My daughter is tentatively planning to ski Crested Butte and she's for input. How are typical conditions? Where best to stay when on a tight budget? Would you recommend? If not, where to go on a budget (second year out of PSU)? Any advice you can give would be appreciated.
Anyone ski Crested Butte?
- Thread starter TiogaLion
- Start date
It is on the western side of the Continental Divide so it gets less snow than the other resorts in most years. But because of its location on the other side, there are years when it gets tons more of the fluffy white stuff and has the best conditions in the Rockies. Not sure how you figure out what it’s like this season.
CB is a great mountain to ski. But so far this year, snowpack is pretty low in the CO rockies. Many years, the snowpack catches up eventually. I try to get out to CO every year to ski, so I watch the snowpack there pretty regularly. Another great ski mountain is Steamboat Springs. That town has more nightlife than CB and some natural hot springs outside of town. The snowpack at SS is better so far this year than most places in CO as well.
I just checked and Steamboat wants about $250/day for a lift ticket. I'm sure it's great, but she's looking to ski on a tight budget.
Whoa! That is outrageous! Is there any chance buying an ICON season pass would be cheaper for her? The walk up day pass rate is really high pretty much everywhere.
She's lives in Philadelphia so ICON is not really an option. The girl she's skiing with is a second year teacher living in Denver so $250 is way more than she can afford. This morning I found a list of affordable ski resorts and a place called Purgatory near Durango has "flex" pricing depending on demand. if you buy right now, the end of January is about $50/day. Many others on the list are under $100.
Has anyone skied Purgatory? I feel I'm living there now!
The Most Affordable Ski Resorts in Colorado - OnTheSnow
There are cost-saving ski areas and other ways to enjoy Colorado skiing and riding without breaking the piggy bank.
www.onthesnow.com
Never went skiing at Purgatory but Durango is a more affordable town than most and it’s fun.
Plenty of hotels with rooms more in the 100/ night range than 400/ night range.
Plenty of hotels with rooms more in the 100/ night range than 400/ night range.
I have skied here a bunch, and for $89 bucks you cant go wrong. its about a 4.5 hr drive from Denver. Right now they have more snow than most any of the resorts out west. They will get more. The Pagossa Springs side probably has more nightlife than than South fork. ( I know it does). Plus they have hot springs. Remember though Wolf Creek is a ski area, not a resort. There are no places to stay there, and partying there is very limited, no TV's anywhereShe's lives in Philadelphia so ICON is not really an option. The girl she's skiing with is a second year teacher living in Denver so $250 is way more than she can afford. This morning I found a list of affordable ski resorts and a place called Purgatory near Durango has "flex" pricing depending on demand. if you buy right now, the end of January is about $50/day. Many others on the list are under $100.
Has anyone skied Purgatory? I feel I'm living there now!
The Most Affordable Ski Resorts in Colorado - OnTheSnow
There are cost-saving ski areas and other ways to enjoy Colorado skiing and riding without breaking the piggy bank.
Wolf Creek
Skiers in southeast Colorado, New Mexico, and even Texas are lucky to have one of Colorado’s snowiest ski resorts, Wolf Creek, in their backyard at good prices. Daily adult lift tickets are $89. Wolf Creek is a small Colorado ski resort with 1,600 skiable acres, but there’s a variety of terrain, and plenty of powder days for everyone to enjoy. Reasonably priced accommodations can be found to the west of the mountain in nearby Pagosa Springs and South Fork. Both towns also have good dining options. Pagosa Springs offers the bonus of its hot springs for soaking.
Dad, I buy son1 an Epic pass every year for Christmas. That’s it, super easyShe's lives in Philadelphia so ICON is not really an option. The girl she's skiing with is a second year teacher living in Denver so $250 is way more than she can afford. This morning I found a list of affordable ski resorts and a place called Purgatory near Durango has "flex" pricing depending on demand. if you buy right now, the end of January is about $50/day. Many others on the list are under $100.
Has anyone skied Purgatory? I feel I'm living there now!
The Most Affordable Ski Resorts in Colorado - OnTheSnow
There are cost-saving ski areas and other ways to enjoy Colorado skiing and riding without breaking the piggy bank.
Not a bad idea. Do you get the local, regional, or all access pass? I've been giving my girls nice gold jewelry since they turned 21 and they seem to love getting that for Christmas. However, my older daughter may enjoy the EPIC pass, although it will only last a season while the jewelry may last a lifetime. I'll check pricing when next season sales opens up.
Epic pass stops selling every year pretty early. I think it varies by year but is no longer available for this season.
It may be icon. He calls me, says he bought it, I Venmo him, cross him off the gift list. I’ll see him manana I’ll ask what hes got
With some planning if possible during the summer but a epic or Ikon lift Pass. Good a many resorts make sure it covers where you want to go
Much cheaper ... Still may be cheaper now if you go onto their websites and compare it for how many days lift tickets she will be buying
Hi Dad, it's me, your son. Damn what an annual gift!
IKON and EPIC passes are no longer on sale so for those talking about them, that ship has sailed. They only sell them earlier in the year so that these companies can rake in revenue even when the snow conditions don't cooperate. And both IKON and EPIC sell stuff like 4 day passes and the like. You pretty much have to have one now otherwise the resort lift ticket rates are insane. Wolf Creek is a notable exception, it's still nice and cheap. I'm looking for a place to ski in late Feb right now and since I missed out on the passes this year I'm not liking what I'm finding for pricing. At least Ullr seems to have finally woken up, conditions almost everywhere were lacking this season but the storms are starting to roll in now.
They got a free undergrad and a VW too, thankfully they’re not in my basement on the Tom board 
(well actually I’m on the Tom board in the basement watching the birds with 1 as we speak)
(well actually I’m on the Tom board in the basement watching the birds with 1 as we speak)
Fwiw Wolfcrekski just got 2’ (feet) today. That w $80 lift tickets makes it worth checking out
Yikes! That is a nice video. The upper portion of Crested Butte definitely has some really challenging runs. But if that mountain has good snow, it is tough to beat for great skiing. It looks like the weather patterns are getting favorable for big snow in CO after a pretty dry early season.
Wow. Thanks for the video. There are some crazy runs out there.
Well, my daughter just texted me that she's now thinking Silverton. My wife is gonna kill me for sending her your video.
The thing is to have fun, not get killed.Well, my daughter just texted me that she's now thinking Silverton. My wife is gonna kill me for sending her your video.
Not a good idea. The altitude there is noticeable.Well, my daughter just texted me that she's now thinking Silverton. My wife is gonna kill me for sending her your video.
See if she can find a reasonably priced place in Tellurude or Mountain Village.
They are lacking their usual snow this year so she might be able to find something decent.
Last edited:
I’ll say again if she wants cheap go to wolfcreek for $89 lift tickets. Stay in Pagosa to party.
And they have snow
The weather patterns are looking really good for Wolf Creek.
Wolf Creek is a few hours south of CB. It has much more snow, and lift tickets are $89/day. It's a fun mountain.
They got 21” last night. They have 58” on the ground now.
Wolf Creek almost always seems to get big dumps, the place is a magnet for powder and IIRC they get the most snowfall in CO. But it's a small resort and if you're looking for expert terrain it's not the best. Off their Alberta chair they have some nice terrain but it's really short vertical and the bottom half of the mountain is flat, sometimes the long flat runout to the chairlift can be problematic for snowboards in powder. Can't beat their pricing though. They also periodically announce locals appreciation day pricing days, which is even cheaper. I caught one of those there 2 years ago on a day with 18" of snow and it was about $50 for the day, incredible value.
Is Pagosa good for two 25 year old girls (just turned 25) or is it for a different age group? I've been trying to push her to ski Purgatory and to stay in Durango since Durango is a college town.
Won’t be bad. There’s some watering holes there. The hot springs are a must I had a blast at the El Camino lounge. It was an all age group type of place
Though I haven’t skied purgatory I have hung out in Durango. There seemed to be plenty to do there
Get unlimited access today.