I have an important birthday coming up in 2027 and my hope is to leverage this milestone into a group ski trip to Colorado or New England. My preference is for the former, but given the costs involved of flying out west, driving north instead may be more practical.
I think there would be 3-6 of us total with at least three of us coming from the Mid-Atlantic.
Skier profile: 40-50ish y/o dudes who only get out 1-2 annually in Mid-Atlantic. We can hold our own on Eastern hardpack, but anticipate getting lessons for real snow.
Colorado
Fly into Denver on a Sunday or Monday
Rent a car that can carry 4 people, plus luggage. I think we'd rent skis in Colorado.
Stay in Denver area the first night - get a little acclimated to altitude
Travel to resort area - would likely stay off mountain, probably two to a room
2 - 3 days on the mountain
I think we'd probably get season passes since lift tickets are so expensive, but open to other ideas.
Distance from Denver isn't primary consideration, but going all the way to Steamboat might be too far.
What's a ballpark figure per person to make this happen?
New England
If Colorado is cost-prohibitive for the group, I think pivoting to Vermont is likely. Maine or NH would be under consideration as well.
We'd likely drive up and consider renting skis to take with us, rather than get them in Vermont if it's cheaper.
Same general idea, stay off the mountain, 2 to a room.
Probably not take lessons.
No car rental.
How much less expensive would New England be?
We did something fairly similar last year to Vail / Beaver Creek. We opted to fly into Eagle Pass to avoid road closures and rent a car.
Sat - travel day
Sun - Vail
Mon - BC
Tue - Vail
Wed - travel day
I think I spent about 1500 without lift tickets ( I had an Epic Pass last season)
Lodging was about 600 per person for 4 nts.
Flights were around 480 with bags. United from PIT connect in DEN.
The rest was food/beverages, Uber and airport parking.
There was a FREE shuttle but IMO it was a pain in the ass so we used Uber.
That was our 4th trip to Summit Co and it seems to get more expensive each time. Our gang jokes that the days of 100 per night for lodging are long gone. 150 per night was a stretch and a shuttle / uber from the lifts.
wfyurasko wrote:
Neither, though would likely get one of them.
Epic Pass prices go up after Nov. 16. That includes the Epic Day Pass, which makes the most sense for just one trip.
Makes little sense to get a season pass for one trip to Colorado. Might be worth checking the lift ticket prices for Loveland. Might be multi-day tickets for Winter Park or Copper. But those may have gone off-sale in October.
Epic and Ikon go off sale in early December.
Does Loveland sell the 4-pack all season? Or only until some time in Nov/Dec?
Senior rates start Dec. 15. That could work for me and my ski buddy when we are staying in Dillon to use Ikon that week. We'll be warming up the week before during what has become an annual week staying in South Fork to ski Wolf Creek. Depending on snowfall between now and then, might be worth buying a senior ticket for Loveland after we check out what Copper and ABasin have to offer. Have only skied Loveland one day a while back. Luckily it was a powder day so I and my crew had a good time exploring. Definitely a low snow start to the 2025-26 season in Colorado.
When the Ski Divas did their annual gathering at Steamboat a few years ago, a storm rolled in towards the end of the week. Most of the people who flew into Hayden got out the day they had a flight booked. But two who were flying east had to get a motel room for the night. One way headed to Chicago and the other to Boston. It is nice not to need a rental car. The shuttle ride from the airport is well under an hour as I remember.
pagamony wrote:
This is one of my favorite topics. Personally I love Colorado trips unless you have connections and history in New England or known bad altitude issues. I find that travel is actually easier, conditions more reliable and of course the mountain is bigger. Denver direct from DC area airports is only about 3 hours which gives you a lot of freedom on slow rolling on the way to your destination or charging to the mountain for afternoon ski. If you can fly into Eagle County or Steamboat (Yampa) reasonably that is great, but I find it less reliable than flying into Denver where you might have to transfer planes anyway.
If you do go to Denver, Frisco is close and a great place to stay and the area has good buses but can require a transfer. Mid week parking should be ok at most places though in particular Copper mtn is nearby with great free parking. Single mountain ski areas like Winter Park and Vail have great bus systems (BC is near Vail but required a bus transfer). Always check potential rentals for proximity to bus lines, I don't want to walk a long distance to a stop.
The wildcard out there will be lift ticket prices, so start pricing TODAY. Sometimes the advance sale midweek '4 pack' at a ski area will be .. ok terrible ... but as good as it gets. And if you plan on driving everyday anyway, another vote for Loveland.
PS: If the weather is good I think Steamboat is a very beautiful and pleasant drive from Denver :-)
New England resorts are running assorted specials for another few weeks. Usually start marketing in September for an upcoming season. Some have lodging packages with lift tickets. I know Jay has offers for their ski in/out hotels that include lift tickets. In fact, if have an Indy Pass and don't need lift ticket than have to call to make a discounted reservation.
Just spent a couple days at Snowbound Expo in Boston. The resort section has been growing in the last few years. Boyne Resorts had deals for all of their resorts: Loon in NH, Sunday River and Sugarloaf in Maine. Been interesting to see more international destinations from Europe and Japan. Took a while for the current event company to get established since they are based in the UK. Next fall Snowbound Expo will be at Mohegan Sun in CT.
The cheapest level of Epic day passes doesn't include any CO resorts but includes the following NE resorts
If you get the next level up, it includes the following in CO and NE (and NY)
You have to shell out for the top price pass if you want Vail, Beaver Creek, or Breck. All of these passes also include all of the local mid-Atlantic Epic resorts if you want to also get some local days in.
wfyurasko wrote:
Neither, though would likely get one of them.
pagamony wrote:
@wfyurasko -- I just realized you are asking about 2027. Holy stuff. I have never dreamed of planning that far ahead, too much can go sideways in this house :) You have puh lenty of of time. The season passes will go on sale next March-ish and you have a 2 month window to get the best deals. For the really cheap on Colorado, the epic combo of keystone and crested butte is hard to beat, nothing like it on Ikon which I would other wise prefer. The alternative passes will also go on sale but will actually sell out, imo. Either way that is the time to strike.
For Europe, I'm researching and thinking about options for 2028. ;-) Just picking WHERE to go will take quite a while since I want to go with a few friends and my usual ski buddies aren't interested in flying across the Atlantic.
OP's trip is pretty short, only 2-3 ski days. CB is hard to get to unless flying in or out of Gunnison, which would not be a budget-style trip if trying to combine with Keystone. Keystone and Breck during the same trip would make more sense. Could stay in Frisco or Dillon or even find a reasonably priced condo at Keystone that sleeps 4.
While CB would be great for a 1-resort trip, it's not as reliable from a snow conditions standpoint. Keystone/Breck and Vail/BC are more likely to be fun even during a low snow or low visibility week that's picked months in advance.
My friend from DC who is a bachelor opted to buy a condo at Keystone. He can do WFH enough to spend 1-3 weeks at the condo more than once during ski season. He likes Vail but obviously if the roads are nuts on the weekend, he can be happy just skiing Keystone.
marzNC wrote:
OP's trip is pretty short, only 2-3 ski days. CB is hard to get to unless flying in or out of Gunnison, which would not be a budget-style trip if trying to combine with Keystone. Keystone and Breck during the same trip would make more sense. Could stay in Frisco or Dillon or even find a reasonably priced condo at Keystone that sleeps 4.
While CB would be great for a 1-resort trip, it's not as reliable from a snow conditions standpoint. Keystone/Breck and Vail/BC are more likely to be fun even during a low snow or low visibility week that's picked months in advance.
Sure, but that's the way Epic sells the pass -- keystone + cb = cheap. You don't have to go to both. Its just offseason rumination, 2027 is a ways out. Time for a few recon trips and time to talk oneself into a longer trip for a lifetime mileston !!!!!!
pagamony wrote:
marzNC wrote:
OP's trip is pretty short, only 2-3 ski days. CB is hard to get to unless flying in or out of Gunnison, which would not be a budget-style trip if trying to combine with Keystone. Keystone and Breck during the same trip would make more sense. Could stay in Frisco or Dillon or even find a reasonably priced condo at Keystone that sleeps 4.
While CB would be great for a 1-resort trip, it's not as reliable from a snow conditions standpoint. Keystone/Breck and Vail/BC are more likely to be fun even during a low snow or low visibility week that's picked months in advance.
Sure, but that's the way Epic sells the pass -- keystone + cb = cheap. You don't have to go to both. Its just offseason rumination, 2027 is a ways out. Time for a few recon trips and time to talk oneself into a longer trip for a lifetime mileston !!!!!!
Ohhh . . . the pass called Keystone Plus than includes 5 days at CB. There are so many variations for Epic passes in Colorado and Tahoe that it's hard to remember them. Especially since they aren't relevant to the way I plan trips.
Have only had Epic Local once. That was for a CB trip for 5 days of skiing. I added a couple days at Vail and one at Beaver Creek in December after I drove to CO to ski Wolf Creek to meet up with friends for a week. Buying earlier, the per day cost came out decent. I had skied Heavenly and Northstar long before Vail Resorts expanded outside of CO.
Ikon is more useful than Epic for me because I like the Ikon resorts more (Alta, Taos, Big Sky, Steamboat, etc.). Haven't skied much at Steamboat, Copper, ABasin, or Winter Park yet but have enjoyed checking them out in recent years. Would be happy spending a week or two based at Steamboat or Winter Park. Wasn't skiing in Colorado when I only had time for 5-6 days of skiing per trip because of the high altitude. Sleeping over 9000 ft starting the first night after flying to Denver is tough.
Questions that need to be considered before a cost estimate can be made:
Can assume is travel to the destination is going to take a full day, whether driving to the northeast or flying to Colorado.
While it's worth checking flight schedules and prices for 2026, there is no guarantee that they will apply to the same timeframe in 2027. Snow conditions impact pricing to major airports close to destination resorts. There are times when a flight on a schedule in June or July gets eliminated by September. If the people in a "crew" are on different airlines, can get more complicated to meet up at the destination airport. Someone might need to fly in the day before and stay an airport motel to make the rest of the schedule work.
JimK wrote:
I guess the biggest price difference between VT and CO would be the airfare, which could be about $300-400 each from Wash DC airports. Since you have a group you could split car rental costs in CO to keep those to about $400-500 total for a Sunday to Thursday trip in Feb 2027, or about $100 each, split among four people. Food and motel costs maybe fairly similar between CO and VT.
Also depends on whether or not the idea is to drive straight through in a day to VT. Might be harder for Maine. Meaning that the only lodging cost is at the destination. Certainly can be done with multiple drivers.
Car rental prices these days are dynamic. Can vary quite a bit. Best to have a rental booking as a backup while checking prices during the months before the trip starts. Fair to say that winter weather and snow depth is a factor for how high or low rental car prices are during mid-season.
Turo for car rental can work well. As with booking VRBO/AirBnB, pays to ask plenty of questions before making a commitment. Difference is that the only way to message the car owner is to book a rental. Then cancel if the car isn't the right fit. A friend of mine wants winter snow tires, not all-weather tires. She's willing to deal with several possibilities until she finds what she wants. I book an AWD SUV on Turo for a trip to Taos this winter. At one point the price was going down a bit almost daily. Then it started going up. During a low snow season, a rental car can be half the price mid-season compared to a good snow season.
wfyurasko wrote:
I have an important birthday coming up in 2027 and my hope is to leverage this milestone into a group ski trip to Colorado or New England. My preference is for the former, but given the costs involved of flying out west, driving north instead may be more practical.
I think there would be 3-6 of us total with at least three of us coming from the Mid-Atlantic.
Skier profile: 40-50ish y/o dudes who only get out 1-2 annually in Mid-Atlantic. We can hold our own on Eastern hardpack, but anticipate getting lessons for real snow.
Colorado
Fly into Denver on a Sunday or Monday
Rent a car that can carry 4 people, plus luggage. I think we'd rent skis in Colorado.
Stay in Denver area the first night - get a little acclimated to altitude
Travel to resort area - would likely stay off mountain, probably two to a room
2 - 3 days on the mountain
I think we'd probably get season passes since lift tickets are so expensive, but open to other ideas.
Distance from Denver isn't primary consideration, but going all the way to Steamboat might be too far.
What's a ballpark figure per person to make this happen?
New England
If Colorado is cost-prohibitive for the group, I think pivoting to Vermont is likely. Maine or NH would be under consideration as well.
We'd likely drive up and consider renting skis to take with us, rather than get them in Vermont if it's cheaper.
Same general idea, stay off the mountain, 2 to a room.
Probably not take lessons.
No car rental.
How much less expensive would New England be?
Very simple question, what’s your budget? What do you consider cost prohibitive?
Next question, what is the most important aspect of this trip? Hanging out in a scenic location, seeing and doing new things, just getting a break from the family? Or getting treated with restaurant cooking, hot tubs, etc. away from daily life?
Has anyone in your group ever been at altitude?
I need to tread very delicately on this, but if your crew gets out 1-2 times a year skiing and will be renting equipment , you are what the sport needs, but are not as committed as a lot of other posters. So, I think the advice of peeps who ski 30-70+ times a year may not fit what you are looking for. Something to consider.
I personally find renting a car to be equivalent to having a colonoscopy. Whether on a ski trip or not. I much rather drive 8 hours in my own car, if I can time the drive to avoid weather and traffic. But I’ve had long drives in bad weather that matched a colonoscopy. YMMV. As posted earlier, rental car costs are very dynamic, and can often be the most expensive part of a trip. I’ve been bitten by them in the past.
I'm appreciating all the feedback - keep it coming!
My budget is ideally under $1500 - though I could see going up to $2000. Maybe I'm kidding myself here. Other people's budgets? That's the biggest variable.
I am inclined to go on a non-holiday week, probably after Presidents Day.
A "warm-up" day at a Mid-Atlantic high is likely as well. I'm not as committed as other posters (not for a lack of interest), as you said, though I own my own boots. I was going to get my own skis, but didn't pull the trigger before buying a house first. Oops. I'm sure I'd get rentals either way, something more appropriate for the conditions.
As for the people joining, I expect them to fly out of the DC area with me. One would be coming from Costa Rica first.
I just looked at Loveland and Breckenridge trail maps - either would be amazing for those of us used to the East. I think I could handle 3 straight days at either without getting bored. Breck though, that looks really good. Staying out of town might not be a problem either, I think we'd be able to find a designated driver easily. Though, I doubt I'll overdue it.
Skiing with the fellas is the important part and that would be amazing escapism from real life. I'm not opposed to fine dining and at I'd like to spent an evening in the lodge, but the skiing is the important part. When I have my "big" annual trip, my buddy and I brown bag it from Sheetz. I'm just as happy to get a good meal in the Denver the day we arrive than worry about something whatever town we're skiing near.
JohnL wrote:
wfyurasko wrote:
I have an important birthday coming up in 2027 and my hope is to leverage this milestone into a group ski trip to Colorado or New England. My preference is for the former, but given the costs involved of flying out west, driving north instead may be more practical.
I think there would be 3-6 of us total with at least three of us coming from the Mid-Atlantic.
Skier profile: 40-50ish y/o dudes who only get out 1-2 annually in Mid-Atlantic. We can hold our own on Eastern hardpack, but anticipate getting lessons for real snow.
Colorado
Fly into Denver on a Sunday or Monday
Rent a car that can carry 4 people, plus luggage. I think we'd rent skis in Colorado.
Stay in Denver area the first night - get a little acclimated to altitude
Travel to resort area - would likely stay off mountain, probably two to a room
2 - 3 days on the mountain
I think we'd probably get season passes since lift tickets are so expensive, but open to other ideas.
Distance from Denver isn't primary consideration, but going all the way to Steamboat might be too far.
What's a ballpark figure per person to make this happen?
New England
If Colorado is cost-prohibitive for the group, I think pivoting to Vermont is likely. Maine or NH would be under consideration as well.
We'd likely drive up and consider renting skis to take with us, rather than get them in Vermont if it's cheaper.
Same general idea, stay off the mountain, 2 to a room.
Probably not take lessons.
No car rental.
How much less expensive would New England be?Very simple question, what’s your budget? What do you consider cost prohibitive?
Next question, what is the most important aspect of this trip? Hanging out in a scenic location, seeing and doing new things, just getting a break from the family? Or getting treated with restaurant cooking, hot tubs, etc. away from daily life?
Has anyone in your group ever been at altitude?
I need to tread very delicately on this, but if your crew gets out 1-2 times a year skiing and will be renting equipment , you are what the sport needs, but are not as committed as a lot of other posters. So, I think the advice of peeps who ski 30-70+ times a year may not fit what you are looking for. Something to consider.
I personally find renting a car to be equivalent to having a colonoscopy. Whether on a ski trip or not. I much rather drive 8 hours in my own car, if I can time the drive to avoid weather and traffic. But I’ve had long drives in bad weather that matched a colonoscopy. YMMV. As posted earlier, rental car costs are very dynamic, and can often be the most expensive part of a trip. I’ve been bitten by them in the past.
wfyurasko wrote:
I'm appreciating all the feedback - keep it coming!
My budget is ideally under $1500 - though I could see going up to $2000. Maybe I'm kidding myself here. Other people's budgets? That's the biggest variable.
I am inclined to go on a non-holiday week, probably after Presidents Day.
A "warm-up" day at a Mid-Atlantic high is likely as well. I'm not as committed as other posters (not for a lack of interest), as you said, though I own my own boots. I was going to get my own skis, but didn't pull the trigger before buying a house first. Oops. I'm sure I'd get rentals either way, something more appropriate for the conditions.
As for the people joining, I expect them to fly out of the DC area with me. One would be coming from Costa Rica first.
I just looked at Loveland and Breckenridge trail maps - either would be amazing for those of us used to the East. I think I could handle 3 straight days at either without getting bored. Breck though, that looks really good. Staying out of town might not be a problem either, I think we'd be able to find a designated driver easily. Though, I doubt I'll overdue it.
Skiing with the fellas is the important part and that would be amazing escapism from real life. I'm not opposed to fine dining and at I'd like to spent an evening in the lodge, but the skiing is the important part. When I have my "big" annual trip, my buddy and I brown bag it from Sheetz. I'm just as happy to get a good meal in the Denver the day we arrive than worry about something whatever town we're skiing near.JohnL wrote:
wfyurasko wrote:
I have an important birthday coming up in 2027 and my hope is to leverage this milestone into a group ski trip to Colorado or New England. My preference is for the former, but given the costs involved of flying out west, driving north instead may be more practical.
I think there would be 3-6 of us total with at least three of us coming from the Mid-Atlantic.
Skier profile: 40-50ish y/o dudes who only get out 1-2 annually in Mid-Atlantic. We can hold our own on Eastern hardpack, but anticipate getting lessons for real snow.
Colorado
Fly into Denver on a Sunday or Monday
Rent a car that can carry 4 people, plus luggage. I think we'd rent skis in Colorado.
Stay in Denver area the first night - get a little acclimated to altitude
Travel to resort area - would likely stay off mountain, probably two to a room
2 - 3 days on the mountain
I think we'd probably get season passes since lift tickets are so expensive, but open to other ideas.
Distance from Denver isn't primary consideration, but going all the way to Steamboat might be too far.
What's a ballpark figure per person to make this happen?
New England
If Colorado is cost-prohibitive for the group, I think pivoting to Vermont is likely. Maine or NH would be under consideration as well.
We'd likely drive up and consider renting skis to take with us, rather than get them in Vermont if it's cheaper.
Same general idea, stay off the mountain, 2 to a room.
Probably not take lessons.
No car rental.
How much less expensive would New England be?Very simple question, what’s your budget? What do you consider cost prohibitive?
Next question, what is the most important aspect of this trip? Hanging out in a scenic location, seeing and doing new things, just getting a break from the family? Or getting treated with restaurant cooking, hot tubs, etc. away from daily life?
Has anyone in your group ever been at altitude?
I need to tread very delicately on this, but if your crew gets out 1-2 times a year skiing and will be renting equipment , you are what the sport needs, but are not as committed as a lot of other posters. So, I think the advice of peeps who ski 30-70+ times a year may not fit what you are looking for. Something to consider.
I personally find renting a car to be equivalent to having a colonoscopy. Whether on a ski trip or not. I much rather drive 8 hours in my own car, if I can time the drive to avoid weather and traffic. But I’ve had long drives in bad weather that matched a colonoscopy. YMMV. As posted earlier, rental car costs are very dynamic, and can often be the most expensive part of a trip. I’ve been bitten by them in the past.
Definitely consider the altitude affect.
Also look at Epic day passes, May save you money vs a full pass.
You absolutely can’t go wrong with Breck. Tons of terrain and great ski town. I would also look seriously at Keystone and Copper. Ikkon for Copper.
Loveland is great, but a commuter area. And on low viz days, your terrain choices are limited. I would stay in Silverthorne.
For scenic budget skiing, I would also look at Cooper. Danger Will Robinson, Leadville is at 10.5k, so altitude is a huge factor. But, all of Summit County means sleeping at 8-9k. Which can be a chore.
‘Why are you not considering Salt Lake City?
wfyurasko wrote:
Skiing with the fellas is the important part and that would be amazing escapism from real life. I'm not opposed to fine dining and at I'd like to spent an evening in the lodge, but the skiing is the important part. When I have my "big" annual trip, my buddy and I brown bag it from Sheetz. I'm just as happy to get a good meal in the Denver the day we arrive than worry about something whatever town we're skiing near.
JohnL wrote:
wfyurasko wrote:
I have an important birthday coming up in 2027 and my hope is to leverage this milestone into a group ski trip to Colorado or New England. My preference is for the former, but given the costs involved of flying out west, driving north instead may be more practical.
I think there would be 3-6 of us total with at least three of us coming from the Mid-Atlantic.
Skier profile: 40-50ish y/o dudes who only get out 1-2 annually in Mid-Atlantic. We can hold our own on Eastern hardpack, but anticipate getting lessons for real snow.
Colorado
New England
Has anyone in your group ever been at altitude?
I get your vibe. Enjoying good times while skiing with the guys. Under this proposition it really doesn't matter where you end up. Both of your area destinations are solid choices. The most important consideration is who's going with you? You are more than a year out so many things can change in life it's important to get as many commitments and determine where everyone wants and can afford to go.
My first trip to Breck over 3 days many years ago was fun at first but went downhill very fast as altitude sickness hit me hard. I take Diamox now a few days in advance and it works wonders. If your posse hasn't skied or slept at high altitude and finds out they have trouble doing so they will not enjoy your outing at all.
A lot will depend on what you hope to get out of the skiing part of your trip. There are many choices in NE. If you are into long blue cruisers or some bump skiing and maybe get lucky catching a storm with some pow then you can get much of what's in store out west. I remember when I was young those long road trips with friends to NY and points north. They were really fun great memories. The circular bar at Hunter was really happening back in the day.
NE will of course be more cost effective but there is magic out west. Big snows bring a good learning curve to skiing powder. You mentioned maybe taking lessons. Sounds like you have skied enough over the years to navigate hardpack. Are you looking for lessons how to navigate crud, trees or deeper powder? I will always suggest lessons but make sure everyone in the lesson has similar skills or the instructor will spend more time trying to get the least skilled skier up to speed and taking away from what you hope to achieve in the time allotted.
I really enjoy planning out a trip. There are many variables as you know. Get the guys together ask what they can and want to do. That is #1. Make a spreadsheet figure out the costs then present those options to everyone. I thinking this is the big 50?
For advanced planning 1-2 years out, what will take the longest is picking the travel dates that should work for everyone. Doesn't matter if the destination is a ski resort or some international city.
Avoiding holiday weekends is obvious. Going after Pres. Day week makes sense from a snow conditions standpoint too these days. With a low snow start, as is happening for 2025-26, there will be fun to be had in March. March is when colleges and some K-12 schools have spring break. However, unlike Christmas/New Year, the school vacation weeks are spread out. What I didn't know for a ski safari in the northeast a while back is that New England K-12 schools take the entire week off for Winter Break. I was using the Indy Pass so it didn't make that much difference at those resorts. It was busier than I expected at Windham (no longer on Ikon) on Thursday and Plattekill on Friday that week.
Can look at lodging prices for Feb-Mar 2026 now to see what is already booked up and/or which weeks are more expensive. When season passes are still being sold for an upcoming season, can take a look at which dates are blacked out for "value" passes. For example, there is always one week in March when Taos is overrun with folks from Texas (many drive). Always in the first half of March but the exact week shifts from year to year. I would guess that's true for Colorado destination resorts as well.
People drive to ski in Colorado from TX, OK, and even the midwest cities such as Chicago. My brother-in-law and the father of his son's best friend made the drive straight through several times when the boys were in high school. Once they were in college, the boys drove without the fathers with other friends once or twice because they were too young to fly to Denver and rent a car. My BIL was an adventurous intermediate who skied under 10 days a season when he was working full-time. Now retired, still only takes a couple ski trips a season for assorted reasons.
For what it's worth, I avoided skiing in Colorado for quite a while because of the higher altitude for lodging. I can easily handle going straight to 7000 ft for Taos or 8000 ft for Alta Lodge. Sleeping at over 9000 ft for a short trip wasn't worth it for me when I was either working or had a kid in K-12. Confirmed the impact of higher altitude for my first trip to Aspen, which included a day at ABasin on the way from Denver. My husband had a conference in Denver, so I'd slept at 5500 ft for 5 nights before my ski buddy from Albuquerque picked me up. JimK happened to be around and gave us a nice tour of ABasin the first morning. Between not being a solid advanced skier yet and the altitude, it was tough to keep going. That was late March. We got a powder day at Snowmass, a freeze/thaw day at Ajax, and it was too warm to keep skiing after lunch at Highlands. Didn't matter to me because I learned what I wanted to know. The next season I planned a trip to Aspen mid-season. Afterwards we drove to Alta Lodge for our usual late season stay.
Staying overnight on the west side of Denver the first night can help with altitude adjustment. Pays to learn when is the best time to make the drive on I-70 to the ski resorts. Also plan enough time to get back to Denver airport, just in case a snowstorm shows up that week.
For a group lesson at any level, Winter Park may be worth considering. The Level 3 instructor I know moved out to Colorado after getting the hankering to become a ski instructor when skiing at Windham. He moved from NYC and passed the L3 exams in 5-6 years. Helped that he could do WFH even before the pandemic. His specialty is teaching the Black or Double-Black group lessons. He rarely has more than 1-2 students.
WP is on Ikon. Although the Ikon Session Pass isn't as good a deal on a daily basis compared to the Epic Day Pass, might be worth considering for a trip during a season when the only time an Ikon Base pass would get used is for a trip out west.
If getting Ikon Base for 5 days of skiing, be sure to double-check that the resort of interest is on the pass. A few of the independent resorts required Full Ikon. In particular, Alta and Jackson Hole.
When semi-private lessons for 2-4 people are of interest, it's worth comparing the ski school prices for a destination resort (Ikon/Epic/MC) with lesson prices for a 2nd tier resort in the same area. Some ski schools have one price for 1-5 students, some have a lower entry price for a solo lesson and an add-on charge for additional students. For example, when I fly to Bozeman, I ski at Big Sky more but also ski a few days at Bridger and take a lesson there. The first lesson with was back in 2012 with RB, based on a knowledgeable recommendation. He's semi-retired now but still available for private lessons with advanced planning.
I've been doing semi-private lessons with PSIA Level 3 instructors regularly in the last decade. I've been able to get recommendations well beforehand. What I've learned is that very experienced instructors can make a lesson for friends who aren't quite at the same ability level feel like everyone is having a solo private lesson. With the advantage of observing how a friend is . . . or is not . . . able to process what the instructor is trying to teach. So not only is a semi-private lesson less expensive per person, I tend to learn more than in a solo private lesson.
Just noticed another good four-pack ticket deal, $289 for Jay Peak, VT. Like Loveland's, these are fully transferrable, but must be purchased early. Believe deadline for 25-26 is Dec 1. See HERE for details. Presumably, they'd have a similar offer in the Fall of 2026.
Jay is a good mtn in far northern VT, could keep you entertained for three days of skiing. Known for some of the best snow conditions in New England. If four guys went on trip you'd need only three four-packs to cover everyone. You could stay slopeside at Jay if budget allows, otherwise you'd have to research other inns/motels/B&B in the area, which is somewhat sparsely populated.
Jay has received a bunch of snow this month Nov 2025, and expects very good skiing during this Thanksgiving period!
Maybe William should do a scouting trip this winter for research for 2027 :-)
For a 1-week trip to ski at a destination resort in Colorado, perhaps considering the Mountain Collective pass to ski the Aspen mountains makes sense. There are budget accommodation options in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. Midweek, non-holiday, the drive isn't that bad. Can either drive to one of the mountains and park, or drive to the big shuttle lot and hop a bus. When I went to Snowmass with a few friends, we stayed at a gorgeous house overlooking Carbondale. For Snowmass, we parked for free as a carpool at the secondary base at Two Creeks.
Buying the MC pass during the Early Bird period (before May) means that 3 days could be covered for Aspen. Can choose a pre-selected resort for a Bonus Day. Additional days are 50% off. In theory, someone in DC could use the MC for 4-5 days at Aspen. Then perhaps squeeze in a weekend in Lake Placid to ski Whiteface.
Snowmass is big enough by itself for a short trip. It has terrain for all ability levels. The short hike for Long Shot is worth the effort. The long blue trail down should be fine for people who like mid-Atlantic black terrain if tree skiing isn't of interest. With blue skies, worth taking the gondola from the center of the town of Aspen for the view. For powder novices, if lucky enough to be there a day or two after a powder storm, Buttermilk is the place to go. The powder off the lift that only serves black terrain at Buttermilk lasts more than a day because advanced/expert skiers don't bother to go there. I like Highlands, which is where the local families ski. Highlands has terrain for all ability levels. Enjoying the view of the Maroon Bells peaks from the deck of the ski patrol hut where people get advice about the hike for Highlands Bowl is worthwhile on a clear day.
I pay a a third of that for one day on a Pennsylvania mountain. I just need to get to the point where I can buy in "bulk" to make it affordable. Stranger things have happened, but the near term isn't looking great for that due to "real life" things.
JimK wrote:
Maybe William should do a scouting trip this winter for research for 2027 :-)
Drive to Stratton in southern VT.
Plenty of Mt with varied terrain,
not too hard but not easy either.
S VT is warmer than upper NE,
which can be bitterly cold.
Stratton is an IKON Pass mt. with
other ski resorts in close proximity.
If you don't own skis, then rent them at the resort.
Bringing your own rentals is cumbersome, and
if there's a problem, then you're stuck with a fix
instead of a swap.
Bird Dog wrote:
Drive to Stratton in southern VT.
Plenty of Mt with varied terrain,
not too hard but not easy either.
S VT is warmer than upper NE,
which can be bitterly cold.
Stratton is an IKON Pass mt. with
other ski resorts in close proximity.
How would you compare terrain at Stratton to Mt. Snow? Stratton is owned by Alterra and unlimited on Ikon. Mt. Snow is on Epic so an Epic Day Pass for 3-4 days would work.
I've skied at Stratton a couple times. Liked it. Mostly skied groomers because off-piste was frozen. Never made it to Mt. Snow, partially because the early season day I planned to go the upper mountain lifts were going to be on wind hold.
Here's what I think gets the best skiing for the buck: Fly to Denver, rent a car and split among all friends, stay wherever in some hotel, ski mid week, get day tickets at Arapahoe Basin. If you get good flight prices, then you can hardly do a trip anywhere that's cheaper, and the skiing is about the best. That said, caveats, can you ski tough blue trails happily, can you handle altitude, can you manage driving if there's a snow storm.
Other options are to go in early April where you can get very cheap lodging in various places, and the weather is more comfortable.
wfyurasko wrote:
I have an important birthday coming up in 2027 and my hope is to leverage this milestone into a group ski trip to Colorado or New England. My preference is for the former, but given the costs involved of flying out west, driving north instead may be more practical.
I think there would be 3-6 of us total with at least three of us coming from the Mid-Atlantic.
Skier profile: 40-50ish y/o dudes who only get out 1-2 annually in Mid-Atlantic. We can hold our own on Eastern hardpack, but anticipate getting lessons for real snow.
Colorado
Fly into Denver on a Sunday or Monday
Rent a car that can carry 4 people, plus luggage. I think we'd rent skis in Colorado.
Stay in Denver area the first night - get a little acclimated to altitude
Travel to resort area - would likely stay off mountain, probably two to a room
2 - 3 days on the mountain
I think we'd probably get season passes since lift tickets are so expensive, but open to other ideas.
Distance from Denver isn't primary consideration, but going all the way to Steamboat might be too far.
What's a ballpark figure per person to make this happen?
New England
If Colorado is cost-prohibitive for the group, I think pivoting to Vermont is likely. Maine or NH would be under consideration as well.
We'd likely drive up and consider renting skis to take with us, rather than get them in Vermont if it's cheaper.
Same general idea, stay off the mountain, 2 to a room.
Probably not take lessons.
No car rental.
How much less expensive would New England be?
A Basin is great as long as you can ski it.
It's beautiful there. No frills, just skiing at its best.
Lots of challenging terrain and steep glades.
The greens aren't easy, and the blues are blacks out east....
Loafer and Davis are Difficult blues and the Montezuma Bowl is incredible.
It's on the IKON pass now.
Stay in Dillon, Silverthorne, or Frisco.
I'll be there in April.
I've never skied Mt. Snow.....
My annual April ski trip is to Alta. Meet up with old friends and new starting the week Alta Lodge has spring rates. Almost always catch a snowstorm. Coverage at Alta/Snowbird is usually good well into May. Can use Mountain Collective at the Early Bird price to get 5 days. Two each at Alta and Snowbird, plus pick one resort for the bonus day. Plenty of reasonably priced motel and VRBO/AirBnB options in Sandy/Midvale. My intermediate friends much prefer Alta over Snowbird. Advanced skiers are split in terms of which they prefer. Lower altitude than any of the Colorado mountains. SLC is around 4500 feet.
Many advantages of planning to ski during late season in Colorado (or Utah) from a budget standpoint. Plane fares, lodging, and car rental can be lower. Not as much need to lock in lodging reservations before September. Although good to have backup motel reservations when there are sales in the fall.
That's kind of the big if "if you can ski it"
My left leg started acting up about 3 years ago. I struggled a bit in a Montage night/Elk day in 2023, but was fine last season because I had kept up with exercises I learned in physical therapy. Last season, I was handle the black diamonds at Elk pretty well and no problems at Massanutten. My understanding is something like A Basin is a different sport compared to those places.
I'm intrigued by bowl skiing, having only done so at Blue Knob in 2012 or so. Bowls out west are surely a couple of orders of magnitude more than Stemboggan...
The lack of frills is fine with me - there are probably more frills there than the places I typically ski anyway.
The later season is certainly of interest as well.
Bird Dog wrote:
A Basin is great as long as you can ski it.
It's beautiful there. No frills, just skiing at its best.
Lots of challenging terrain and steep glades.
The greens aren't easy, and the blues are blacks out east....
Loafer and Davis are Difficult blues and the Montezuma Bowl is incredible.
It's on the IKON pass now.
Stay in Dillon, Silverthorne, or Frisco.
I'll be there in April.
I've never skied Mt. Snow.....
JohnL wrote:
‘Why are you not considering Salt Lake City?
William, we are vicariously ski tripping through your query :-)
Just for fun I checked to see how much individual, advance purchase lift tickets are at Brighton ski area, the cheapest ski area close to SLC. The pricing is dynamic, but right now you could purchase three tickets there for Feb 23, 24, 25 2026 for $279. Pretty cheap and ought to be similar for 2027.
Airfare from DC to SLC is typically about $50-100 more than Denver, but SLC has a couple of advantages to make that up. There are tons of relatively cheap motels in suburban SLC that are only 20-30 minutes from Brighton. Possibly under $100 per night, or 50 bucks each split between two guys. Lots of dining choices at all price points. Also, you'd be sleeping at 4500' and skiing at 9 or 10k, which helps avoid alt sickness compared to CO.
Brighton is a fine, scenic ski area with good intermediate terrain and usually excellent snow conditions. Lift ticket prices at Alta, SnowBird or Solitude are ~35-50% more than Brighton, but they are similarly accessible from cheap accoms in SLC. Park City and Deer Valley ticket prices are higher still and about 45-50 mins from SLC.
Last year, end of April, a friend of mine was going to do a ski trip out west for the first time. He was setting up to go to Breckinridge, and I convinced him to go to A basin for one day, and I joined him there. He had a season pass at Wintergreen, but before this year hadn't skied in a long time. He never skis off the groomed and hadn't really skied much other than Wintergreen, and he's around 60. He had a fabulous time at A-basin. It was way better than Breck (probably because of late season). So, if you can ski all the groomed slopes in Virginia, YES, you can have a wonderful time skiing at A-basin. Just check the grooming report and stick to the groomed runs, and it's all good with many incredible skiing options. The blues are basically Virginia/West Virginia black runs that are longer and more sustained, but the snow conditions are so much better that it can be quite a bit easier. There's also some super easy tree skiing to meander through where you can experience some easy skiing that doesn't really exist in Virginia (maybe a little at Timberline). Bowls are neat with the freedom, but there's nothing hard about them, because you can traverse a very long way and kind of get down them with just one super easy long traverse.
When I ask if you can ski it, I'm asking if you can do blues. Because, some resorts out there are outstanding with their greens, just an endless amount, but A-basin really only has like two green runs. So, for example, if the highlands at Wintergreen are too much for you, then you won't have enough options at A-basin, but if you are comfortable getting down any groomed run in Virginia, then you will have a blast at A-basin. A-basin tickets were only $100 in April and not much more even peak season. But, if you want to ski a lot of green runs, then you'll need to pay much more for lift tickets and go someplace else. If all you want is green though, maybe a drive up north is the way to go.
wfyurasko wrote:
That's kind of the big if "if you can ski it"
My left leg started acting up about 3 years ago. I struggled a bit in a Montage night/Elk day in 2023, but was fine last season because I had kept up with exercises I learned in physical therapy. Last season, I was handle the black diamonds at Elk pretty well and no problems at Massanutten. My understanding is something like A Basin is a different sport compared to those places.
I'm intrigued by bowl skiing, having only done so at Blue Knob in 2012 or so. Bowls out west are surely a couple of orders of magnitude more than Stemboggan...
The lack of frills is fine with me - there are probably more frills there than the places I typically ski anyway.
The later season is certainly of interest as well.Bird Dog wrote:
A Basin is great as long as you can ski it.
It's beautiful there. No frills, just skiing at its best.
Lots of challenging terrain and steep glades.
The greens aren't easy, and the blues are blacks out east....
Loafer and Davis are Difficult blues and the Montezuma Bowl is incredible.
It's on the IKON pass now.
Stay in Dillon, Silverthorne, or Frisco.
I'll be there in April.
I've never skied Mt. Snow.....
Grateful Dead vibe right here:
I didn't mention A-Basin earlier because I wasn't sure it would fit your plans. It's one of my favorite mountains in the USA. But it's bada$$, for very challenging terrain it is one of the best in the USA. There is about 4 hours of intermediate fun there, then it's all upper intermediate to expert/extreme skiing, including a month's worth of double diamond skiing. It's very scenic, even compared to other CO ski areas, so I'd recommend everyone check it out for at least a day. Right now you can get three-packs of tickets on the A-Basin website for $269. It's a little smaller in overall acreage than many other major CO ski resorts, but that intimacy can be endearing, esp. on quiet weekdays.
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