# Colorado trip



## Guest (Sep 2, 2008)

Ok, were planning on driving to colorado from chicago during xmas break this year. Im looking for your opinions on when the best time to go is, in regards to snow/open runs/terrain park status' and crowds. We are deciding between the week before xmas(14-20) or the week after new years when the rates go down a little bit. 

Also I wouldnt mind any advice on what resorts to ride or where to stay. We are poor college students so any tips to save money are welcome.

thanks.


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## DrGreeNThumB420 (Aug 19, 2007)

stay in georgetown or idaho springs usually some cheap prices ...ride loveland if u lookin for cheapest tickets small crowds.....not a great park tho if thats what u like


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## mal67 (Sep 1, 2008)

I would go the week after christmas break. My friend and I went to Copper the week after new years and there was NO ONE there. You can also buy Colorado Coupon books that give you discounts on lift tickets to most of the resorts in Colorado (minus Vail if I remember correctly).


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Later is almost always better at that time of year. The base has generally just gotten good and a good portion of the annual snowfall comes in January. I would expect all of the Summit county/Vail resorts to have their terrain parks cranked up and rockin' by then. It would have to be a very unusually dry season for them not to be fully operational. If it was that bad, I wouldn't bother coming out anyway. Doubtful that will happen. 
Loveland is going to be the best deal lift ticket wise for the front range resorts. If you want better deals, consider Wolf Creek and Monarch Ski areas. They are a bit more remote, but lift tickets are under $50 at both mountains. Mid week at Wolf Creek I think it's around $35 a day. They also get pounded with snow. I don't think there is any park at WC but the freeride terrain and powder is hard to beat. There are some flats, but there are also plenty of goods. Monarch has shorter vertical, but it does have a terrain park, and they get snow out of almost every storm that hits the state. So powder is also reliable at that spot. 
Cheap lodging can be found in Salida (around $40 a night for a motel room) for Monarch and South Fork has the cheapest lodging on the east side of Wolf Creek pass. It's about a two hour drive from one resort to the other. 
Crested Butte is also in the area and Almont resort usually has a stay and ski package around $60 a night per person. It's about 15 minutes from the mountain, has a bar and restaurant. If the snow is flying at Crested Butte, it's one of the gnarliest mountains out there. True fall and you'll die terrain. Fortunately there is lot's of other steep terrain that you can challenge yourself on without that much risk. I believe they have stepped up their park too. All of these places will be a lot less crowded than the usual Summit County/Vail Front Range cattle resorts.


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## Guest (Sep 2, 2008)

If you're interested in Summit county, the cheapest still decent hotel you find is in Frisco Frisco Colorado Lodging Near Breckenridge Keystone Copper Mountain Arapahoe Basin Vail Beaver Creek Colorado they have good rates about $70 for a night during the first week of January. If you want to save money in summit, go to loveland and A-basin, they are smaller than the other resorts in the area, but they offer great terrain and a way better atmosphere than the bigger resorts, they are also less crowded (more runs ). Plenty of places to eat for cheap around the hotel, its also right next to a walmart and like 3 gas stations, the free shuttle service is also in walking distance (about .2 mile, not that you will need it since you have a car). 

I would still spare a day to visit Vail, if you do vail you have to drop in the back bowls and Blue sky. If you don't go in that part of the mountain, you just wasted $80 dollars in a fucking lift ticket (a mistake I made on my first time there), if make it there on a pow day it will be one of the best riding experiences ever.

Reserve the hotel early to get a good price and cancel if anything happens, they only have a penalty like a few nigths before or something like that.

Feel free to PM me for more info I will gladly give you more info.


But like *kill* said, I would consider more places outside of Summit


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2008)

Simply^Ride said:


> If you're interested in Summit county, the cheapest still decent hotel you find is in Frisco Frisco Colorado Lodging Near Breckenridge Keystone Copper Mountain Arapahoe Basin Vail Beaver Creek Colorado they have good rates about $70 for a night during the first week of January. If you want to save money in summit, go to loveland and A-basin, they are smaller than the other resorts in the area, but they offer great terrain and a way better atmosphere than the bigger resorts, they are also less crowded (more runs ). Plenty of places to eat for cheap around the hotel, its also right next to a walmart and like 3 gas stations, the free shuttle service is also in walking distance (about .2 mile, not that you will need it since you have a car).
> 
> I would still spare a day to visit Vail, if you do vail you have to drop in the back bowls and Blue sky. If you don't go in that part of the mountain, you just wasted $80 dollars in a fucking lift ticket (a mistake I made on my first time there), if make it there on a pow day it will be one of the best riding experiences ever.
> 
> ...


OFT Vail on a blue bird powder day = best thing in the world. BIG FREAKIN DOT. Get to the lift early and take the first run to the backbowls/blue sky. Blue sky has AMAZING tree runs especially on powder days


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## Guest (Sep 11, 2008)

thanks for the replys. Coming from the midwest, im sure ill be impressed with any mountain there.


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## Guest (Sep 15, 2008)

haha what a coincidence...my friends and i were thinking about a trip to colorado too. we're also college students in chicago haha. what college do u go to?


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## Guest (Sep 18, 2008)

Simply^Ride said:


> If you're interested in Summit county, the cheapest still decent hotel you find is in Frisco Frisco Colorado Lodging Near Breckenridge Keystone Copper Mountain Arapahoe Basin Vail Beaver Creek Colorado they have good rates about $70 for a night during the first week of January. If you want to save money in summit, go to loveland and A-basin, they are smaller than the other resorts in the area, but they offer great terrain and a way better atmosphere than the bigger resorts, they are also less crowded (more runs ). Plenty of places to eat for cheap around the hotel, its also right next to a walmart and like 3 gas stations, the free shuttle service is also in walking distance (about .2 mile, not that you will need it since you have a car).
> 
> I would still spare a day to visit Vail, if you do vail you have to drop in the back bowls and Blue sky. If you don't go in that part of the mountain, you just wasted $80 dollars in a fucking lift ticket (a mistake I made on my first time there), if make it there on a pow day it will be one of the best riding experiences ever.
> 
> ...


I'd really have to agree with this. Frisco Colorado lodging would be most economical in Summit County. It's just a 10-minute drive away from both Breckenridge and Copper Ski Resorts, and about 20 minutes away from Keystone and Vail Resorts. :thumbsup:


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2008)

i've found some good deals for lodging in keystone at Keystone Colorado Lodging Condos Vacation Rentals. You can find a place with 2 beds and a couch across the street from river run village for around 109night. I usually go with 3-4 dudes and we generally don't like spooning, so the extra 30bucks a night is worth it, plus we can just stumble back from the bar rather than drive. 

for riding we usually mix it up with a day at keystone, a day at loveland, a day at a-basin and a day at breck or copper unless we find some gnar at one resort. riding at night at keystone is nice too.

if you're flying and need a hotel, check out the packages on priceline. i got a deal in november from omaha to denver with 3 nights at the keystone lodge (usually 350+/night) for $150. that's airfare and hotel!! to get hotel results in summit county put in dillon or frisco, co as your destination.


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2008)

we ended up getting 5 nights at keystone resort for the first week in january. 550 per person (4 of us) for hotel and like 4 lift tickets to different mountains. I think its a pretty good deal. thanks for all the replies. they were helpful. can wait.


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