Top 5 Colorado Ski Areas

Of all 50 states in our great nation, Colorado has hands-down got to be the number one state for skiing and snowboarding. Alaska is epic too but so far away and inaccessible for most of us! In 2015-16, Colorado had 13 million visitors arrive to experience the powder for themselves. While we’d love to talk about them all, these are our top 5 Colorado ski areas.

1. Copper Mountain - Best for Adventure Junkies

Copper Mountain, located about 75 miles west of Denver, is home to one of the oldest and longest-running ski resorts in the area. The mountain goes by the name Copper Mountain, as does the resort. You’ll likely spend much of your time there, as the closest town, Frisco, is about 8 miles away.

Skiing & Snowboarding

Whether you’re an advanced, intermediate or beginner skier or snowboarder, there are lots of trails (158 total) to accommodate your skill level. Three lodging and activity hubs, each focused on a different skill level and lifestyle experience, are poised to guarantee customers have the best experience possible. The East Village, home to the US Speed Center, is geared towards ski enthusiasts, with difficult ski trails, training centers, and rustic dining options. The Center Village is perfect for the intermediate skier who wants a combination of challenging courses and R&R. The West Village leads to beginner terrain and is home to Copper’s Ski & Ride School, making it a top choice for families.

GREENTRAVELER TIP: Skiing and snowboarding are two sports that burn a lot of calories. To save a few bucks while you’re on the mountain, skip the pricey lodge food and opt for a packed lunch and hot chocolate in your GreenTraveler. It’s the perfect size to fit in your backpack.

Clothing & Apparel

Just outside of Copper resort is a little town of Avon, CO, home to a great startup brand called Cirque Mountain Apparel - Carved By Nature. They have clothes and accessories for all shapes and sizes, ages and interests. We can't speak highly enough about these guys. They are definitely worth checking out either online or during your next visit to the Rocky Mountains.

Rocky Mountain Coaster

If you’ve never experienced one before, mountain coasters are one of the most exhilarating, squeal-inducing conceptions of the modern ski world. The Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper Mountain is the longest mountain coaster in North America, coming in at 5,800 ft long and descending 430 vertical feet at an average grade of 10.9%. Reaching a max speed of 25 mph, it’s safe to say you’re in for a joy ride like no other.

Dining & Shopping

If on-mountain dining sounds amazing to you, choose from six killer restaurants including Solitude Station, Flyer’s T-Rex Grill, Moonlight Dine + Ski, Chuck’s Wagon and Koko’s Hut. You can also find other options off the mountain, like coffee houses, taverns, grab-and-go joints, and après ski attractions in the East, Center and West Villages.

Tubing Hill

After a long day on the mountain, when your legs are throbbing and begging you to just sit down, you have a choice. You can either find a seat in a cozy restaurant, or pop a squat in an inner tube and race your family members down the tubing hill.

Woodward Copper

The Woodward Copper Barn is a 19,400ft² indoor training facility with skateparks, Olympic-grade trampolines, foam pit jumps, indoor ski and snowboard training. If you’re on vacation, it’s a great place to stop in for the day and take a 2-hour session, available for all skill levels. If you’re spending the season at Copper (you lucky dog), you can test and refine your skills all winter long!

Summer Camps

Who doesn’t love summer camp? At Copper Mountain, boys and girls ages 7-17 have the opportunity to attend summer camp in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Under the watchful eye of coaches and counselors, they’ll learn how to snowboard, freeski, BMX, freestyle MTB, scooter and cheer. Younger campers, ages 7-12, will be housed on a separate floor with additional staff.

GREENTRAVELER TIP: Send your kiddos off to camp with a GreenTraveler to make sure they have something to pack snacks and warm drinks in.

2. BRECKENRIDGE - Best for Arts & Shopping

Sitting cozily at the base of the Tenmile Range, Breckenridge offers stunning views, epic riding and a unique downtown center with artsy shops, cozy restaurants, and the largest historic district in Colorado. If you’re looking for both culture and perfect powder, put Breck on your list.

Skiing & Snowboarding

The mountain has a whopping five peaks that are ready for shredding. Choose from 187 trails on 2,908 acres of wilderness wonderland, with options for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders. The Breckenridge Ski Resort offers niche lessons - for adults, children, women, girls, as well as private lessons and lessons with Breckenridge guides.

Shopping & Arts

The historic district of downtown Breckenridge, spanning 7 blocks and over 200 stores, boutiques, adorable shops and restaurants, is an absolute must-see. Walk the streets with a latte in hand, browsing for jewelry, clothing, and souvenirs for loved ones back home. We guarantee you’ll have trouble deciding whether you want to come back to Breck for the riding or the shopping.

GREENTRAVELER TIP: It’s hard to beat a fresh hot coffee, which is why we recommend you pop into a local coffee shop for your fix, but packing a GreenTraveler full of fresh veggies for your day out is never a bad idea.

3. VAIL - Best European-style Town

On any given day, a visit to Vail rivals a visit to the best European ski towns. Even if you had absolutely zero interest in sliding on snow with planks strapped to your feet, the Austrian-style architecture alone is worth the trip. While you’re in Vail, you’ll also enjoy incredible live music events, a buzzing cultural scene, top-notch noms and breathtaking mountain views. #swoon

‘Legendary Terrain’

Vail offers over 5,289 acres of ski terrain, making it one of the largest ski resorts in the world. It’s not just the sheer size of the resort; Vail is loved for its abundance of variety. With everything from world-class steep terrain to bunny hills, you can really take your pick.

The Town

The downtown area of Vail has streets lined with cobblestones, European architecture, and seemingly endless eatery options. With the country’s largest free pedestrian transportation system, you can easily make your way between the three villages without having to call an Uber - a feature that earns major brownie points in our book.

GREENTRAVELER TIP: Pack your GreenTraveler full of healthy snacks and bust them out as you’re walking from restaurant to restaurant on the hunt for your next adult beverage. The GreenTraveler also supports liquids, so be sure to fill it with water and stay hydrated.

Spa & Fitness Center

With two locations in Vail, the RockResorts Spa provides an excellent place to unwind and relax on a rest day or after skiing. The spa offers facials, massages, wet rooms with Vichy and Swiss showers, and a couples treatment room. It also offers a full-service nail salon and locker rooms with whirlpools and saunas.

4. TELLURIDE - Best for Families

Nestled in the San Juan Mountains, Telluride is a year-round destination, especially in the winter. A former mining town in San Miguel County in southwest Colorado, Telluride was named for the presence of ‘gold telluride’ minerals in the other parts of the state. While the substance was never actually found within the town, Telluride was naturally abundant in zinc, lead, copper, silver and gold ores. Nearly 150 years after its founding in 1878, many of the town’s historic buildings still stand.

Skiing & Snowboarding

Approximately 23% of the trails at Telluride Ski Resort are beginner trails, while 36% are intermediate and 41% are advanced. With nearly 60% of the available 2,000+ acres  being suitable to new and relatively inexperienced skiers, this resort is a great place for families to vacation together. If you’re looking for something a little bit more challenging, check out the four hike-to terrain areas, nordic terrain, and terrain parks.

GREENTRAVELER TIP: Hiking up to ski down is one of the most exhausting types of exercise. When you get to the top, you’ll likely have worked up an appetite. Pack your GreenTraveler full of some calorie-dense but healthy snacks like sliced cheese, lean protein and crackers to enjoy before you ride back down.

Telluride Adventure Center

Located on the Mountain Village Gondola Plaza, the Telluride Adventure Center offers family-friendly outdoor experiences with the help of certified winter sport guides. When you’re ready to take a day off of skiing, choose from snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice climbing, bungee trampolining, heli-skiing, and backcountry skiing.

History

There’s more to Telluride than just adventure. It’s also a great place for history buffs. Take a walk on Black Bear Pass, visit town park, pop into the Telluride Historical Museum and take a stroll down Main Street. If you love old buildings, check out the San Miguel County Courthouse, New Sheridan Hotel and Alpine Chapel.

NASTAR Course

Channel your inner Lindsey Vonn at the NASTAR course at Telluride Ski Resort. Here, recreational skiers have the opportunity to feel like pros at this official national recreational ski racing location, for just $5 per run. Race friends and family through the gates to victory and finally settle the score over who is the best athlete of the bunch.

For the Kiddos

Kids’ Night Out

This is as much fun for kids as for parents. While mom and dad go have a nice dinner, kids can hang out with other people their own age while they learn crafts and play games at the resort.

GREENTRAVELER TIP: Send your little one off to Kid’s Night Out with a pack of snacks in their GreenTraveler.

Eco Adventures

Children ages 7-12 are invited to enjoy environmental day camps at Telluride Ski Resort.

5. Aspen Snowmass - Best All Around

Aspen Snowmass is exactly as it sounds - a combination of Aspen and Snowmass under one name. With four mountains between two towns - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - you’ll never have to ski the same pass twice. In addition, this one-of-a-kind resort offers 16 incredible lodging options on their website.

Skiing & Snowboarding

With ski rentals, lessons and après-ski accommodations on every mountain, Aspen Snowmass has you totally taken care of. In addition to 5,300 total acres of ski trails, be sure to check out their award-winning parks, offering everything from beginner pipes to super pipes.

Events

Aspen Snowmass hosts the ESPN X-Games on Buttermilk Mountain each year. The January 2018 event saw performances by LCD Soundsystem, Method Man, and others. Throughout the rest of the year, the resort hosts all sorts of fun music and social events you won’t want to miss.

Adventure Activities

You want it, Aspen Snowmass has it. Offering a wide variety of outdoor adventure activities, you can choose from paintball, downhill mountain biking, family mountain fishing, private overnight camping, or a design-your-own-adventure adventure. The resort also has a new alpine coaster, snow bike tours, tubing, powder tours, snowcat dinners, naturalist tours, a NASTAR course, photography classes… the list goes on.

Environment & Sustainability

The good folks at Aspen Snowmass are dedicated to a promoting an environmentally sustainable business operation, running educational programs for the public, taking action on climate change in Washington, promoting the local solar industry, volunteering and even making a big effort to compost resort waste. They support Protect Our Winters, an organization founded by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, that’s devoted to raising awareness about climate change in an effort to save winter sports, which have already been affected as the temperatures rise.

LGBTQ

Aspen Snowmass is known for its support of the LGBTQ community. In addition to hosting Gay Ski Week each year at the Limelight Hotel, the area also offers a buzzing nightlife scene, gorgeous wedding backdrops and cosmopolitan restaurants.