Forget academic programs, business school, and small classes, we at the Clarion know why you came to the University of Denver: skiing.
The start of winter quarter always brings people out of the closet: “Hi, my name is (insert your name here), and I’m a ski-aholic.” So, just in time to diversify your terrain portfolio, here’s two resorts not on the Colorado ski pass that you may want to check out.
Winter Park has 134 trials with 22 lifts to meet your skiing needs; and with a majority of expert terrain-filled with steep slopes, sharp turns, and plentiful trees-Winter Park can satisfy even the most advanced skiers.
In the last 48 hours 9 inches of the white stuff has fallen and 11 feet season to date. If your interests are peaked, Winter Park boosts comfortable accommodations at ski-season prices.
For the tight of wallet, there’s a Super Eight Motel twenty minutes from the resort with room rates anywhere from 87 dollars on weekdays to 97 dollars on weekends. If you have money to burn and want to stay a little closer, you can room in spacious condominiums, like the Zephyr Mountain Lodge, for 180-420 dollars a night.
Winter Park also comes replete with various other activities and special event to complement the ski experience. Winter park has a Tour Center that is home to Snowcat Tours & Shuttle service, Redfeather Snowshoe Tours, Adventure Snowshoe Tour, and Moonlight Snowmobile Tours. The Tour Center is located in the Balcony House at the base of Winter Park Mountain.
Upcoming special events include NAASF Ski Week January 13-18 (includes fun, races, and parties according to Winter Park’s web-site), Volunteer Ski Patrol “Shadow days” January 19 (an event where you can actually shadow a patrol member and see their typical duties and functions), and a DU Invitational Race January 25-26.
If that’s not enough, Winter Park also has momentous rises and lanes of shopping at The Village (located at the mountain base).
Our next resort caters more towards those skiers who have not mastered the art of sliding across frozen water on thin plastic rails at break-neck speeds. Telluride offers a patchwork of advanced, intermediate, and beginner terrain that is accessible by 15 lifts.
Also, if your skiing friends drag you along, when you yourself are skiing impaired, you can look into alternate activities such as snowmobiles (offered at the Timber Ridge Adventures Center), ice-skating (offered at the base of the mountain), and Winter Sleigh Rides complements of Belgian Draft Horses. There is also shopping, clubs, and bars in the downtown Telluride area.
Telluride has many hotels just minutes from the slopes chalked full with all the necessities of a skiing getaway: spas, HBO, weight rooms, room service, private balconies, and fireplaces. Prices at Hotel Columbia range from 135 to 300 dollars a night. Hotel Columbia also houses two world-class restaurants, The Cosmopolitan and The Tasting Cellar.
In all, the next time you find yourself hankering for some new snow to conquer or trails to challenge, forget the Colorado ski pass and look to Winter Park or Telluride.
