A gem of a road trip
America
You are never too old to hit the highway for a tour of some of Colorado’s ‘ma and pa’ ski areas says editor FRANK BALDWIN
HAVE you ever had one of those fantastic runs when you have the whole piste to yourself? There’s not only the exhilaration of cruising or racing down a slope, either on your own or with a couple of mates with no one else in sight, but also a feeling of complete freedom.
Having a whole run to yourself is fairly rare unless you go at the very start or the very end of a season but I have found not just one ski area but a whole group of them where you are almost guaranteed this sensation. They are called the Colorado Gems.
Every skier and snowboarder has heard of the larger Colorado resorts such as Aspen and Vail, but few will have heard of their smaller neighbours, often known as ‘ma and pa’ ski areas because of their homely, family atmosphere.
Even at weekends these places never seem to get really busy and on week days there are times when you wonder if there is anybody else out on the mountain.
In my advancing years, I thought my days of road trips were behind me – living out of a suitcase and checking into a different motel or hotel every night.
But last season five of us flew to Denver, hired a car big enough for all our gear and headed off down the I-70 to sample six different areas in seven days. It turned out to be one of the best ski trips I have ever been on.
During my stay I witnessed people skiing and boarding half naked, was accosted by a guy in a yeti suit, went cat skiing for free, had meals at some fantastic restaurants, dressed up for an 80s retro day and ended up dancing on a table in full ski gear during après ski to music provided by a live band.
Not forgetting of course the fantastic skiing conditions and spectacular scenery in the different areas we visited.
The Colorado Gems are also attractive to families whose children are learning to ski. Firstly there is no language barrier but more importantly lessons often cost a lot less than at larger ski areas – plus lift passes are a lot cheaper.
And don’t let the sizes of these Gems fool you. There is enough varied terrain for every level including challenging back country skiing and boarding for experts.
Add to this overnight stays in some historic places such as The Hotel Boulderado in Boulder, which was built in 1909, and a road trip around the Colorado Gems is an appealing alternative to a week in one place.
It will be hard here in the space available to do justice to all the areas where we went skiing and snowboarding but you can find more info by logging onto their websites.
Powderhorn
Take a cruise down one the tree lined blues in the centre of Powderhorn or head out to each side for some more challenging blacks in places such as Mad Dog Glade.
In the spring, snowfalls often provide waist deep powder and the uncrowded slopes means it’s easy to find fresh tracks.
The resort sits on the Grand Mesa, which claims to be the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. This season Powderhorn has a new snack bar at the bottom of lift two which means powder hunters skiing and boarding in the glades don’t have to go all the way back to the base to get some refreshments.
Sunlight
Even a whole slope full of bikini clad girls and boxer short clad boys failed to create any crowds at Sunlight Mountain Resort in the White River National Forest when I was there.
Sunlight has an average snowfall of 635cm (250ins) and slopes for beginners and experts, plus two terrain parks and one of Colorado’s steepest runs. Sunlight is one of the few ‘ma and pa’ Colorado ski areas which offer ski-in/ski-out accommodation at The Brettelberg condos which are right on the slopes.
But if you want a town experience, Sunlight is located just 12 miles south of Glenwood Springs, where you can après ski in the world’s largest hot springs pool.
Ski Cooper
‘Our lift lines are short and our runs long’. That’s the proud claim of Ski Cooper which is one of Colorado’s oldest and most historic ski areas. The 10th Mountain Division trained in the area for Word War II battles in Europe during the 1940s. The army chose the area because of its rugged mountainous terrain and a 250-inch average annual snowfall which assured a six-month-long ski season which skiers and snowboarders are still able to take advantage of today. But ski Cooper has another attraction – the Chicago Ridge Snowcat Tours which offers great back country skiing in 2,460 acres of terrain. This season Ski Cooper has a more modern and efficient rental shop, plus the bar area is being refurbished.
Arapahoe Basin
The backdrop behind Black Mountain Lodge, the restaurant in the middle of Arapahoe Basin, has an Alpine feel about it. And from the summit you can enjoy a fantastic 360 degree view over the 900-acre ski area. The recent addition of the Montezuma Bowl means there is now twice the amount of natural beauty to explore along with groomed runs, bowls, chutes and glades. Half of the mountain is above the treeline with open bowl skiing and snowboarding which goes right through spring and into early summer. Pallavicini, one of the signature runs in Arapahoe Basin, claims to be one of longest and steepest runs in Colorado.
Loveland
Now here’s something you don’t get every day, free cat skiing. Yes FREE! All you need is a normal Loveland ski pass and you can catch a ride on a first come first served basis to the North Side of the Ridge. This isn’t the only attraction of 1,670 acre Loveland, which gets an average annual snowfall of 400ins. For experts there is a whole range of challenging chutes off the top and for intermediates the blue cruisers from top to bottom are superb. And of course, with a name like Loveland, you can even get married there. In fact the ski area hosts a mass wedding every year on Valentine’s Day. 2014 will be the 23rd year this has taken place.
Ski Eldora
For a small ‘ma and pa’ 680-acre ski area you may be surprised to hear that Eldora’s longest run is three miles long. There’s such a great buzz about the place and there are always events going on such as the 80s retro day I took part in while I was there. There are the usual great Colorado tree-lined runs, plus a terrain park. And for those looking for a bit of off-piste adventure, take one of the narrow paths to the Salto and Moose Glades on the West Ridge. And if you have kids, it doesn’t get much better than the Little Hawk Family Zone. During the summer just gone, the sunflowers on Eldora grew very tall which, according to local legend, means it’s going to be another great snow season.
Travel facts:
The Gems are a collection of ski areas within Colorado Ski Country (www.coloradoski.com).
The eight resorts include:
Arapahoe Basin - www.arapahoebasin.com
Eldora - www.eldora.com
Loveland – www.skiloveland.com
Monarch - www.skimonarch.com
Powderhorn - www.powderhorn.com
Ski Cooper - www.skicooper.com
Ski Granby Ranch - www.granbyranch.com
Sunlight - www.sunlightmtn.com
Frank Baldwin flew to Denver with British Airways (www.britishairways.com) and stayed at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (www.sheratondenverdowntown.com). On his road trip he stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Grand Junction (www.doubletreegrandjunction.com); Quality Inn & Suites On The River in Glenwood Springs (www.qualityinn.com); The Columbine Inn, Leadville (www.columbineinn.com); Key to the Rockies apartments (www.keytotherockies.com); The Hotel Boulderado in Boulder (www.boulderado.com), a member of the Historic Hotels of America which was built in 1909.