Colorado EPIC Ski Road Trip

For most people planning to ski more than a few days this year, a season pass is much more cost-effective than buying daily lift tickets. Colorado skiers have two good options available; the Epic pass and the Ikon pass. For this post we will discuss to the Vail Resorts Epic Pass. Although many will ski for a week or two at their favorite resort, having an Epic pass can open up tons of terrain and fun for the adventurous ones. So if you have a pass and the time, why not take a ski road trip?

Depending on the type of skier you are, a road trip just for skiing can go a couple of ways.

Type A - you enjoy sunny days, groomers, and apres the most. For you, the trip can be a little more structured, pick your resorts and route, hit the hill.

Type B - you live for the deep days and will do anything for fresh turns. In this case, you have to be willing to change plans last minute and be ready to hit the road if you see a storm moving in somewhere else. Luckily, the resorts you have access to with the Epic pass are all relatively close so you can bounce around easily.

As you probably already know, winter time in Colorado can be quite cold. For this reason, staying in the hotels is going to be the most comfortable. If you are looking for the true road trip experience, going with the flow, check out outdoorsy.com to find a camper van rigged for winter travel. The true storm chaser would need the freedom and flexibility a van can bring, even though you may be a little colder. Going the hotel route will still require proper transportation, after all it is a road trip. After a little browsing on Turo, you will be sure to find the perfect vehicle.

In this case, you will need an AWD/4x4 SUV with a ski rack or roof box up above. These things are essential for a trip in the mountains, so you won’t have to cram your wet skis in the car and get stuck on the side of the road in a blizzard.

By now you might be getting excited, but wondering where to begin. The easiest place to start your trip is in Denver. Denver International Airport has tons of flights from all over the country, and is a quick drive to the mountains. You will also have plenty of options for rental vehicles as mentioned above. For rental skis/boards, Christy Sports would be a great options. Pick up your rentals at a Christy’s in Denver so you don’t have to worry about it later on. In case something goes wrong with your gear, they will be close by to help with their many locations across the state.

So, you have the 4Runner loaded with your skis, gear, and maybe even a cooler of beer. It’s time to hit i70. Westbound i70 is notorious for traffic, ESPECIALLY Friday - Sunday, avoid these times if you can. Snowstorms can make for a long drive as well. Head west for about 2 hours until you see signs for the little town of Breckenridge.

Breck will be a great place to start because of the excellent terrain options. Maybe you feel a little rusty, there are plenty of greens and blues to warm up on. Keep working your way up the mountain as your confidence, or false sense of confidence, grows. This is one of the best ski areas in my opinion because of the terrain options. The upper mountain has endless bowls, and above tree line skiing. They can even boast the highest ski lift in North America, Imperial Superchair. If you make up Imperial, you may as well hike the extra 30 minutes to get to the top of Peak 8. It’s totally worth it for the views and fresh turns. The lake chutes are an expert skiers dream. Spend a few days here and explore everything Breck has to offer from Peak 6 to Peak 10, theres something for everyone.

Another great thing about this area, is the downtown. Breckenridge is an old mining town so there is a lot of history, including old buildings. Rocky Mountain Underground is a great place to grab a drink after a long day. Flipside offer some excellent burgers and shakes for a casual evening. If you want something a little nicer head to Hearthstone Restaurant or Aurum. Even the finest dining in town is still casual, so jeans and a flannel will be perfectly welcomed. Be sure to check out Broken Compass on Airport road for the best brewery in Breck. They don’t serve food, so bring your own. There are tons of hotels in Breck to meet any budget, but the Gravity Haus will offer the best location to main street and ski lifts, as well as good vibes.

After you have throughly explored Breckenridge, it’s time for the next spot on the trip. Keystone! The Area 51 terrain park is one of the best in the state. It has a wide variety of features from extra small to extra large, making it a great place to progress. After a few too many falls in the super pipe, you may want to explore some more terrain. Keystone’s front side offers good steep runs, but head to the Outback for some exciting stuff. With hike-to terrain, and snow-cat serviced areas, you can get away from the lifts for a bit and get a sidecountry experience. The Outback can be incredible on a good snow day.

You will find a small resort town at the base of Keystone, but you can also head down the road to find more options. The historic Arapahoe Cafe is a great place for a meal, with one of the oldest buildings around. Great cheese steaks as well. While in the area, you must head over to Frisco to grab a beer at Outer Range Brewing. The best beer in the county in my opinion. Frisco has more good food on main street and is conveniently located between Keystone and Breck.

The best part of a road trip is lingering around an area for a few days to really get the feel for it, then heading to the next spot to do it again.

Vail will be the next stop. With 5,317 skiable acres, Vail is nearly twice the size of Breck. Being so big, one can easily get lost here, so plan to stay for awhile. Start out at Gondola One in Vail Village. Explore the frontside, Lionshead, and then the Legendary Back Bowls. Endless terrain. Try out Blue Sky Basin for some cliffs. There is a reason this mountain is known around the world!

Walking through Vail Village to the gondola, you may notice the upscale vibe. Hotels here may be a bit more expensive, though you can get some discounts on Vail owned locations with your EPIC pass. There are also plenty of AirBnB’s in the county, so you can pick one somewhere between Vail and Beaver Creek. If you do go the Vail Village route, it would be a good time to pamper yourself at the spa. Get a massage and soak in the hot tub after all the skiing you have been doing.

I’m sure you will be ready to grab a drink after a long day exploring these hills. Hit happy hour at The George for some great deals or The Red Lion and enjoy the iconic Vail experience. Treat yourself to a nice meal at Mountain Standard, you need the calories. If you are on a budget, not to worry. There is a City Market, Safeway, Subway, and a few other chain restaurants on the north west side of town.

Like Breck and Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek are right next to each other. Beaver Creek offers plenty of groomers and bumps, with some excitement if you go looking. Grouse Mountain offers the advanced skiers plenty of steep runs, while the Red Buffalo area is great for beginners. Aspen groves are plentiful here, so be sure to explore the tree runs. If you want the most extreme you can find, the Stone Creek Chutes are for you. Weekends are a great time to visit, as you will not find the same crowds you would at Vail.

The town of Avon is located at the base of Beaver Creek, which has more restaurants, groceries, and whatever you may need. Vail Brewing Co is conveniently located right between Vail and BC. With great beers and the Rocky Mountain Taco truck, this is a locals favorite. The Craftsman Restaurant in Edwards is also another great option.

So you’ve hit the main slopes along the i70 corridor, now it’s time to get off of the beaten path. To get to Crested Butte, CO you will have to go one of two ways. Either via Tennessee pass, or further west, McClure pass. Both of these routes are serious mountain roads, so hopefully you got that 4x4 I mentioned. Typically, roads in Colorado stay fairly well plowed except for in the case of a huge snowstorm. Whichever way you choose, prepare for a scenic drive.

Once you arrive in the sleepy town of Crested Butte, I am sure you will appreciate the lack of crowds you found at the other destinations. The area has always been great for the feeling of an authentic ski town. It was recently acquired by Vail Resorts, so things could begin to change. It still offers great terrain and steep runs. If you are lucky enough to find good snow coverage, you may even be able to hike up Mt. Crested Butte.

No trip to CB is complete until visiting the downtown and grabbing some mini donuts from Niky’s. Something that I will never turn down is a great pizza, which you can find at the Secret Stash. Bonez restaurant will serve you up so margs and tacos, which is also hard to beat.

Snow, food, and beer are three great things in the winter time. After you have experienced all 3, it’s time to head south. Telluride. This stop is pretty far away, but definitely worth it. Once you make it down to Montrose, you will start to notice the San Juan mountains in the distance. Dramatic and rugged, these mountains where formed much later than the rest of the Rockies, which is why they look so much different.

Nestled in a box canyon, Telluride may be one of the most scenic towns in CO. Not many places only have one way in and one way out. You will feel like you are in the wild west as you walk the streets, it’s hard not to fall in love. Hopping on the gondola from town, you can access this incredible ski area, with no lift lines. Hike Palmyra Peak to find steep runs and have a ball. Drop some cliffs and soak up the solitude. You may even run into a local that will show you some stashes.

For your true wild west experience, find a stool at the Last Dollar Saloon. Drink a cold one and celebrate your epic ski trip of a lifetime.

BONUS

If you’ve got more time, and your legs aren’t quite destroyed, head on to Park City, UT. After all, they claim to have the best snow on earth, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on that. Now that Park City and Canyons have combined, this is now the largest ski area in the US, second largest in North America. With endless runs and 3.2% beers, this would make an excellent side trip to get the most out of your EPIC pass. If you are lucky you may even catch a show at Park City Live.