How to Plan a Ski Trip in Colorado as a Black Skier

How to Plan a Ski Trip in Colorado as a Black Skier

Black in Denver, Colorado Ski Trips, Uncategorized Michelle@SquareState
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(Tips from a Black Coloradan Who Snowboards)

One of the things that I find so frustrating is the insistence that Black people don’t ski or like the cold. I think that there’s a very valid conversation about cost, access and proximity impacting our ability to head to the slopes. If you live in a state that’s hot and has no mountains, cold weather sports becomes a process of figuring out where to go, where to stay, working on a budget and who to go with. If you’re trying to figure out how to plan a ski trip in Colorado as a Black skier I’ve worked through a number of details that you may need to consider if you’re planning a Colorado ski trip (even if you live in Colorado)

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Cowtown Denver

Best Time of Year for Ski Trips

One of the key aspects of planning a ski trip to Colorado is timing. People may be tempted to book a trip in October, November or early December-resist that urge. Especially if you’re new to skiing or taking friends and family who are new to skiing. Why am I making this suggestion?

  • October-It’s just starting to regularly snow in the mountains and the base on the different ski runs is not as deep as I think it should be. Also, not all of the runs will be open. Just a few runs at the the few resorts that are open. So there’s a limited amount of skiing that you can do at whichever resort your at (normally Arapahoe Basin) If you’re a hard core skier/snowboarder living in or near Colorado-do your thing.
  • November-Depending on the snow, most of the other resorts will begin opening throughout the month. While this is exciting, I would also consider two things: how much it has been snowing and the Holiday ski season impacting who is traveling to the different resorts in the state. You will also have to fly in and out of Denver International Airport. I love that airport and have flown out of it since it was built. BUT, you can guarantee that there may likely be a flight delay.
  • December-Ok, conditions are getting better in the mountains especially if there has been a lot of snow. I like that before the holiday season accommodation and other experiences are more affordable. Mid-December through early April is around the time that I would recommend booking a ski trip in Colorado.

Booking Your Flight

There are so many ski resorts in Colorado that it can be hard to decide which one to visit, especially if it’s the first time you’re going skiing/snowboarding. Before I came up with this list I considered several factors:

  • Overall experience-What will it be like once you’re there. Is there something available for people of all ages to enjoy? Are the local teams comfortable working with and assisting Black travelers?
  • Accessibility-How easy is the resort to get to from Denver? Most people way underestimate how technical winter driving in the mountains actually is. It’s a pain in the butt, very stressful and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
  • Variety of Accommodation-Different strokes for different folks. The best resorts have a variety of accommodation that people can choose from. I tend to enjoy staying at inexpensive boutique hostel/hotel hybrids for travelers over 30. The reason why is because I go to the mountains so often that it’s a great way to keep expenses low. But, there are also ski in and ski out options as well as high end hotels.
  • Places to eat-These resorts have a nice range of places to eat and drink. There are also grocery stores where you can pick up snacks, etc.

There are a few other details that may be important to consider. How to plan a ski trip in Colorado as a Black skier may also depend on the following:

  • Your budget
  • The amount of time that you have off
  • How many people you will be traveling with.
  • A unique event you would like to attend-One of my favorites is the International Ice Sculpture Competition held in Breckenridge.

3 Best Resorts for Black Skiers and a Bonus Suggestion

Here are the top 3 best resorts for Black skiers and a bonus suggestion.

  • Breckenridge-Hands down, Breckenridge is my favorite Colorado mountain town and ski resort for Black visitors of all types. If you’re solo, bring a significant other or your family, Breckenridge offers visitors a welcoming, cohesive and fun experience. The ski mountain is beautiful too. What is also cool about Breckenridge is proximity to a number of other resorts within 45 minutes away including: Vail, Copper, Arapahoe Basin and Keystone to name a few. You can even take the free Summit Stage bus to the different resorts.
  • Winter Park-If you can I highly recommend taking the Ski Train directly from downtown Denver to Winter Park. You can literally exit the train at the ski resort. It’s an incredible experience and you can leave the driving to other people. I just returned from a week in Winter Park in October, I attended camp in Granby, Colorado at the YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain location. If you’d like to spend time at Hot Sulphur Springs located 30 minutes away, that’s a great way to unwind after a day of skiing. You’ll need to speak with the Winter Park team for guidance on how to get there and back if you’re on a car free ski vacation.
    • Ski Pass: Ikon
    • Accommodation: Gravity Haus Winter ParkI used to have a Gravity Haus membership and have stayed here because of that. Really cute hotel and great location.
  • Crested Butte-One of my favorite mountain towns that reminds me of Colorado before everyone discovered it. The drive down is beautiful. This part of the state is actually one of my favorite parts of the state and I actually think it’s the most beautiful part of the state. The people are super chill and in 2021 (?) I was invited to visit the town as a part Outdoor Afro and experience it with the goal of helping Black travelers learn more about the town. I will say that several of us had visited before and it was just as welcoming each time.
    • Ski Pass: Epic
    • Accommodation: The Bivvi TellurideOne of the first places that I stayed during the COVID pandemic. Beautiful space and it has two hot tubs LOL!
  • Bonus: Eldora-When I worked at the CU Boulder, I often took adult international students skiing at Eldora. It’s a local resort with some of the steepest (fastest) runs in the state. It’s also 1 hour from Boulder and even has public transit in-between the two towns. One downside is that it can get windy. Upside, it’s an hour away from Boulder so you’re not on the highway for 2 or 3 hours trying to get to a resort. There’s a small town called Nederland that is adjacent to it. Nederland is a low-key mountain town-not the sexy ones that you see n t.v.
    • Ski Pass: Ikon

Don’t Forget to Buy Travel Insurance

  • Check your current insurance coverage and pick up some additional travel insurance-Skiing is not without some measure of risk. Check out what it does and does not cover.
Driving to Crested Butte, Colorado

Spending Some Time in Denver Before Heading to the Slopes

I highly recommend spending at least one night in Denver before heading into the mountains. There are a couple of reasons for that.

  • Begin acclimating to the higher altitude-If you’re from any place that is at sea level, I strongly encourage you to. think about the importance of adjusting to a higher altitude. Denver is 1 mile above sea level which is a high altitude location. Then, you’ll make your way into the mountains which typically doubles in altitude the further you go up.

Book a Fun Tour While You’re In Denver

Before you head up to the mountains, make sure to book a fun tour that will give you a quick taste of Denver. Most people who visit Colorado for skiing will blaze through Denver in order to head to the mountains. Hang out with us in Denver for a day LOL!

Are There Black Skiers on the Slopes

It’s not like going to Atlanta and you’ll be seeing hundreds of Black skiers on the slopes every time you go skiing. But, I’ve never gone skiing and not seen other Black people (men/women and kids) enjoying the slopes. That said, there are some additional things to consider as you plan your visit.

Regional and National Black Ski Communities to Connect with

There are a number of winter sports enthusiasts who go skiing, snowboarding or just hanging out in the mountains on a weekly basis from Denver. if you’re looking to make more connections or find other folks who may be skiing at the same time you are-I recommend the following communities and events to check out. I will add to this as new events come up.

  • Eldora Ski Ride and BBQ Event-It’s sold out for beginner lessons, etc. But, if you lift tickets and gear (or, just plan on making your way there) this looks like a ton of fun! When: December 2, 2023
  • Springfest- Where: Winter Park When: March 29, 2023 details TBA
  • Late Season Romp-Arapahoe Basin-Date and Time TBA
  • BIPOC Mountain Collective Global–There are also different regional chapters. I happen to belong to the Colorado one as well as the Global group. You can find them on Facebook and they are REALLY active in every region. The group just got a notification as I worked on this post from someone who is currently on the slopes in Keystone asking if anyone is around. It gets even busier as the season moves on. This group in particular is a great tool if you’re wondering how to plan a ski trip in Colorado as a Black skier. What I love about the group is that locals to the Denver metro are always heading up to the mountains or in the process of planning ski trips throughout the season. You can learn some great tips and insights from their planning process.
  • Outdoor Afro-While it seems like they lean more into summer events. I have gone skiing with the Colorado chapter. You can join chapters in regions that you plan on visiting.

How to Plan a Ski Trip in Colorado as a Black Skier

Why didn’t I include Aspen or Vail?

One of the most baffling things that I’ve noticed in the past 10 years is a surprising interest in Vail and Aspen by Black tourists who are new to skiing. Both are beautiful towns and can be fun. But, they are literally my least favorite mountain towns to recreate in. The reason? The other tourists who frequent those spaces aren’t fun to be around. In fact, when I was in Vail for the NBS 50th Anniversary, there were comments, etc. by the other tourists.

Let’s be clear, I’m not saying do not go to those ski resorts. The teams who run and work those resorts are really nice and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a few of the Vail Resorts team members.

However, after a lifetime of spending time in mountain towns across Colorado (over and over again) Vail and Aspen just aren’t on my list. That could change and I do visit from time to time because things do come up in that part of the state and I have to go.

Keep Me Posted

Welcome to Colorado and I hope you have an incredible time while you’re here! Let me know how everything goes.

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