Five Rad Ski Resorts That Are a Direct Flight Away from Denver
January 10, 2018
Pack your skis and snowboards. These resorts are worth a flight out of Colorado.
For some Colorado powder hounds, leaving the state to ski is practically sacrilegious. After all, there’s a reason multitudes fly here every winter from elsewhere to experience Colorado’s storied mountains and deep snow. But with traffic worsening and the inclusion of world-class resorts on popular ski passes, there’s never been a better time to venture further afield in search of freshies. Here are five worthy destinations that are a direct flight away.
JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT, WYO.
Why: Tucked into the Tetons in northwestern Wyoming, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort boasts a 4,139-foot vertical drop and some of the biggest open-face bowls in the lower 48. Extreme skiers love the couloirs and cliff drops, while beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders appreciate the uncrowded blues and greens. Everyone loves the proliferation of good on-mountain restaurants.
Then there’s the scenery. Only three percent of Teton County is privately owned, which means 97 percent is undeveloped and wild. You’re likely to see moose and elk (and wolves, if you’re lucky) during your stay.
Stay: The newly renovated Anvil Hotel is one block north of the Town Square and on the free bus route that goes to the ski resort. Rates start at $135. (215 N. Cache St., 307-733-3668, anvilhotel.com)
Eat: Breakfast sandwiches and lunch offerings are made with fresh, local-when-possible goods at Picnic, located in town (1110 Maple Way B, 307-264-2956, picnicjh.com). The Handlebar Restaurant and Pub at the mountain offers hearty burgers and a killer après ski happy hour. (Inside the Four Seasons, 307-732-5157, fourseasons.com/jacksonhole).
Off-slope adventure: Wyoming winters can be chilly. Warm up in the National Museum of Wildlife Art, where Remingtons mingle with other masters, and where floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto the National Elk Refuge, winter feeding ground for thousands of elk. (2820 Rungius Road, 307-733-5771, wildlifeart.org; fws.gov/refuge/national_elk_refuge/)
Ski pass: Mountain Collective, which provides two days at 16 destinations and 50 percent off additional days for $519. mountaincollective.com
Info: jacksonhole.com