Skiing In Colorado: An Epic First-Timer’s Guide

“​​Skiing in Colorado is spiritual,” said my friend Rahul, trying to convince me and my family to join his family on a recent ski vacation. “There’s a true sense of space and freedom—and with the good snow, there’s nothing like it.”

To be honest: As an inexperienced skier, I was intimidated by the idea of skiing in the Rocky Mountains, even though I’ve got deep roots there going back several generations. My great-great-grandfather, Thomas Begley, moved to Colorado during the Gold Rush, and my great-grandfather, grandfather, and dad all grew up in Denver.

But when I heard that Rahul had already plotted out an easy (and fun) itinerary in Vail, Breckenridge and Keystone, I decided to take the leap. It was helpful to have a seasoned veteran guiding the way, but there was still a lot to learn as a first-time Colorado skier.

Here’s what I discovered on a truly epic ski trip.

Starting Off Easy

First off: A dirty little secret. Those four generations of relatives of mine from Colorado? None of them skied and, therefore, didn’t pass the gene down to me. My mom tried to take me skiing at Blue Hills in Massachusetts when I was little, but I cried the whole time. I attempted again in high school at Afton Alps in Minnesota—where Lindsey Vonn cut her teeth—but let’s just say I was no Lindsey Vonn.

My husband, on the other hand, grew up skiing and wanted to get our daughter into the sport when she was old enough. So a few years ago, I decided to give it another try. Navigating the bunny slopes as a timid, middle-aged mom was humbling—especially when my fearless child flew past me—but thanks to some very patient instructors I began to get the hang of things.

During the pandemic, my family and I started escaping from our home in New York City on regular ski weekends throughout the Northeast. Turns out we were part of a trend. In 2021, ski visits in the U.S. reached an all-time high, thanks to people like us who were looking for a way to safely enjoy the great outdoors.

Vail Resorts also contributed to the trend when it launched the “Epic for Everyone” concept, reducing the price of an annual Epic Pass to help attract newcomers. It worked: I became one of the millions who signed on to be an Epic Pass Holder in 2021/22 (2.1 million people, to be exact). The numbers went even higher during the latest ski season—up 6% to 2.3 million.

Testing the Epic Pass

Over the first two seasons of having an Epic Pass, I managed to check out a number of mountains throughout the Northeast with my family. We conquered the greens at beginner-friendly Jack Frost-Big Boulder in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. We dive-bombed down Hunter Mountain in New York’s Catskills. We navigated some of Vermont’s southernmost slopes at Mount Snow. We checked out family-friendly Okemo in Vermont. We made our way to the summit of Vermont’s highest peak at Stowe Mountain Resort. And that was just for starters.

With just a handful of ski days each season, the Epic Pass paid off—but one of the big perks, of course, is getting access to serious mountains around the world, including Colorado resorts like Vail and Crested Butte, Park City in Utah and Whistler Blackcomb in Canada—just to name a few. Depending on which Epic Pass you buy, you also get access to partner resorts like Colorado’s Telluride.

Now, I was finally ready to check out those next-level perks.

The Lay of the Land

Given that Vail Resorts is the brand behind the Epic Pass, it’s no surprise that the company has a number of resorts in the Colorado Rockies. Having so many options was a bit mind-boggling, but Rahul had a plan: to split the trip between several mountains. Since his wife, Nisha, isn’t a skier, he chose locations with a lively après ski scene. And since we were traveling with my 10-year-old daughter, Lucy, and Rahul’s 9-year-old daughter, Sabine, we wanted to make sure everything was family-friendly.

The plan was to stay in Breckenridge (a sprawling, beginner-friendly mountain) and also check out nearby Keystone (a ski-first resort that’s a bit more value-oriented). Then we’d head to Vail (which is known for its glitz and legendary back bowls) with some skiing at nearby Beaver Creek (a family-friendly slope near Vail).

What’s great about the ski resorts in the Rockies is how close they are to each other. Breckenridge and Keystone are a 20-minute drive apart, so you can easily bounce back and forth. About an hour west is Vail and Beaver Creek, which are also around 20 minutes apart.

The Skiing

As a beginner who is used to East Coast mountains that wrap up by early March, it surprised me just how late into the season some of the Colorado resorts stay open. For instance, Breckenridge’s slopes don’t close until late May.

The weather was also a surprise. Even single-digit days were pleasant (something you’ll never hear me say when the wind chill dips out east). Maybe it’s being so close to the sun or maybe it’s Colorado’s dry climate—but it just didn’t feel as cold.

One thing that wasn’t a surprise: The skiing is better here, and after all that practice on icy East Coast slopes, I found my confidence soaring in Colorado. The powder is truly something to behold. It’s light and fluffy and easier to navigate. And unlike the green runs on the East Coast, where you’re down the mountain in a few minutes, the Colorado green trails went on forever. I spent much more time on the snow and less time on the chairlifts.

I also loved being able to sample so many mountains during a short trip. And thanks to the vast expanses of space, even on the most crowded days, the lift lines were never long and there was tons of room to stretch out.

Acclimating is Important

If you’re coming from a place like the East Coast, it’s important to acclimate before you head into the Rockies, since altitude sickness is a real thing. So we decided to spend a couple days in the Denver area before making our way into the mountains. In the hip LoDo neighborhood, we shopped for cowboy shirts at Rockmount Ranch Wear (my dad’s favorite Western gear store), checked out the Cruise Room at the Oxford Hotel (where my grandfather used to have lunch back in the day), and took selfies in front of Union Station (where my dad caught the train to go on vacation when he was young).

We stayed at the Eddy Taproom & Hotel in nearby Golden, Colorado, a little town in the foothills of the Rockies with an industrial past. Built on the location of a former brickwork factory, the Eddy has a loft-like design that pays homage to its craftsman roots, while the restaurant serves mountain cuisine like mac & cheese with brisket burnt ends, alongside craft brews. The town of Golden is the home of Coors (which is a big attraction), but there’s so much more to do and see, from stylish boutiques to cool restaurants.

Plan Wisely

When it comes to plotting out your itinerary, it’s a good idea to ski at the lower altitude mountains first. The town of Breckenridge sits at 9,600 feet versus the base of Keystone (9,280 feet) and Vail (8,120).

We made the mistake of starting at Breckenridge, and the impact of the altitude was real. You wouldn’t think that a few hundred feet would make a difference, but I noticed how much easier it was at Keystone. (According to Emily, our ski guide at Keystone, I wasn’t imagining things—your sleep is even a little more restful at a lower altitude.) If I could do it over, I would have gone to Vail first and worked our way up to Breck.

Speaking of planning, I almost rented a cheap Toyota Corolla, thinking that it wouldn’t be that snowy in late March. But it snowed every day (even on days when my weather app called for a 0% chance of snow). And after hitting a few squalls on the mountain passes and even some black ice on the highway, I was grateful to have upgraded to a four-wheel-drive Jeep Wrangler.

Hotels and Accommodations

When you have the Epic Pass, you can get a 20% discount at some hotels. But since we booked late in the season, prices at a lot of the spots were high. So we spent three nights at an Airbnb in Breckenridge that was about a 10-minute walk from the slopes. It was nice to have the amenities of a condo, and the town has free shuttles so that you don’t have to worry about parking at the mountain. But if I could do it again, I would opt for a ski-in ski-out property like the new design-focused Gravity Haus Breck, where we had dinner one night at its funky in-house restaurant, Cabin Juice. (Pro-tip: Book early in the season to get the best rates.)

In Vail, we splurged on a room at the Grand Hyatt, a ski-in ski-out property set at the base of the Cascade Village lift. Being at a hotel with its own practically private lift was a game-changer. And it didn’t hurt that the Grand Hyatt has beautiful hot tubs and a heated outdoor pool overlooking the Gore River. The hotel also has tons of fun amenities for après and beyond: champagne sabering sessions, an ax-throwing bar, a golf simulator, a game room with air hockey, fire pits with s’mores for roasting, the list goes on.

The Après Scene

Besides the skiing, the towns themselves are epic. Breckenridge is a former mining town, and behind the old Western façades you’ll find every kind of store you can think of, from ski gear to toys to clothing. There’s some very sophisticated dining like Rootstalk and the Breckenridge Distillery, mixed in with family-friendly restaurants like Giampietro Pasta & Pizzeria and Downstairs at Erics (which the kids loved for the attached arcade).

Vail is one of the largest ski mountains in the country, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year—and, no surprise— the opportunities for high-end dining and designer shopping are endless. Fur hasn’t gone out of style here, and if you are in the market for a pair of $695 paint-splattered jeans, this is the place. But I also found it surprisingly family-friendly with stores like Wishes (toy heaven) and restaurants like the Swiss Chalet Restaurant, which feels like you’ve been transported to a mountainside in Switzerland and specializes in all kinds of fondue—always a kid-pleaser. We did it all: cheese fondue, meat fondue, chocolate fondue.

Another food highlight: Alpenrose, which was taken over a few years ago by Alyssa Thoma and her brother Joshua, who also run Vail’s red-hot Almresi. They have transformed the space with faux fur throws and rose details everywhere you look. There are also private gondolas outside that you can rent for a private dining experience. The food puts a modern spin on traditional Swiss and Austrian dishes, with highlights like the Roasti Ballchen (potato balls stuffed with Swiss cheese, bacon and sour cream) and the Hax’n (a roasted pork shank served with a fresh baked German pretzel, mustard and Obazda cheese).

The Takeaway

Looking back, it’s hard to believe that I was so apprehensive about skiing out West. That Colorado freedom that Rahul talked about was real—and the amazing towns took things to the nexy level. I walked away on a true mountain high and am already planning my next Epic getaway.

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