# Total Dweeb Newbie Question Re. CO Season Passes For 2011-12



## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

Think your looking at that pass or epic pass for most variety best deal:

Epic Season Pass - Ski Passes

I would consider how you are getting here as some resorts are an easier drive than others.


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## the_dude (May 31, 2006)

unless i'm missing something here, you don't need to buy a pass to ski 8 days. why not buy a 4-pack for loveland and winter park? if you're driving from KC, those are the two closest to you. you'll have to find lodging for loveland, but that won't be a problem for WP.


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## lemsip (Sep 11, 2009)

I think you have to be present to buy a season pass, unless you have one from last year that you can renew online.


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

I'd say two 4 packs for Winter/copper would be the cheapest as The Dude pointed out. The WP/Copper/Steamboat would be good if you can get 10 days including the 6 at the Boat. Epic variants are great if you can get cheap lodging in summit but remember that parking in vail is pricey if you're not part of a big group in a little car (fat man in a little suit?). I think you can buy your pass online. You just have to show up to sign the waiver and get your pic taken. At least that's how it's been in the past.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Check out the Monarch Pass. You won't get to ski at the Summit/Vail resorts....but that's a good thing.

I purchased my pass for this season for $329. It gives you unlimited skiing and riding at Monarch Mountain. 

Plus you get three free days (with no blackouts) to Loveland, Durango, Powderhorn, Sol Vista, and Sunlight in Colorado. You also get three free days at Sipapu, Angel Fire, Red River and Pajarito in New Mexico. As well as three free days at China Peak in California and Indianhead in Michigan.

But that's not all....you also get half-price tickets to Alta in Utah, Taos in New Mexico and Arizona Snowbowl, and you get 3 free tickets with purchase of lodging at Revelstoke British Columbia and 3 half-price tickets with purchase of lodging at Grand Targhee Wyoming.

You also get a bunch of other pass holder perks like 10% off your booze at the Jug Liquors in Salida, discounts on lodging, and even a free Brown's Canyon raft trip with River Runners.

In my opinion this is the best ski pass as far as what you get for the money.

Monarch Mountain Colorado Ski Resort - Season Passes

http://www.skimonarch.com/forms/IncentiveSheet_2010.jpg


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## River Malt (Dec 7, 2009)

If you are coming out for the Colroadeo experience don't get the monarch pass. You'll want to hit up Summit county and have a variety of mountains to choose from. Check out the epic pass or one of the Vail resorts combo passes. They have 7 packs next year too.


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## hatrack (Apr 3, 2009)

Hey, everybody - thanks for the input!

@ The Dude & hojo - I'd really like to make it 10-15 days' worth of actual skiing in total, so my figure in the initial post was probably a little lowball. Not sure about just where I'll end up anyway - Copper looks handy by car, WP if I come out on the train, and air's at least theoretically possible . . . . 

@ lmyers - interesting thought! Not sure if I'd want to limit myself to just the smaller resorts, since if I'm coming all that way I ought to go for the full-on big mountain experience. OTOH, I hear lots of good things about Durango & (esp.) Monarch - great snow, not crazy busy, not crazy expensive, either.

Again, thanks to all of you! More research begins now, and here's to next winter on the mountain!


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## scooby450 (Dec 4, 2008)

lmyers said:


> Check out the Monarch Pass. You won't get to ski at the Summit/Vail resorts....but that's a good thing.
> 
> I purchased my pass for this season for $329. It gives you unlimited skiing and riding at Monarch Mountain.
> 
> ...


Wow, all this and no happy ending?:grin: Oh wait, that is the river trip!


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## Fry (Jun 12, 2010)

The full-on big mountain experience is way over rated. The smaller resorts offer good terrain (depending on where you go, the terrain beats a lot of the big mountains), less crowds, and more bang for the buck.


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## Chief Niwot (Oct 13, 2003)

What Fry said.


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## Porkchop (Sep 19, 2007)

*Weekend warior???*

Congratulations! As you ski you win... A couple of thoughts. When will be here? Weekends @ vail suck. i would think it would suck at the other easy to get to big mountains w/ cheap passes as well. Just to many people. just think you make it all the way vail it dumps 15", but wait its saturday and you have wait in line 45 minutes just to get up the vista bahn and you were there at 8:30am. then you drop in the back bowls for one killer run, spend another 30min in line get back to the top and the mountains damn near toast. Now if you were going to ski mostly during the week and not over he holidays I say go for it. Or if your in skiing corduroy and are looking for a scene I-70 skiing might be the answer.

Aspen sells the classic pass for $270 for 5 days. You will have to make it out here on the right day at the right place to get it (rei denver). however skiing @ aspen highlands and snowmass kicks ass. You'll pay out the nose to stay there and its hard to get there hence good skiing(even on weekends).

Skiing is a lot of things to a lot of people I'm sure you'll figure out. I think Im little jaded about the I-70 places because they are so busy and in my back yard. There is still plenty of good turns to be had. If it were me I'd be headed to Monarch.


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## hatrack (Apr 3, 2009)

*Hey Porkchop! Weekend Warrior is pretty accurate so far . . .*

13 or 14 days was about about what I've been able to get in this year (little putt-putt place north of town here).

Out west I would (ideally) be aiming at arriving on a Saturday or Sunday and putting in four or five days each trip and (I hope) missing the worst of the crowds.

Monarch seems to come up repeatedly here, and I'm happy to deal with the relative isolation and time it would take to get there, since I've got a ways to go anyway. Any thoughts on Loveland? I was scoping it out online last night, and it looks big, cheap and convenient, though driving in and out each day would be a minor hassle.

Not looking for a scene per. se. As far as skills, I'm mostly corduroy so far, but looking to move on and learn from there.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Loveland is a good mountain. They have a variety of terrain and get lots of snow, second most in the state I believe. However, it can be brutally cold and windy.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Steamboat is where you want to be. It's ALWAYS fun snowy or dry, no matter your ability level. It's not going to tack on another 8 hours of driving once you get to the front range, but it's a little far for the front range weekend warriors except a few up in Foco. It's primarily a destination resort and gets more crowded at the obvious holiday times, but I've never experienced terrible waits in any lines. The town is great and the locals are friendly. The I-70 resorts are a within a day trip's distance without changing base camp. I never paid to ride there so I don't know how expensive it is compared to other places.


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## lemsip (Sep 11, 2009)

If you want to try Loveland, they sell four packs of tickets for around $120. You have to get them by mail or at specific events. They are proper tickets too, so you can use them all at the same time, not like a typical four pass. I like loveland, but it can be brutally cold and windy and the lifts are painfully slow.


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## GPP33 (May 22, 2004)

There's plenty of easy lodging close to Loveland. You can score cheap rooms in the Dillon area which has you going against traffic. 

There's also lodging close to Monarch so don’t rule that out. 

I'd suggest some 4 packs as well.


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## txraftguy (Aug 27, 2007)

I'm a Monarch employee for the first time this season. I worked at Winter Park for two years and have skied a number of big resorts. After just one seson, I'll put up with the bigger places for a day or two throughout the year, but have fallen in love with the smaller mountain. The runs are a little shorter, but still some great terrain, and just a more chill, happier scene. Plus, with the Monarch pass, you do get 3 days at Loveland. That would give you the ability to check it out and decide for the following year.


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