After Ullr, the Nordic snow god, has staged the winter magic that makes skiing in the Rockies so great, it’s time to start planning your long-awaited ski or snowboard vacation in Colorado. The Colorado ski season lasts well into April (although some ski resorts get enough spring snow to keep the lifts operating until May), so this season there is still time to explore the slopes.
The state is known for some posh ski resorts where celebrities crawl around Aspen in their fur-lined dresses boots. But there are also ski areas that offer fun ski trips with a more realistic budget.
Planning your ski vacation is all about affordability, from lift tickets to parking, equipment rentals, and hotel stays. Here are some of the cheapest ski Resorts in Colorado as well as some nearby accommodation options.
Editor’s note: COVID-19 logs for ski resorts are current at the time of publication. However, due to the evolution of COVID-19, please check the state and county public health system websites and individual ski resorts for the latest case numbers and guidelines before you travel. You should also keep up to date with any COVID-19 travel restrictions in your home state, city, or district.
Monarch Mountain
A lone skier enjoys an empty ski slope on Monarch Mountain.
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The beauty of skiing Monarch Mountain Here you can trade the hustle and bustle of a busy resort for a seamless skiing experience with wide-open bowls, steep slides, and some beginner-friendly greens. You can park your rental car at the foot of the mountain and walk straight to the lifts, which appeals to anyone who has tried to tow equipment and a ski school child through a snowy abyss.
Monarch is an all natural snow mountain, which means that opening day is determined by mother nature. However, once the powder begins to fall, the area accumulates impressive amounts of snow averaging 350 inches per year. Monarch also has a tubing park with groomed lanes to slide down.
Same day adult tickets start at $ 99. But professional tip: Monarch attracts those who have season tickets for other mountains with a “migration” lift ticket worth 59 US dollars.
Note: Chaffee County, the home of Monarch Mountain, currently recommends the wearing of masks in public and encourages those aged 2 and over in county buildings.
Spend the night near Monarch Mountain
Renovated roadside motels have made a mighty comeback, and there’s no better example than the Instagram-friendly ones Amigo Motor Lodge (Nightly rates start at $ 85). The well-designed Salida Hotel near Monarch Mountain has snappy messages on its street sign, traditional rooms, as well as Airstream stays, plus lots of succulents, rattan rocking chairs, faux fur throws, and southwestern splatters on decorative pillows.
The Amigo Motor Lodge – Booking
hotels.com
Eldora Mountain Resort
Snowboarders ride a ski lift at Eldora Ski Resort near Boulder, Colorado.
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If your vacation isn’t all about skiing, but you want to spend a day or two on the slopes, this is the place to consider Eldoras, which has 680 acres of ski area and is 20 miles outside of Boulder.
A backlit skier flies through the trees in Vail, Colorado.
Rich Crowder / Getty Images
With smaller crowds and less traffic on the way there, Eldora (which opened in November this season) has a relaxed vibe. Advanced skiers can take on a challenge away from the Corona lift, where they are confronted with double black diamonds. As an alternative to skiing, Eldora Nordic Center offers cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, which require separate passes.
Adult tickets start at $ 99. Eldora is on the Ikon Pass.
Note: Boulder County currently has a universal masking policy. this requires people aged 2 and over to wear masks in indoor public spaces. Eldora has one Compulsory vaccination for all employees.
Accommodation near Eldora
Retreat to the nearby boulder and stay at the St. Julien Hotel and Spa (Nightly rates start at $ 395), a hotel just off the Pearl Street pedestrian mall. Treat those leg muscles to some TLC at the spa, which offers a “Colorado Bliss” CBD massage with lavender and sage.
St. Julien Hotel & Spa
tripadvisor.com
Or, for a budget-friendly stay, check in at the Hilton Garden Inn Boulder (nightly rates start at $ 129), which has a boutique atmosphere filled with local art, Boulder-made snacks, and playful pops of color.
Hilton Garden Inn Boulder
hilton.com
Vail ski area
Do Vail and affordable belong in one sentence? Probably not. But the loophole here is if you have one. are Epic pass Holder. This golden ticket gives you year-round access to Vail, the fourth largest ski area in the US and an all-time Colorado classic that is well worth planning a vacation if you come to ski or snowboard. (The Epic Pass costs $ 879 and includes this year’s price reduction of 20%).
Vail has 195 slopes spread over 5,317 acres. Daring powderhounds like the unkempt surprises the Siberia & Mongolia Bowl has to offer, while the Sun Up and Sun Down Bowls offer spectacular views. There’s plenty to discover here, and even Colorado locals feel like Vail, which opened for the 2021-22 season in November, has endless routes to explore.
Note: Eagle County, where Vail is located, has a nationwide indoor masking mandate. Vail ski area requires face covering on gondolas and proof of vaccination is required for visitors aged 12 and over to eat indoors in restaurants on the mountain.
Accommodation in Vail
Book a room for a hygge-meets-luxe stay The Hythe (Nightly rates start at $ 309). The hotel recently unveiled its $ 40 million conversion, and it has warm accents throughout, including custom-made lobby furniture with faux fur throws, woven wool lanterns, and a massive fireplace. But for an après-ski atmosphere, the newly opened Margie’s Haas is served at the table in the hotel Raclette.
The Hythe – Vail
hotels.com
Purgatory Resort
A skier on a ski lift ascending through snow covered pine trees at the Purgatory Resort.
Kara Grubis / Getty Images
Known for its cheap skiing, you can get lift tickets for just $ 39 per day during the preseason during the weekdays Purgatory Resort, which is located in the San Juan Mountains near Durango and opened for the November season. By January, those weekday prices soar to around $ 71, but that’s still a steal.
Purgatory has 1,600 hectares for skiing, several fun parks and lots of fun activities to round off your ski trip. You can ride the Inferno Mountain Coaster, which you control with hand brakes, for either a slow, scenic ride or a fast-paced adventure with an adrenaline rush. The coaster carts can whiz at up to 40 km / h, and the 4,000-foot route has plenty of twists and turns.
Note: While there is no mask mandate, Public Health in the San Juan Basin recommends that people in companies and public interiors wear a mask.
Spend the night near purgatory
There are several places to stay near Durango. the Strater Hotel (Nightly prices start at $ 147) is a restored historic hotel that doubles as a living history museum and tells the area’s mining stories. This downtown Durango location has an old west saloon you can walk up to the bar, plus regular live music to enjoy after you’ve taken off your ski boots for the day.
Historic Strater Hotel
hotels.com
Or that for a contemporary stay Springhill Suites by Marriott (Nightly rates start at $ 87) has spacious suites, an outdoor fire pit, and an indoor pool and hot tub.
Springhill Suites by Marriott Durango
hotels.com
