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Smaller resorts: Go for the cold

"COLORADO GEMS": With no tourist gridlock, skiing rules at these smaller resorts.

By DAN LEETH
Published October 16, 2005

MESA, Colo. - Saturday dawns clear and bright, with crisp air, bluebird sky and a dusting of fresh powder. It's the kind of Colorado ski resort day that will cram parking lots, crowd ski trails and dampen enthusiasm as lift lines grow.

But not at Powderhorn Resort. The only wait experienced on this particular day comes at the base lodge, where a bartender works solo dispensing apres-ski drinks. Lack of crowds is only one of the facets found at the small ski areas being marketed as "Colorado Gems."

The "Gems" are eight of the state's smallest areas. Some are located near major resorts, others can claim a place for themselves. But all are glitz-free zones, where folks come to head down the slopes, not to preen and be seen. The furs seen here are still attached to wildlife.

Older, funkier and more laid-back, these eight areas represent the way skiing used to be, before winter resorts went on steroids. Parking is free. Employees come from the area. Family-friendly terrain generally funnels into central areas, so nobody gets lost.

Only three of the eight have onsite lodging; at the others, overnight visitors stay in local towns, dine at local restaurants and pay local, nonresort prices. These are ski areas, not real estate developments.

Best of all, these areas offer the same fluffy snow as do the major resorts, but at a fraction the cost. For more savings, a free Gems Card cuts lift prices another $8 to $10 per day. The cards are available by contacting the trade association Colorado Ski Country: 303 837-0793; www.coloradoski.com

Being small, each area offers its own specialty. Some provide excellent learn-to-ski programs. Others feature some of Colorado's best vertical descent and overall terrain. Here are the details:

ARAPAHOE BASIN SKI AREA: toll-free 1-888-272-7246; www.arapahoebasin.com

Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin to the locals) offers 69 trails on 490 acres. Vertical drop is 2,270 feet and the longest run is 1.5 miles. Lift ticket prices have not been set yet, but last year ran $49.

Getting there: The area is 68 miles west of Denver on U.S. 6. Ample lodging can be found in the Summit County communities of Keystone, Dillon, Silverthorne, Frisco and Breckenridge, all less than 20 miles away: toll-free 1-800-530-3099; www.summitchamber.org

Why Arapahoe Basin? With its summit 13,050 feet above sea level, A-Basin offers some of the highest skiable terrain in North America. Much of it lies above timberline with crags forming an intimate backdrop. Though there are ample groomed runs for those who crave corduroy, folks flock to A-Basin for its steeps and deeps.

Insider tip: "Check out our Pallavicini run," says Leigh Hierholzer, who works in the area. "It goes down a 37-degree face with about 2,000 feet of vertical drop. People have bragging rights when they finish."

ELDORA MOUNTAIN RESORT: 303 440-8700; www.eldora.com

Eldora features 53 trails on 680 acres. Vertical drop is 1,600 feet and the longest run stretches three miles. Prices have not been set yet, but last year's tickets cost $51.

Getting there: The area lies 21 miles west of Boulder off Colorado 119. The closest lodging is five miles away in Nederland: toll-free 1-800-221-0044; www.nederlandchamber.org

Why Eldora? Eldora is the closest ski area to Denver, and gets hit with upslope storms that miss other areas. The resort renders a small, homey feel that makes it seem like a New England ski area, but without the ice. More than two-thirds of the terrain is ranked beginner or moderate, but Eldora's Corona Bowl serves up enough black and double-black diamond runs to challenge the adventurous.

Insider tip: Local employee Rob Linde says, "You can call a week prior to Christmas and easily find lodging around Boulder. It always surprises me that people would rather fight crowds at a destination resort. We don't even have lift lines then."

LOVELAND SKI AREA: toll-free 1-800-736-3754; www.skiloveland.com

Loveland offers 92 trails on 1,365 acres. Vertical drop is 2,410 feet and the longest run is two miles. Lift tickets run $50 per day.

Getting there: The area is 53 miles west of Denver off Interstate 70. Sixteen miles to the east is the closest lodging, in Georgetown: toll-free 1-800-472-8230; www.georgetowncolorado.com

Why Loveland? Loveland is divided into two sections. Loveland Valley features easy terrain prized by beginner and intermediate skiers. Loveland Basin holds the tougher stuff. Its top chair reaches 13,010 feet above sea level, and with much of the terrain lying above timberline, Loveland's slopes purvey the feel of the Alps. The area averages over 400 inches of snow annually, 100 inches more than Aspen Mountain.

Insider tip: "After a storm, we've always got great powder stashes off of Chair 4 and Chair 8 on the north side of the mountain," employee John Sellers discloses. "A lot of people never make it over to that side of the mountain."

MONARCH MOUNTAIN SKI AREA: toll-free 1-888-996-7669, www.skimonarch.com

Monarch offers 66 trails on 800 acres. Vertical drop is 1,170 feet and the longest run is one mile. Lift tickets cost $49 per day.

Getting there: The area is 157 miles southwest of Denver on U.S. 50. Nineteen miles to the east is the closest major lodging in Salida: toll-free 1-877-772-5432; www.salidachamber.org

Why Monarch? Sporting a Colorado-based ownership, Monarch offers the feel and friendliness of a hometown mountain. Its slopes are annually plastered with 350 inches of natural snowfall, none from hoses. Its out-of-the-way location means that even on a powder day, the area will not be inundated with humanity. For visitors who feel they need more fluff, Monarch offers 700 acres of backcountry.

Insider tip: "A 10-minute hike takes you to Mirkwood bowl, 130 acres of steep, double-diamond terrain," says employee Greg Ralph. "You can be back there all day and the only tracks you'll see are yours and your buddy's."

POWDERHORN RESORT: 970 268-5700; www.powderhorn.com

Powderhorn provides 36 trails on 540 acres. Vertical drop is 1,650 feet and the longest trail runs 2.2 miles. Lifts tickets cost $35 weekdays, $45 weekends and holidays.

Getting there: The area is 35 miles east of Grand Junction and 250 miles west of Denver off Colorado 65. There is on-property lodging: 970 268-5170; www.powderhorn.com Rooms may also be found in Grand Junction: toll-free 1-800-962-2547; www.visitgrandjunction.com

Why Powderhorn? The resort sits at the edge of Grand Mesa, where the Rockies rise from the desert. The cliffs, bluffs and valleys of Utahlike canyon country stretch below, providing views unmatched elsewhere in Colorado. Best of all, because the resort lies 4,000 feet above the city of Grand Junction, visitors can go skiing one day and play golf the next.

Insider tip: Employee Kathy Dirks advises, "You can stay any night slopeside at the Inn at Wildewood and get a free lift ticket for the next day. It's only a 15-room inn, so it fills up quickly."

SKI COOPER: toll-free 1-800-707-6114; www.skicooper.com

Ski Cooper offers 26 trails on 400 lift-served acres. Vertical drop is 1,200 feet and the longest run is 1.4 miles. Lift tickets go for $36 per day.

Getting there: The area is 35 miles south of Vail on U.S. 24, about 130 miles from Denver. The nearest lodging lies nine miles away in Leadville: toll-free 1-800-933-3901; www.leadvilleusa.com

Why Ski Cooper? The area dates to World War II when the Army established Camp Hale as a 10th Mountain Division training base. Low-priced lifts and a simple layout have made Ski Cooper a prime spot for families. It's also popular with free-heelers trying to perfect telemark turns and powder hounds who want to do snowcat descents through another 2,400 acres of backcountry fluff.

Insider's tip: "In Leadville, there is a shop called Hundley's with fudge as good as Mackinac Island's, and I'm from Michigan, so I should know," exclaims employee Kristin Lee. "People can go there and replace the calories they lost skiing."

SOL VISTA BASIN: toll-free 1-800-754-7458, www.solvista.com

Sol Vista offers 33 trails on 406 acres. Vertical drop is 1,000 feet and the longest run is 1.5 miles. Lift ticket prices have not been set yet, but last year they were $44.

Getting there: The area lies 79 miles northwest of Denver on U.S. 40. There is on-property lodging: toll-free 1-800-757-7669; www.solvista.com One can also stay nearby in Granby: toll-free 1-800-325-1661; www.granbychamber.com There is also lodging in Winter Park: toll-free 1-800-903-7275; www.winterpark.org

Why Sol Vista? Sol Vista provides gentle terrain ideal for those new to snow sliding. Their Accelerated Learning Center uses teaching methods designed by Primary Movements Teaching System inventor Harald Harb, which allows never-ever skiers to go directly to making parallel turns. They also offer kick-and-gliders with 25 kilometers of groomed, lift-served cross-country trails.

Insider tip: "We've developed a learning package we're really proud of," says employee Stephanie Carey. "For $99, beginners get two days of lessons, lifts and rentals. After they complete that, they get a lift pass for the rest of the season."

SUNLIGHT MOUNTAIN RESORT: toll-free 1-800-445-7931; www.sunlightmtn.com

Sunlight offers 67 trails on 470 acres. Vertical drop is 2,010 feet and the longest run is 2.5 miles. Lift tickets run $39 per day.

Getting there: The area is off Colorado 82 near Glenwood Springs, 160 miles west of Denver. Sunlight Mountain Inn: toll-free 1-800-733-4757; www.sunlightinn.com Brettelberg Condos: toll-free 1-800-634-0481; www.brettelberg.com More lodging lies 10 miles away in Glenwood Springs: toll-free 1-888-445-3696; www.glenwoodchamber.com

Why Sunlight? This family-friendly area offers something for everybody, from a 2.5-mile long cruiser to a screamer sporting a 52 percent pitch. No matter what trails are traversed, after a challenging day on the slopes, visitors can head to Glenwood for a soak in the world's largest outdoor thermal springs pool or a massage at the Yampah Spa Vapor Caves.

Insider tip: "With our ski, swim and stay package you can get a room, lift ticket and a pass to the hot springs for less than the cost of lift ticket alone at some larger resorts," says employee Kevin Horch.

[Last modified October 14, 2005, 08:46:05]