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Condé Nast Traveler picks
 Colorado Skiing
Colorado is blessed with 25 major mountain resorts, so skiing is clearly king here. Some 11.5 million people take to the slopes each year to enjoy the soaring vistas, the alpine scenery, and the spectacular variety of choices. Most skiers fly into Denver and then drive to their ski resort or take a shuttle into a smaller regional airport such as Eagle County (for Vail and Beaver Creek) or Hayden (for Steamboat Springs). And with so many ski areas to choose from, there's good reason to wish for snow.
Arapahoe Basin Perched high on the Continental Divide, about 70 miles from Denver, A-Basin has one of Colorado's longest ski seasons—staying open from October through late June. Trees grip the windy slopes, which boast a vertical rise of 2,270 feet. There are no lodges or hotels at the mountain's base, but accommodations are less than five miles away. Aspen/Snowmass In the White River National Forest, Aspen Mountain is the backdrop of its namesake town. The mountain is beloved for its steep runs and oversized bumps that drop right into the heart of the glitzy ski town, long a playground for the jet-set. Neighboring Aspen Highlands, a local favorite, has extreme terrain and stellar views of the expansive Maroon Bells wilderness area. Off the hill, Aspen's après-ski scene buzzes, with chic restaurants serving up inventive contemporary cuisine and laid-back watering holes perfectly suited for kicking up your ski legs. Neighboring Snowmass is known for unabashedly marketing itself as a family-friendly resort, unlike sister mountain Aspen. This means lots of playing around on this 3,128-acre mountain, which rivals Vail in its size. Breckenridge Serving as a backdrop for Colorado's largest historic district, with some 170 registered buildings, Breck's four big mountains include 400 acres that make up some of North America's most extreme terrain. The new Imperial Express high-speed quad gets you to the top of the mountain—which has a heart-pounding vertical rise of 939 feet. Pound powder at the Horseshoe Bowl, or try the steep, undulating face of Peak 9, which rides more like a roller coaster. Keystone Just west of Denver, Keystone stretches for seven miles along the Snake River, with its main village overlooking Keystone Lake. The resort has three distinctly different mountains: Dercum, which is home to the state's largest night-skiing operation (15 trails plus a terrain park) and has a third of its terrain geared toward beginners; North Peak, with generous-sized moguls for expert and advanced skiers looking to up the ante; and Outback, a refuge for intermediate and advanced skiers in search of steep, wide-open bowls and gladed terrain. Take a guided Sno-Cat tour to the Bergman and Erickson bowls to rip it up in knee-deep powder and make fresh tracks. Steamboat Springs One of North America's biggest ski mountains, Steamboat Springs is heralded for its "champagne powder," open meadows, and groomed cruisers. Located 160 miles northwest of Denver, it may not be the most accessible mountain, but it's worth the trip. Not surprisingly, a destination of this size caters to all levels of experience. While the area surrounding the gondola and lower mountain are dominated by ski schoolers and beginners, others simply brave the gondola line and head straight to the top to ski the demanding runs right off the Storm Peak Express lift. And remember: Pack your fat skis—or plan on renting them—because the snow that gets dumped here is likely to sate even the hungriest powder hound. Telluride Tucked into the end of a high-walled box canyon in southwestern Colorado's San Juan Mountains, Telluride is an isolated haven for skiers—indeed, the nearest stoplight is some 45 miles away. Most famous for the lack of lift lines, it has 16 lifts and more than 1,700 acres of skiable terrain. This mountain is where thrill-seekers go, for the open slopes and some of the thickest tree-laced terrain in the Rockies. Vail/Beaver Creek Springtime skiing is Vail's best-kept secret. From the end of March through April 23, visitors win an end-of-season trifecta: drastically reduced room costs, less-crowded slopes, and snow aplenty. The mountain's backcountry Blue Sky Basin is pure heaven—645 acres of untracked terrain and naturally formed trails serviced by 29 lifts, including two high-speed chairs. Trails range in difficulty from smooth-groomed runs to super-steep, power-packed expert slopes. Nearby Beaver Creek, with a summit that tops out at 11,440 feet, looks more like an Alpine village. For the hot-dogging set, the new Stone Creek Chutes have an in-bounds skiing area of soaring chutes and steep forested runs replete with panoramic views of the Gore Range. Truth in Travel is the guiding principle for all content published in Condé Nast Traveler. Other travel publications often accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not. It is independent of the travel industry. The magazine always pays its way, and, as far as possible, its correspondents travel anonymously. By doing so, they experience the world—both the good and the bad—as other travelers do, and their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative.
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