day trippin’ from denver  

By Bruce Goldberg

Ski season prepares to take off at choice Colorado resorts.

A calm day on the Colorado slopes suddenly grew threatening. We were caught in a mild, mid-April snowstorm atop Parsenn Bowl at the Winter Park Resort ski area. The usual howling winds made it bitter cold at that 12,000-foot elevation, it was difficult to see, and the powder was building rapidly. It was best not to linger....

Expecting a disaster story? Not here. My only storm experience still was one of my most exhilarating downhill days, even after tromping through the thickening powder to a more reasonable terrain.

That’s the nature of Colorado skiing. It’s great even under trying conditions. So if you’re planning a trip to the Denver area, set some time aside for a skiing day-trip to the mountains. Twelve ski areas are located within one or two hours driving distance from Denver, including world-renowned Breckenridge, Keystone, and Vail. You’ll find equally popular Steamboat Ski & Resort just three hours away.

The season generally begins in mid-November, and comes to a close in mid-April. The 1997-98 season drew a record 12 million skiers to the area, and Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) officials hope to beat those numbers this year. With that in mind, Colorado ski resorts are going all out to attract business, especially after they combined to invest a record $140 million in renovations and additions after the 1996-97 season. The resorts fight hard to lure skiers, whether from Colorado’s Front Range and Western Slope, from the rest of the United States, or from the other side of the globe.

To help get you started on a skiing day-trip, here is a quick roundup of important information, followed by summaries on a baker’s dozen of the region’s most popular ski areas. Central reservations phone numbers are included, where applicable, just in case you’re tempted to extend your visit. Ask about the availability of package deals when you call. They can fix you up with lodging, airfare, transportation, and more, for one lump sum.

Ski lessons. Most ski areas offer a combination price that covers a lesson, a lift ticket, and equipment rental. If you’re a novice on the slopes, a lesson or two might be a more productive initiation than trial by falling.

Preparation. Before you travel, scan the Web home pages of some Colorado ski areas. You can link to them through the home page of CSCUSA (www.skicolorado.org). On many of these sites, you can view trail maps, find out about snow conditions, and even purchase lift tickets and book lodging.

Transportation. OK, you have options here. You can rent a car (which might be best to do upon arrival at the airport), take a commercial shuttle from the airport, take the SkiXpress bus, or if you’re heading to Winter Park, take the Ski Train. SkiXpress operates Saturdays and Sundays from mid-December through mid-March. Buses depart from both Heritage Square and the Highlands Ranch Park ‘N’ Ride at 7 a.m. for the Vail, Copper, Keystone, Winter Park, and Silver Creek areas. They return from the resorts at 4:30 p.m. (4 p.m. from Silver Creek). Round-trip cost is $20. Call 303-369-7300 during the season, or 303-757-9011 in the off-season. Winter Park’s Ski Train departs Denver’s Union Station at 7:15 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays from mid-December through early April. Friday trips are available in February and March. For more information, call 303-296-ISKI.

Equipment. Skis and equipment can be rented at every ski area, but rental costs are less expensive in Denver, at stores such as Breeze Ski Rentals and Gart Sports.

Discounts. Discount ski-lift tickets to some areas are available at King Soopers supermarkets and other locations in the area. Most ski areas offer discount cards for free or a nominal fee. They’re worth obtaining if you plan multiple trips to a particular area in the same season. Bear in mind that lift-ticket prices vary during the season. Those quoted in the following summaries are subject to change for the 1998-99 season.

Events. The 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships will be held Jan. 31-Feb. 14 at Vail and Beaver Creek.

Alternatives to skiing. Many ski areas offer other winter activities for those who don’t enjoy or have had their fill of traditional skiing, including snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, tubing, snowmobiling, and more.

Precautions. Exercise caution when you’re at high altitudes. Denver — the Mile High City — is at an elevation of 5,280 feet, and you’re generally between 9,000 feet and 12,000 feet at the ski areas. Flatlanders are prone to headaches, dehydration, shortness of breath, and sunburn, so be prepared. Drink plenty of water, go slow, moderate alcohol intake, eat wisely, wear a ski hat, and use sunblock.

Now that those issues have been addressed, let’s take a quick look at some of Colorado’s more popular ski areas.

Arapahoe Basin
This no-frills, down-to-earth area offers the highest lift-served terrain in North America. Half of the mountain, nicknamed “The Legend,” is above timberline, so activities such as open-bowl skiing and snowboarding continue through spring and into early summer. The mountain features Palivacinni, one of the longest and steepest trails in Colorado. Located 68 miles west of Denver. Specifications: 10,800-foot base; 13,050-foot summit; five lifts; 61 trails; 490 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $39. Contact: 888-ARAPAHOE or 970-468-0718.

Beaver Creek
Tucked into a valley a few miles west of Vail, this high-end ski resort has won numerous design and hospitality awards. If you’re looking for some after-skiing nightlife, you might be tempted to stay for dinner at Beano’s Cabin — preceded by a moonlit snowcat sleigh ride to the log-cabin hideaway (call 970-949-9090 for reservations). The new Birds of Prey downhill course will be the site of the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships. Sure, World Cup skiers train at Beaver Creek, but there’s plenty here for the recreational skier, too. Located 109 miles west of Denver. Specifications: 7,400-foot base; 11,450-foot summit; 14 lifts; 146 trails; 1,625 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $54. Contact: 970-476-5601; or for central reservations, 800-525-2257.

Berthoud  Pass
This on-again, off-again area, which was reopened by new owners during the 1997-98 season, sits atop Berthoud Pass, en route to Winter Park and Silver Creek. If you’re up for a challenge, you’ll find it here — 70 percent of the trails are rated advanced/expert. But the owners are trying hard to attract customers of all skill levels, by offering reasonable prices. Located 65 miles northwest of Denver. Specifications: 11,307-foot base; 12,407-foot summit; two lifts; 45 trails plus terrain park; 600 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $20. Contact: 970-726-0287; or for central reservations, 800-SKI-BERT.

Breckenridge Ski Resort
Its four interconnected peaks and charming Victorian town help Breckenridge draw more than 1 million visitors annually, and it usually ranks second in North America in skier visits. Breckenridge, featuring hundreds of acres of above-timberline bowl and chute skiing, is one of Colorado’s oldest Western Slope towns, founded in 1859, and is one of the largest national historic districts in Colorado. Located 100 miles west of Denver. Specifications: 9,600-foot base; 12,998-foot summit; 22 lifts; 138 trails; 2,031 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $47. Contact: 970-453-5000; or for central reservations, 800-427-8308.

Copper Mountain Resort
The favorite ski area of Coloradans, Copper Mountain offers plenty of skiing for all ability levels. In 1997, the area was purchased by Intrawest Resorts, which plans to spend $400 million on resort developments in the next 10 years. That begins with $66 million in capital developments for the 1998-99 season. Located 75 miles west of Denver, and 25 miles east of Vail on Interstate 70. Specifications: 9,712-foot base; 12,313-foot summit; 20 lifts; 118 trails; 2,433 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $49. Contact: 970-968-2882; or for central reservations, 800-458-8386.

Eldora Mountain Resort
One of the closest ski areas to Denver, Eldora unveils a quaint alpine setting in a high-mountain environment beneath the Continental Divide. You’ll find few frills and a folksy atmosphere in this smallish area, which may be just what you’re looking for. Located 21 miles west of Boulder in Nederland. Specifications: 9,200-foot base; 10,600-foot summit; 10 lifts; 47 trails; 495 skiable acres. Contact: 303-440-8700.

Keystone Resort
The 1996-97 season was Keystone’s best, with 1.22 million skier visits reported. Two high-speed gondolas link three mountains, and a wide variety of lodging, shopping, and dining enlivens the mountain valley. Keystone also offers night skiing until 9 p.m. It’s worth staying later for another reason, too: dinner at one of two Four-Diamond restaurants — either the Alpenglow Stube (situated at 11,444 feet and accessed by two gondola rides) or Keystone Ranch. Located 15 miles east of Breckenridge. Specifications: 9,300-foot base; 11,640-foot summit; 21 lifts; 92 trails; 1,756 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $45. Contact: 970-496-2316; or for central reservations, 800-427-8216.

Loveland Ski Area
One of the ski areas closest to Denver, Loveland is another no-frills resort with a down-home feel. It averages 400 inches of snow a year, and caters to all skill levels. A free shuttle service connects to Loveland Valley, which features a beginner’s terrain. Loveland recently added The Ridge, which offers advanced/ expert skiers a backcountry experience. Skiers must hike to reach The Ridge, which consists of 495 acres. Located 56 miles west of Denver on I-70. Specifications: 10,600-foot base; 13,010-foot summit; 10 lifts; 70 trails; 1,365 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $33. Contact: 303-569-3203; or for central reservations, 800-225-LOVE.

Silver Creek Resort
Colorado’s smallest destination ski resort caters mainly to beginners, intermediates, and families. Want to try something unique? Silver Creek is the first ski resort in the United States to offer snowbiking. As the name implies, the snowbike is a bicycle-type contraption with skis. Also offered are one-day women’s programs in downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The owners are Marise and Antonio Celso Cipriani; the former is one of the few female ski-area presidents in the industry nationwide. Located 78 miles west of Denver, and 15 miles west of Winter Park on U.S. Highway 40. Specifications: 8,202-foot base; 9,202-foot summit; five lifts; 33 trails; 251 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $32. Contact: 303-629-1020; or for central reservations, 800-618-7669.

Ski Cooper
Ski Cooper boasts quality skiing at affordable prices, with an almost equal mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs. Are you interested in backcountry tours? Chicago Ridge looms above the ski area, and guided snowcat tours cover 1,800 acres of open bowl terrain suitable for the advanced/intermediate to the expert powder skier. Located 9 miles north of Leadville on U.S. Highway 24, and 125 miles west of Denver International Airport. Specifications: 10,500-foot base; 11,700-foot summit; four lifts; 26 trails; 385 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $25. Contact: 719-486-3684; or for Chamber of Commerce and lodging information, 800-933-3901.

Steamboat Ski & Resort
With its Western atmosphere, five peaks and “champagne powder” (the light, dry quality of the snow in Northwest Colorado), Steamboat welcomes more than 1 million visitors per year. The influence of an abundance of school programs, plus the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, have helped the town produce more winter Olympians than any other town in North America. Located 170 miles northwest of Denver. Specifications: 6,900-foot base; 10,565-foot summit; 22 lifts; 140 trails; 2,939 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $48. Contact: 970-879-6111; or for central reservations, 800-922-2722.

Vail
This world-famous area has the most skiable terrain of any mountain and North America’s largest network of high-speed quad chair lifts. Vail’s legendary back bowls offer much wide-open trail skiing (mostly advanced). Vail Village, a Bavarian-style ski village with a wide array of accommodations, sits at the base. Adventure Ridge at Eagle’s Nest is a mountaintop center that offers ice skating, tubing, sledding, bobsledding, snowboarding, snowmobiling, dining, and more, both day and night. Located 100 miles west of Denver on I-70. Specifications: 8,120-foot base; 11,450-foot summit; 30 lifts; 174 trails; 4,644 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $54. Contact: 970-476-5601; or for central reservations, 800-278-2372.

Winter Park
The state’s third-largest ski resort boasts several distinct areas. Winter Park is geared more toward beginners and intermediates, while 70 percent of Mary Jane and Parsenn Bowl is designated for advanced and expert skiers. Vasquez Ridge offers a backcountry experience, and the newly opened Vasquez Cirque offers extreme skiing. Located 70 miles northwest of Denver. Specifications: 9,000-foot base; 10,700-foot summit; 20 lifts; 121 trails; 2,581 skiable acres; full-day lift ticket, $46. Contact: 970-726-5514 or 303-892-0961; or for central reservations, 800-453-2525.

Bruce Goldberg is managing editor of Business News Reporter. He has skied at 15 of Colorado’s ski areas, and fallen down at about half of them.

ASSOCIATE  MEMBER  PRIVILEGES
Don’t forget you have Associate member privileges at the Metropolitan Club, about 15 miles south of Denver in Greenwood Village. The Metropolitan Club, located on the garden level of the Orchard Falls Building in the Denver Tech Center, is open Monday through Friday, and serves complimentary continental breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner is served Tuesday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The club is open on weekends for special events. For additional information about the club or about nearby resorts, call 303-694-7344.

Rocky Mountain Highlight
Associate members who book their stay within 14 days of arrival receive a 50 percent discount on rooms at the Four-Diamond Snowmass Lodge & Club in the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The club, located nine miles west of Aspen and owned by the Aspen Skiing Co., features some of the world’s best alpine skiing plus spectacular mountain scenery (13,000-foot Mount Daly and the Snowmass ski area are nearby). The year-round destination features downhill and cross-country skiing and plenty of other outdoor recreation choices. Snowmass is one of Aspen’s four ski mountains, and Sunlight Mountain also is nearby.

Downhill enthusiasts can ski at Snowmass, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, and Aspen Mountain. For those who prefer Nordic, the Snowmass Club cross-country center offers groomed trails for skiing and snowshoeing (rentals are available). The trails connect with one of the largest free-trail networks in the nation, covering 37 miles across three villages — from Snowmass to Aspen. Surprisingly, the club is busier in the summer than in the winter, thanks mostly to corporate group bookings, according to Ann Denney, director of sales at Snowmass. Because these groups book up the summer weekends well in advance, Denney notes that a Sunday-through-Wednesday stay is the best time for a summer visit.

For business needs, the club offers more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space, and can handle groups up to 200. The club also recently renovated 76 lodge rooms, including 11 deluxe rooms and two junior suites, and features 61 villas ranging from one to three bedrooms. A shuttle carries passengers free of charge to all four ski areas, and the club also offers a free ride to Sardy Field, the Aspen airport. A five-minute shuttle ride takes club guests to Two Creeks, a new base area at Snowmass. The ski area also added two high-speed quads last season, giving it seven high-speed lifts. New trails increased the skiable terrain to 2,565 acres. Additional outdoor activities include snowmobiling, dog sledding, sleigh rides, fly-fishing, golf, tennis, biking, hiking, horseback riding, white-water rafting, and hot-air balloon rides. There’s also access to Aspen’s many cultural activities. The club’s 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay.

Tennis magazine ranks the club one of the top 10 places to play tennis and stay in North America. Eleven outdoor and two indoor courts are available, and free adult clinics are offered weekly. The athletic club boasts a complete weight room, cardiovascular equipment (including StairMasters and Lifecycles), aerobics classes, heated lap and recreation pools, saunas, and steam rooms. Amenities include massages, facials, personal training, nutritional counseling, yoga, and children’s activities.

The club’s Sage Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the Sage Bar offers day and evening dining in a casual atmosphere. The Putter’s Patio and Daily Beach Club are open in the summer. The Snowmass Lodge & Club is part of Global Partner Hotels & Resorts. For more information or to make reservations, call 800-525-0710; or find the Snowmass home page at www.snowmass-lodge.com. — Bruce Goldberg