Delta has a section of their site dedicated to Colorado vacation travelers. If you’re headed to our wonderful state and want to scope some good flight, lodging and ticket deals check out Delta’s website. Click here for Delta ski vacation deals and getaway packages.
Let me be frank: the event was a splash! Joking aside I had fun last weekend up at Vail. Bacardi invited both myself and Rachel to attend the Bacardi World Pond Skimming Championships. If you’re not clear on what this event is: a bunch of people ski and snowboard down a hill, one at a time, towards a 100 foot long pool filled with almost-freezing water. The goal is to skim across the pool to the other side (but most people do a half-flip and fall on their asses).
A few highlights and our thoughts:
The costumes: Really, the costumes were the highlight. A lot of creative (and ridiculous) people showed up and they brought their Sunday best! Everyone from Duff Man (Simpsons) to Borat showed up. Even a cowboy with his assless chaps and the Oompa Loompas.One of the best performances was easily Duff Man as he was the first to successfully skim the pond. He casually side stepped out of the pool and headed to the hot tub. Shortly thereafter, one of the snowboarders came down and proposed in front of the entire crowd. Of course, she said yes.
While we’re not entirely convinced we would make a separate trip up to the mountains for this again, overall the event was fun. Our tips for fully enjoying the day: 1) arrive early to see people milling around in costumes before the event, 2) wear snow pants and good shoes (it will really allow you to get to a position to see better - otherwise you’re fairly limited on where you can watch from), and 3) be prepared (in whatever way you choose to prepare…) for the event to be slowly paced
Visit the Colorado Snow pool on flickr for more photos and videos from the event.
“Your 2008-2009 season pass is getting a high-tech makeover. All passes for next season — The Epic, Colorado, and Summit season passes — will utilize a new state-of-the-art radio frequency technology that’ll offer an “easy scan” process, where we can scan the pass through your clothing, giving you the option to keep your pass zipped inside your jacket in the lift lines at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado and Heavenly in Lake Tahoe.”
CBS 4 Denver has compiled a listing of movies filmed in Colorado. We combed the list and found movies filmed in the Colorado mountains and snow towns that we’ve come to know and love:
It’s just some fun trivia. Now go! Impress your friends.
Vail Resorts and Intrawest would be crazy to close everything next weekend. Steamboat and many others already closed this weekend. But, beyond the slush at the bottom: there’s plenty of snow! We were at Keystone this weekend and I was still finding fluffy powder in the trees. Vail has tons of powder still, too. Please, please don’t close quite yet!
More spring fun starts next week up in Vail with a week-long festival celebrating the sun and the snow:
The mountains will be alive with free concerts from national headliners, on-snow events, street parties…and don’t miss the ever-popular…Bacardi World Pond Skimming Championships.
So head on up to Vail and have a good time. Check the website for details on the schedule, concerts, and information about pond skimming (sliding across a pond in a crazy costume on your skis/snowboard). It’ll be good!
Click here to visit the Spring Back to Vail website for details.
April 12th is the day to head up to Breckenridge and visit the Massive Beerfest:
The festival features 17 microbrews and craft beers with unlimited tasting. Breweries include Breck Brewery, Widmer, Red Hook, Kona, Stone Brewing Co, Bristol, Lefthand, Palisade, New Belgium, Sam Adams, Wolf Rock, Oaskar Blues, Ska Brewing, Steamborks, Great Divide, Flying Dog, Backcountry and Aspen Brewing! Enjoy live music from Tony Furtado, Subdudes and the The Rail Benders. For more information call KSMT (970) 453 2234.
For just $60 you can get into the 2008 Massive Festival, a bigger mug than everyone else and a catered lunch. Check it out!
Announcement: For the go-getters among us: The Colorado Pass spring renewal period has begun. Renewal before May 4th requires only $49 down (balance due in September) and, as a bonus for the non-procrastinators includes four $50 tickets and unlimited riding in April 2009. If you’re feeling indecisive, take your time — you have until at least November 15, 2008.
If you’re not familiar with the Colorado Pass it is a season pass to the following resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin and will be sold for $439. This season the passes will use RF technology so you never have to take it out of your jacket. See also: the Epic Pass.
Sure, it’s April and it’s starting to look like Spring, that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun! Over Memorial Day weekend, Arapahoe Basin is hosting the 7th Annual Festival of the Brewpubs and Memorial Weekend Beach party:
Join us for our largest party of the year! Spend the day sampling mugs of beer from a variety of Summit County brewpubs for one low price per 14 oz mug (must be 21). Breweries include Pug Ryan’s, Breckenridge, Dillon Dam, Backcountry and Wolf Rock.
Click here for more details on the festival of the brewpubs.
Get some spring skiing in and then buy your mug at 11am. Drinks flow from noon to four. See you there!
From the SteepSavers email:
Stay tonight (3/21-FRIDAY!) and/or tomorrow night (3/22-SATURDAY!):
Or, save even more and skip the Sunday traffic when you stay over this Sunday, 3/23:
From Sam: Vail Resorts came out with a press release yesterday about their new ‘Epic Pass‘. It is an unrestricted (no blackout dates), and unlimited (go as many times as you want) to Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin and Heavenly for $579 for adults and $279 for kids. It is available until November 15th. This is probably going to be the best ski deal of the year. Click here for details on the Epic Pass. Also, as a bonus, all of the passes will be using RFID (radio frequency) technology this year so you won’t have to take the pass out of your clothing.
Q: Is there any chance that the usual Summit County mtn’s will stay open through the end of April, besides A-Basin and Loveland? My kids have Easter break from 4/21-25. What about Breck? Vail? B-Creek?
A: Unfortunately the Summit County mountains are going to close around the second weekend of April. Even by the first weekend things have been getting pretty slushy (maybe not this year!).
You can check out the resort closing dates down the right side of Colorado Snow (along with the conditions) or visit the resort pages at Colorado Ski. Here's the dates:
I wouldn't rule out the possibility of them extending another week or two (they extended the deadlines on the pass sales twice this season) but I doubt the snow is going to hang out that long.
Sorry the timing isn't better and thanks for the question.
Q: When is the best (read: cheapest) time to renew my CO Pass? I’m a first time Season Pass holder, and I’d like to renew for 2008-2009, but I don’t know the game. Thanks!
A: Easy answer: the fine folks at Vail Resorts will definitely let you know when to renew your pass. If you signed up with an email yyou will get a half-dozen emails over the summer. Don't worry, it will be very explicit as to when you need to renew.
I can't recall the exact time frame but I'm thinking July or August are when the renewals are due by (to get the best deal). As soon as I start hearing exact details I will be sure to post them here
Nirav just noted that the latest pricing for ski-with-a-friend pass (Colorado Pass) pricing is as follows: $75 for Vail/Beaver Creek, $59 for Keystone/Breckenridge, $49 for Arapahoe Basin. March 9 - March 22 will become even more expensive so now would be a good weekend to use those tickets. Thanks, Nirav.
Q: I am moving back to Colorado late this March. Do any resorts sell late season passes (Late season Buddy Pass) Something like that? I hope so! Daily rates at Vail,Breck,and Keyston would get expensive!
A: Hey Lance, great question and the simplest answer: you're out of luck.
The Colorado Pass is no longer on sale (access to all Vail resorts including Breckenridge and Keystone) as this is the definition of price discrimination. The same goes for the Intrawest passes (Copper Mountain, Winter Park and Steamboat). The beauty of a monopoly is the fact the consumer will sometimes suffer.
But wait, there's hope: you can still purchase a Loveland or Arapahoe Basin season pass from their websites.
As I mentioned, A-Basin and Loveland are perfect for you because you'll have longer spring-season skiing at either resort (and they're both closer).
You also have two more options: buddy passes and supermarket discounted tickets:
I hope that helps! Thanks for the question.
If you have a question for us, visit our Askablogr (ask a blogger) page.
We’ve had a few readers ask for our suggestions here at Colorado Snow so without delay here is our first ‘Ask CS’ entry.
Latt asked:
This will be my first time skiing at Keystone. I will be taking my wife, 14 y.o. son and 14 y.o. nephew March 23-28. Any tips on great runs, good ski rentals, good food, other facts that would be helpful? We are staying at River Run. We are moderate skiiers (we are from Louisiana and only ski one week per year) and handle blues well but not so much the blacks and definately not the moguls.
A great question and we’ve got plenty of answers. Nicole says:
I just recently spent a weekend up there and stayed at River Run! There are a lot of blues off the River Run Gondola/Summit Express lift — Flying Dutchman, Frenchman, Wild Irishman, etc. We ended up always taking the Summit Express lift (and not the gondola) as it never had a line. I felt a little crowded on the slopes, but there was rarely a line at Summit Express. The beginner we were with really liked Mozart (blue run) down the backside. From the bottom of that, you can take Santiago Express which has a couple steeper blues. Beware that these might be a little crusty if there hasn’t been snow recently.
As for ski rentals, I’m not sure I can be of much help as I haven’t rented at the resort. I do know that unless you have a deal with your condo, it will be cheaper to rent in Breckenridge, Dillon, or Silverthorne — you can’t really miss the rental shops as you drive through.
I can vouch for Devin’s recommendation of the Wolf Rock Brewery — good atmosphere, good food and good beer. I would also recommend checking out Breckenridge at least one night. It also has a good brewery and a cute main street with lots of shops and will be more “happening” in the evening than at the resort.
All good points: 1) don’t rent at the resort unless you’ve got a lodging deal already, 2) River Run has plenty on the front, and 3) eat at Wolf Rock. Devin also says:
The front slopes that Nicole recommends are all good but if the snow isn’t great or if it starts to get crowded I would head half-way up the hill to the Montezuma Lift. You can get to it by going up the gondola (which is always a fun for first-timers) or if you’re over at Mountain House just head up Peru and move (skiiers) right.
Montezuma has plenty of fun blues right off of Schoolmarm and, as Nicole said, there is always Mozart right off the back side. Just be cautious, if you want to go back further there are a bunch of flat spots so keep up your speed.
If you’re looking for some excellent mexican food (the real deal) head back into Silverthorne and stop at Fiesta Jalisco. The nacho appetizer is enough to feed both kids and they’re the best I’ve had.
Be sure to see what the ‘Adventure Passport’ (most lodging deals give you it) has to offer. There are plenty of things to do (sleigh rides, ice skating, tubing and plenty of other things for the whole family).
Take lots of good pictures, Latt and let us know how the trip goes!
I’m not entirely sure why a Colorado resort is reviewed in a Dallas newspaper, but here’s a nice article about Arapahoe Basin.
12 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours at Vail means the $12 lift ticket special is going on right now! If you’re planning a trip to Vail, you might want to check out this deal in the next 7 hours (the special only lasts 12 hours). If you get a good deal, let us know!
Get all the details on Deals for ski resorts in Vail from your travel advisor. You can get a really cheap hotel in Vail; even cheaper than orlando hotel rooms. An orlando hotel is usually cheaper than other hotels in major cities. You’ll be staying at comfortable hotel rooms at affordable rates. However, a miami hotel on the beachfront is almost double the price of hotels in the city. All flights to phoenix have been delayed due to the snow storm alert.
I just spent an awesome (long) weekend up in Keystone and I had a blast. It’s amazing the many things you can do in the mountains and never get bored. Here’s the top 4 things I recommend you do if you have some extra time:
I’m speaking from very recent experience. Keystone (and all the other resorts) have tons of activities to keep you entertained. Sometimes the locals don’t stick around to explore all the other fun things to do off the slopes. Instead of taking an expensive flight somewhere warm this winter why not stay in the hills for a bit?
I spoke with a customer service representative at Vail Resorts today and was able to gather the following discounted ticket pricing (they’re called “Ski-With-A-Friend”, and each Colorado Pass holder can purchase up to 6 of these tickets).
Prices through February 15, 2008
The prices will go up slightly after 2/15 but the resorts won’t say how much yet. For more details call 888-215-3867.
Bonus: Found on the Colorado Pass bonus page, a little known fact: if you renewed your pass before May 31, 2007 (never known to me!) you are entitled to FOUR UNRESTRICTED $45 TICKETS valid all season at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.
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