COME TO LIFE / America’s Best Skiing ® 12 LOVELAND SKI AREA One of Loveland’s favorite things to brag about is that it averages nearly 400 inches of snow each season, more than any other Front Range ski area. This bounty means you’re more likely to find untracked snow even days after a storm. 13 MONARCH MOUNTAIN Perched atop the Conti-nental Divide, Monarch is one of the best spots for fresh powder. A short walk from the parking lot to the lifts, roomy slopes and laid-back attitudes make it a hit with families. Ride to the top of the Panora-ma Lift for 360-degree views of the divide. 14 POWDERHORN RESORT This resort near Grand Junction has one of the Rawlins most unique views in Colorado’s ski country. Located on the Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world, Wy oming skiers and riders will see something more like the 287 Grand Canyon than the typical alpine view. 15 PURGATORY RESORT Purgatory’s unintimidating slopes, Old West fun park and Pitchfork Terrain Garden beginners’ park are a few things that make it a hit with families in Durango. Within its boundaries are 88 trails, five terrain parks, a racing course and 35,000 acres of snowcat playland. 16 SILVERTON MOUNTAIN As Silverton’s motto proclaims, this southwest Colorado ski area is “All thrills, no frills.” Colorado’s highest and steepest ski mountain serves up un-groomed, no-easy-way-down expert terrain for those who prefer skiing the old-school way. 17 SKI COOPER The former training site in Leadville for the 10th Mountain Division, the legendary World War II ski troops, has sweeping runs that follow some of the same paths used by 30 130 130 230 230 230 the soldiers who skied Europe’s mountain battle-fields. Today, it’s popular with families looking for a cheerful and low-stress ski holiday. 18 SKI GRANBY RANCH Ski Granby Ranch’s fun lesson programs, easy pace and affordable prices make it a long-time family favorite. There’s no better place to wind down at the end of the day than the fire pit at the base of the mountain, where the hot cocoa flows while you recount the day’s snowy triumphs. 19 SNOWMASS The mountain itself is enormous. Snowmass trumpets that 36 Disney-lands could fit within its boundaries. At 4,406 feet, “Snowmassive” also has one of the highest vertical rise of any ski area in the country, and one of the longest runs — 5.3 miles of peaceful schussing before Laramie you even have to think Cheyenne about the lift line. 25 edented 12 straight years, it has been the home of ESPN’s Winter X Games. 7 COPPER MOUNTAIN Skiers and riders love to tout Copper’s perfect layout. Mother Nature arranged its slopes quite adeptly: Beginner, intermediate and expert runs are each clustered with like-leveled terrain, ensuring beginners won’t make a surprise trip down a too-steep run. 8 CRESTED BUTTE MOUNTAIN RESORT Crested Butte has it all: wide-open green and blue trails, expert bowls, plenty of unexplored lines and uncrowded slopes. One thing to really take advantage of is the CB Backcountry Guide, where pros show you how to navigate untouched powder safely. 9 ELDORA MOUNTAIN RESORT Proximity to Boulder and Denver is one of the rea-sons Eldora is known as a “locals’ mountain.” Terrain to keep the whole family busy all day doesn’t hurt, and neither does nearly 25 miles of cross-country and snowshoe trails steps from the downhill ski area. 10 HOWELSEN HILL SKI AREA Howelsen’s pedigree is well established. Open since 1915 in Steamboat, it’s the state’s oldest ski area, has the largest natu-Green River ral ski-jumping complex in North America and has long been a training ground for Olympic skiers. Manila It’s also one of a few resorts to offer night skiing. 80 191 26 85 Scotts Bluff NM 80 Gering Harr THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: COPPER MOUNTAIN/TRIPP FAY; TELLURIDE, MILES/MATT INDEN. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP: CAT SKIING ON MOLAS PASS NEAR SILVERTON, KENNAN HARVEY; BUTTERMILK MOUNTAIN IN ASPEN, C2 PHOTOGRAPHY. 789 80 Ki 30 80 70 N e 11 KEYSTONE Keystone boasts three Vernal mountains full of bowls, steeps, trails, lift-served tubing and one of the longest ski days — watch the sun set at 11,000 feet and ski into the night. The resort’s daily Kidtopia programs range from snowball launches U tah to night-sky exploration. 40 Fort Collins Hayden Steamboat Springs 34 36 HOWELSEN HILL SKI AREA STEAMBOAT 25 85 34 SKI GRANBY RANCH 40 76 Fort Mo 287 Boulder ELDORA MOUNTAIN RESORT 70 76 WINTER PARK 36 70 Edwards Avon COPPER MOUNTAIN RESORT 70 LOVELAND SKI AREA ARAPAHOE BASIN 285 KEYSTONE RESORT BRECKENRIDGE SKI RESORT Denver 225 270 70 Glenwood Springs SUNLIGHT MOUNTAIN RESORT VAIL BEAVER CREEK RESORT MOUNTAIN 85 25 Breckenridge ASPEN MOUNTAIN SKI COOPER BUTTERMILK 70 Castle Rock 70 SNOWMASS Aspen ASPEN HIGHLANDS Leadville Fairplay 24 Limon Grand Junction 70 POWDERHORN RESORT CRESTED BUTTE MOUNTAIN RESORT Arches NP 191 Colorado Springs 24 Moab Montrose 50 Gunnison MONARCH MOUNTAIN Salida 50 Cañon City Canyonlands NP Pueblo Monticello Telluride SILVERTON MOUNTAIN TELLURIDE Silverton 550 285 350 Natural Bridges NM 160 PURGATORY Alamosa Pagosa Springs WOLF CREEK SKI AREA 285 160 Cortez 160 Durango 25 163 84 Conejos Trinidad 160 40 160 / COLORADO.COM Arizona 64 Aztec Ruins NM Aztec 64 N ew 285 Me xico Raton Tierra Amarilla 522 Capulin Volcano N
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2017: Page 40
