Lodging, non-skiing things to do, places to eat, other. Consider grandparents (can ski), 30-ish son (intermediate) & wife (raw novice), 1yr old.
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Breckinridge, While convenient to Denver and generally getting more snow than other CO resorts because of altitude, but the altitude can cause problems with the elderly.Lodging, non-skiing things to do, places to eat, other. Consider grandparents (can ski), 30-ish son (intermediate) & wife (raw novice), 1yr old.
I was just in Summit County with my family over the holidays, and we stayed in Silverthorne (near Keystone ski resort). We did a VRBO that worked out fine for us--I tend to like to stay in houses rather than in condos, as we had several cars to deal with off and on during the week.
Non-skiing things to do? Well, Frisco has a great nordic center, and we did some snowshoeing, which was a lot of fun. Great views from that nordic center as well. They also have a nice tubing hill for non-skiers. Also, Vail is about 40 minutes away on I-70. You could take the women in your group there and enjoy the day in town. As an added treat, make a reservation for the 10th Restaurant, which is at the top of the gondola at Vail. The restaurant is about 100 yards from the gondola at the top of the mountain.
Places to eat? Nothing is too fancy around there, but we had our best luck in Frisco. Silverheels was a great place to grab a drink, and they had live music in the evenings. We also had a good dinner at the Blue Spruce Inn. The Mint in Sliverthorne is one of those places where you grill your own steak, if you enjoy that sort of place. There are also a few breweries in the area, including the Breckenridge Brewery and the Dillon Dam Brewery. They tend to fill up fast, but they have good beer and good eats.
Have a great trip!
Breckinridge, While convenient to Denver and generally getting more snow than other CO resorts because of altitude, but the altitude can cause problems with the elderly.
IMHO, There are better, less crowded lower altitude places to go skiing in CO.
So far this season, if you're interested in going to CO, the farther west you go the better...El Nino has dumped a lot of snow on the San Juan Mtns.
Skiing in CO during peak season generally comes down to budget....
Go down the road to Arapaho Basin. Too many East Coast asshole tourists go to Summit County.
Lodging, non-skiing things to do, places to eat, other. Consider grandparents (can ski), 30-ish son (intermediate) & wife (raw novice), 1yr old.
That does it. I'm telling every A-hole I know to go skiing at Arapaho Basin. Thanks for the information and since I know a bunch of A-holes it'll be crowded this season no doubt.Do not go to Arapaho Basin. It's expert skiing only. An average of 38 people die each year trying to ski A-Basin, many of them lost and never to be heard from again. I repeat, stay away from A-Basin. And tell your friends and family to stay away from A-Basin. And on your plane ride out to CO, be sure to tell anyone that will listen why they should stay away from A-Basin. Stick to the Brecks and Vails of the world. Stay alive!
Do not go to Arapaho Basin. It's expert skiing only. An average of 38 people die each year trying to ski A-Basin, many of them lost and never to be heard from again. I repeat, stay away from A-Basin. And tell your friends and family to stay away from A-Basin. And on your plane ride out to CO, be sure to tell anyone that will listen why they should stay away from A-Basin. Stick to the Brecks and Vails of the world. Stay alive!
Lodging, non-skiing things to do, places to eat, other. Consider grandparents (can ski), 30-ish son (intermediate) & wife (raw novice), 1yr old.
I've skied breck and it's a great mountain, but it's geared toward the younger (under 35) crowd. Lots of drinking and shenanigans going on compared to what you are looking for with family. Avoid A Basin bc it is a very technical mountain. I would try Cooper or Keystone.
Know the advanced guys will hate me for this. but I like the big tourist mountains, there's plenty of trails that are fun whether your group has beginner, intermediate or advanced. I don't ski as often anymore, so I have to hit the lower slopes first to warm up my skiing before I work my way to the top. But once you get to the top, you say wow, this is just awesome.
Vail is expensive but, man, does it have a lot of terrain. Really good skiing there.That's easy.... V A I L
"Like nothing on earth"
Vail is expensive but, man, does it have a lot of terrain. Really good skiing there.
Thanks for your thoughts and the offer. Based on research I had already done, I narrowed in on Peak 9 lodging for the very reasons you give. While not my first choice, cost and other factors led me to reserve a two BR unit with W&D in Powderhorn Condos on Columbine Rd. Walkable to lift and town. Any thoughts on that lodging? In my younger days, I was an avid skier, and went West every winter. I'm familiar with virtually every area mentioned by the various posters, but most of their suggestions for planning the trip to those resorts do not apply to these grandparents taking young parents with toddler. This will be a gentle on-snow vacation with some skiing and tubing thrown in. I used to maybe do some partyin in the evening, get up early enough to hit the lift when it opened, and ski like hell until the lifts closed, go out to eat, and start the cycle over again. No days of rest. My only concern now with Breck is possible effects of altitude. It was never a problem decades ago, but I'm soon 71. So, we plan a first full day to acclimate, and I'm starting to drink lots of water thanks to one poster's suggestion.Given your group, I'd look to stay at the base of Peak 9. 9 has a lot of green terrain with easy access to more advanced terrain. There are a ton of places there and you could walk into town. I've stayed at Main Street station which has great access to the slopes and town. you could also look at peak 8 as it has a little green and again, easy access to more advanced terrain. Problem with peak 8 is it has limited lodging options and you are a shuttle or car ride into town. I've stayed at one ski hill place on 8. It is pricy but a very nice property. Peak 7 has exclusively blue terrain and access to more advanced terrain. Watch out for the time share folks on 7. They will suck you in with lodging discounts and try to sell you a place the whole time you are there.
The town is great. Michael's for Italian is good. Try the fennel and sausage pasta.
For a great burger at a better price, hit Ollie's.
I don't know of many options for the 1 year old except for tubing in Frisco.
I go to Breck at least twice a season and in the summer and would be glad to answer any more specific questions. I've also spent a lot of time at Vail, Beaver Creek and Keystone if you want info about them.
I don't know anyone who has stayed at the powderhorn. Having a W&D will come in handy.Thanks for your thoughts and the offer. Based on research I had already done, I narrowed in on Peak 9 lodging for the very reasons you give. While not my first choice, cost and other factors led me to reserve a two BR unit with W&D in Powderhorn Condos on Columbine Rd. Walkable to lift and town. Any thoughts on that lodging? In my younger days, I was an avid skier, and went West every winter. I'm familiar with virtually every area mentioned by the various posters, but most of their suggestions for planning the trip to those resorts do not apply to these grandparents taking young parents with toddler. This will be a gentle on-snow vacation with some skiing and tubing thrown in. I used to maybe do some partyin in the evening, get up early enough to hit the lift when it opened, and ski like hell until the lifts closed, go out to eat, and start the cycle over again. No days of rest. My only concern now with Breck is possible effects of altitude. It was never a problem decades ago, but I'm soon 71. So, we plan a first full day to acclimate, and I'm starting to drink lots of water thanks to one poster's suggestion.