# No Crowds and Wide Runs - Colorado or Utah?



## donm3ga (Apr 5, 2008)

Hi everyone,

This is my second season snowboarding and I am looking for a resort that has the *least amount of crowds, long and wide blue or green runs, and is just generally fun and relaxing *place for friends and family. I am not looking for amazing double blacks or moguls like the pros, just a mountain to have fun on.

I have been to Scotland (short tiny runs), Loveland (short runs and not very wide), Mammoth, Breckenridge (too crowded!!!), and ABasin. I love Mammoth because it has a lot of open, wide, and long runs. I love ABasin because it has more of a family relaxed feel to it, the lift lines are very very short there, and the lift ticket prices are cheap.

I was wondering if there is a place that has the best of both worlds either in Colorado or in Utah? Colorado preferably because I am more comfortable with the drive and plane tickets are lower.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Personal experiences are welcome as well.

Thanks everyone!

This is the best time of the year!


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## MadBomber53045 (Dec 25, 2008)

donm3ga said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> This is my second season snowboarding and I am looking for a resort that has the *least amount of crowds, long and wide blue or green runs, and is just generally fun and relaxing *place for friends and family. I am not looking for amazing double blacks or moguls like the pros, just a mountain to have fun on.
> 
> ...


when i was in colorado i stayed at keystone and also went to breck and a-basin. of the three i preferred keystone, breck was way too busy and a-basin didn't have enough terrain open. when it's fully up and running i could easily see a-basin being my favorite of the bunch, followed by keystone(which you would like i think) and breck trailing because it's so damn busy.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2009)

+1 on breck being busy. I went twice last year, and the first day was a weekend. The place was packed, and the trails were torn up. The second day was the day after MLK day, and there was a white out the night before... I got there before the trails were groomed and it was the best day of boarding I've ever had... the place was totally empty and tons of powder.

If you can catch an off day, then breck is great because of the wide trails. Otherwise I have to agree on going to keystone...


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## donm3ga (Apr 5, 2008)

Is Keystone crowded? Some say it is, some say its not.

Are the runs at Keystone long and wide?


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## MadBomber53045 (Dec 25, 2008)

Ddutty said:


> +1 on breck being busy. I went twice last year, and the first day was a weekend. The place was packed, and the trails were torn up. The second day was the day after MLK day, and there was a white out the night before... I got there before the trails were groomed and it was the best day of boarding I've ever had... the place was totally empty and tons of powder.
> 
> If you can catch an off day, then breck is great because of the wide trails. Otherwise I have to agree on going to keystone...


the day i spent at breck left me with mixed feelings. we got there at the asscrack of dawn to ride the fresh 18" dump from the night before and the runs until it got busy were fantastic. after it got busy we lost the urge and went back to keystone. the epic pass is a wonderful thing. in response to the keystone question... some of the runs that go towards the lodge get wide and this is coming from a WI boarder so everything in CO is long. the best i could do getting down the face on my favorite route was about 12 minutes. It didnt seem very busy at all either, not compared to other places ive been. night skiing was extremely busy though, which is to be expected since its the only place doing it.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

In Colorado, you want to go to the destination resorts. These are the remote mountain town ski areas. Crested Butte, Steamboat, Aspen, Telluride (especially T ride) are going to have what you are looking for. Wide open groomers and low crowds. 

If you went Utah go to the Ogden area resorts. Everyone from Salt Lake hits the Cottonwoods and Park City areas because they are closer. Snobasin and Powder Mountain (Pow Mow is the spot) are going to serve up what you are looking for.


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## donm3ga (Apr 5, 2008)

I may try Keystone on my next trip. Crowds seem to be okay. I read crowds are less of a problem on the back bowls. Maybe spend a day at ABasin =)


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## AZred60 (Jan 15, 2008)

durango is really family friendly in colorado with some good groomers, i go there all the time. they have some really cheap prices right now too


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## Karpediem (Aug 29, 2007)

I think your best bet if you can is to plan your trip during the week, and not around a holiday. I think Keystone can get very crowded, and would personally rather go to Copper Mt.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Keystone is probably the second most popular resort in Summit county with Copper right behind them. If you are asking for uncrowded stuff you have to get away from Eagle and Summit counties.


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## MadBomber53045 (Dec 25, 2008)

killclimbz said:


> In Colorado, you want to go to the destination resorts. These are the remote mountain town ski areas. Crested Butte, Steamboat, Aspen, Telluride (especially T ride) are going to have what you are looking for. Wide open groomers and low crowds.
> 
> If you went Utah go to the Ogden area resorts. Everyone from Salt Lake hits the Cottonwoods and Park City areas because they are closer. Snobasin and Powder Mountain (Pow Mow is the spot) are going to serve up what you are looking for.


i wouldve guessed steamboat gets crazy crowded. it seems like everyone loves that place when i ask about it.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

It's popular but it's far removed from a major population source. Denver is 3+ hours away. So the day trippers are not making it that far Northwest. In general Steamboat on a weekend is not bad. The gondola can get crowded, but the line moves quick. The only other snag I have seen there is the lift on the south side of the mountain where all the Aspen trees are can get a line. Otherwise the lines are generally less than 10 people deep. Almost always ride up and get on the lift type stuff.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2009)

Keystone has long runs aand the crowds are less then brek. Your lift ticket will also let you go to Abasin which is really open runs.


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## MadBomber53045 (Dec 25, 2008)

killclimbz said:


> It's popular but it's far removed from a major population source. Denver is 3+ hours away. So the day trippers are not making it that far Northwest. In general Steamboat on a weekend is not bad. The gondola can get crowded, but the line moves quick. The only other snag I have seen there is the lift on the south side of the mountain where all the Aspen trees are can get a line. Otherwise the lines are generally less than 10 people deep. Almost always ride up and get on the lift type stuff.


its on my list of places to hit at some point in life, sounds promising. ever been to jackson hole or mt hood? i know snowolf can offer an opinion on mt hood.


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## Gnarly (Mar 12, 2008)

If you know the right lifts to hit, Copper Mtn is great. I rode Copper Mtn 16 or 17x last year and figured out the right places to go at the right times to avoid the crowded lift lines.

There are almost never lines at the High Point, Rendezvous, Alpine, Resolution, Kokomo, Sierra and the Lumber Jack lifts anytime of the day. You also generally have no lift lines at the Black Jack lift in the back bowls from 8:30 to noon. After noon, all the lifts in the back bowles get slammed with people and the lift lines get longer.

After noon, the SuperBee lift rarely has anyone in line either.

If you stay away from the American Eagle, American Flyer, Timberline Express and the Excelerator, you should be just fine.

On a typical day, I'd ride up High Point lift and board down to the Timberline Express (the Timberline Express doesn't get packed till 10am) and hit a few runs off that lift...Then at 9:30am, I'd head over to the Rendezvous and Sierra lifts and, if it had snowed, I'd drop into the back bowles till noon. Then it was down to the Super Bee & Alpine lifts, or over to the Lumber Jack lift till I decided to call it a day and leave.

I almost never waited in a line.

Also, the Lumber Jack lift has the beginner park and no one, absolutely no one, goes there. So you can learn to jib & jump without any prying eyes laughing when you fall on your ass.


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