even planned a couple more trips with a fracture tail bone. I did buy butt protection and it did a great job at keeping me safe. 

But I do agree with you on the resort size, to be honest I would limit myself to a small resort at least for the first day. It keeps things simple and cheap. On my first day I stayed in 2 runs then the second day I went exploring the rest of Camel Back.


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## killclimbz

Simply^Ride said:


> With Cooper I found the resort to be great but my main complain were the crowds, men that place gets crowded. Breck I usually avoid it for the same reason.


Crowds are only an issue on the intermediate terrain at Copper. The beginner area is not crowded at all. For experts, I doubt you'll have more than 10 people in front of you for a lift. Now if you are hitting the timberline lift, crack open a beer and enjoy the wait...


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## Guest

killclimbz said:


> Now if you are hitting the timberline lift, crack open a beer and enjoy the wait...


Thats what I felt like doing :laugh: men was it crowded. But thanks for the info.


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## donm3ga

Okay so I talked to my friends and they are open to any state, not just Colorado.

My friends are first timers and I want to give them a good experience. Good snow. Large open green and blue runs. Lodging available on the mountain. Affordable price. Not too too crowded.

I've been to Mammoth Mountain and I love it. The only reason we aren't going there is because its a long drive from any nearest airport. I'd love to find a mountain like that with their great wide open and long runs.

Thanks!


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## Sick-Pow

*First Timers*

Copper has long runs, only 1hr from Denver and zero flat traverses. Loveland is fun, big mountain fun, small first timer area. I have heard Brek has many flat traverses and is a pain in the arse for snowboarders on the lower mountain, also Vail has this problem I have heard. I stick to Copper, Steamboat and Winter park and when they close, A-basin and Loveland. I had 1ft of fresh powder on May 2nd at Loveland..it was sick..nevermind the blizzard, whiteout conditions..again on May 2nd. Second best day of the year. 1st best day of the year was in early April, 2 ft of fresh and only 1k people on the mountain....nice...


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## donm3ga

My friends are I are leaning towards a resort with lodging right on the mountain. We just want to get ready, head downstairs and board!

It also looks like though we are open to all states, we are settled back on to going to Colorado. How is Winter Park?


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## Sick-Pow

Winter Park has amazing snow, great snowboard teachers (get a lesson as you are first timers) and great learning areas. You can move around the mountian quickly, but there are a few awkward areas to navigate in the late season with so much snow. I ride the steeps now, so that issue does not affect me. 
Copper is a popular place...lots of people..even mid week. But all and all, I would recommend it for beginers.


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## donm3ga

We are looking for:

1. Not crowded
2. Lodging on the Mountain
3. Beginner friendly

I think we have narrowed it down to either Winter Park or Copper Mountain. Any more information you guys can provide me on these two resorts would be great. Any suggestions on other resorts are greatly welcome!


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## killclimbz

Winterpark is a great mountain, but it does not have the well seperated beginner area like Copper. In the main beginner area no worries with other more advanced people bombing by. Once you start to venture out though, just about every level of rider/skier will be sharing the runs with you. Pretty much every resort but Copper suffers from this though. Winterpark is also a front range resort so it's going to get crowds on weekends, same as Copper. So for criteria number one, if you are going to be at either one of these resorts on a weekend, they will be crowded. If it's a powder weekend, it can be a real shit show. Monday-Friday no problems.

For less crowded resorts, Steamboat would be a good bet. Good beginner terrain, there is one side of the mountain that is mostly beginner to intermediate terrain. Not very crowded except on big weekends, Presidents, Martin Luther King etc. One of the best ski towns anywhere. 

Powder Mountain or Snobasin in Utah would be another good fit for what you are looking for.


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## donm3ga

I guessing being a little crowded is okay. I hear Breck is horrible when it comes to crowds. Just as long as its not like Breck.

Steamboat's beginner trails looks very good for beginners, but its a 3 hour drive from Denver International Airport =(.


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## killclimbz

You can fly into Hayden for Steamboat. The 3 hour drive from Denver is not that bad. I've done it several times, and it's a rather nice drive. Of course if it is snowing hard, well it can be a real white knuckle experience. I've had a few of those driving to and from Steamboat. 

While I haven't hit Breck in a good number of years and it is a popular mountain. Winterpark, Copper, Keystone, Vail, A-Basin, and even Loveland are all front range areas. They can and will get very crowded during a mid winter weekend. LL having the least crowds, Abasin may not get as many visitors but it's small so it can be very crowded. You have to remember that not only do you have the out of state destination skier/riders hitting these resorts, but the Denver metro area skiers as well. That can mean 30k people riding at any one resort on a given weekend day.


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## daysailer1

I have to agree with Copper Mtn., Winter Park, and Steamboat. I also teach at Winter Park so I'm biased. They are all also Intrawest mountains. They all have great schools and beginner terrain. Steamboat is further away from the crowds of the Front Range. It is away from all the other resorts. Don't expect ticket or lodging discounts. Do expect to have wonderful powder and meet friendly people. Rabbit Ears pass is not fun to drive in a snowstorm. Better to fly into Hayden.

I used to teach at Loveland. There isn't a great deal of beginner terrain there. Once you know how, it's a fun place. The altitude can get to you too. The base area sits at 11,000 ft and goes up to nearly 13,000 ft.


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## Gnarly

Winter Park is nice, but it gets very crowded on the weekends (and sometimes even the week days). If you go, there are only a few ski lifts that generally have no crowds. Challenger, Pioneer Express & Looking Glass. The rest of the lifts generally have a ton of people in line. Personally, I don't like Winter Park solely because it's uber crowded...And since I hate waiting in line, it really limits the amt of terrain I can ride.

IMO your best bet is to go to Copper Mountain. Even on days where the rest of Copper is packed to the max, you will almost never see a lift line on: Kokomo, Lumber Jack, High Point, Super Bee, Alpine, Rendvous & Sierra lifts (Holiday weekends are the exception). Each of those lifts services either green or blue terrain. 

IMHO the best kept secrets on the hill are the Rendzvous & Alpine lifts. On pow days, both lifts offer amazing riding & I've never been stuck in a lift line longer than maybe 3 or 4 people with either lift (minus spring break weekend). The Lumber Jack lift is pretty sweet too if you're looking to learn park riding. There's a couple beginner rails & 2 nice "kickers" to launch off of...And there is NEVER EVER anyone in that park.

If you are feeling adventurous, you can always take Rendzvous to the back bowls in the morning and get in some pow turns & natural terrain. After 11am though, if you want to stay on the back bowls, it's best to ski off of the Blackjack lift.


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## Guest

Killclimbz, do hit resorts or just back country all season long?


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## killclimbz

I might be overstating it a bit, but yeah, it can get crazy crowded. Plenty of good to go around, and if you know the resort well enough, you can get the goods and get away from the crowds. 10k people at any of the major players is probably not a stretch by any means though.


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## killclimbz

Simply^Ride said:


> Killclimbz, do hit resorts or just back country all season long?


I go to a few resorts. Winterpark being my favorite local one. It's a full on resort and it has some of the best powder stashes around. Of course you have to be able to ride in some serious trees. Generally I go to the resort to ride with my lady. She's just getting started and is definitely not ready for the challenges of the bc. So I usually own a pass to Copper/Winterpark.

On the days when I am riding with the boyz, it's almost always backcountry. I spent 04/05 and 05/06 seasons riding almost exclusively in the bc. I had 4 resorts days (all 05/06) during that period and no season pass. I also put in about 150 days riding in that time frame. So yeah, if I had my choice about what type of turns I was going to get, it would be far and away from the resort.


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## Guest

Men I bet you're really fit, hiking gives me a run for my money. I would love to get into it, but not in the shape I am right now.


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## daysailer1

> 10k people at any of the major players is probably not a stretch by any means though.


That's a slow day at Winter Park. 16-18k easy on a major holiday weekend. I checked the log sheets sometimes this past season.


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## killclimbz

Let's just say that I wish I could get out more than once a week these days. I am fit enough that I can do what I want to do. I just can't do it as fast as I would like and like I could previous seasons. I guess that is what happens when you get into a serious relationship and buy a house that is a fixer upper. I definitely enjoy the hiking and the solitude you get in the bc. I've just kind of evolved into it over the 20 years I have been riding. That's what is so kewl about this sport. You can start off doing one thing and end up being into doing something completely different 20 years (hell 5 years) later. 10 years ago, you could not have convinced me to hike thousands of vertical for one run. Maybe in another ten years I'll be riding in hard (doubtful, but I've said that before) boots and carving freshly groom slopes...


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## killclimbz

daysailer1 said:


> That's a slow day at Winter Park. 16-18k easy on a major holiday weekend. I checked the log sheets sometimes this past season.


And there you guys go...

Vail probably comes close to hitting the 30K mark at times I would hazard a guess.


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## Guest

man, thats a shit load of people, think of the operation to keep the place nice and smooth.

jezz how many employees do they hold, now I understand why they close early, imagine the price of keeping the place open. 

Timberline on the other hand has such a small operation that there's no wonder how they can keep things running through the season. Plus they got their nice $$$ hotel to pay for most of the expenses.


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## Guest

vail is hugeee.. i was there 5 out of 7 days and was still getting lost on the last day.


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## daysailer1

Simply^Ride said:


> man, thats a shit load of people, think of the operation to keep the place nice and smooth.
> 
> jezz how many employees do they hold, now I understand why they close early, imagine the price of keeping the place open.


There is definitely extra staffing scheduled on the major holidays. 

I can guesstimate the numbers just by looking at the lift line at the Gemini lift. When it stretches to the KAJ Bldg, it's at least a 16k day. It is still possible to get away from the crowds on these days and not realize just how many people are there. On a 8k day you can just ride right up to the lift and hop on. It's deserted.

Ski & Ride School has somewhere around 350 full and part-time ski & snowboard instructors. We have staggered schedules. I'm not sure about all the other depts. It's a big operation and growing since the Intrawest takeover of operations. It's still owned by the City and County of Denver.


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## Guest

I was up in Breck,Vail,and Keystone this spring and I enjoyed all of them. There was still some fresh powder in these locations. But the first day I was there I got altitude sickness which sucks, but was alright the next day.


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## Guest

SteezyMan said:


> I was up in Breck,Vail,and Keystone this spring and I enjoyed all of them. There was still some fresh powder in these locations. But the first day I was there I got altitude sickness which sucks, but was alright the next day.


That's why the first day you always take it easy. Especially if you come from Florida ...


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