Denver area IKON pass ski recommendation

[lukoson]

Hi All!
I have a conference taking place in Denver at the end of March and was going to add on 2 days at the end of the conference and use my IKON pass.
Any recommendations of where to go?

These are the places closest to Denver I can use the pass:
1) Copper
2) A-Basin
3) Winter Park
4) Eldora

Thanks!

 

[MarzNC]

Not Eldora.

ABasin is the easiest to figure out. Shorter drive than Copper or Winter Park. I think parking on weekends is pay only because parking space is the rate limiting factor.

Depending on the timing of when you are driving on I-70, it's a toss up between Copper and Winter Park. Both can take 2-3 days to figure out in terms of where to go for the most fun for an advanced skier/boarder.

ABasin and Winter Park hold the snow well during late season. Higher altitude.

Are you going to stay overnight in the mountains?

 

[TonyC]

ABasin and Winter Park hold the snow well during late season. Higher altitude.

I would rate Copper better than Winter Park for snow preservation but on an absolute scale both are excellent. A-Basin is the best area in North America for preserving winter packed powder typically into late April or early May.

Among those resorts A-Basin is in a class by itself for expert terrain. Copper and Winter Park are bigger and would be better choices for intermediates. I’ve not skied Eldora but have read enough to know you you should skip it.

Are your 2 ski days on the weekend? You need to be aware of the notorious I-70 weekend traffic. You want to stay up in Summit County or maybe Georgetown Friday night to avoid Saturday morning. And if you are flying out of DIA Sunday any earlier than a late night redeye your Sunday ski day will be short if you don’t want to miss your flight.

Since this is a business trip you might want to change your departure flight to ski all 3 major areas and avoid the worst traffic problems.

 

[Woodski12]

Arapahoe Basin is definitely the one that I would recommend the most, but you can hit it pretty good in 1 day. Those are all close enough that you can make it to any for the second day if you are staying up in the mountains.

 

[DomB]

Hi All!
I have a conference taking place in Denver at the end of March and was going to add on 2 days at the end of the conference and use my IKON pass.
Any recommendations of where to go?

These are the places closest to Denver I can use the pass:
1) Copper
2) A-Basin
3) Winter Park
4) Eldora

Thanks!

I don't know the others but have been to Copper twice. End of march their hike to terrain should be open which is fun and fairly steep. I think they put in a lift but you could just keep hiking further. Would recommend Copper. Their 'busy' days are like 5 minute lines at the lower lifts.

 

[saratogahalfday]

Hi All!
I have a conference taking place in Denver at the end of March and was going to add on 2 days at the end of the conference and use my IKON pass.
Any recommendations of where to go?

These are the places closest to Denver I can use the pass:
1) Copper
2) A-Basin
3) Winter Park
4) Eldora

Thanks!

Copper by a mile!

 

[Endoftheline]

A Basin is the shortest drive and has more expert terrain. It's also the highest in elevation, but not so much that it will make a big difference over the other areas, what's an extra 1000' when you are already up over 12000.

 

[MarzNC]

A Basin is the shortest drive and has more expert terrain. It's also the highest in elevation, but not so much that it will make a big difference over the other areas, what's an extra 1000' when you are already up over 12000.

Not going to argue about terrain, but as for higher altitude . . . I just experienced the difference between bases that differ by 1000 ft when in mountains over 9000 ft. I slept at over 7000 ft for 10 nights and was skiing Taos before going to Wolf Creek for Pres. Day weekend. Slept at 8200 ft in South Fork on Friday and Saturday nights. Skied Wolf Creek Saturday and Sunday. Carrying my gear up from good parking and then a flight an exterior stairs was noticeably different than at Taos. The base elevation is 9300 ft for TSV and 10,300 ft for Wolf Creek.

Of course, everyone reacts to high altitude differently.

Denver: 5280 ft
Winter Park base: 9000 ft
Copper base: 9700 ft
Arapahoe Basin base: 10,780 ft

A while back I took a day trip drive to see Loveland Pass after four nights in Denver (husband had a professional conference). I also stopped by ABasin, Keystone (had lunch outside), and Copper just for a quick look. The short walk from the parking area at Loveland Pass to look at Loveland ski terrain was tough. Meaning I was out of breath very quickly. Went skiing at ABasin for the first time a few days later. Definitely felt the high altitude. Was glad when we skied Aspen/Snowmass later that trip we stayed in Carbondale at 6200 ft.

 

[tirolski]

It’s better you're acclimating for a bit in Denver 1st.
It’s a long ways up from there. Have fun.
Ya might glean something useful from this thread.

Thread 'Skiing and Altitude Sickness'

Sep 28, 2023

That's the issue with that place. Hard enough for a flatlander to get off a plane and ski groomers at 10,000 plus, but, basically, a heli ski operation at the same altitude? Nope. Unless you're a genetic freak.

• Benny Profane
• Replies: 57
• Forum: The Woodstove

 

[DomB]

Not going to argue about terrain, but as for higher altitude . . . I just experienced the difference between bases that differ by 1000 ft when in mountains over 9000 ft. I slept at over 7000 ft for 10 nights and was skiing Taos before going to Wolf Creek for Pres. Day weekend. Slept at 8200 ft in South Fork on Friday and Saturday nights. Skied Wolf Creek Saturday and Sunday. Carrying my gear up from good parking and then a flight an exterior stairs was noticeably different than at Taos. The base elevation is 9300 ft for TSV and 10,300 ft for Wolf Creek.

Of course, everyone reacts to high altitude differently.

Denver: 5280 ft
Winter Park base: 9000 ft
Copper base: 9700 ft
Arapahoe Basin base: 10,780 ft

A while back I took a day trip drive to see Loveland Pass after four nights in Denver (husband had a professional conference). I also stopped by ABasin, Keystone (had lunch outside), and Copper just for a quick look. The short walk from the parking area at Loveland Pass to look at Loveland ski terrain was tough. Meaning I was out of breath very quickly. Went skiing at ABasin for the first time a few days later. Definitely felt the high altitude. Was glad when we skied Aspen/Snowmass later that trip we stayed in Carbondale at 6200 ft.

Dang, 10,780 base! I didn't love sleeping at 9700 haha.