The search for good powder brings Coloradans looking to beat I-70 traffic and conquer mountain passes from all over the Centennial State. But the question is, in an area often dubbed the country’s best winter playground, how do you decide where to go?
Several factors might decide — or limit — your choice for your weekend winter pilgrimages.
Local skiers and snowboarders in the Denver metro area were asked about their favorite spots. We’ve compiled their top choices for shredding, learning, easy accessibility and more below.
Winter Park
“I love Winter Park for many reasons. First, I love getting off I-70 before the Eisenhower Tunnel. Second, a great mix of terrain: Parson’s Bowl, the Glades on Mary Jane, some learners’ terrain on the Winter Park side and even a decent-sized park. Third, the village at has lots of activities and options for non-skiers/snowboarders. But ultimately, it’s the vibes. Winter Park has some of the friendliest employees and patrons I’ve found in all my time skiing.” – Alex Greene, Lakewood
“I’m a snowboarder who lives near downtown Littleton and I’ve got the Ikon Pass. My favorite mountain to go to is Winter Park. It’s a big resort with a ton to do. I have heard a lot of snowboarders say they don’t like it as much because it has a lot of flat areas. That’s definitely true but gets better once you know your way around a bit. My favorite part is doing laps on Mary Jane or from the top of Panoramic. Also, the staff are the best. They’ve repaired my bindings and even gave me a free beer once, all while being very friendly and professional. Highly recommend! And G’s park in the G Lot.” – Nick Strazis, Littleton
Loveland
“Loveland has long been my favorite ski destination in Colorado for a handful of reasons. Compared to spots like Vail or Aspen, Loveland is far less crowded and truly feels like more of a ‘locals mountain.’ With cheaper lift tickets and shorter lines than some of the bigger mountains, it’s easier to be flexible with your plans– not to mention the shorter drive up I-70 to avoid some of that dreaded ski traffic. Loveland also has a nice diversity of runs so both beginners and pros will feel at home.” – Zachary Lundgren, Cap Hill
“Loveland is definitely one of my favorites and an underrated resort overall. It could likely stay that way. It’s unsexy: right off the highway, pretty small and spread out but it has terrain for everyone and even has some gnarly steeps and trees peppered throughout.” – Benjamin Bertsch, Cap Hill
Copper Mountain
“I prefer skiing Copper on days where the tunnel traffic is less of a concern. Copper has some of the best bowl skiing of any mountains along I-70 and seems to get less tourist traffic than Breckenridge or Vail. The Copper Bowl has great chutes and cliffs, and it’s not as skied off as the back bowls at Vail. The restaurants are good and don’t feel as busy as Breck or Vail.” – Josh Lindsey, Arvada
“Boring answer, but really, my go-to has been Copper Mountain this season. This is mostly due to the fact that I don’t have a great car for driving in the mountains and Copper Mountain is just off a big highway so the roads typically aren’t too snowy getting there!” – Bryan Earl, Arvada
Keystone
“I’m a little biased because I used to teach there, but Keystone is my favorite mountain. It’s conveniently close, you can do Loveland pass instead of the tunnel, and there are great tree runs if you know where to find them. Lastly, there is nothing better than relaxing on the beach chairs outside LaBonte’s Smokehouse on a sunny day.” – Chris Mapley, Denver
“I will say Keystone has my heart for night skiing and boarding, which is rare among many of the resorts.” – Dave Bulgarella, Denver
“This is my first year with an Epic pass so I haven’t gotten to try a lot of different resorts, but I find myself at Keystone or Breckenridge most often. I like Keystone’s runs. They seem to be a lot longer and more enjoyable compared to Breckenridge. I also feel like you don’t have to get on a lift as often at Keystone versus Breck.” – Mitchell Osborn, RiNo
Vail
“I mean, I’m still pretty green to Colorado snow mountains. For the past two years, I’ve only ever had an Epic pass so I have not even got to check out any of the non-Epic mountains. Of those, I like Vail. There are just so many slopes to hit and the views are usually amazing. But Vail is usually more crowded.” – Dave Bulgarella, Denver
“If you have the chance and the money, go to Vail on a Tuesday after a dump. On days like that, it’s arguably the best resort in Colorado.” – Benjamin Bertsch, Cap Hill
Breckenridge
“I do like Breckenridge, though. Their downtown area is fun and easy to explore. If we have a group of friends who may not want to ski, I generally think Breck is better for hosting versus Keystone better for the runs.” – Mitchell Osborn, RiNo
“Breck is a favorite because it’s not as crowded usually and for me still learning to improve my boarding game, that means less concern with running into people down the mountain.” – Dave Bulgarella, Denver
Arapahoe Basin
“I like going to A-Basin most around this time of year because the snow is great in the spring and it’s not super crowded with families like some of the other resorts.” – London Lyle, Westminster
“I also love the dog-friendly aspects of Arapahoe Basin and Winter Park. I frequent those the most due to the avoidance of tunnel traffic, and I’m able to play fetch with my dog in the Early Riser lot (A-Basin) and the Mary Jane lot (Winter Park) before the lifts start. Being able to bring my dog and eat lunch outside with the dog is why I dropped the Epic Pass and moved to Ikon.” – Josh Lindsey, Arvada
“A-Basin has always been my favorite for similar reasons (to Loveland). The main difference is that A-Basin is known for having some of the best steeps in America. Pallavacini is perhaps my favorite lift anywhere.” – Benjamin Bertsch, Cap Hill
Did we leave your favorite off the list? Skiers and snowboarders please email me at jrenfrow@coloradocommunitymedia.com and let me know your go-to spot.