Wife and I are lookin for a mini vacation. Would like ski in ski out option and want to go to Vail, Steamboat or Breckinridge. 5 days / 4 nights and budget of $3,500 for the trip.

Anyone have any good recommendations of where to stay? How was your overall experience?

Budget to include airfare (estimated to be $500-700), ski rentals, lift tickets and lodging. Would like for food to be included, but will vary.

1/12/2015 8:27:13 PM

if only there were a thread about skiing that just covered this topic

1/12/2015 8:37:12 PM

I've been to breck and steamboat this year..


Wasn't impressed by steamboat, but on that point the snow there wasn't good at that point.

So far I like Breck, if your good enough to hit the bowls at vail then you should see those as well.

One nice thing about vail, breck is that you can get a pass and use days at both places.

1/25/2015 11:33:03 AM

If you're good enough to ski the bowls and that's what you like, you should be going to Vail, hands-down.

[Edited on January 25, 2015 at 11:37 AM. Reason : Vail is my favorite place to ski, ever. I bet I spend 2/3 of my time there on the back side.]

1/25/2015 11:36:44 AM

We stayed at the Hampton on slope 8 in Breckenridge.
$~250 a night, $700 for three days of rental and lift ticket.
It was pre-season though.

1/25/2015 5:50:54 PM

Quote :

"Wasn't impressed by steamboat, but on that point the snow there wasn't good at that point."

When were you there? I was there for New Years and it was pretty solid.

1/25/2015 7:19:24 PM

I was at Steamboat around Dec. 15. Damn good conditions.

1/26/2015 12:00:16 AM

Quote :

"Wasn't impressed by steamboat, but on that point the snow there wasn't good at that point."

every time i see a comment like

resort xxx sucks because snow/conditions were bad.

as if any ski areas exist where the weather is a constant, unchanging thing.

1/26/2015 10:23:30 AM

I interpreted that as "I wasn't impressed by Steamboat, but in fairness to Steamboat, the conditions weren't good when I was there and I haven't skied it at its best."

I could say the same thing about Northstar and Squaw Valley. I've skied them both for the better part of a week, but the conditions sucked so much that I can't really give you a fair evaluation of them.

At any rate, my answer is to go where the good snow is whenever you get out there. Beyond that, snow conditions being equal or close to it, if you're in CO and you're a good or better skier, spend most of your days at Vail. It's huge and the back side and bowls set it apart from the rest. If you're a beginner to low/mid-level intermediate skier, then go wherever; everywhere will be so good that you won't appreciate the differences and it won't matter.

1/26/2015 3:26:04 PM

This is my third season skiing in Colorado and 2nd while living here. I got the epic pass initially (Vail, BC, Breck, Keystone, A Basin, etc). It's great but it's crowded and lift lines suck. It's way too touristy. Vail specifically is fun but it's also crowded and very very touristy.

We recently switched to the Rocky Mountain Pass which includes Copper, Winter Park, Crested Butte (3 days), Eldora (30 mins from Boulder), and Steamboard (6 days).

Copper and Winter Park are far less crowded and touristy. You can get more runs in and the mountains are similar. Same thing with the other mountains.

Quote :

"At any rate, my answer is to go where the good snow is whenever you get out there. Beyond that, snow conditions being equal or close to it, if you're in CO and you're a good or better skier, spend most of your days at Vail. It's huge and the back side and bowls set it apart from the rest. If you're a beginner to low/mid-level intermediate skier, then go wherever; everywhere will be so good that you won't appreciate the differences and it won't matter."

If you don't live in Colorado than sure go to Vail but it gets old and the terrain is mostly intermediate to advanced. The bowls aren't that difficult. There's much more difficult terrain at other mountains. Breck for example has a lot more extreme terrain as does numerous other mountains. If you're intermediate and only get to Colorado 1-2 times a year then the Vail back bowls may be exciting but they're a lot of the same thing.

The snow at Steamboat is much better than any Eagle County (Vail, BC) or Summit County (Breck, Keystone) resort. It's slightly lower in elevation though so weather is maybe more hit or miss compared to the consistency of some of the other resorts.

I want to hit up Crested Butte. I haven't been yet and it's apparently one of the best if not the best small mountain ski resort in Colorado. No lift lines and a great mountain. Takes a little longer to get to though.

Either way the best skiing in Colorado isn't at a resort.

1/27/2015 6:23:12 PM

Quote :

" If you're intermediate and only get to Colorado 1-2 times a year then the Vail back bowls may be exciting"

I'm squarely in that camp, on all counts.

1/28/2015 10:29:46 AM

When I went to steamboat it was early December. At that point Breck, Keystone, and Abasin all had better snow conditions.

I would describe the steamboat conditions at that time as "Ice Coast"

Overall I felt that many of the runs that were open when I went were narrower than the runs at Breck or Keystone. However again parts of the mountain were not open during this time.

Overall the resort area of the mountain I was less impressed with then Breck or Keystone. It seemed a little too "Built up" in the same way that Vail is Built up.

I did however find one of the best gear guys i've ever had work on my equipment there. That was a positive.

I'm not saying that Steamboat is a bad resort, I would say that during my time there the conditions were less impressive than the Vail/Breck/Keystone group. Which will vary month to month and year to year.

I think you would get more value getting a pass to Vail/Breck/Keystone then getting a steamboat pass if your only going to be out in CO for a week or so. You will get to ski a few different mountains which I feel showcase well what CO has to offer. Your pass/lift ticket is good at all 3 if you get one of the group ones and they are within 10-30 minutes of eachother.

1/28/2015 11:39:50 AM

Quote :

"I think you would get more value getting a pass to Vail/Breck/Keystone then getting a steamboat pass if your only going to be out in CO for a week or so. You will get to ski a few different mountains which I feel showcase well what CO has to offer. Your pass/lift ticket is good at all 3 if you get one of the group ones and they are within 10-30 minutes of eachother."

The Rocky Mountain Super Pass + (which is like $429) gets you unlimited at Copper, Winter Park and Eldora plus 6 days at Steamboat and 3 days at Crested Butte.

The general opinion is Steamboat is a better mountain than Vail, Breck, Keystone, etc in terms of quality of snow and runs but you do have to go at the right time. Anything in December is too early for Steamboat. It needs to be peak season around Feb/March where the snow is the best.

Then again someone who's visiting and skis less than 10 days a year is looking for something very different than someone who gets 30-40+ days in a season. Plus Steamboat is a little harder to get to but less crowded because of it.

If I were coming to Colorado for 4-5 days of skiing and wanted to maximize my time then the Rocky Mountain Super Pass + is cheaper and the mountains will be less crowded. Skiing 4 days at steamboat alone will make up for the price of the pass.

1/28/2015 12:38:26 PM

^ the problem is at this point he can't get the Rocky Mountain super pass, or any of the other season passes.

4 days at steamboat is going to run you ~500 dollars now
4 days at breck will be a little cheaper and will get you into vail and keystone as well

Steamboat is going to be a 2 to 3 hour drive from denver, breck will be about 1.5/2 hours from Denver.

Also Copper is much closer to denver but the drive from Copper to SteamBoat is going to take you 1.5 hours

I'm saying that collectively imho your probably in a scenario where (breck+keystone+vail)>=Steamboat
Steamboat acerage is like 3k, Breck+Vail is like 9k

to the OP: Look at the best lodging you can get at the cheapest price, and the highest % of the mountain open/best base and stay there. You'll be happy at any of them compared to east cost.

Snow this year has been okay from what I can tell, but you never know if they are going to have a 2 week dry spell, or they are going to dump a couple of feet when your planning a trip like this.

[Edited on January 28, 2015 at 12:59 PM. Reason : bb]

1/28/2015 12:56:35 PM

Quote :

"4 days at steamboat is going to run you ~500 dollars now 4 days at breck will be a little cheaper and will get you into vail and keystone as well"

Depends where you buy tickets. 4 pack at Breck is $480. Steamboat it's $516. Not a huge difference.

But yeah if you're planning on skiing at least 4 days in Colorado, Tahoe, or any of the other resorts on both passes then it makes sense to buy your pass as soon as they become available. Then you can take advantage of the buddy passes that come with each.

For example on the RMSP+ you get 10 each buddy passes at Copper and Winter Park and they're $59/69 depending on date.

I get your point about all the Epic mountains being in the same area although if I were doing a 4 day ski trip I'd prefer to ski on the same mountain so I don't have to load up the car every morning. Ski valet is really nice.

1/28/2015 1:37:36 PM

^ I've usually stayed at breck. There is a free ferry bus from breck to keystone, and I think to Vail as well. It's like a 15 minute ride, and its not the end of the world.

Again, find the best snow, and the best lodging and go that route. Also how you ski and what you enjoy.

I've seen plenty of people who treat a ski day from 10am to 1 PM, I've got other people who are out there for first tracks, and doing night skiing from 9am to 9pm. If your in the first group, and your more in it for the resort and the hottub then pick the best resort (I would say Vail and Steamboat are equal in this reguard).

If your out there all day, then larger area of the Epic group (Breck, Keystone, Vail) you might get to cover a significant amount of them.

On all the mountains I've been to the blue/green runs off the base lift can get a little crowded, I've not seen bad lines once you get into the Blue/Black areas off the main base lifts.

1/28/2015 2:24:42 PM

Yeah I do like Breck a lot. Horseshoe bowl is awesome as is Imperial Lift and the some of the other peaks. There's way more extreme double black cliff shoot type terrain at Breck than Vail, Keystone, BC, or AB.

1/28/2015 2:55:35 PM

If you're not local to the area and have to plan a trip in advance "finding the best snow" is easier said than done. Once you book lodgings and plane tickets you're locked in and that's it.

Case in point, I just returned from a week in Durango & Telluride and spent all my time skiing on mountains that hadn't gotten fresh snow in 2 weeks, and this despite me planning the trip for the week of the year with the highest chance of snow (statistically speaking - I looked that shit up)

...And this weekend they're getting 12+ inches :

[Edited on January 30, 2015 at 8:59 AM. Reason : ]

1/30/2015 8:57:42 AM

Why I just ski every weekend.

1/30/2015 11:18:03 AM

Paging TerdFerguson. We just got back from honeymooning in Vail.

1/30/2015 11:46:50 AM

I'm not saying that you plan on Denver and then at the last minute jump ship to Tahoe or SLC based on where it snowed.

I'm saying that if I went to Denver, there are probably a dozen or two good places to go right around there, and there can be meaningful differences in snow conditions between then.

1/30/2015 12:36:26 PM

When u all went to Vail, Breck, Steamboat, etc...where did u stay and what did it cost/night?

1/31/2015 8:50:03 PM

Stayed at Tivoli Lodge in Vail, near golden peak. Pretty good location IMO, was recommended by a lot of people. The Hotel was nice enough and totally comfortable, but possibly a little dated overall - but maybe that's part of the Lodge appeal?

Paid just a little over $280/night, but that was a pre-season booking and one of those Buy X number of nights get a night free deals.

1/31/2015 9:17:56 PM

Thanks for the advice - just checked it out...b/c it is prime season and I'm just starting to look, it is $1,100/night, which prices me out

1/31/2015 9:26:23 PM

dayum, you're gonna have to expedia or hotels.com (or similar) that shit. Are you planning on going during a holiday or something?

[Edited on January 31, 2015 at 9:35 PM. Reason : Tivoli was cool, but damn sure not worth that kind of money unless you are in one of the turrets]

1/31/2015 9:32:29 PM

No holidays, just peak season (i think)...looking at last week of feb or first 2 weeks of march...

1/31/2015 9:39:49 PM

It's gonna be a shitload cheaper to stay In Breck versus Vail

Quote :

"Why I just ski every weekend."

1/31/2015 9:46:11 PM

Hehe. I just use Marriott / Chase points at the Vail Marriott. 40k points for an $600-700/night room.

Breck is going to be slightly cheaper. Last March I rented an AirBnB apartment in Breckenridge (on the bus line at the resort) for $321 per night and it was a two bedroom fairly large apartment that slept ~6 with a pull out couch. I'd look at AirBnB before trying to get a hotel.

1/31/2015 10:41:00 PM

Quote :

"When u all went to Vail, Breck, Steamboat, etc...where did u stay and what did it cost/night?"

I've stayed in hotels in the Dillon/Frisco area, and just rented a car to drive to whatever resorts I want. I think that's the cheapest way, although somewhat less convenient and without the cool-factor of just walking to the slopes.

I stayed in Denver one time and just drove a little further, too. I took a military jet there on that trip for a long weekend...I just skied one day (went to Vail).

[Edited on January 31, 2015 at 11:02 PM. Reason : ]

1/31/2015 11:01:53 PM

Checking out Eldora tomorrow. ~30 min from Boulder. No traffic.

2/1/2015 12:24:08 AM

Heard Eldora was awesome last weekend! I wonder how many folks will be calling in sick tomorrow to go skiing.

2/25/2015 7:26:18 PM

Grrr so bummed I have a busy otherwise I would. Yeah I was stuck in Crested Butte (the town was awesome) with only 3-4 inches of new snow. They got 1+ foot after we left Sunday. I heard Eldora got more than a foot.

Skiing copper on Saturday. Hoping for good snow!

2/25/2015 7:47:22 PM

Breckenridge got dumped on last night. Snowed all day yesterday too.

Found a deal at The Village at Breckenridge, which we like. Ski in/out and 1/2 block to Main Street.

2/26/2015 8:40:08 AM