How to Plan a Ski Trip to Colorado

How to Plan a Ski Trip to Colorado for the 2023-2024 Ski Season

Colorado, Colorado Ski Trips, Uncategorized, Visiting Colorado in Winter Michelle@SquareState
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At the time that I’m working on this planning guide it is the nearing the dog days of summer. I’ve begun to see Back-to-School pictures and ads for Halloween. Living in Colorado that means that ski season is just around the corner. In fact, any day now we (those of us in Colorado) will begin hearing about occasional light snow flurries at the highest of highest peaks in the next couple of weeks. For those of you who love skiing or would like to go on your first trip to the mountains it’s a good idea to begin planning your trips now. The earlier you plan the better for your wallet and your peace of mind.

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Cowtown Denver

Travel Insurance-Get Some

  • Travel Insurance-Check your 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.

Tip #1-Decide When You Would Like to Take Your Ski Trip (And Book Your Flights)

Timing is everything. But, there are a number of different factors that can impact when you decide to go on your next (or first) ski vacation.

  • The amount of vacation time or PTO that you’ve accrued.
  • The budget that you’re working with.

I do have some thoughts about the best time of year to book your Colorado Ski Trip.

It Depends.

Typically, I prefer to begin hitting the slopes late December or early January. This gives Mother Nature enough time to snow consistently and build a nice base layer of snow to ski on.

Some years there’s a lot of snow early and so I would shift my first ski trips with that in mind. Other years it’s really warm or the snow just doesn’t build up until later in the season.

How Are You Getting to the Resort?

Where you decide to go will influence your transit choices. For example, one my favorite ski towns is Breckenridge. I love it because it’s so easy to get to with or without a car. I also think it’s the best mountain town for Black travelers.

When you’re booking your trip spend some time finding out if your favorite resort is accessible by the following transit modes:

  • Public Transit-We now have a service called Bustang that connects Denver with the towns throughout the state. Bustang also operates the Pegasus and Snowstang services that are designed with ski resort travel and accessibility in mind. These services are incredibly affordable too. I typically use these services vs. driving up I-70 and really appreciate them.
  • Shuttle Transfer from Airport–Does the idea of driving from Denver International Airport to the mountains after a long flight sound horrible to you? Are you looking for a private shuttle service that gets you, your ski equipment and your friends to your accommodation? These options are definitely available to you and worth checking out.
  • Car Rental-Would you prefer to drive so that you have access to a car and can explore as you like? There a number of different car rental service options that you can choose from.
  • Winter Park Ski Train–This service only serves the Winter Park Ski Area. It’s a wonderful way to experience the Rocky Mountains and get to Winter Park Ski Resort without having to drive. Driving to Winter Park can be pretty challenging because you have to make your way over Berthoud Pass.

Tip #2-Decide Which Resort You’re Going To

(And Book Your Accommodation)

I began getting ski trip notifications from groups that I’m in starting in August. In fact, tickets were already available and were actively being sold for those ski trips.

Once you’ve decided which resort you would like to go to book your tickets sooner rather than later. The closer we get to the Holiday season and winter, the more expensive your flights will get.

Play around with the map below-I’ve highlighted the following resorts as a starting point for your research.

  • Breckenridge
  • Vail
  • Winter Park
  • Copper Mountain
  • Arapahoe Basin

Tip #3-Ideally Plan on spending at least 1 or 2 Days in Denver to Acclimate to the Altitude

(Here’s What to Do While in Town)

Depending on the length of your trip, I recommend spending a couple of days in Denver. Typically, it’s a good idea to acclimate to the altitude at the beginning of your trip if possible.

Are you wondering what to do in Denver in the winter? There’s a ton of activities, culture and sports to enjoy while you’re in town.

  • Catch a show at the Denver Center for Performing Arts
    • Tina Turner the Musical (Arapahoe Basin will likely have a few runs open at this time-October)
    • Camp Christmas (December)
    • Yippee Ki Yay-A Die Hard Parody (December)
    • Cebollas (January-March)
    • Shrek the Musical (March)
    • MJ (Michael Jackson) (April)
  • Attend the National Western Stock Show
  • Check out the International Ice Sculpture Competition in Breckenridge (one of my favorite winter events)
  • Party at the Frozen Dead Guy Days event in Estes Park

Tip #4 Get Your Gear (Function Always is Better than Fashion) (Amazon)

I’m always amused by some of the gear that I see people wearing during their ski weekends. You can be cute-but function is the most important aspect of getting the right gear for your trip. Not sure what to get? I’ve shared some gear ideas below.

Tip #5 What Type of Fun do You Plan on Having “Aprés Ski”

There’s nothing better than enjoy the aprés ski-the time after you’re done skiing and are relaxing afterwards. For me, the apres ski offerings are a huge part of my ski resort decisions. I ask myself the following:

  • Are there good restaurants in town or at the resort?
  • Are there fun activities such as a tubing hill or mini-roller coaster?
  • Are there happy hours within walking distance of my accommodation? Do they have both regular cocktails and mocktails for those who aren’t drinking alcohol?
  • Will there be bands, festivals or unique winter events while I’m in town? These events will also affect pricing of accommodation so it’s good to be aware of them so that you can attend and for budgeting.
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