# Trying to get to Vail on a budget!



## miplatt88 (May 13, 2013)

I would check out vrbo.com for a condo. You can get a cheap condo on there for under $100. I would also look into staying in Silverthorne/Dillon/Frisco instead of directly in Vail. It will be cheaper and its only about 30 min away. Plus its only a few minutes from Keystone if you guys want to do some night skiing. Buying the lift tickets online would probably be the way to go. Keep in mind that the vail lift tickets can be used at any other vail resort so night skiing would be free. I would think that late Feb/early March would be a good time. Should be good snow and you will miss the spring breakers. Good luck!


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Try vrbo for housing. You should be able to find a small place in east or west vail for cheaper, 99-150. I would come in feb, seems to be the best quality snow. Most snow is in march but it is more dense. 3 days of riding should be fine for you. If I'm in town and you can keep up, I'll be happy to show you around. If it's a pow day I probably won't wait. If it's a groomer day, I would wait. Lol, just being honest.

The vail online price is as cheap as they get.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

miplatt88 said:


> I would check out vrbo.com for a condo. You can get a cheap condo on there for under $100. I would also look into staying in Silverthorne/Dillon/Frisco instead of directly in Vail. It will be cheaper and its only about 30 min away. Plus its only a few minutes from Keystone if you guys want to do some night skiing. Buying the lift tickets online would probably be the way to go. Keep in mind that the vail lift tickets can be used at any other vail resort so night skiing would be free. I would think that late Feb/early March would be a good time. Should be good snow and you will miss the spring breakers. Good luck!


If your going to ride vail, absolutely do not stay on the other side of the pass(silverthorne, Dillon, frisco). It will make your trip way more miserable than it needs to be. If you want to ride breck or keystone then stay in summit county.


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## Jenger (Oct 30, 2013)

Quick replies thanks! 

Wow that vrbo website is phenomenal and just confirmed my trip. Super cheap, nice places! 

@Argo, you suggest what towns? East & West Vail? miplatt had a good point on the night riding thing. However, being that ill be boarding all day long, chances are slim ill be up for that much night riding. 

Okay wow super awesome!! How's the night life around vail? Probably going to want to drink / smoke at night, shred during the mornings / day. 

Thank you guys any more suggestions?!


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Night life is good here. I'm old as fuck(36) and don't go out much since I ride all day and work all night. Plus, this is a quiet town most the year and we enjoy going out when all the tourism isn't in full effect... There are plenty of bars around for your liking and a free bus in town to get you home when your drunk. 

East vail and west vail are both part of vail, just the east side and west side. During winter there are buses every 15-20ish minutes no matter where you are in town.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Keystone is about a 40 minute drive from vail. If you get the urge, go ride at night..... It's icy and cold as fuck..... It's fun to do once or three times though. There is hardly anyone there after 5/6pm.....


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

I've never been to vail but friends say it's crazy expensive, are you sure it's the right destination for a budget trip?


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

It's not that bad. Especially coming from the NE US or California.

I live in the middle of vail about 200 yards from the lift.


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

Argo said:


> If it's a pow day I probably won't wait. If it's a groomer day, I would wait. Lol, just being honest.


Makes sense.


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

Jenger said:


> Any must do's?


Night boarding, as everyone else said, and just make sure your trip isn't during a major holiday (new years or presidents day) unless you want to have your vacation with everyone else's vacation.


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## miplatt88 (May 13, 2013)

Yeah I would do night boarding at least one night. It's kinda fun. Almost relaxing in a way. Except it's typically cold as balls. I like to stay in Dillon because it's pretty cheap and I don't find the drive too bad to vail. Also, I don't do Vail every day like you're doing so that makes a difference. Have you ever ridden any of the East Vail chutes Argo? Or done the backcountry around Vail? How good is it?


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Night boarding is cool when your daylight options are Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Southern California, or if you are a park rat. Hitting jump lines in the dark is kinda scary.

fwiw.

If I were visiting Vail I would ride hard during the day and sleep, drink beer and hot tub in the dark.


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## miplatt88 (May 13, 2013)

snowklinger said:


> Night boarding is cool when your daylight options are Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Southern California, or if you are a park rat. Hitting jump lines in the dark is kinda scary.
> 
> fwiw.
> 
> If I were visiting Vail I would ride hard during the day and sleep, drink beer and hot tub in the dark.


I would totally agree for people like you and I who have done it before and get to snowboard in Colorado a lot. But for someone who has never done night skiing it is worth it do at least once.


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## Jenger (Oct 30, 2013)

Well I've done night boarding too many times. I did that about 3x a week back in highschool hah we literally went right after school until 10pm. Its fun and all, but it gets very cold, icy (do you guys use that word over there?) And the shadows freak me out a bit. 

I've never been to colorado before. I only say vail because I have a buddy who stayed out there for the last winter and he said vail was the place to be. I also am peeping breck & keystone. I think ill be staying closer to breck because its much cheaper.


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

No need to do Keystone if you only have a few days!!! Breck is worth a day trip ONLY if it has recently snowed. It gets tracked-out very fast, much faster than Vail. You might want to spend one of your days at Copper or Loveland, maybe the day you arrive or the day you leave. (try to get late fights home so you can ride in the am before jumping on a plane.....maximize that time!)

If you are staying in the Vail area, the night riding at Keystone isn't worth the drive. If you are staying in Dillon/Siverthorne....Keystone still isn't worth the drive. Try to go as late as possible to ensure the best coverage on the mountians.

Lastly, the US Open for Snowboarding will be in Vail the first weekend of March. Pretty good party at that point (though a little busy.) I was there last year and it was pretty fun. Caught a good snowfall and the crowds didn't kill the mtn too much.


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## Jenger (Oct 30, 2013)

All awesome info so far. It seems breck & keystone are kind of sub par compared to whats around. 

Ive snowboarded NJ all my life, although I have gone up north and have ridden some very nice east coast mountains, I want to experience the rockies as best I can in these 3 - 5 days.

So.. late feb - march seems like a great time. Id like to go before spring break I think to avoid the crowds. US open might be fun, I remember we had that one year here in NJ I got to meet a bunch of pro's at the time and crushed hard on Molly Aguirre 

Vail seems good. Ive heard awesome things about beaver creek. In my experience, I like to visit the same mountain at least twice. It takes a good day to learn your way around the mountain, the second day is good for exploring after you have the basics down. 

Id like to maybe do Vail for 2 days, Beaver creek for 2? That seems optimal. 

Any recommendations on towns near vail & beaver where I could possibly stay for cheap? West Vail is a possibility but dang it gets much cheaper if I stay closer to breck.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

If you eant to ride beaver creek a couple of days you can stay in Avon or eagle-vail(not eagle ).


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## Jenger (Oct 30, 2013)

So would it be a good or bad idea do you guys think going on the week of the burton us open? It would def be cool to watch at night and stuff, but would the crowds be worth it?


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Last year the men crowd was minimal during the open. The party crowd was strong


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## Jenger (Oct 30, 2013)

Lol, I have heard the male / female ratio in around vail is pretty bad. Maybe ill get lucky and snag a divorced cougar out on a ski trip with her girlfriends. :laugh:

Partying is cool, waking up early and hitting fresh quarter roy runs or fresh pow is even cooler. I'll have to find a happy medium between the two


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## racer357 (Feb 3, 2011)

Jenger, I would go when you can make the most of your budgeted funds.


FWIW Keystone and Breck are better than everything you have ridden on the East coast.

Don't let these guys deter you from riding those two places. 

Arapahoe basin and Keystone are only 6 miles apart and The lift ticket works at both places. All day at A basin then night board at Keystone one day. A good way to get a lot of vertical in a day.

Also if you can catch up with Argo and ride with him, you will see things that normal tourists wont see in ten trips out there. A local knows where the cool stashes are and they don't like telling us where they are.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I know a bunch of good looking professional chicks that like Dick but hate the local crowd of guys. They say the odds are good but the goods are odd. They are all nurses, doctors and physical therapists..... 

Plenty of chicks for dudes that aren't douches


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## NoOtherOptions (Nov 28, 2011)

Argo said:


> I know a bunch of good looking professional chicks that like Dick but hate the local crowd of guys. They say the odds are good but the goods are odd. They are all nurses, doctors and physical therapists.....
> 
> Plenty of chicks for dudes that aren't douches


Want to hook anyone up when we come visit? Haha I'm a professional with a grad school degree.


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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

Going to Vail Beaver Creek 2nd week of January! Woo hoo!


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## Jenger (Oct 30, 2013)

I got the condo booked for mar 3 - mar 9 thanks to the person who mentioned vrbo!


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