Summary of Trip - Final Report
I went on this trip for multiple reasons:
1. To ski some new hills in Colorado I had never been to before.
2. To visit parts of Colorado I had never been to before.
3. To reward myself for recent retirement.
4. To get a break from numerous responsibilities, including of taking care of my 96 year old mom.
I accomplished all four and I enjoyed myself immensely and got a good "reset". But this is a ski forum and this thread was primarily about ski hills and parts of Colorado outside Summit County (where I usually go). Hence, why I titled this thread "The Other Colorado".
So, here is my review of the mountains I skied and the places I traveled:
I went to five new mountains in the following order: Ski Cooper, Sunlight Mountain, Powderhorn, Telluride, and Purgatory.
Here's how I would rate them of how I enjoyed them and from the aspect of being from out-of-state. Of course, I'm writing this from an intermediate level skier's opinion and YMMV.
#1 - Sunlight Mountain - There was just something about this place that put a smile on my face. It seemed to have all levels of terrain with great vertical (2000 feet). The lift tickets are cheap. The people were super nice. And there is nobody there. The views are also fantastic on blue-bird days and they groomed numerous runs, but still left plenty of ungroomed trails. It also has a HUGE area for beginners and I wouldn't hesitate to take first-timers there. It is convenient to nearby lodging in Glenwood Springs. But it also has a nice homey and cheap ($80 night) B&B at it's base with a great host. All in all, I just had a great time there and there was really nothing negative to me about the place. Sorry
@SBrown that I've let the secret out.
#2 - Powderhorn - This was a fun skiing mountain to me with great views and cheap lift tickets also. More of a resort type base with condos, hotel lodging, etc. But very small in scope to Summit County resorts. I stayed in a ski-in/out condo at the base for 2 nights for around $350. It's roughly 45-50 minutes from Grand Junction. The only negative I guess I experienced was it being crowded (relative to normal) on the day I went (Saturday of MLK weekend). People were complaining about the 5 minute lift line wait. But on the slopes, the mountain is plenty big enough to spread that out.
#3 - Purgatory - Although I had fun, Purgatory didn't meet up to my expectations. Looking at their trail map, I expected some great intermediate cruising trails. And though they exist, there are places where there are cat walks and flat areas to traverse. It also is a "rolling" mountain in many places. I guess I was expecting more long continuous runs without having to break because of the "benches/cat walks" that came across the trails. Would I go again? Sure. But for a day. Not for 4 days like I ended up staying because I was pre-expecting to enjoy it for multiple days.
#4 - Ski Cooper - Don't get me wrong. I ranked this last, but this is a fun hill. Because I went on a snow day, I couldn't tell you about the "views", but I've been told they are awesome. Cheap lift tickets, empty, and some nice beginner and intermediate runs. It's just not big enough nor does it have enough trails or vertical to justify making it a destination trip. But...that's not what this place is for. If I were a local, I would definitely go there every now and then. Or if I were taking beginners to learn to ski.
I'm excluding Telluride from my rankings because I don't feel like I could give a fair review as I went on a storm day with high-winds and very low visibility. So because of that, I'm not even going to try to rank it with the others as I just didn't get a "feel" for the place.
I started going to Colorado 7+ years ago for the skiing. But the more trips I make, the more I am just in awe of some of the scenery and I almost get just as much enjoyment experiencing that. Because of that, I really enjoyed my non-skiing days just driving around and exploring. I met some great people and saw some beautiful scenery that put a smile on my face....and that many people never get to experience in their lifetime. It's enough to humble a person and made me count my blessings. I ended up driving a little over 2000 miles in the state of Colorado alone (and over 4000 miles total) on my trip. And though I was scared sh**less driving in a snowstorm on Red Mountain Pass, I never had any close calls, breakdowns, or problems. All in all, I'd say it was a successful trip.
Thanks to all who read this report and contributed as I learned much (and always do) from many of you who posted. Peace out till next time.
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