"uncool" (i.e. family-friendly) ski resorts? (Denver, Colorado Springs: condo, school)

[Hey-Odd]

We've just moved here and want to start our kids (3 and 5) skiing this winter. Years ago my husband and I used to fly out west to ski -- we've been to Winter Park which we loved (and my blind sister came too and partook of their blind skier program), but mostly we went to Montana. Anyway, I've heard of all the "cool," "chic" ski resorts where celebs and young hotties go -- which ones are NOT??? Those are the ones we'd like to go to.

[Charles]

Ski Cooper.

Excellent ski school for your kids. (Our kids 3, 5 and 8 loved it and the older two were skiing by themselves after one day....Do the Panda Patrol.)

Ski Cooper (http://www.skicooper.com/skiSchool/chidrenSkiPrograms/pandaPatrol.html - broken link)

Less than two hours from Colorado Springs.
CHEAP. Get discount tickets at Super Kings and/or using a Jems card. (???)
We went there twice last season.

Also check out Arapahoe Basin (A Basin). Never been there. Hear it is a good family place.

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

[jazzlover]

Very few. Try Monarch, west of Salida. Or Wolf Creek--if the @#$%^!!! Texas developer doesn't develop his trophy resort next to it.

[vegaspilgrim]

Loveland Ski Area is my personal favorite. Lower prices, no lines, great snow, great scenery, open for longer in the season, and closest to Denver. What's not to like? There's the Loveland Valley section of the ski area which is strictly for begginers. A-Basin, I'll also second-- although that's more for experienced skiiers than beginners. Eldora is pretty family friendly. Even Winter Park is still pretty family friendly compared to the Summit County resorts. I'll also agree with Jazzlover-- Monarch is a good, low-key ski area. Purgatory and Crested Butte WERE pretty low key areas, but that's now rapidly changing, with a lot of ubiquitous condo development going on.

[BillRadio]

Don't cut off your nose to spite your face! The vast majority of ski areas are 'family-friendly'. It is a huge market for them. The lone exception is Aspen. It is a below-average ski area with an attitude, with a town that's also not worthy of a family stay. The other 3 Aspen areas are great for families, especially Buttermilk. The only downside to the large resorts are the prices.

The small ski areas already mentioned are excellent places to get kids to start learning. After all, it's the best they'll know for the first few years. If you're in Denver, I also recommend Loveland. After a few lessons, the kid gets a year's free pass, but they fill up on busy weekends, so make your reservations early, and get your equipment in Idaho Springs.

[dj32]

i like winter park and their kids ski school is great. I've also heard good things about Loveland.

Steamboat is overdeveloped now too but good for a long weekend and the ski school is great.

If you are up for a road trip, Taos is low crowds and I've read it has the best ski school program in the U.S. The last few years have not been great for snow though.

[chilaili]

Just curious: does anyone ski Eldora? Is it any good?

[sunsprit]

My vote for Front Range family oriented day skiing is Loveland, with an excellent ski school staff and instruction targeted to children starting out.

As the kids grow up, they'll have had a chance to develop ski skills second to nobody's at this facility.

The facilities are great for brown bagging lunches, family style. Helps keep the costs low for a family on a limited skiing budget for a day. Lift ticket prices are low, as are season passes.

The round trip up the hill is the shortest time to the slopes of any quality ski facility, which helps make a long ski day more productive with skiing instead of commuting.

There are slopes at Loveland that are equal to the best that Colorado has to offer anywhere else ... they're just not as long as some other runs may be.

The biggest drawback to Loveland is that it's at high altitude and a lot of it very exposed to the wind and cold. It can be pretty unpleasant when the storms move in while other areas past the tunnel can be having an OK day.

[Sally123]

This is what you are looking for, SolVista: SolVista Ski Resort (broken link)

The moto is actually this!!: A ski area for those fueled by hot cocoa, not by adrenaline.

Very uncool. Very family friendly