Skiing in Colorado

SVT

Member
Nov 9, 2006
143
1
18
Cedar Rapids
I've been to Winter Park and Keystone. Winter Park is by far my favorite, but I've been there many more times and seem to know the lay of the land a little better. Keystone was alright and I enjoyed the night skiing, but I like Winter Park as it is a little less crowded and seems to offer plenty to do (both on the mountain and in the town). Though the town is not huge and doesn't have tons and tons of stuff like Breckinridge, it does have options and seems to be less tourist and more local. Wherever it is you go, enjoy the trip, it will be a lot of fun.
 

taco2000

Member
Apr 20, 2006
73
0
6
For me WP has the most consistently good snow conditions. Each have pretty decent terrain. After skiing, I'm not sure any are that great. There used to be a place in Fraser(up the road from WP) called crooked creek that you could get a decent meal for a reasonable price.

So I'm officially curious. What makes Steamboat the "best". Is the terrain better than Jackson Hole? Is the snow better than Snowbird. Is the town better than Breck?
 

tazclone

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2006
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So I'm going skiing in Colorado in less than a week, I was wondering which ski place is better.

We narrowed it down to:

1. Copper Mountains
2. Keystone Ski Resort
3. Winter Park

Which one do you guys recommend? Thanks in advance!

Winterpark. love it!
 

tazclone

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2006
10,105
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For me WP has the most consistently good snow conditions. Each have pretty decent terrain. After skiing, I'm not sure any are that great. There used to be a place in Fraser(up the road from WP) called crooked creek that you could get a decent meal for a reasonable price.

So I'm officially curious. What makes Steamboat the "best". Is the terrain better than Jackson Hole? Is the snow better than Snowbird. Is the town better than Breck?

Yes, Yes and yes. Great snow, great skiing, great town. Less traffic. Aa far as terrain compaored to Jackson Hole depends on personal preference
 

Colorado

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2008
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Colorado
I like Copper most for a couple of reasons. The blue runs are steeper than most other places. I like the steep stuff without the bumps and Copper has that. I also like that the blue runs at Copper are mostly together. The terrain naturally divides the runs by level of ability.

Winter Park would be 2nd in my book. They have a handful of blue runs stacked together on the Mary Jane side but those are relatively short and crowded. The Sunnyside lift can get pretty busy. Parsenn Bowl is nice when it's not too cold or windy. Besides Iowa, the coldest I have ever been was at the top of Parsenn Bowl with the wind howling out of the north. On one trip, a sign at the top of Mary Jane said that it was -35 with the wind chill on Parsenn. I just end up spending too much time traversing the mountain and reading maps at WP. At Copper, I just get off the lift and go because I know a good run is close by.
 
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CyinCo

Well-Known Member
Mar 24, 2006
5,745
254
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Clive, IA
I like Copper best of those three. WP would be second. Coppers greens are like WP's blues (at least in some areas). There seems to be a lot of places in WP where I have to push myself with poles to keep up speed, even on blue runs. I do like the new lift they opened last year that goes all the way up above Mary Jane. There usually is no line for that new lift and it is very fast (6 person)
 

Colorado

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2008
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Colorado
I snowboard and conveniently forgot to mention all the flats at Winter Park. WP just doesn't have any flow for me (blue runs on a snowboard).
 

hiwhatis

Active Member
Mar 25, 2006
802
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28
Ames, IA
my personal favorite is Breckenridge, the town is awesome and the slopes are great, but of the three listed i'd definitley take copper.
 

AirWalke

Well-Known Member
Aug 7, 2006
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Des Moines
Yeah, I'd recommend Steamboat over anything listed, I just wasn't aware of it being part of the options. Even if you can't make it there on this trip, be sure to make it a consideration next time you go out to Colorado. We always take the north route in from Wyoming, although it's very dangerous when the weather is difficult.

I've only ever been to Breckenridge during the summer, so I have no idea what it's like to ski there, but I do like the town.