Staying in Denver, riding all over. - Snowboarding Forum

leegro · 11-07-2011, 09:27 AM

So my buddies and I are flying out to Denver for 4 full days of riding. We are staying in west Denver, Englewood area, at a friends. Renting a car to travel into the mountains. The trip is from December 17-21.

My question is where should we ride? Copper and Breckenridge, according to google maps is about 1 hour and 45 minutes away. Loveland, Winterpark and A-Basin are closer. Which would you pick out of these 5 if drive time was not really an issue? I know weather conditions will most likely make those times longer. We are all intermediate riders that like to dabble in the woods/bowls if accessible.

Sick-Pow · 11-07-2011, 09:37 AM

Any of those places will be fun. Copper is very efficient in and out. Fun steep section of the mountain. Loveland is the easiest to get to, but is very windy, not much protection from said wind and can be brutal. Abasin is small. Brek is a clusterfuck.

leegro · 11-07-2011, 10:06 AM

I just found out that I can get discounted copper tickets for $49 and winterpark tickets for $55 through work. Would you say just hit those two resorts and save some money?

linvillegorge · 11-07-2011, 10:15 AM

Most important question - will you be riding during the week or on the weekend?

Avoid Summit County on the weekends. Total shit show. If you're going to be riding some mid-week and some weekend, hit up Loveland or Winter Park on the weekend and then hit Summit County mid-week.

leegro · 11-07-2011, 10:21 AM

We will be riding Sunday-Wednesday.

Tarzanman · 11-07-2011, 03:39 PM

Please believe him when he says that riding out to Summit is horrible on the weekend. I have had the good luck to be traveling against the flow of traffic on my trips out there, but the highway is a parking lot with people headed west on Saturday morning and doesn't move a whole lot better Sunday evening going east.

Dec. 17-21 and 4 days riding? Which day are you taking off? I'd skip Sunday if that is when you're arriving. Even if your flight lands in DIA at 10-11AM, I don't see you making it out to Summit before ~3:00-4:00PM if you check in to your hotel first. Go visit the rich people in Boulder that day instead

Milo303 · 11-07-2011, 03:42 PM

Sunday to Wednesday you should be fine

Why not hit up a few places? If you buy a pass at a Vail resort you can go to all of them on the same day

**killclimbz** · 11-07-2011, 04:10 PM

I personally avoid traveling through Summit County on Sundays. The drive back to Denver from Summit can just suck. It's not great from any spot, but coming back from Summit or Vail on a Sunday afternoon can make you want to poke your eyes out. Loveland or Winterpark are better choices. If you don't leave early, you'll still get stuck in traffic, but you'll stuck for a lot less time.

Saturday in Summit or Vail isn't bad. Copper isn't any worse crowded than Winterpark and it's definitely less than Breck. You do want to leave early. From Englewood, I'd say don't be out the door any later than 6am. Get to where ever you're riding early, having breakfast at the mountain. This goes for any of them, I don't care where you are going. After 6:30, it's going to be a junk show.

$49 tix for Copper and $55 for Winterpark is a great deal. If you can buy as you go, I'd play the snow report game if it's snowing. Both resorts usually have the snow reports on their phone lines updated by 5:30am. Not sure about the websites, but I think they get them updated at about the same time now too. Often times one of those spots gets a much more significant amount of snow versus the other.

leegro · 11-07-2011, 04:11 PM

Okay sounds like we will plan on Sunday being Winter Park or Loveland.
We are riding all 4 days. We arrive sat. night and leave thursday morning.

Would you guys ride breckenridge or just do copper? Remember I am getting copper tickets for $49. While Brecks are 90ish.

**killclimbz** · 11-07-2011, 04:20 PM

Personally, I like Copper better than Breck for riding. If you are staying in Summit County though, Breck then beats Copper all to hell for entertainment and riding.

Anyway, at that time of year, neither place is probably going to be significantly better than the other. The only thing Breck does better than just about anyone is park. Especially if you like to huck your meat. Though Copper now has Keystone's old Park manager/designer, whatever they are called. So their park should see a big improvement from year's past.

I'd probably advise to go to Winterpark on that Sunday. Make sure you pick up hitchikers on Berthoud Pass. Especially if you see a snowboarder with a crazy long haired brindle wolf dog...

11-07-2011, 09:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
leegro Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 10	Staying in Denver, riding all over. So my buddies and I are flying out to Denver for 4 full days of riding. We are staying in west Denver, Englewood area, at a friends. Renting a car to travel into the mountains. The trip is from December 17-21. My question is where should we ride? Copper and Breckenridge, according to google maps is about 1 hour and 45 minutes away. Loveland, Winterpark and A-Basin are closer. Which would you pick out of these 5 if drive time was not really an issue? I know weather conditions will most likely make those times longer. We are all intermediate riders that like to dabble in the woods/bowls if accessible. Last edited by leegro; 11-07-2011 at 09:50 AM.

11-07-2011, 10:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
linvillegorge Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Evergreen, CO Posts: 4,540	Most important question - will you be riding during the week or on the weekend? Avoid Summit County on the weekends. Total shit show. If you're going to be riding some mid-week and some weekend, hit up Loveland or Winter Park on the weekend and then hit Summit County mid-week. __________________ "People say that marijuana smoking is going to get in the way of my career. I say to them that on the contrary, my fighting career is getting in the way of my marijuana smoking." -Nick Diaz

11-07-2011, 03:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tarzanman Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,394	Please believe him when he says that riding out to Summit is horrible on the weekend. I have had the good luck to be traveling against the flow of traffic on my trips out there, but the highway is a parking lot with people headed west on Saturday morning and doesn't move a whole lot better Sunday evening going east. Dec. 17-21 and 4 days riding? Which day are you taking off? I'd skip Sunday if that is when you're arriving. Even if your flight lands in DIA at 10-11AM, I don't see you making it out to Summit before ~3:00-4:00PM if you check in to your hotel first. Go visit the rich people in Boulder that day instead Last edited by Tarzanman; 11-07-2011 at 03:42 PM.

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11-07-2011, 09:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
Sick-Pow Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,236	Any of those places will be fun. Copper is very efficient in and out. Fun steep section of the mountain. Loveland is the easiest to get to, but is very windy, not much protection from said wind and can be brutal. Abasin is small. Brek is a clusterfuck.

11-07-2011, 10:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
leegro Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 10	I just found out that I can get discounted copper tickets for $49 and winterpark tickets for $55 through work. Would you say just hit those two resorts and save some money?

11-07-2011, 10:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
leegro Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 10	We will be riding Sunday-Wednesday.

11-07-2011, 04:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,256	I personally avoid traveling through Summit County on Sundays. The drive back to Denver from Summit can just suck. It's not great from any spot, but coming back from Summit or Vail on a Sunday afternoon can make you want to poke your eyes out. Loveland or Winterpark are better choices. If you don't leave early, you'll still get stuck in traffic, but you'll stuck for a lot less time. Saturday in Summit or Vail isn't bad. Copper isn't any worse crowded than Winterpark and it's definitely less than Breck. You do want to leave early. From Englewood, I'd say don't be out the door any later than 6am. Get to where ever you're riding early, having breakfast at the mountain. This goes for any of them, I don't care where you are going. After 6:30, it's going to be a junk show. $49 tix for Copper and $55 for Winterpark is a great deal. If you can buy as you go, I'd play the snow report game if it's snowing. Both resorts usually have the snow reports on their phone lines updated by 5:30am. Not sure about the websites, but I think they get them updated at about the same time now too. Often times one of those spots gets a much more significant amount of snow versus the other.

11-07-2011, 04:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
leegro Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 10	Okay sounds like we will plan on Sunday being Winter Park or Loveland. We are riding all 4 days. We arrive sat. night and leave thursday morning. Would you guys ride breckenridge or just do copper? Remember I am getting copper tickets for $49. While Brecks are 90ish.

11-07-2011, 04:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,256	Personally, I like Copper better than Breck for riding. If you are staying in Summit County though, Breck then beats Copper all to hell for entertainment and riding. Anyway, at that time of year, neither place is probably going to be significantly better than the other. The only thing Breck does better than just about anyone is park. Especially if you like to huck your meat. Though Copper now has Keystone's old Park manager/designer, whatever they are called. So their park should see a big improvement from year's past. I'd probably advise to go to Winterpark on that Sunday. Make sure you pick up hitchikers on Berthoud Pass. Especially if you see a snowboarder with a crazy long haired brindle wolf dog...