"Colorado boasts 300 days of sunshine a year and it doesn’t disappoint! Once you land at Denver you have many resorts to choose from like Winter Park, Steamboat, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek and not forgetting Aspen."
Our expert Caroline Denholm
The great thing about Colorado is the diversity of resorts and cost!! Aspen, Vail & Beaver Creek tend to be more at the more expensive end of the scale with their 5 * Conde Naste properties, however Winter Park is fantastic for a cheaper option.
The lift passes are another great reason to ski Colorado. The 'Colorado pass' covers you for Beaver Creek, Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone & Arapahoe Basin, whereas the 'Summit pass' covers you for Breckenridge, Keystone & Arapahoe Basin Only. As Intrawest have just bought Steamboat, you can ski Winter Park, Copper Mountain and Steamboat on the same pass, making these all fantastic options for Colorado Ski safaris!
Breckenridge
tends to be one of the most popular destinations as it is a traditional wild west Mining Town. It’s great for families, groups or couples because it’s affordable, the ski school is terrific and the accommodation is a multitude of different sized condos and star ratings. It’s great to be based here as Keystone is 20 minutes away over Swan Mountain Road (this is a fantastic drive with stunning views of Lake Dillon).
Driving in Colorado couldn’t be easier, as all resorts are via The I70 (Interstate 70), but do be careful driving, here are a few tips: they don’t have ‘cat’s eyes’ in the road as they are constantly plowed, so have coffee at the ready if driving at night! The State Patrollers are also more than likely to pull you over if you’re speeding, just slow down, smile and apologise if you get stopped! Watch out for Deer if you’re driving from Steamboat to Vail, they have no concept of moving vehicles; remember a lot of the areas do have wild animals roaming.
Aspen
& Steamboat can be up to 3 flights, depending on airline routing, and these gems shouldn’t be ruled out as it’s worth the journey when you arrive! However if you’re feeling adventurous, get the 1 stop flight into Denver with BA, stop over night, then head off in the morning driving through Glenwood Springs to Aspen or past the Colorado River and Yampa Valley for Steamboat. You get real feel of vastness and beauty of Colorado.
Outlet Shopping in Dillon & Silverthorne is great, with over 70% off quality brands such as Levi’s, Timberland, Nike, Nine West, etc. Dillon & Silverthorne runs just off the I70 and is centrally located from some of these main resorts - 15 minutes from Breckenridge, 10 minutes from Keystone, 35 minutes from Copper Mountain, 1 hr from Steamboat.