January 2006

Colorado Skiing Away from the Crowds

When most skiers think of Colorado, images of Aspen, Vail and Breckenridge fill their minds. These are the well-known, famous resorts with expensive lodging and high lift-ticket prices. They are also the place where the rich and famous go to enjoy Colorado’s powder.

But when I think of skiing my home state, I think of the smaller, less crowded ski areas in my extended neighborhood. I live 20 miles from Wolf Creek Ski Area, the resort that claims the most snow in the entire state. And I live 100 miles or so from three other favorites—Durango Mountain, Crested Butte and Monarch.

These four areas have several things in common. They are reasonably priced; they offer crowd-free lifts and runs (except for holidays and spring break when even the smaller, lesser known areas are busy), and they are set amid some of the finest mountain scenes in all of the Centennial State. In addition, all four areas have up-to-date ski rentals and excellent ski-school programs.

Wolf Creek Ski Area
When my husband, Mike, and I moved to South Fork, we did so for many reasons. Avid hikers, backpackers and mountain climbers, we were attracted by the big mountains, but we also wanted to be near the Wolf Creek Ski Area. Embracing the Continental Divide, this family-owned resort boasts an average of 465 inches of snow a year (the 2004-05 season saw more than 500 inches). Wolf Creek may be big on snow, but not on crowds. It’s a wonderful thing to wake up to fresh powder at home and drive a half-hour up the mountain to ski in two feet of the fresh, fluffy stuff.

Wolf Creek doesn’t sport high-speed chairs, but there are six chairs accessing 1,600 acres. The base area is at 10,600 feet and is free of lodging facilities. The slopes, where the highest chair reaches 11,775 feet, are crowd-free. Best of all, there are wonderful views, the kinds where you just have to ooh and aah from nearly every run on the mountain.

More than a third of the area sports intermediate runs, with the remaining area spread out equally between beginner, advanced and expert slopes. There are no terrain parks at Wolf Creek and no plans to build any. The resort does have a reputation for excellent early-season skiing on all-natural snow. A strong core staff enables the resort to open quickly when significant snows fall in October. When you’re on the mountain, be sure to check out Tranquility, my favorite groomed run, and if fresh powder has fallen, be sure to ski the ungroomed runs off the Alberta Lift.

Wolf Creek is a favorite haunt of mine. When the mountain closes for the day, so do its two cafeterias, and skiers head for home or a campground or motel in the nearest towns of South Fork and Pagosa Springs. If you’re camping, check out my favorite pick, the South Fork Campground. Jerry and Linda Tullos are fabulous hosts; call (719) 873-1473 or (800) 237-7322 for information.

Purgatory Mountain at Durango Mountain Resort
Purgatory Mountain is a skier’s delight. Situated north of Durango, it offers 1,200 skiable acres. Rising from a base elevation of 8,793 feet to a high of 10,822 feet, the ski area contains 250 acres of slopes and has an annual snowfall of 260 inches, benefiting from snowmaking as well. Forty miles of groomed terrain and 85 trails are accessed by 11 lifts, including one high-speed six-person Super Chair and one high-speed quad lift.

Purgatory Mountain has something for everyone, with beginners enjoying 23 percent of the mountain, intermediates 47 percent, and advanced/experts 26 percent. My favorite picks are Styx, a black diamond run with moguls galore, and Path to Peace, a terrific intermediate run.

The remaining 4 percent of the mountain is set aside for freestyle skiers. If you like catching air and doing other tricks, there are two terrain parks for you. Check out Pitchfork Terrain Garden-Park with small to medium bumps and features for first-time air and training. Paradise Freestyle Arena is the resort’s “go big, or go home” park, which features ten consecutive hits, a 400-foot half-pipe, big air and rails.

As you ride the ski lifts, you can learn about the area’s flora and fauna through tidbits of information that grace some of the lift supports. In addition, a sign outside Dante’s Cafeteria points out the mountains in the distance, naming them so you know what you are seeing. I love that kind of signage!

Purgatory Village at the base of the mountain offers food and lodging as well as a sports shop and ski shop. The resort also offers horse-drawn sleigh rides and Nordic skiing across the street. Snowcat trips can access 35,000 acres of San Juan National Forest. Durango has campgrounds, but if you’re without your RV, consider staying at Purgatory Village, which offers everything from hotel rooms to three-bedroom condos. Enjoy ski-in and ski-out capabilities and a complimentary breakfast as well.

Monarch Ski Area
Calling itself the “Hometown Mountain,” Monarch is another uncrowded ski resort with wonderful views of the surrounding mountains, including Colorado fourteeners. Here you won’t see sprawling cities; instead, you’ll see nothing but mountains—the San Juans, La Garitas, and the Saguache Range too. Located west of Salida, the resort embraces the Continental Divide and at 670 acres is the smallest of the four ski areas.

You won’t find lodging at Monarch, but that’s OK. Instead, you’ll find extra-friendly lift operators. I don’t think I’ve ever been catered to more. The operators wanted to make sure that my husband and I were having fun—and we were! I even thrilled to the restroom with its baskets for loose items, such as gloves.

Boasting an annual snowfall of 350-plus inches, the resort ranges in elevation from 10,790 feet at the base to 11,961 feet on the summit. Five lifts access 54 trails. While 42 percent of the area is for advanced skiers, 21percent has been set aside for beginners and 37 percent for intermediates. In addition, there are two event parks, a big one and a small one, with rails and jumps.

The Gunbarrel Cafe is the only place for breakfast. My favorite pick for lunch is the Sidewinder Saloon & Lounge, where skiers can drink locally brewed beer and enjoy sit-down service. The Drifter Nachos are especially delicious!

If you’re new to skiing or you just want an easy run to warm up, try Sleepy Hollow to Tenderfoot. Next, try Lower Tango. Slo-Motion is a wonderful intermediate run. In fact, it’s a favorite. Like expert runs? Try the open-glade skiing at Outback and Shagnasty. Snowcat tours are available for those who are interested in heading out into the back country for untracked powder and awesome views.

Crested Butte
Crested Butte is a delight for the whole family. A free shuttle links the ski area to a genuine ski town that is off the beaten path and filled with wonderful restaurants, quaint shops and lodging facilities. If you want to stay within walking distance of the mountain, check out the Nordic Inn. Family-owned, it’s the bed and breakfast inn nearest to the slopes; a deluxe continental breakfast is included. Check out www.nordicinncb.com or call (800) 542-7669 for more information.

Crested Butte, known for its great “corduroy” (groomed) skiing, literally has something for everyone. There are plenty of runs for beginners, including a Kids’ Park with jumps and rails, and expert skiers will find lots in the way of extreme terrain, also known as double black diamond runs. Extreme limits skiing is a special feature at Crested Butte. In fact, the ski area offers the most lift-served extreme terrain on the continent. Intermediate and advanced skiers will find plenty of runs too.

Located 30 miles north of Gunnison, Crested Butte can host 19,160 skiers per hour. Snowmaking covers 300 acres or nearly one-third of its 1,073 acres of skiable terrain, but an average annual snowfall of 240 inches usually makes the grade. Eighty-eight trails serve the area. The longest run traverses 2.6 miles from Peak to Treasury. The vertical drop is 2,775 feet (lift-served) and 3,062 feet (requires a hike to the peak). Three Express Lifts make it possible to get in lots of runs.

One of my favorite black diamond runs is International. Wide and groomed, it’s a quick way down to the base. For a fun moderate run, I recommend skiing from Paradise Bowl to Upper and Lower Treasury. Black-Eagle is a favorite intermediate mogul run and a hidden treasure, Double-Top Glades, is nearby.

Two terrain parks attract the more adventurous, as well as those skiers just wanting to take a peek. Be sure to check out the 500-foot long Superpipe. Canaan Terrain Park offers approximately 10 jumps and 12 rail features. The park continually changes during the season, so be sure to check it out each time you visit.

Lots of improvements are in the works at Crested Butte. New owners Tim and Diane Mueller have already invested several million dollars in the resort. More improvements will be visible in the future, but skiers come back to Crested Butte for what remains the same: great skiing and snowboarding, scenic beauty, laid-back character, and a delightful community. I know I’ll be back to all four resorts. n

Donna Ikenberry is a photojournalist specializing in the outdoors.