Eldora Mountain Resort
Easygoing Eldora, just 21 miles from Boulder, boasts an incredible variety of groomed terrain within its modest 680 acres — including everything from blue cruisers to double-black diamonds.
Day: Eldora Nordic Center
Eldora’s Nordic Center has exclusive bragging rights to “40 kilometers of freedom”: an extensive network of trails that begin just a few steps beyond the lift lines. From rentals and lessons for absolute beginners to secluded expert-level escapes, the center is a haven of expansive alpine meadows with dedicated trails for cross-country skiing, skate skiing or snowshoeing.
Night: Brews & Tunes in Nederland
A short drive from Eldora, you'll find the wee mountain town of Nederland, home to more craft breweries and places to hear live music than a town its size has a right to! The Caribou Room, in particular, is known for its excellent music quality thanks to the professional-audio engineers and musicians that run it.
Purgatory Resort
Tucked away in the rugged San Juan Mountains, Purgatory near Durango is more than 2 miles high at its summit, with an annual snowfall of more than 17 feet and terrain that skews heavily toward intermediate and advanced.
Day: Snowmobiling
Give your legs a break and spend the day snowmobiling at high speeds through more than 35,000 acres of glittering snow in the San Juan backcountry. With all this open space, plus 75 miles of trails, you'll have ample access to plenty of fresh powder.
Night: Enchanting Events
Keep an eye on Purgatory's events calendar for a wealth of cool experiences to tack onto your ski trip. We're talking the likes of snowcat dining excursions where you savor five-course meals along with purely magical views of the alpenglow over the Needles Mountains. An optical phenomenon that bathes the mountains in a spectacular rosy glow, alpenglow is an exceptionally Instagrammable real-life occurrence that mere filters can’t match. Whiskey tastings and torchlight ski sessions are a couple of other examples of the happenings you can expect.
Snowmass
Snowmass likes to say it’s “never the same mountain twice,” and with nearly 3,400 acres of skiable terrain and 150 miles of trails — the longest clocking in at 5.3 miles — they might be right.
Day: Specialty Lessons
From Bumps for Boomers/Ski for Life to the Carv Performance Institute, which uses data and video analysis to level your skiing and boarding up, Snowmass has several specialty programs to invigorate and improve different aspects of your day on the slopes.
Night: Ullr Nights at Elk Camp
The Norse god of snow takes center stage on peak-season Friday nights, transforming Elk Camp into a legit winter wonderland — with live music, gourmet cuisine, tubing and riding the new Breathtaker Alpine Coaster. Get your fill of chill, then cozy up to the bonfire for s’mores.
Vail
With more than 300 days of sunshine and nearly 240 inches of snow annually (not to mention majestic views of the surrounding Gore and Sawatch mountain ranges), Vail is indeed “like nothing on Earth.”
Day: Vail’s Back Bowls
Vail’s seven epic back bowls alone comprise more skiable acres (3,017) than the majority of North American ski resorts. Roughly 6 miles of unbounded powder stretch from Ptarmigan Ridge to the farthest edges of Outer Mongolia Bowl, and it’s possible to ski them all in a single day. If you dare to tackle them, bring a friend and consult the experts before hitting these ultra-remote slopes.
Night: Winter Sounds and Lights
After a day of blitzing the back bowls, head to Vail Village or Lionshead Village for so much winter charm that you'll feel like you're in a snow globe. Frequent ice-skating shows delight in both villages, while special events like Vail Village's tree lighting and holiday market will add an extra dash of magic to your visit. Or check out a silent-disco night, where you and your pals don headphones and dance through Lionshead Village to your own beat. Note: Check the calendar to make sure your plans align with events.
Keystone Resort
A quick drive from Denver in Summit County, Keystone is the ultimate family playground. Kids 12 and under ski free with lodging!
Day: Ski With a Ranger Tours
Sometimes, you like your mountain majesty with a side of nerding out over nature. And for those days, the Ski With a Ranger Tour is just what the PhD doctor ordered: Let Friends of the Dillon Ranger District Volunteers wow you with cool facts about area flora, fauna and geology on a 1-mile ski or snowboard tour down a beginner-friendly trail.
Night: Night Skiing
Keystone is home to the longest ski day in all of Colorado, with select lifts and lighted trails open ’til 8pm on weekends and select holidays. For a peak night-skiing experience, watch the sunset from the summit and warm up between runs with hot cocoa at the Summit House.
Copper Mountain
If Colorado’s ski resorts were people, Copper would be your friend who’s super fun at parties — fizzing with a sun’s out, fun’s out vibe even during the darkest days of winter.
Day: Rocky Mountain Coaster
Gravity’s on your side here, no matter how you prefer to get down. Choose the tubing hill to careen gleefully down one of the meticulously groomed freestyle tubing tracks. Or ride the Rocky Mountain Coaster to take the fast track to high-speed thrills — with a mile-long, gravity-powered descent through the forests surrounding the American Flyer lift.
Night: Glide on the Ice
Rent a pair of blades and enjoy a night of zipping around West Lake, surrounded by snow-frosted buildings that make you feel like you're living inside a postcard. Take breaks to roast marshmallows around the fire pits, then let the kiddos burn off extra energy before bedtime with a game of broomball or hockey — you'll find all the equipment you need for free!
Sunlight Mountain Resort
For about half the price of a mega-resort lift ticket, you can enjoy a no-frills day exploring Sunlight’s uncrowded trails in Glenwood Springs … before warming up in the nearby hot springs.
Day: Uphill Skiing
Like to do things the hard way? Colorado makes it easy. Uphill skiing, also known as skinning, alpine touring or ski mountaineering, involves skipping the ski lift in favor of climbing to the top of each run. It’s called earning your turns, and Sunlight allows you to do it for free — provided you wrap up your last run before lifts open. Early birds … get after it!
Night: Glenwood Hot Springs
If you were up with the chickens uphill skiing, we think you’ve also earned an epic wind-down. Nearby Glenwood Hot Springs Resort has a natural hot pool that’s nearly two city blocks long, brimming with healthy minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Enjoy a soak, schedule a spa treatment or book a room in the lodge — and start all over tomorrow.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Though its skiable acreage seems modest by most standards, Crested Butte is home to some of the most adventurous terrain in North America — with a thrill-seeking clientele to match.
Day: Crested Butte Terrain Park
With two different terrain parks to play in, Crested Butte is a great place to nail that gnarly Double McTwist (a daredevil trick made famous by Olympian Shaun White). Start with the small, simple features of Ten Peaks Progression Park and work your way up to Lower Twister for rolling terrain and larger jumps.
Night: Nordic Magic Meadows Yurt Dinner Experience
To fully embrace Crested Butte, you’ll have to venture off the beaten path — and there’s no better way to do it than the Nordic Magic Meadows Yurt Dinner Experience. Enjoy a guided, groomed snowshoe or Nordic ski jaunt to a secluded backcountry yurt for an artisan-crafted meal featuring small-batch local spirits and the delicious creations of acclaimed local chefs.
Want More?
Find more night activities at Colorado ski resorts
Check out ski resorts for families
See five reasons to ski and snowboard in Colorado
Explore our awesome adaptive winter sports scene
