# Colorado Trip



## pabstbluribbin (Nov 26, 2019)

Looking for some advice on planning a trip to Colorado next year. The ski destination possibilities there are endless so need some help narrowing it down. Will be going with my wife (non-snowboarder/skier) so having a nice village or resort area is a must. My criteria below:

1. Must be in Colorado. Will be going on a long weekend in January.
2. Must have a resort type feel with a village so the wife has things to do. She initially mentioned Vail for that reason which was somewhat unappealing to me. I have always been one to prefer the "local hill" type atmosphere (short lines, great snow, no rich assholes). I really only care about one thing and one thing only and that is the quality of the snowboarding...though in the end that probably won't matter when comparing West Coast snowboarding to East Coast...everywhere will be better 
3. Prefer being somewhat close to an airport, but not a priority.
4. Would like to go somewhere with IKON. Again not a priority.
5. I am an advanced rider and stay out of the park for the most part. Prefer steeps, tree runs, off-piste.

During our initial discussions, we talked about Vail, Breckenridge and Steamboat. I think out of the three my choice would be Breck. But I honestly have no clue. With IKON limited to Eldora, Winterpark, Arapahoe, Steamboat, Aspen and Copper I'm not really sure what to do. Crested Butte looks like my kind of place, but doesn't really satisfy any of my needs (long drive from airport, not as resortish as Vail, no IKON). I hear good things about Loveland.


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## Elevation212 (Apr 21, 2019)

I live in crested butte, Gunnison airport is supported by American airlines & Delta which is about a 35 minute drive to the resort. CB has a killer downtown but its separated from the resort by about a 5 minute drive or 10 minute free bus.

Given your write up I'd recommend Aspen or Telluride. Both have amazing terrain and some of the top mixes of resort & cool town. Just got back from telluride and it maybe my favorite resort to date. Amazing steeps into great glades. For the wife you have an amazing resort and town connected by a beautiful free gondola. Also it had the most picturesque Main Street I've ever seen. You would want to fly into montrose which is served by american/delta/southwest/United


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

The list as it applies to (all obviously IMO):
Eldora:
#1- pass
#2-fail (no resort, but it does have the small town vibe, lines variable, snow less reliable than others on this list)
#3- pass (relatively speaking, but could be a fail depending on opinion of "close")
#4- pass
#5- pass (partial)

Winter Park:
#1- pass
#2-pass (partially: the resort village is limited and the town is OK, but it's not right up at the base area like, say Vail for instance, you will find long lift lines there and at Mary Jane due to proximity to Denver, but long lift lines are the rule in CO, not the exception due to popularity as a skiing destination and exploding population along the Front Range Denver Metro area)
#3- fail
#4- pass
#5- pass

Crested Butte:
#1-pass
#2-pass (with caveat that the real town is down in the valley bottom, as Elevation212 stated, 5 minute drive? Lift lines can be "bad" on weekends, but it's not Breck or Vail)
#3- pass/fail (depending on how far you consider "close". Gunnison airport as also stated by Elevation212 is the choice)
#4-fail
#5-pass (one of the best)

Vail:
#1-pass
#2-pass (but you will find "rich assholes" almost everywhere, including some smaller hills)
#3-pass, sort of- if you fly into Eagle County
#4-fail
#5-pass

Breckenridge
#1- pass
#2- partial pass (yes- resort feel & "village", fail- short lift lines, variable-snow)
#3- fail (unless you consider DIA short distance)
#4- fail
#5-pass

Steamboat:
#1-pass
#2-pass (similar to Vail IMO. It's actually a kind of big town, moreso than Vail, feels like a big resort IMO)
#3-pass
#4-pass
#5-pass

Aspen:
#1-pass
#2-pass mostly (plenty of super rich, some nicer than others, generally less uptight than Vail crowd maybe? shorter lift lines than Vail, Beck, Steamboat from my experience)
#3-pass (the best of the bunch: Sardy Field airport)
#4-pass (with enhanced IKON)
#5-pass (one of the best, considering Highlands)

Copper:
#1- pass
#2- partial pass (lift-lines are long as access is easy and it's on IKON, some shops in a "village" but not to the extent of other resorts on this list, more of a planned development than an actual "Village")
#3- fail (unless you consider DIA short distance)
#4- pass (which made it more crowded than it was prior, which still could be pretty bad, but not as bad as Breck)
#5-pass

Telluride:
#1- pass
#2- partial pass (there are plenty of "rich assholes" at Telluride from my experience, lines are variable, snow is also hard to predict, lots of international affluent visitors, but also plenty of locals.
#3- partial pass: the Montrose airport is the main "large" airport but there is a small one at the edge of town. There is the Dallas Divide Pass and San Miguel Canyon drive from Montrose to T-ride which might be tricky in bad weather ???
#4- fail
#5-pass (one of the best)


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## Snowmn (Feb 3, 2020)

Aspen, Breck, or Vail. If she has a great time it'll be easier to plan the next trip. You're looking for two different resorts though and if she's coming along I'd try to keep her happy. 

Spend the next summer talking about that local hill with no amenities a few times a week and see if she let's you go solo one year? Oh and ride midweek. Keep the weekends for her or traveling.


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## z man (Apr 14, 2015)

Aspen would be your best bet with iKon pass. Tons of stuff in the area for your wife and you can go to all four mountains. Snowmass and Aspen highlands are great imo


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

I picked up several STD's vacationing in Colorado............I suggest Utah.............Wyoming..........even the PNW..................anywhere but Colorado..................


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## Jkb818 (Sep 28, 2019)

Utah sucks. No snow this year. Long lines. Shitty food.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Elevation212 (Apr 21, 2019)

z man said:


> Aspen would be your best bet with iKon pass. Tons of stuff in the area for your wife and you can go to all four mountains. Snowmass and Aspen highlands are great imo


Probably should of asked, in which area codes do you have hoes? Best to avoid those on wife vacations


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## Elevation212 (Apr 21, 2019)

mojo maestro said:


> I picked up several STD's vacationing in Colorado............I suggest Utah.............Wyoming..........even the PNW..................anywhere but Colorado..................



Probably should of asked, in which area codes do you have hoes? Best to avoid those on wife vacations


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

Whole state is rife with disease..............but I'm extremely attractive and charming.......may not be an issue if you're less appealing...........


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## pabstbluribbin (Nov 26, 2019)

Thanks everyone for the info. 


Snowmn said:


> If she has a great time it'll be easier to plan the next trip. You're looking for two different resorts though and if she's coming along I'd try to keep her happy.


Had a feeling in the end this would be the right answer. 


mojo maestro said:


> I picked up several STD's vacationing in Colorado............I suggest Utah.............Wyoming..........even the PNW..................anywhere but Colorado..................


I would love to go elsewhere, but there are certain laws in Colorado that appeal to my wife  I also have a customer in Ogden so plan on using business trips to get my Utah fix in. Was planning a trip to Taos this winter that fell through. Ultimately if it were my choice it would be Taos/Jackson Hole/Big Sky or something like that. Been to Whistler. As I said before, really doesn't matter since any of it will be better than ice coast boarding.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

ahh, marijuana tourism, why didn't you say so ?


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

pabstbluribbin said:


> I would love to go elsewhere, but there are certain laws in Colorado that appeal to my wife


Why not Banff then? Satisfies all criteria except the 'in Colorado' thing but there's 4 or 5 dispensaries in town. Sunshine and Lake are on the Ikon pass, weekend lift lines exist but nothing like Colorado/PNW are purported to have. 1.5 hours from Calgary, great terrain and reliable snowfall/coverage by Jan. Incredibly picturesque town with 3 resorts within 45 minutes.


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

Fuuuuuuuuuck...................now i want to go to Banff..................


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## Elevation212 (Apr 21, 2019)

mojo maestro said:


> Fuuuuuuuuuck...................now i want to go to Banff..................


This is the way, do it Colorado is dry as a bone right now


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

mojo maestro said:


> Fuuuuuuuuuck...................now i want to go to Banff..................


Definitely not safe from the STDs though


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## Elevation212 (Apr 21, 2019)

Phedder said:


> Definitely not safe from the STDs though


Canadian STD's are quaint and friendly at least, sorry so sorry we are crabs and have taken up residence in your crotchle region


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