# spring break in colorado springs



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Summit County/Vail is going to be a lot closer than Aspen Snowmass. You also have the Monarch Ski area option which is a small area, but packs a lot of punch. For Summit County and Monarch it's about a 2 hour drive from the Springs. Add 30 minutes or so for Vail. Wolf Creek might be your best option for powder. That is a little over 3 hours from the Springs. Cheap places to stay can be found in South Fork. Night life is pretty non existent though. Same can be said about Monarch. Summit will be a party. 

As far as weather goes, it's generally warmer that time of year. The super cold temps of January are usually done. You are probably not going to be riding in -40 below temps that can happen in January. Still it can be very cold if a storm rolls through. Expect a big time warm up though when the storm blows out. Packing a little bit of everything is the best advice.


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## raidair21 (Sep 22, 2009)

if I decide that I just want to ride the best valued mountains for 4 days anywhere in CO (econ major so all about cost-benefit), where would I go? Hit 4 different mountains in 1 area? Hit 1 mountain for 4 days? 2 and 2? Thoughts? Opinions? There is so much info about CO on these boards I'm not even sure where to start.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I forgot to mention Crested Butte. If you want a balls to wall gnarly mountain, they really don't come any more gnarly than the Butte. The terrain there matches up with that found at Jackson or Squaw. Seth Morrison became the bad ass that he is by skiing there. Call up the Almont Resort and see if they still have the ski and stay package. It used to be $60 a night. They have a bar and restaurant right across the parking lot from where you would stay. It's about a 15 minute drive to Crested Butte from there. That is a hard deal to beat and the Butte has been getting nuked this season. 3-3 1/2 hours from Colorado Springs

Wolf Creek is another great spot and you get a lot of bang for your buck there. Snowiest spot in Colorado. In the spring when it snows, it's not uncommon to get 3ft at a time which = awesome! 

If you want the full spring break scene, look at Breckenridge. It's a party for sure, and it seems that this late season pattern is favoring the Northern Central rockies a lot more than it did in the early season. Should be good snow, though probably not as much as Wolf Creek gets.


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## Mr. Polonia (Apr 5, 2009)

idk Killz...i was looking at the snowreport for CO and some had only 100" ytd


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I think you're reading it wrong. Wolf Creek has well over a 100" base and is reporting over 350" so far this season. We've gotten nearly 100" in the last month around here. I think most places in the Northern (Summit county, Vail, Winterpark) are over 200" for the season. They are behind but not by a lot right now and there is more snow forecasted through next week. Conditions have been great as of late.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Well maybe Keystone, but Keystone never gets a ton of snow and it's the most shitty big resort out there. 

Kind of a funny fact but Keystone really doesn't get good snow fall until Lake Dillon freezes over. I guess the warm air coming up off the lake acts like a deflector shield for Keystone. A-Basin and Loveland, just up the road do fine but Keystone gets screwed. Which is fine by me...


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## Mr. Polonia (Apr 5, 2009)

yea ur right...i was looking at the base...but still, for crested butte it says 188 ytd

edit:
wolf creek on the other hand got over 300


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## raidair21 (Sep 22, 2009)

you all are awesome. I remember reading in the most recent Transworld Snowboarding there was an article about "mom and pop" resorts, and they mentioned one in Colorado that had super cheap Heli-rides and was basically ALL backcountry riding. Anyone remember the name/have thoughts on it?


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

That's Silverton. Open Thursday-Sunday. All expert terrain, you must have full avy gear. It's unguided season late in the year. The cat ride option is supposed to be kind of bunk. The terrain in the area is pretty good. The heli ride is something like $180 and most people seem to think it's worth it.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Mr. Polonia said:


> yea ur right...i was looking at the base...but still, for crested butte it says 188 ytd
> 
> edit:
> wolf creek on the other hand got over 300


I can see 188 but I think they are fudging their numbers a bit. One thing is for sure most of that snow has come in the last month. I know that my peeps in that neck of the woods have been using their snorkels for the past few weeks...


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## Mr. Polonia (Apr 5, 2009)

killclimbz said:


> The heli ride is something like $180 and most people seem to think it's worth it.


I think its worth it


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I guess my biggest thing is that I ride terrain that people pay hundreds to thousands of dollars to ride for free. 

Though if you are looking at the Heli vs Cat at Silverton, go Heli...


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## raidair21 (Sep 22, 2009)

okay, so here is what I am thinking... if people can help with cheap hotels for each place, that would be awesome!

land in Denver, drive to Aspen area (we have starpoints and can get free hotels there).
Ride two days in Aspen area (suggestions for best bang for the buck riding in that immediate area?)
After day two, drive south to Crested Butte (if the Almont Resort doesn't have their ski and stay package, are there any other cheap places to stay?)
Ride CB for 1 day, and then drive south to Silverton
Cheap places to stay in Silverton? The Triangle Motel seemed pretty cheap, and other suggestions?
Ride Silverton 1 day, and then drive back to CO Springs.

Sounds like an epic trip to me. Any better ideas then that?


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## bryantp (Dec 1, 2008)

*Colorado*

Deferring to Killz on most of the mountains but you're driving a lot. That's energy and time that could be spent riding. Distances in Colorado aren't so great but time will crush you. I'd leave one out and focus on where the snow falls.


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## raidair21 (Sep 22, 2009)

Yup, just realized that Silverton will be closed the day that we were gonna hit there. So now I guess we're looking at 2 days in Aspen and 2 days in Crested Butte. Any other suggestions? I was assuming that all these mountains closed from 3-4p, so that would be when we'd start driving to go anywhere. If we're gonna make a triangle shape from Denver, going west, and then heading home to CO Springs, does anyone have any other suggestions?


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## bryantp (Dec 1, 2008)

*More CO*

Going back to what Killz said earlier, Vail's closer...much closer. If there's snow, the backbowls there will make you very happy. If you still have energy after riding them all day, go to the Butte.


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## daysailer1 (Nov 9, 2007)

Make sure your Air Force friend reads this. I did alot of research for the article and it will save your friend tons of coin on lift tickets and most likely lodging. Winter Park gives free snowboard lessons and ski bike lessons to active duty military too.


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## raidair21 (Sep 22, 2009)

So its currently 72 degrees outside where I am right now, and it boggles my mind that there is still snow in places this late in the year. We haven't finalized out plans yet, so I ask again what people think about good places to go, with good conditions at this time of year. We're pretty much open to about anything, Wolf Creek and then the Aspen area were sort of the favorites at this time, but if anyone can tell me where the best powder in the history of mankind will be the week of Mar 27 - Apr 3, then thats where we'd go.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I just got back from wolf creek. Last sat/sunday they got like 16", was excellent conditions. Friday it snowed all day and we boarded all day, it was great also. It snowed saturday too. The afternoons there are nice with a little sun on the snow it breaks that ice layer and turns to a strange slush that isnt really slush..... strange powder/slush... lol. It was like this tuesday/wednesday/thursday. It was dead up there on friday and probably slow all the next couple of weeks. They are forcast to get snow the end of this week, that area is a freak of nature, there was no snow anywhere else and it was coming down hard up on the mountain..... If you want a party, it will be DEAD up in the wolf creek area so that is not where to go unless you have the party traveling with you.... We board from 8-5/5:30 every day so we usually just eat, go home and fuck and pass out. Occasionally hit a hot tub in between.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Also, there were quite a few people at wolf creek that came over from the durango area and down from summit county area that came because the snow was so much better at wolfie....


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## raidair21 (Sep 22, 2009)

Any opinions on wolf creek vs crested butte? right now its look like 2 days at a free hotel in avon, co and then heading south for two more days at one or the other. Unless both of those are so much better than Summit County and worth turning down free lodging.

Edit: So we're pretty set on Wolf Creek and working on lodging now. Now its a matter of picking between the following:

Summit County area (have a free hotel at the Westin in Avon).
Pros: free hotel, spring break-y area, variety of mountains to choose from
Cons: possible bad conditions(? at least compared to other areas), super expensive lift tickets.

Crested Butte:
Pros: cheap hotel, slightly cheaper lift tickets then Summit County, baller conditions and reviews from people here
Cons: still have to pay for lodging, nightlife(?).


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

wolf creek is getting dumped on right now, hope you are there.....


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