Sarah WallockLooking for the perfect place for a ski weekend in Colorado? Head to Copper Mountain for a weekend holiday. It’s affordable, not as crowded as other ski resorts and the terrain is expansive and suitable for all levels.
For Christmas this year, we decided to stay local. After spending the last five Christmases spanning three continents and prioritizing travel, it was a welcome change to embark on a 2-hour drive rather than a 6-hour flight.
Nick and I planned this holiday one week in advance and it came together very nicely. Below I’ll share some tips on what made our holiday at Copper both fun and affordable!
Snowboard with a Season Pass
I’ve committed to a season pass for the last four ski seasons. Granted, I’ve lived in ski towns.
Skiing is expensive. There is a high barrier to entry. It is not a super welcoming sport from a cost perspective, but despite this, I decided to invest in cheap gear and splurge on a season pass four years ago, and I’ve never looked back! For me, I would rather get a season pass and make the most of it, rather than pay higher prices for day passes.
Because we bought the Ikon Pass this year, we’re sticking to Ikon destinations. Copper Mountain is a favorite of many in the area due to its diverse terrain and snowboard-friendly slopes. Rather than drive a couple of hours in the morning and night to and from Boulder, like we usually do, we thought we’d treat ourselves to a cozy weekend away for the holidays.
Rack Up Points on Booking.com and Book Classy Accommodation for Less
I didn’t want to get stuck paying Christmas weekend prices for our holiday at Copper Mountain. We widened our search to apartments, hotels, and cabins, but nothing was under $300 or $400. Most averaged around $500! I finally checked back on Booking.com and found a nice spot for around $200 right beneath the ski lift. And it had a hot tub! Through using Booking.com I can track all of my travel, reservations and accumulate points to get hotels for cheaper in the future.
We chose Element29 in the Center Village because it fell within our budget. It was clean and cozy and the hot tub was a major highlight. Crawling into bed for a nap after a long day of snowboarding was the perfect end of an epic day. It was a lovely respite rather than thawing ourselves out (our thawing out our gear!) and jumping into the car for another 2-hour drive. After a visit to the hot tub, we headed into the village for some grub.
Eat Well Without Breaking the Bank
Definitely bring some pocket snacks like granola bars or things to munch on if you’re spending a weekend burning high amounts of calories snowboarding in chilly weather. But also, you’re on vacation! Enjoy it! We grabbed omelets upon arrival on Saturday morning, snowboarded all day, nibbled on a few snacks and got burgers and chicken wings for dinner on Saturday night. All in all, it was reasonably priced for the large portions. Sunday morning, we grabbed coffees in the village and headed up the lift for more downhill fun. On the way out of Copper, we swung by a brunch spot in Frisco, for a final cheers to our weekend away.
Explore the Surrounding Towns
Frisco is quaint and charming and worth a visit. Breckenridge and Vail are also popular ski spots and have made the map of many winter travelers. Driving through Frisco on the way back to Boulder and scarfing down some chilaquiles was an ideal (and filling) end to our time in the mountains.
Pack Light
If you’re going for a ski weekend in Colorado for one or two nights, you’ll pretty much only need:
- Snowboarding/skiing clothes and gear
- A warm pair of winter boots
- Extra pairs of socks, underwear, bras for the weekend
- One pair of regular clothing
- Toothbrush and any toiletries
One of the best parts of a weekend away is how it only takes a minute or so to pack! Don’t overcomplicate things by bringing your entire apartment with you! Minimalistic travel is the way to go.
If playing outdoors in the snow in winter is your thing, a ski weekend in Colorado is most definitely worth the hype.
