BrandoComandoLiving in or near a big city can be life-changing. It can help with networking and can broaden horizons regarding culture and activities. The cost of living is higher, but so is income and the number of opportunities. If you're fortunate to be at a place in your life where you can make the jump, I recommend it. You'll stay friends with the people who matter most. And luckily for you, Denver has an excellent big airport so it's easy and relatively inexpensive (compared to a more "remote" town like Bozeman) for friends and family to visit and vice versa.
As others have said, Denver is experiencing a homelessness crisis similar to most cities in the Western half of the United States (and maybe eastern/midwest cities too, idk since I'm a west coast boy). I wouldn't let that deter you. It's the same in Portland, SF, LA, Seattle, etc. People make it political, but in my experience, these people are down on their luck and are just trying to make it through each day without being worse off than they already are. They'll leave you be if you leave them be.
That being said, Denver isn't the best city for straight-up skiing if that's your #1 priority. That I-70 grind is legit. There are literally more ski resorts 2 hours from Sacramento, CA than there are from Denver, plus there are multiple interstates to get to them, rather than just 1. Salt Lake City is far better for ski access and it's not close. If you choose Denver, be sure you're choosing Denver for more than just skiing. As a weekend warrior, you'll be spending 300+ days a year not skiing, so you should enjoy other aspects of the place you live.
Agree for sure on the homeless thing. It's growing in most cities and a big problem in several.
As far as CA. Reno has been growing a bunch and seeing some different industries moving in. Even on a crowded day it seems to beat the hell out of commuting from Denver. Tahoe keeps getting more crowded and pow days almost aren't worth it if you have to commute far but you have a lot of ski areas close together.
I miss having an epic pass through work with 3 mountains there, and usually picking up another pass like Diamond Peak or Boreal to have options. Also snagging the occasional comp to hit some different spots. I've never worked in Reno how jobs pay versus Denver, and housing like everywhere is going up a bunch, but it seems like an option worth looking into. With Mt Rose and even DP pretty close and all the other mountains.