Salt Lake City and Colorado Trip from the UK

[Monster101]

Hi folks,


Just got permission for the wife to do a last minute Rockies flight/Road trip.


Arriving on the 28th Dec to Salt Lake City late and wanting to ski Alta on New Year's day - 50th Birthday.


Then looking for suggestions, is it worth staying in SLC for another couple of days or better getting a flight to Denver and exploring Colorado.
Wife is looking for at least a day trip to Aspen (she is non skiing)


Total newbie in Utah and Colorado having only really skied in Europe and Canada. Keen skier on piste and most at home off piste - favorite over this side of the pond is La Grave. I will be on my own though so not sure how much of that I will get to do unless I can hook up with some folks.


Need to fly home on the 11th or 12th back to the UK.


Any tips, potential itinerary would be welcome. I will be hiring a car in SLC and Denver airport.....


Thanks


Alan

[One (+) Sentence]

Hi folks,


Just got permission for the wife to do a last minute Rockies flight/Road trip.


Arriving on the 28th Dec to Salt Lake City late and wanting to ski Alta on New Year's day - 50th Birthday.


Then looking for suggestions, is it worth staying in SLC for another couple of days or better getting a flight to Denver and exploring Colorado.
Wife is looking for at least a day trip to Aspen (she is non skiing)


Total newbie in Utah and Colorado having only really skied in Europe and Canada. Keen skier on piste and most at home off piste - favorite over this side of the pond is La Grave. I will be on my own though so not sure how much of that I will get to do unless I can hook up with some folks.


Need to fly home on the 11th or 12th back to the UK.


Any tips, potential itinerary would be welcome. I will be hiring a car in SLC and Denver airport.....


Thanks


Alan

Maybe look into renting a vehicle in SLC and returning in Denver? May be cheaper than the flight from SLC to DEN, plus 2 separate rentals (hires.) Potential itinerary: Snowbasin > Snowbird > Alta > Park City > Steamboat > Aspen > Vail, Copper or other Summit Co areas > Denver.

Skiing is the best at Alta/Snowbird. PC, Steamboat, and Aspen will have the best off hill activities and shopping.

Aspen may be the best blend for the both of you.

With a rental car Jackson Hole could also be looped in between UT and CO.

[easyrdr]

Way different skiing than La Grave. If it were me I would hit Alta/Snowbird, drive to Moab for a day or two (check out Arches). Drive to Aspen, ski Snowmass, Aspen, Aspen Highlands. Drive to Vail, ski it. Drive to summit county, pick one resort, I would go either Breckenridge. Drive to Denver airport fly home.

[Marshal Olson]

Agreeing with the above.

All the good stuff is between SLC and Denver. Most of the best locales are 2-3 hrs from one-another, and is ideally suited to do a day or two at each and then drive to the next one.

The more famous the resort (ie Alta, Snowbird, Aspen, Breckenridge, Park City) the more expensive lodging and more crowded the hills will be during holidays. So I'd recommend doing a mix of that, but also fly under the radar a bit (ie Powder Mountain, Araphahoe Basin, Loveland) too.

[Djongo Unchained]

Agreeing with the above.

All the good stuff is between SLC and Denver.

This. Jackson sucks. And waaaay more expensive than Asspen.

[Dark Energy]

Skip the rental car in SLC. Take a van services from the airport. And, even though the dorm rooms are no longer a thing, the first few nights stay at Alta's Goldminer's Daughter so when you turn 50 your selective memory will recall how much fun it was to be a dirtbag when you were young. Then step it up for your birthday and stay at the Rustler in Alta. It will inspire you to keep skiing for another half century as you watch the regulars with walkers and canes ease into their ski boots before ripping the pow.

Don't hold the non-skiing wife hostage in LCC. Send her directly to Aspen and join her later unless once you are 50 you need her to drive you at night.

Realistically, a few years back on a ski safari in Colorado and Utah after renting a vehicle in Denver for the Colorado portion of the trip, it was less $ to fly between Denver and SLC than to rent a vehicle in Denver and return it in SLC. Although if you decide to drive from SLC to Aspen make some time for exploring the San Rafael Swell enroute.

Look forward to trip report. And happy birthday!

[Marshal Olson]

This. Jackson sucks. And waaaay more expensive than Asspen.

Def not a dig at Jackson... my thinking is that if one is skiing solo, never been and only has a day or two, Jackson is a bit harder to unlock the magic of.

[Skistack]

Fly into SLC and work your way over to Denver. Couple of days at AltaBird, a day at Arches, couple of days in Aspen, couple of days in Vail, couple of days in Breck.


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[Djongo Unchained]

.

[Kevo]

If you are intent on skiing Colorado I would ski Aspen or Telluride or Crested Butte depending on who has better snow and skip everything else.

Flying across the world to ski Breckenridge or Keystone or Vail with holiday crowds would be a major letdown. Driving from anywhere in the mountains of Colorado to Denver to fly home is a nightmare. Highly recommend flying from Montrose or Aspen or Gunnison and not driving all the way to Denver.

Alternate and likely more enjoyable itinerary- ski Alta and Snowbird and then fly 1 hour to Jackson Hole or rent a 4x4 and drive 4.5 hours to Jackson Hole. Ski JHMR and possibly Grand Targhee. Fly home with your departing flight starting in Jackson Hole or Idaho Falls. You’ll connect through Denver, SLC or Chicago, DFW, etc. but your travel will be much easier than trying to drive back to a major city.

Salt Lake is way closer to Jackson Hole than it is to Colorado ski resorts, and the skiing is way better in Jackson Hole most of the time.

Lastly, buy a mountain collective pass and you’ll save a lot of money, particularly if you ski Alta, Snowbird, Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee. Consider adding Snow Basin if you go that route.

https://mountaincollective.com/

[muted reborn]

Don't hold the non-skiing wife hostage in LCC. Send her directly to Aspen and join her later unless once you are 50 you need her to drive you at night.

But snowbird has a nice spa and a rooftop pool and you can meet the wife for lunch at the top of the tram. I'd also recommend staying in Park City for a non-skier

Fly into SLC and work your way over to Denver. Couple of days at AltaBird, a day at Arches, couple of days in Aspen, couple of days in Vail, couple of days in Breck.


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Why is everyone recommending Vail and a summit county resort like Breck or Copper? I'd be content to never ski either of those places again.

Also Powder mountain most likely won't be filled in by January.

[ghosthop]

Unless this is a true bucket list trip where you are most concerned with checking boxes I would make a decision re Jackson vs. Aspen. Jackson -> Aspen is not the kindest winter drive, especially for a foreigner with his wife along and who knows how well they travel.

Park City does have better amenities than LLC but I would make the wife suck it up for a few days in LLC and then win her back with Moab/Aspen. It’s not her birthday.

Really think about how likely you are to get back to the states and what you want this trip to be. The older I get the more I am glad to be at my destination and enjoy it for what is rather than stopping at every point of interest along the way.

Don’t forget to buy your booze ahead of time in Utah and know how to check road conditions/closures for your intended route.

[Buzzworthy]

Also I do enjoy getting mags from other countries stoned.

[Monster101]

Bit of background, I had intended to be heli/catskiing this winter in Alaska/Canada on my own dime for my 50th without the wife being with me. She was not happy as I got to go to Cape Town with her for her 50th. However, had a heart issue in Feb 24 and had a Quad bypass (genetic issue as fit and skinny, lol) which means not many places will insure me and not happy with my fitness for this. She still wants me to get away and wants to treat me, it's on her dime therefore need to play the game. She is non skier and a reality TV fan, hence SLC and Aspen as she has seen these places and wants to visit.

Car hire with return to different airports is ridiculously expensive (circa $3k for 14 days) will therefore make do with some internal flights and local car hire and happy to use park and ride - I am super keen and an early riser so happy to do park and ride etc for Alta/Snowbird. This might only be a ski every second day kind of day this trip. Overall budget for the lodging and non transatlantic flights will be around $5k. I am paying for the day tickets or Ikon pass. I will definitely be back for a proper ski road trip and just looking for the best mix.

Thanks for all your help so far as it gives me some ideas for an itinerary......

[easyrdr]

Forget Denver, Roundtrip out of SLC. Ski Alta/Bird, Moab, Ski Telluride, Durango, Ski Silverton, hit hot springs in Ouray, back to SLC.

Or simplify the heck out of this and just hit Alta/Bird and Aspen, plenty to ski and do in both locations for skiers and non skiers. Though I would still throw Moab/Arches on the way.