Denver to Mountains - for Snowboarding (Colorado Springs, Fort Collins: ski resorts, living in, shop)

[FoRuMRideR420]

couple questions because i am going to be moving to denver in Dec.

What's Denver's average yearly snowfall ?

How long of car ride to get to mountains?Is it a pain in the ass to get there?

Is there buses that go from Denver to ski resorts?

Does Echo mountain have any riding trails?

[jazzlover]

Annual average snowfall in Denver is around 50". It generally snows and melts. Denver metro proper has bare ground most of the winter because of this. From downtown Denver, you can be in the foothills in a half-hour when traffic is light (seldom). Otherwise, it takes what it takes. A drive back from a ski area on I-70 that would take 90 minutes in light traffic might take 4 hours if there is a significant accident or problem on the highway. There are private buses that go to most ski areas, and the Ski Train from Denver to Winter Park on winter weekends.

I don't live in Denver and avoid driving through there enroute to any place else if I possibly can. The traffic sucks, period. I am a Colorado native, and lived on the Front Range years ago. I can say that Front Range drivers are often every bit as obnoxious and discourteous as you could find anyplace. And the sprawl and traffic gets worse every day . . .

[Nadine]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Annual average snowfall in Denver is around 50". It generally snows and melts. Denver metro proper has bare ground most of the winter because of this. From downtown Denver, you can be in the foothills in a half-hour when traffic is light (seldom). Otherwise, it takes what it takes. A drive back from a ski area on I-70 that would take 90 minutes in light traffic might take 4 hours if there is a significant accident or problem on the highway. There are private buses that go to most ski areas, and the Ski Train from Denver to Winter Park on winter weekends.

I don't live in Denver and avoid driving through there enroute to any place else if I possibly can. The traffic sucks, period. I am a Colorado native, and lived on the Front Range years ago. I can say that Front Range drivers are often every bit as obnoxious and discourteous as you could find anyplace. And the sprawl and traffic gets worse every day . . .

I certainly agree with you on driving in the Denver area, even Colo. Springs is getting bad. But PLEASE do NOT say all the front range unless you mean all the way to the NM in Colorado. We south have our share of of obnoxious and discourteous drivers too but certainly not as many. Mostly in the summer during tourist and rafting season. Can you imagine what it will be up the Arkansas canyon if those screwballs are allowed to hang their rags across the river? Art? And it is looking like more and more that the politicians think they know best (see dollar signs) What a mess that will be Rafters and rags! oh boy! To those that think well--by pass. Look at a map. Long trip to go around.

[FoRuMRideR420]

so if i am moving mainly for snowboarding where the best area? i want to be near some mountains but not stuck by myself in the boonies

[jazzlover]

Nadine,

Someone from outside of Colorado posted a question in another thread asking, "What is the Front Range, a place?" I thought it to be a somewhat funny question, but--aftern reading your post--I realize that even people living in this region have differing definitions.

Of course, the original definition pertained to the mountain range, not the metropolitan areas below it. Most geologists define the Front Range mountains as the chain of subranges extending from the Wyoming border to just north of Canon City. Others say that the southern end of the Front Range ends with the Rampart Range and that Pikes Peak is not part of the Front Range proper.

As I used it in describing "Front Range drivers," I was referring to the metorplex that has taken the name of the mountain range. By my defintion, that includes the area from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. I agree with you, Nadine, that Pueblo, Canon City, etc. is NOT what I would consider part of the "Front Range." Thank God for that.

As to Cristo and his "artistic" BS, it is an absolute abomination that ANYONE in any public agency would POSSIBLY sanction that crap! If there is any solace at all, it is that the last time he did it over in Rifle Gap, the whole mess blew down in about 8 hours. When people spray paint **** on rocks on public land and try to call it "art," we call it vandalism and arrest them--what's the difference?

[Nadine]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Nadine,

Someone from outside of Colorado posted a question in another thread asking, "What is the Front Range, a place?" I thought it to be a somewhat funny question, but--aftern reading your post--I realize that even people living in this region have differing definitions.

Of course, the original definition pertained to the mountain range, not the metropolitan areas below it. Most geologists define the Front Range mountains as the chain of subranges extending from the Wyoming border to just north of Canon City. Others say that the southern end of the Front Range ends with the Rampart Range and that Pikes Peak is not part of the Front Range proper.

As I used it in describing "Front Range drivers," I was referring to the metorplex that has taken the name of the mountain range. By my defintion, that includes the area from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. I agree with you, Nadine, that Pueblo, Canon City, etc. is NOT what I would consider part of the "Front Range." Thank God for that.

As to Cristo and his "artistic" BS, it is an absolute abomination that ANYONE in any public agency would POSSIBLY sanction that crap! If there is any solace at all, it is that the last time he did it over in Rifle Gap, the whole mess blew down in about 8 hours. When people spray paint **** on rocks on public land and try to call it "art," we call it vandalism and arrest them--what's the difference?

I knew what you meant, but most people may not.You and I agree on lots of things but our definition of front range means the front range of the Rockies to us. In this case the east side. That is why we down here get upset when lumped into the Denver area "Front Range" Also I don't believe Pueblo to be close enough to be included. The west edge is 40 miles into the plains Maybe just local ideas. Don't know about that. But that was how I was raised to believe. As to the "art?" It is supposed to be up 2 wks. But how many mos will it take to put it up? 100's of cables anchored into the canyon walls in 7 different locations from Salida to Canon City. Then how long to clean it up or will it ever clean up, will it ever be the same? Not bloody likely. To inhance the beauty of the canyon they say. How do you inhance what took thousands and thousands of yrs to build?

[FoRuMRideR420]

so if i am moving mainly for snowboarding where the best area? i want to be near some mountains but not stuck by myself in the boonies

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by SmokE420

so if i am moving mainly for snowboarding where the best area? i want to be near some mountains but not stuck by myself in the boonies

Back On Topic, all of the major ski areas cater to snowboarding. Echo Mountain is very new, very small and has iffy snow. While it is "close" to Denver, it's a slow drive and would take longer than a trip to say, Loveland ski area. Aspen has always been boarder-unfriendly, but that's OK because it is also one of the least-desirable ski areas in the state. The town is fun.

Boarding is now mainstream, and the joy of living here is that you can try somewhere new each time and pick your favorite. I prefer skis, but on a board I prefer the smaller resorts. Many of them have boarder specials, but the larger resorts have nicely developed half-pipes and terrain areas. Small ones that I recommend are Loveland, Cooper (not Copper), Wolf Creek, Sunlight, and Monarch (where I learned to board).

The driving is a hassle, but only a part of the drive, only on weekends, and only on I-70. Once you're west of the Eisenhower Tunnel, traffic is normal. The problem is that everyone returns at 3pm on weekends. We, on the other hand, ski until they close the last lift, do a little shopping, maybe at the Outlet Stores, and head somewhere in the area for dinner. Then, after a leisurely meal, hit the road for home.

It's smarter is to get a room, drive up Friday night, and stay until 7pm Sunday, but that could be expensive. Smarter yet, arrange your work week to have weekdays off. I did that for a few years. I would ski on Mondays and have the resort, and the road, to myself.

From the center of Denver, Loveland is less than an hour drive, but traffic could could add anywhere from 5 to 60 minutes to that, but even Vail, one of the best areas in the world, is then less than an hour farther west.

[FoRuMRideR420]

thanks for info....... is there a lot of resorts open at night?

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by SmokE420

thanks for info....... is there a lot of resorts open at night?

Maybe a couple. Keystone sometimes, Echo said they would, but I don't know if they did, and one other I can't remember.