For nearly every skier, it ranks as the ultimate fantasy: an unlimited period in which to ski, a go-anywhere Colorado Ski Country USA Gold Pass around my neck, and the best snow in the Rockies beneath me.
With so much freedom, where to go first? I chose to think small and intimate, to take a plunge into the bosom of history. That made sense to me. After all, what medallion would be complete without a few gems to give it sparkle? I decided to explore the Gems of Colorado Ski Country, a group of eight smaller resorts connected by a spirit of thrift and amiability.
The Gems include several of the most hallowed ski areas on the continent, sites whose heritage and pioneering spirit are as deep as Rocky Mountain powder: Ski Cooper, Arapahoe Basin, Loveland and Monarch. Even the relative newcomers - Sunlight, Powderhorn, SolVista, and Eldora - reflect a sense of enduring purpose.
Ski Cooper is famous as the training site for the 10th Mountain Division, the legendary World War II ski troops. Cooper's sweeping runs follow some of the same snow paths used by the soldiers who skied the lofty battlefields of Europe.
With a peak elevation of 13,050 feet,
Arapahoe Basin is the highest resort in North America; its East Wall has some of the best extreme skiing on the continent.
Loveland has the nation's highest lift-served area at 13,010 feet; jump off the cornice of The Ridge and plunge down through perfect powder far above timberline.
At these high-elevation hideaways, the snow seems never to melt and the action never ends. When Loveland closes its lifts in late May, it still has more snow than some areas have in January. A-Basin simply stays open into June, occasionally into July. You won't find better snow anywhere than at
Monarch, whose perch atop a high pass in South Central Colorado fairly drips powder. Monarch Snowcat Tours lets skiers take full advantage, offering outback trips at a price almost anyone can afford. Ski Cooper, too, has a premier snowcat operation, whisking powder enthusiasts up to snowy crests the old ski troopers had to reach on foot.
SolVista and
Sunlight both shine as family areas - the former for easy, accommodating runs that delight every learning skier, the latter for a variety of on- and off-slope activities. In addition to its exciting mix of terrain, Sunlight has the state's best remedy for sore muscles: the spacious natural hot springs pool at nearby Glenwood Springs.
Powderhorn's trails wander cozily through forest in the shadow of Grand Mesa, the world's largest flattop mountain. It's also easy to reach, with daily service via three airlines and Amtrak. With 100% groomed terrain,
Eldora boasts Colorado's best snowmaking system, and is conveniently located 21 miles from Boulder and 47 miles from Denver.
Taken together, the Gems offer comfort, challenge and sheer exhilaration. They contain hundreds of runs, thousands of feet of vertical descent and some of the most reliable snow on the planet. These are the places where snow riders on a budget come to slide, where kids learn to ski, where smiles brighten every day.
Gold Pass
The Colorado Ski Country USA Gold Pass is the only transferable ski pass in Colorado, usable by anyone at all 24 resorts. It makes a great gift for any skier as well as a nice corporate perk: Loan it to clients, or share it with employees as a work incentive. For pricing and other information, contact Josh Littrell, Membership Manager, at 303-866-9702, or visit
www.coloradoski.com. The site also features daily snow reports.