Rocky Mountain High

Whether you have a four-day weekend, a week or any extended time period to travel this winter, flee the daily grind and seasonal doldrums for a trip to the mountains. And not just any mountains: Go where a snowfall means you actually want to go outside and play, zero-degree days don’t feel as chilly as they could, and the sun can tan your face like a trip to the tropics. 

Head to the Rockies’ Vail Resorts where snow is at your fingertips and several resorts full of new terrain and fresh powder are just a short drive away.

THE BASICS
GETTING THERE: With options to fly into Denver International Airport and drive roughly two hours to the mountains via shuttle or a rental car, multiple flights depart daily from the coasts and airlines have tended to keep prices low. To hit the slopes the same day for free, fly directly into Vail/Eagle County Airport, 35 minutes from Beaver Creek and 40 minutes from Vail. Upon landing in Colorado, a shuttle service or rental car will get you to the ski resorts. With free transportation available at Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Vail, as well as pay options to travel between resorts, you can’t go wrong.

WHEN TO GO: As long as the snow is falling or the sun is out, it’s hard to complain about a trip to Colorado ski country. Resorts open in November and close for the season in April with varying degrees of crowds and optimum conditions in those five months. Crowds tend to pick up around Christmas and New Year’s, Martin Luther King Day and President’s Weekend, but even then it’s still possible to keep waiting in lift lines to a minimum.

THE RESORTS
BEAVER CREEK, http://beavercreek.snow.com
DON’T MISS: Luxury skiing at its finest. Beaver Creek prides itself on its tagline “Not Exactly Roughing It” and you’ll notice the impeccable lodging as well as service, especially by the mountain hosts.
Thursday Night Lights. At 6 p.m., guests board the Haymeadow lift and carry glow sticks as they ski down the mountain. The evening ends with fireworks.
WHAT’S UNIQUE: Take the Strawberry Fields lift to McCoy Park, one of the few North American resorts with a Nordic ski and snowshoe area atop the hill. McCoy Park has 32 kilometers of trails dedicated to all levels of cross-country skiers and snowshoers.
TOP RUNS:  With 1,805 skiable acres, Beaver Creek offers a selection of runs to entertain beginners to experts.
Green: You’ll find a collection of greens perfect for family skiing starting at the summit and accessible by both the Cinch Express lift and the Drink of Water lift.
Blue: Say you skied Grouse Mountain without actually tackling the diamonds by winding along Camprobber Road. Or try the lifts skier’s left of Beaver Creek village offering longer blue runs and greens if you need to bail.
Black: Grouse Mountain historically serves up the area’s toughest runs, but also add the diamonds serviced by the Birds of Prey and Larkspur lifts and you have The Talons terrain to challenge experienced skiers and riders.
ACTIVE APRÈS SCENE: Take a break from the slopes and strap on snowshoes for a hike up the mountain’s runs or through the woods bordering the resort’s boundary. Or stay in the heart of Beaver Creek Village and ice skate on the year-round outdoor rink.

BRECKENRIDGE, http://breckenridge.snow.com
DON’T MISS: The T-Bar. Lines pile up on fresh powder days, but the wait to reach the runs off Peaks 7 and 8 is worth it. You feel like you’re floating as the pow kicks up behind and makes fresh tracks even after a swarm of other powder hounds have sped by.
The BreckConnect Gondola. Opened last year, the gondola makes Breck’s base easily accessible from town and the parking lots for day skiers.  
TOP RUNS: At 2,358 skiable acres, Breckenridge spreads across four peaks and offers 155 trails of varying degrees of difficulty.
Green: Warm up by departing Peak 8 base on Chair 5 and skiing Powerline or Springmeier, or stay low on Peak 9 and hit the greens accessible from the Quicksilver lift.
Blue: Intermediate skiers and riders can ride the Independence SuperChair all day and cover the collection of blues that branch off from the top and end up at the Peak 7 base. Traverse to Peak 9 for a similar experience.
Black: Any advanced skier will love the blacks accessible from the T-Bar especially on powder days, or hike to the Peak 8 and Peak 7 summits for challenging bowls and the Lake Chutes extreme terrain. You have to ski it to believe it.

KEYSTONE, http://keystone.snow.com
DON’T MISS: Cat Skiing. If you dream of fresh tracks and knee-deep powder in wide open yet challenging terrain, sign up for the Keystone Adventure Tour controlled backcountry excursion as soon as your trip is planned as space fills quickly. Trips run twice daily for an all-day adventure that includes a break for a gourmet lunch, powder ski rental and an intimate guided experience in the resort’s Independence Bowl for 12 lucky snow cat riders.
WHAT’S UNIQUE: Night Skiing. Stick around the slopes after sunset for Colorado’s largest night skiing operation. Tackle nine lit paths down Keystone’s front face or the A51 Terrain Park until 8:30 p.m.  
TOP RUNS: Favorite runs cover Keystone’s three peaks and its 3,148 skiable acres makes it one of the larger resorts in the state.
Green: Schoolmarm is the mountain’s longest run, but it also is labeled as a high-traffic zone. When not busy, the wide trail provides a leisurely cruise to base.
Blue: Hit Frenchman on Dercum Mountain right after a groom for a longer run that offers just enough pitch for all types of skiers; if it’s closed for grooming, try the nearby Flying Dutchman for a similar experience. The blues on Outback Mountain are a great alternative if others in your group want a diamond challenge and you want to take it easy.
Black: In addition to snow cat skiing, skiers and boarders can hike into four additional bowls plus The Windows for backcountry skiing within bounds. Or hit up Outback Bowl for a collection of diamond options and tree skiing.
ACTIVE APRÈS SCENE: Switch into snow boots and ride the new River Run gondola to Adventure Point at the top of Dercum Mountain. Adventure Point includes a tubing hill as well as snowbike and air board rentals. Head down the road to the Keystone Nordic Center to switch into Nordic skis or snowshoes.

VAIL, http://vail.snow.com
DON’T MISS: Blue Sky Basin. Opened in 2000, Blue Sky is bowl skiing at its finest. Add in China Bowl, Mongolia Bowl and Siberia Bowl on Vail Mountain’s backside, and you can easily disappear for hours. Powder, tree skiing and bumps can be plentiful, but you can also find your fair share of groomers, cruisers and enough room to carve.  
TOP RUNS: With 5,289 skiable acres, narrowing down to the mountain’s favorite runs isn’t easy, but it is easy to spread out and ski a variety of terrain all day.
Green: Lost Boy in Game Creek Bowl is a perfect spot to work those turns and practice carving on a groomer.
Blue: Poppyfields in China Bowl is a perennial favorite although by mid-afternoon conditions and high traffic can make it less than ideal. Hit it when the bowls open though and you’ll want to descend it over and over.
Black: Double diamond Blue Ox on skier’s right when groomed excites all ages of seasoned riders like a kid on Christmas morning. When the bumps are gone you can fly down this run and even catch a little air between steep descents.
ACTIVE APRÈS SCENE: End the day a few runs early and stop at Adventure Ridge adjacent to the Eagle Bahn Gondola for its bungee-harness trampoline, tubing and snowmobiling. You can also rent snowshoes for guided hikes or snow bikes. Head to the Arrabelle at Vail Square, which opened last season as part of the revitalization of the Lionshead base area, and go ice skating on the square’s outdoor rink.