# planning a trip to Colorado Springs



## tomtom88 (Nov 13, 2008)

You don't happen to attend the Naval Academy do you? Haha.

Colorado Springs has just about the same access to all the resorts the Denver metro area has. Just a bit longer of a drive. Your best bet would be to look up local transportation to get you up there. 

You have plenty of resorts to choose from: Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin, Echo Mountain (although those last three aren't resorts). Your biggest problem would definitely be transportation. It'll be a good hour and a half to two hours and half trip to the nearest resort.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

The closest resorts are a two hour minimum drive away. So you'll need a car or will need to find some sort of bus service. 

The easiest to get to is Monarch Ski area. It's a mom and pop area and has relatively short vertical compared to other Colorado resorts. I have also found the place to be an absolute kick in the pants. The amount of traffic you avoid getting there, cheaper lift tickets, and the lack of crowds make this a good choice. Some of the best powder days I have had have been in the backountry surrounding that resort. You can add another hour on the drive and get to Crested Butte too.

Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper, Arapahoe Basin, and Loveland are going to be the areas off of the I70 corridor that the easiest and quickest to get to from the Springs. You would drive through Woodland Park and pick up Highway 9 that takes you over Hoosier Pass and dumps you in Breck. On a weekend these are the main playgrounds for the Denver/front range masses. So expect a lot more people and a fair amount of traffic. 

Either spots should have some sort of bus operator that takes you there if you can't get a hold of a vehicle. Not sure who the operators are but I've seen plenty of tour buses at Monarch and at the Summit County areas.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

tomtom88 said:


> You don't happen to attend the Naval Academy do you? Haha.
> 
> Colorado Springs has just about the same access to all the resorts the Denver metro area has. Just a bit longer of a drive. Your best bet would be to look up local transportation to get you up there.
> 
> You have plenty of resorts to choose from: Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin, Echo Mountain (although those last three aren't resorts). Your biggest problem would definitely be transportation. It'll be a good hour and a half to two hours and half trip to the nearest resort.



Since when is Copper not a resort?


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## tomtom88 (Nov 13, 2008)

I didn't know it was a resort. I was wrong so shoot me.


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## snowvols (Apr 16, 2008)

You can rent a car at 20 just fyi. I have several times. It just is more expensive to rent


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## FLuiD (Jul 6, 2009)

I use to rent cars under 25 all the time. Enterprise was the best bet for a small fee!!


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2009)

Thanks for the advice guys. 

hahaha, nah man i dont like dressing like an icecream man but i work about 10 minutes away. 

Thanks for the heads up about renting a car, if thats the case then i will deffinately be renting a car. 

I'm looking for more a backcountry type mountain but still has intermediate runs to ride with my brother, this is the first of 3 trips im taking this winter so im stoked


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## snowvols (Apr 16, 2008)

for the car rental go to retailmenot.com and see if you can find a corporate account that will waive the underage fee.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Monarch has Minera Basin which is a hike to inbounds area. It looks like a pretty sweet little mini golf course from the other side of the pass. Pretty much all of the resorts mentioned have areas like this. The big question is if those areas will be open at the time you are coming. December is still pretty early. If we are having an exceptional season that stuff can be open. More often than not though those areas don't open until January. A first or second week opening is generally a pretty early opening. December terrain openings are not unheard of, but don't happen on nearly as regular of a basis. 

As far as car rentals go. Check on Colorado. I've seen people turned down just because of their age here. Regardless of how much money they are willing to spend. So the car rental may not be an option. I'm sure it can vary by company so I can't say 100% if that is true or not. I know at Enterprise you're screwed.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2009)

I didnt think any of the terrain that i like would be open but it shouyld still be a good time visiting my brother, seeing the academy and getting away from the ice coast. As far as transportation, it turns out he has a friend that lives in denver that will be going with us so im not worried about that anymore. Thanks for the advice guys. I am also going out to jackson hole later in the winter and have a bunch of Q's about that that that i can't seem to answer with the search button, should i start a new thread or just add to this one?


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Not much of a Jackson expert. I know a few members have been there. I've only toured through the area in the summer on climbing trips.


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2009)

Well i dont want to start another thread on the same thing, so im just gonna post here. Me and a Friend of mine are going out to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort from March 10 2010 (two days after my 21st B-day) through March 21 2010. But we havent figured out where we are going to stay. We want to find a hotel that is within walking distance from the mountain, trying to stay below $2000 for the 11 days were there. Also what are some nice laid back bars we can go to when were off the mountain. Also does anything happen on St. Patty's day at the mountain/town?? Thanks again guys


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