Skiing in Colorado

"Eric Segal" <emsegal@weown.net> wrote in message
news:QMWdnRJaKtIYHcKiU-KYgw@...
> Hi -- I am from Boston and will be making a stopover this winter in
Denver,
> courtesy of United Air Lines. I'll be with two of my kids, and we would
like
> to do some skiing. We have never skiied in the West before.
>
> The problem is that we will be there in between Christmas and New Years -
> unavoidable. Can anyone recommend one or two resorts that are good for
> intermediate skiing, within a couple of hours drive of Denver, and might
> (perhaps) be a little less than totally jammed at Christmas time?

Vail. Definitely Vail.

All the serious Colorado skiers will recommend you go to Vail.

Eric Segal wrote:
>
> Hi -- I am from Boston and will be making a stopover this winter in Denver,
> courtesy of United Air Lines. I'll be with two of my kids, and we would like
> to do some skiing. We have never skiied in the West before.
>
> The problem is that we will be there in between Christmas and New Years -
> unavoidable. Can anyone recommend one or two resorts that are good for
> intermediate skiing, within a couple of hours drive of Denver, and might
> (perhaps) be a little less than totally jammed at Christmas time?

What about Winter Park? The theory would be that it's less of a
destination resort and more of a Denver local area than a real
destination resort like Vail, and thus less likely to get the Christmas
jamming. This is probably offbase; I'm just throwing it out for
Coloradoans to comment on.

The other problem you're going to run into in that time slot is price;
specifically, the price of a hotel room. Understand that this is the
time of MAXIMUM overcharging for a hotel room at ski resorts. You will
not believe the prices you're going to see quoted to you. Prepare to be
amazed.

Dave

Sam Seiber wrote:

> Richard Henry wrote:
>
>>>The problem is that we will be there in between Christmas and New Years -
>>>unavoidable. Can anyone recommend one or two resorts that are good for
>>>intermediate skiing, within a couple of hours drive of Denver, and might
>>>(perhaps) be a little less than totally jammed at Christmas time?
>>
>>Vail. Definitely Vail.
>>
>>All the serious Colorado skiers will recommend you go to Vail.
>
>
> Ahh, nuts Richard. I plumb forgot about Vail. Yeah, Vail,
> thats the ticket. Two hour drive from Denver. Fits the
> conditions mentioned above.

Definitely the intermediate part.
Cheap, too ...

OK - original poster - dig out a ski Colorado booklet(Colorado spreads
ski booklets all over the country in the fall) - pick some likely
suspects, and ask specific questions; better data will be forthcoming.
Or take Sam's hidden advice; it's actually pretty good.

Winter Park will probably be more crowded than Vail! Go to Vail and if the
crowd bothers you, just take the shuttle to Beaver Creek! It will not be
crowded! You can ski both!
Have fun,
Rob

"Dave Stallard" <stallard@bbn.com> wrote in message
news:3F5F9B9D.13AD50A7@bbn.com...
> Eric Segal wrote:
> >
> > Hi -- I am from Boston and will be making a stopover this winter in
Denver,
> > courtesy of United Air Lines. I'll be with two of my kids, and we would
like
> > to do some skiing. We have never skiied in the West before.
> >
> > The problem is that we will be there in between Christmas and New
Years -
> > unavoidable. Can anyone recommend one or two resorts that are good for
> > intermediate skiing, within a couple of hours drive of Denver, and might
> > (perhaps) be a little less than totally jammed at Christmas time?
>
> What about Winter Park? The theory would be that it's less of a
> destination resort and more of a Denver local area than a real
> destination resort like Vail, and thus less likely to get the Christmas
> jamming. This is probably offbase; I'm just throwing it out for
> Coloradoans to comment on.
>
> The other problem you're going to run into in that time slot is price;
> specifically, the price of a hotel room. Understand that this is the
> time of MAXIMUM overcharging for a hotel room at ski resorts. You will
> not believe the prices you're going to see quoted to you. Prepare to be
> amazed.
>
> Dave