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Where to ski in CO, and when?

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Slinger1x1
Posts: 8853 - Karma: 66
Alright, here's the deal
either i can go over christmas or february break to CO.
i want to go to look at colorado college, and also i really want some good skiing. specifically i want really good BC skiing

so whats a better time to ski? christmas or feb? the only thing is that Feb is a better time to look at other colleges...

and where should i ski? somewhere close-ish to colorado college if possible? like 3 hours or so? i need some good BC pow and what not
Jul 16 2009 11:40PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
Feb for sure, If you want to ski BC? Assuming powder, I would say if you could get down to wolf creek then do. Otherwise you are stuck with the summit county resorts and wp and maybe steamboat. If you want powder out of those obviously steamboat, then summit co pry Abasin for true bc and also Beaver Creek For cliffs and pillows.............
Jul 16 2009 11:45PM
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En_Route
Posts: 740 - Karma: 45
christmas time is psychotic here so dont come at christmas. breck is the closest from cc. i can get to breck in 2 hours. thats is speeding thru south park tho. also dont take i 70 unless ur goin to abasin or loveland cause it always gets huge ass traffic jams and the back way on 24 is way faster. breck has good bowls but not much backcountry accesible thru it tho. dont go there if lookin for bc alone. hope that helps.
Jul 16 2009 11:50PM
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DrStrangelove
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3
yah, CO basically got no snow in february last season so try again

youll mostly never go wrong with late december or early january, the last few years it's nuked pretty good around then a few times...

but there's no such thing as a sure thing, just plan a trip and hope you get lucky
Jul 16 2009 11:54PM
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Slinger1x1
Posts: 8853 - Karma: 66
i will most likely be staying somewhere around like vail, breck, copper, and those places. in that area. so out of those mountains, whats the best for BC? i will probably try more than 1 though

also, which one do you suggest i stay at? like i want to be close to good skiing, but i also want a town. any suggestions of where to stay? like what hotel or something?

Jul 17 2009 12:10AM
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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
"typically" february is very dry and very cold. but it has had more time to make more of a base. but the uncontrolled bc will prob be unstable (as almost everywhere is until the spring). just watch your aspects, know what your doing, and check into CAIC when you can. But.... This last Feb, kind of blew and our last Dec was awesome. I got some great skinning/bc days in then and things were fairly stable too. Again, CAIC is a great tool.

As for CC... I guess Breck is close if you go Hwy. 285. But so then is Monarch. But about the same distance away too is Taos, NM. And if ...IF... they get good snow, Taos is SICK!!!... Just not for park.
Jul 17 2009 12:22AM
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gr4
Posts: 1499 - Karma: 945
silverton is beyond epic.  I dont know how far it is from cc but its sooo worth it.  vail and beaver creak are fun too.
Jul 17 2009 12:31AM
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VTtreeskier
Posts: 1833 - Karma: 64
True, but why has no one mentioned crested butte?
Jul 17 2009 3:01AM
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Frank_Spinatra
Posts: 1203 - Karma: 75
Beaver Creek is my home mountain and it's the least crowded pretty much every time out of keystone breck abasin, and vail.  It's a crap shoot on snow conditions any time of year as everyone has already said so if it's easier to look at other colleges in Feb you should go to colorado over Christmas.  If you're going outside the resorts find someone to show you around...Too many accidents that dont need to happen...I recommend hitting the beave personally.  If there is a big dump blue sky basin in Vail should have all the powder you need without even needing the bc.  You can't go wrong skiing colorado.  Wolf Creek is epic though if you can get there.  Nipple deep powder.
Jul 17 2009 3:18AM
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k2yeags
Posts: 2320 - Karma: 27
5-6 hours away but if you hit good snow i hear it is worth every moment.

I'd recommend you visit CC while it is in session. I'm a student there and you won't feel the vibe of the school at all without the student body around.

My recommendation - Go in feb and ski vail. if you get good snow you will be very happy dropping lovers leap in blue sky basin.
Jul 17 2009 3:46AM
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mozzy
Posts: 1034 - Karma: 60
I've actually been lucky in December and January with the snow, but avoid the Xmas holidays like the plague. A-Basin is quite nice, I personally also like Keystone and Wolf Creek. I didn't like Vail, and the $15? $20 parking was an insult.

For a 'controlled' backcountry experience, Silverton is the place to be. And don't drive from Durango the day of your reservation, you've got two mountain passes to navigate. Stay in Silverton, it's way atmospheric, almost ghost-town like, and make sure you're physically ready for some seriously high-altitude hiking.

Darn, that hiking almost killed me, and I had been exercising at 7300 feet for a full week before that.

For an alternative, spring riding is fun, so April would be my second recommendation.


Jul 17 2009 8:37AM
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DrStrangelove
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3
^you can park for free in vail at the grocery stores on the other side of the highway or along that frontage road...then the 5 minute bus into town is free and picks you up pretty much right there

but if this guy is planning a trip he'll probably just be staying there, or he'll be in breck or something, in which case there is a free shuttle from breck and all the other Vail Resorts that drops you off right at the transportation center in the middle of town
Jul 17 2009 9:08AM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,896
Usually skiing BC in Dec is sketchy.  With the Pine Beetle Kill, there is a ton of tib fib deadfall.  If you're going OB in Feb at least make sure you have some locals with you that are experienced BC skiers.  Dig a pit and sess the layers.  Otherwise, you will most likely be found in the spring. 
Jul 17 2009 11:55AM
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Valind
Posts: 4358 - Karma: 17
Good pow and no lift lines = Loveland Ski Area
Jul 17 2009 2:44PM
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troublemaker3
Posts: 1954 - Karma: 225
butte in feb.
Jul 19 2009 2:50AM
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C-Burg
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 130

Go to monarch if you want to put up a little more money and cat ski (https://skimonarch.com/main/index.php/generalinfo/snowcat-tours) but other than that go to Crested Butte

Jul 19 2009 11:24AM
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