Skiing in Colorado - A First-Timers Guide

The Colorado Rockies boast some of the best snow, terrain and resort experiences in the world. If you are considering ticking this off your skiing/riding bucket list, read on for some tips on Vail and Aspen as a starter.

Snowmass side country

Where to Start?

Colorado has a lot of options and picking a resort that best suits your needs can be a little confusing at first. This post focuses on Vail and Aspen as they are two of the best known and offer a contrasting but equally enjoyable experience. In my opinion Vail is hard to beat but there are other excellent resorts to explore in the same area even without heading deeper into the mountains towards Aspen. For example, I have friends who love the family friendly focus in Beaver Creek (down the road from Vail) or the different vibes local favourites Copper Mountain or Breckenridge offer. If you have the time and energy, you can even ride multiple mountains with the same pass (e.g. an Epic Pass).

The closest major resorts to Denver are in Summit County (Front Range) and include Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain plus a few others. Drive on a little further down the i70 and you'll hit Vail and Beaver Creek. Vail is around 2.5 hours drive from Denver International Airport (DEN) in good conditions. Heading into the Back Range, you'll find the Aspen / Snowmass area and further still, towns and resorts like Telluride and Crested Butte. Aspen is approximately 4-5 hours drive from DEN and is fairly spectacular especially after Eagle.

Getting There

Unless you are lucky enough to be taking a private jet into Aspen or Eagle Airport you will probably arrive via Denver International Airport. Eagle Airport does have some scheduled flights which can be a great option if you want to avoid the road transfer to resort. DEN (formerly known as DIA) is a decent airport (Skytrax 3 star) although with notoriously bad security queues so allow some extra time. It is set up well for skiers and boarders including special luggage carousels for ski/board bags. Bizarrely, there are plenty of conspiracy theories relating to Denver's airport if that's your thing!

Photo: Skytrax

From DEN you have three main transfer options for getting to resort. Prices are based on DEN-Vail return.

1. Private SUV or van transfer. An SUV fitting four people will cost you around $500 each way. A private van transfer for up to 8 people will be around $700. Prices vary so shop around a bit and avoid booking at the last minute.

2. Shared Minibus transfer. This is the most economical option where you share a large van with other people. The best you can say is that it's functional and efficient (especially if traveling solo or ex. kids). People tend to plug into their headphones and mind their own business but it's not super-comfortable when the bus is full with limited room and gear stacked everywhere. Epic Mountain Express is the best known (+ friendly and helpful) but there are a number of other options. A return trip per person will cost around $90.

3. Hire a car and drive yourself. A good option if you want to explore multiple resorts but you need to be confident / experienced with mountain and winter driving (and on the left) including chain fitting which may be needed.

4. For something different if you are basing yourself in Denver, you can also catch the train to Winterpark resort.

All transfers leave from DEN domestic or international or private transfers will collect you from your hotel in downtown Denver if you are staying overnight. Check if that's an option with shared transfers when booking. Transfer desks for the shuttles are easy to find in the terminal buildings.

A Note on Lounges:

DEN has the usual range of airlines lounges but no pay lounges. BA has a small but serviceable lounge if you are taking advantage of the direct LHR-DEN flight. However if traveling domestically without access to a US airline's lounge, my tip is to head upstairs at Concourse A to the Mesa Verde Mexican restaurant. The seating outside the restaurant is light and airy, the food is airport Mexican grille but not terrible, and it seemed to be a fairly quiet part of the terminal.

Vail

Vail is a purpose-built resort founded in the early 60's by a 10th Mountain Division veteran and a local rancher. Named after Charles Vail, the road engineer who routed US Highway 6 (now the Interstate 70) through the Eagle Valley, development has been well-planned with an aesthetic that clearly takes inspiration from European ski towns but is almost a vernacular in its own right.

Photo by David Maunsell on Unsplash

Vail boats 5,317 acres of terrain, 31 lifts and 195 trails. An average snowfall of 899cm, an average of 247 sunny days per year, and the massive amount of varied terrain means Vail is going to keep everyone happy. Vail.com is a great source of information for everything you need to know about the mountain.

Villages

There are two main villages in Vail - Vail Village and Lionshead. You can also stay in the surrounding areas such as East Vail but you'll be bussing or driving to where you will to spend most of your time. Both Vail Village and Lionshead are great options however Lionshead is perhaps a little quieter and more family friendly but it doesn't lack for much compared to Vail Village.

Lionshead Village

It's a hard call but having staying in both several times, I lean towards Lionshead. In any case, it's a beautiful walk along Gore Creek between the villages or a short free bus ride that runs frequently so it's easy to enjoy both regardless of where you are staying.

Gore Creek - Photo by Laura Seaman on Unsplash

Restaurants

There are no shortage of options across the resort but it does pay to book to ensure you get a spot especially at peak times. In Lionshead, the Tavern at the Arabelle is popular especially after the lifts close and Blue Moose Pizza is a family favourite. Vail Village has a greater variety of restaurants but check out Pepi's at least once for an authentic German experience and don't overlook some excellent options housed in the hotels. On-mountain, there is also a range of choices but given the size of the resort it pays to plan ahead to arrive at the right time. Lunch early if you like to avoid the crowds. My pick is Wildwoods with their excellent BBQ options and smaller size.

Photo: Blue Moose Pizza

Acommodation

Vail has a range of options from the budget to the super-luxe however think of budget in ski resort terms. For the best experience, choose something as close to the centre of the action as possible i.e. short walks to the lifts and restaurants - especially if you have small children. In Lionshead we've stayed at Montaneros which is a collection of individually owned and decorated condos run as a hotel. I've also stayed at the Landmark which is actually three different buildings, not all created equal. However, even in the slightly lower-spec Westwinds building, the apartment was comfortable with direct mountain views from front-facing units. In Vail Village, the Lodge at Vail was right in the middle of town but the rooms were underwhelming. At the higher end of the spectrum there are some stunning properties from the Arabelle in Lionshead to the Four Seasons closer to Vail Village.

Photo: The Arrabelle / Rock Resorts - The Arrabelle & Ice Rink, Lionshead.

Many of the hotels also offer a ski concierge service which allows you to pick up and drop off your gear right next to the lift each day. Unless your hotel is right next to the lift, this is a very helpful option if getting everyone and their kit to the lifts every morning is a challenge.

Self Catering

If you are staying in accommodation that allows for self catering (which most apartments and private rentals do) the good news is that this is very feasible thing to pull off especially if traveling which children who don't want / need to be dragged to a restaurant every night. In Lionshead and Vail Village you won't find much beyond the basics although The Market at Vail Mini-Market is good, and the all-important wine stores. However, there is a large Safeway supermarket about 10 minutes drive from Vail. You can take a local bus (although I got a tour of the Vail hinterlands before realising I was properly lost); so maybe just call a taxi.

The Mountain

While the top 10 largest ski areas in the world are all in Europe, Vail is still impressively big and has several advantages. The first of these is that it is one mountain versus interconnecting resorts which makes it easier to navigate. It's also fairly logically laid out in terms of runs, lifts and getting to and from different parts of the mountain.

Everything's big in Vail

>> Trail maps

Vail consists of three main areas - the front-side with everything from perfect corduroy to some serious chutes and the "legendary back bowls" (the tag line matches the reality in this case). The front side is going to keep any piste loving skier happy for a long time but venture across to the back bowls and there is an enormous amount of on and off-piste terrain to explore. On a powder day go straight there as quickly as possible and follow the locals if you can. It's so big that if you venture into some of the runs at he resort boundary such as Outer Mongolia you are likely to have things more or less to yourself and no lift lines. Take some care if riding alone as help could be a while coming in the more remote areas. Blue Sky Basin is the third area that feels like you are in a totally different resort with yet more varied terrain to explore.

The aptly named Legendary Back Bowls

Given the distances involved, some careful planning and timing may be required. If you have children in half-day ski-school for example, you don't want to find yourself in Blue Sky Basin at 11:30am. Similarly, if you need to meet for lunch at a certain time, it's worth planning your lifts a bit in advance until you get the hang of timing and distances.

Outer limits of the Back Bowls. Keep return timing in mind.

Overall, there is more than enough terrain and variety to suit all abilities. If you are a real novice however, a smaller mountain might be a bit less intimidating first up.

Ski School & Kids

We now look back on our first trip to Vail with a 6 and an 8 year old as when they really learnt to ski with 8 days of full-day ski school. If that sounds a bit harsh, don't worry - they loved everything from the super-cool instructors to drinking 4 litres of soft drink over pizza lunches at Blue Moose. Vail has some brilliant kids adventure zones with trees, jumps, tunnels and lots of other fun stuff. Do it while they are still pliable enough not to resist too much! They also loved the ice rink in Lionshead where you can rent skates for the kids and keep warm in front of the open fire.

Photo: Vail.com

Overall

I'll keep this simple - if you have an opportunity to visit Vail then take it. I've loved every minute I've spent there and will be back as soon as possible. There's very little not to like but do spend time researching the accommodation options and pay attention to the location to ensure you have the best experience.

Aspen Snowmass

Aspen was founded as a mining town in the silver boom during the 1880's and named Aspen after - wait for it - the abundance of Aspen trees in the area. It's less pedestrianised than Vail but no less charming. You can sense that there is a richness and depth to the town and community that a single visit isn't going to expose fully.

Snowmass - Photo by Chase Baker on Unsplash

From a skiing perspective, Aspen is comprised of four main areas: Aspen Mountain which is accessible from the town itself; Snowmass which is the largest and by far the best ski area (IMO); Buttermilk, best known for the X-Games, and Aspen Highlands which has a range of challenging bowls for experts. Other than Aspen Mountain, the rest require a bus or car to access. Snowmass is around 30 minutes by free bus which can get fairly crowded at peak times.

>> Trail maps

Aspen - Town

Aspen displays more of it's mining town roots in the architecture and layout of the town than Vail's more purpose-built vernacular. Given that it is a moderately sized town, your Aspen experience is going to be influenced by where you stay. Unless you are ensconced in a luxury ranch after arriving in your private jet, you'll want to pick somewhere in reasonable walking distance to the main shopping and restaurant area. There is some excellent shopping in Aspen from the luxury brands to well-stocked ski and board shops along with plenty of great places to eat although it's a good idea to book in advance. If you have ever been fortunate enough to visit Queenstown in New Zealand, you'll feel some similarities of a busy resort town versus a purpose-built on-mountain village. In any case, it's a good time.

Aspen town centre in the snow

Aspen Mountain

Aspen Mountain can be accessed via the gondola near the centre of town. Despite being the most accessible when staying in the town itself, it is probably best suited to more capable riders. More than half the trails are black and there are no easy (blue) runs at all. This is worth keeping in mind when planning your trip as even if you do enjoy the blacks and reds, you are still likely to want to explore the bigger terrain options at Snowmass and therefore will need to factor in the bus transfers, taxi or driving if you have a car.

Photo: uncovercolorado.com

Snowmass

Snowmass is around 30 minutes drive from Aspen. If taking the free bus you can pick it up at multiple stops in Aspen including along the main road in/out of town. It's a little confusing where to get off the bus in Snowmass but wait until you get into the main part of the resort and don't jump off too early even when you see other people doing so. Snowmass Village itself is nice and you can stay there rather than staying in Aspen itself for a more on-mountain experience although it lacks the size and variety of somewhere like Vail. Off to the sides of the ski area are some stunning properties along the lower slopes.

Snowmass powder morning after a storm

The mountain itself is awesome. While I enjoyed a day on Aspen mountain, I spent the rest of my visit exploring Snowmass and never got bored. There are some epic off-piste and tree runs, serious cliffs and chutes and some good old fashioned high-speed cruisers. I was lucky enough to score a powder day after a storm and even on day two, I kept finding stashes of untracked goodness.

Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands

Sadly I didn't make it to either and missed the X-Games by one day but one of the fun things about Aspen is there is a lot of variety with each of the four main areas having its own unique offering. If you want an easy ski-in, ski-out experience then Aspen may not be for you but for variety it's a great option.

X-Games at Buttermilk. Photo: whitelines.com

The Verdict

For me, Vail is an easy winner especially if this is your first time in the Colorado mountains. It really ticks all the boxes especially for a family trip. Don't get me wrong, Aspen is a fantastic town and a lot of fun but it requires a bit more planning and effort to get the most out of your visit.

14,000ft Maroon Bells in the distance from the top of Burnt Mountain Glades, Snowmass