Colorado is considered the ultimate ski destination in the United States. The soft powder provides the best skiing conditions for both the sports aficionados and newbies alike. When I first went on a ski trip to Colorado in 2014, I skied Copper Mountain and Eldora. This time, February of 2020, we decided to explore other ski resorts and have skied Breckenridge, Keystone, and Vail. If you’re wondering where to ski in Colorado or which resort to choose, please read on.
Where to ski in Colorado?
Let’s start by saying that whichever place you decide on, you won’t go wrong. Like I said before, skiing in Colorado is fabulous. However, there may be some factors that may impact your decision making process. So, here are some things to keep in mind:
Breckenridge
If you’re an intermediate skier and enjoy gradual blue runs, Breckenridge is the place for you. Peak 7 and 9 are amazing! My favorite runs were Claimjumper, Angel’s Rest, and Monte Cristo. Of course, the resort is wonderful for more advanced skiers as well. My husband likes to ski black diamonds, and absolutely loves the place.
However, keep in mind that Breckenridge is busy and Peak 7 in particular! I was here the week of President’s Day (Tuesday and Wednesday), so maybe other times are less crowded. The longest we waited in line was about 10 minutes. I did hear that the lines were much, much longer that weekend. So, plan accordingly as long lines may shorten the time you get to ski.
Keystone
Keystone is popular with many locals and is less busy than Breckenridge or Vail. If you want to put in lots of runs and don’t want to wait in line, I would go with Keystone. Although smaller than the other resorts, the runs are long and nice, and the snow feels great.
For intermediate skiers, the blue runs here are much steeper than at Breckenridge. I had a hard time at first and mostly stuck to the green ones. I also decided to just ski to the Montezuma Express lift rather than all the way down to the base of the gondola. That opened up the mountain a bit more for me, and the blue runs seemed easier. My favorite runs here were Silver Spoon and Spring Dipper.
Vail
One of the most famous ski resorts in the United States, Vail is enormous! If you want the variety of terrain and like to traverse the mountain to ski different bowls and peaks, Vail should be your choice. Because Vail offers a crazy number of lifts, it’s really easy to move across the area. There are lots of amazing black diamond runs (so I hear from my husband), as well as lots of blue and green runs. I mostly stuck to the green runs as the blue ones seemed pretty steep.
Unsurprisingly, Vail gets really busy. Lift 2 especially seemed to have long lines. However, once we got to Lift 7 and the Game Creek Bowl, the crowds were gone.
Remember, parking is expensive in Vail. It costs $30 to park at Lionshead for 4 hours or more, so keep that in mind when making your plans.
So, what’s the verdict? Where to ski in Colorado? My personal choice was Breckenridge because of the nice gradual runs. I also thought the snow was the best there. Again, though, you won’t go wrong with either choice and I’m sure you’ll love skiing in Colorado. Enjoy!
You can read more about the three ski resorts here:
- Skiing at Breckenridge
- Skiing at Keystone
- Skiing at Vail
Ilike it!:)))
It was lots of fun!