WWMD: Copper, WP, and then what??

Have days planned at Copper and Winter Park on Saturdy and Sunday of next weekend and we're looking for a destination on Monday. My buddy and I will have a car and will consider pretty much anything but Steamboat, Telluride, Durango & Silverton due to the distances (have early flight on Tuesday out of DIA).

So far we're looking at Snowmass, Breck, & Beaver.

Having never been to any of the above I have no clue what to expect asides from the interweb propaganda. We want to stay away from the MLK crowds if possible and enjoy a good hike. Thoughts/Suggestions much appreciated.

Why Copper? I'd suggest Vail one of the days, and then if you want a relatively easy drive, head up to Steamboat (or ski with the mags at Loveland, as lots of us have a pass there).

Friends of ours have passes at Copper & we ski for $25 which is nice. I was kind of assuming Vail would be a shitshow on Monday, hence looking at the Beav.

The Beav is probably the most underrated ski area in CO, and it will be empty compared to Vail on Monday. Breck is cold, windy and flat- except for the stuff you can hike to off the top of the new chair.

You want to avoid a shitshow and your skiing WP and Copper on MLK weekend?

Seems like a game time decision to me. Follow the snow.

A-basin?

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Originally Posted by Shredhead

You want to avoid a shitshow and your skiing WP and Copper on MLK weekend?

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Triple amen to that.

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Originally Posted by Ireallyliketoski

Triple amen to that.

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Like I said with Copper, WP has friends there also. No ideal but trying to see as many people as possible...

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Originally Posted by Shredhead

You want to avoid a shitshow and your skiing WP and Copper on MLK weekend?

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Copper's actually a really easy mountain to avoid the shitshow.

In any case, the Beav (or the Muff, as I like to call it) is a good choice. But why say no to Stemboat because of driving but include Snowmass? Steamboat is 3 hours from Denver, snowmass at least an hour more.

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Originally Posted by Danno

Copper's actually a really easy mountain to avoid the shitshow.

In any case, the Beav (or the Muff, as I like to call it) is a good choice. But why say no to Stemboat because of driving but include Snowmass? Steamboat is 3 hours from Denver, snowmass at least an hour more.

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should have clarified out starting point: We're driving to WP Saturday monring, then off to a friends house at copper for the night so Copper will be out starting point Sunday when we get off the hill.

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Originally Posted by Danno

Copper's actually a really easy mountain to avoid the shitshow.

In any case, the Beav (or the Muff, as I like to call it) is a good choice. But why say no to Stemboat because of driving but include Snowmass? Steamboat is 3 hours from Denver, snowmass at least an hour more.

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Steamboat and Snowmass are about equidistant driving time wise from Denver. Although you are probably right that Snowmass is a tad farther.

Copper to Steamboat isn't a bad drive at all.

I don't think Vail will be that bad on Monday- its not like that many people get MLK day off anyways.

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Originally Posted by Rontele

Steamboat and Snowmass are about equidistant driving time wise from Denver. Although you are probably right that Snowmass is a tad farther.

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lay off the crack pipe, ron. ;)

Starting point: Silverthorne. Please tell me how often you make it to snowmass, in 90 minutes or less, staying within the speed limit.

so Boomer28, I still don't get it, it doesn't matter if Copper is your jumping off point, since the fastest way to Steamboat from Denver is through Silverthorne. It's still a shorter drive than Steambaot. Less than an hour shorter, but still appreciably shorter (according to yahoo, ~30 miles shorter).

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Originally Posted by Danno

lay off the crack pipe, ron. ;)

Starting point: Silverthorne. Please tell me how often you make it to snowmass, in 90 minutes or less, staying within the speed limit.

so Boomer28, I still don't get it, it doesn't matter if Copper is your jumping off point, since the fastest way to Steamboat from Denver is through Silverthorne. It's still a shorter drive than Steambaot. Less than an hour shorter, but still appreciably shorter (according to yahoo, ~30 miles shorter).

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Yeah, I guess you are right. I always use the reference point as my folks place in Carbondale which is 25 minutes from snowmass. but if there is any sort of weather then it can slow down the drive to steamboat.

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Originally Posted by Danno

Copper's actually a really easy mountain to avoid the shitshow.

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That's possible, I haven't skied there in quite a while. But I did drive by at X mas break last year. West bound I-70 was backed up at least 5 miles because the lots were full and the cars didn't have anywhere to go. It sure looked like a text book example of a shitshow just getting there.


I skied Highlands a bunch last week and never stood in a line once. The Bowl's skiing good, nice chalky lines on the steeps, cut up crud in the trees.

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Originally Posted by Shredhead

That's possible, I haven't skied there in quite a while. But I did drive by at X mas break last year. West bound I-70 was backed up at least 5 miles because the lots were full and the cars didn't have anywhere to go. It sure looked like a text book example of a shitshow just getting there.

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well, fair enough, the base area shitshow is unavoidable (but then, that is probably the case with any front range ski area). if you're a good skier, once you're on the mt Copper is one of the best places to be when the Front Range is busy.

Beaver Creek is one of my favorites ...... not so big but it has some good steep stuff and never too crowded.

Vail?? Where is there the steep stuff inbounds? I am still looking for that.
OK, there are a few runs but mostly too low angle for me.

I'm curious as to when the phrase "shit show" become so prevelant.

I would agree that the Beave is probably your best bet. The two extra hour drive both ways to Aspen for a day would be hard.

Now if you were to drive over Sunday night to sample some of our fine cougars!
May I suggest the Little Nell bar.

MLK day is full of crowds, anywhere...

if you want a good vibe, and less crowds, go to the Basin...

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Originally Posted by Ireallyliketoski

I'm curious as to when the phrase "shit show" become so prevelant.

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Right around when usage of "cluster fuck" died down a bit.

Idea - go wherever it snows the most?

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Originally Posted by PowTron

if you want a good vibe, and less crowds, go to the Basin...

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you know, that sure is a popular notion, and I won't argue that the Basin has a better vibe. But that place on the weekends seems as crowded as others. Loveland is the front range place to go if you want to avoid crowds.

Park and ski at the Jane side of Winter Park (good vibes, minimal shitshow, ski to your car). If you are going with people who know the area well, they can show you the untouched tree stashes that all the fools avoid on their way to the ever-crowded Parsen Bowl. You just have to be willing to ski bumps here and there, and you must enjoy skiing in the trees. Be sure to hit up one of the five hidden huts to hold your safety meetings...

Jane will even be crowded around then....although not as bad. Do you have BC stuff? Sidetouring around Berthoud can be tons of fun if you know what your doing. I'm sure somebody here will be up there that day and willing to show you around. I'd love to but will be out of town.

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Originally Posted by telemepleez

Park and ski at the Jane side of Winter Park (good vibes, minimal shitshow, ski to your car). If you are going with people who know the area well, they can show you the untouched tree stashes that all the fools avoid on their way to the ever-crowded Parsen Bowl. You just have to be willing to ski bumps here and there, and you must enjoy skiing in the trees. Be sure to hit up one of the five hidden huts to hold your safety meetings...

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5 hidden huts? shit, you can spit in the woods in any direction and hit a hut, there are more than 5.

Yeah...it doesn't surpise me that there are more than 5 huts, but I'm usually busy skiing in the woods, not stopping to spit. I know of 5, the one by the "mushroom patch" being by-far the coolest.

the cliff house? yeah, that may be the coolest safety meeting hut in ski resort history.