VAIL, Colo. — On Colorado’s mountainsides, no matter how many times I fell on my bum or knees — or sometimes face-first — I couldn’t shake that feeling of buttery powder sliding beneath my snowboard. It seemed like flying, and I was instantly hooked. That’s how I felt one glorious Wednesday afternoon last March, sitting […]
VAIL, Colo. — On Colorado’s mountainsides, no matter how many times I fell on my bum or knees — or sometimes face-first — I couldn’t shake that feeling of buttery powder sliding beneath my snowboard.
It seemed like flying, and I was instantly hooked.
That’s how I felt one glorious Wednesday afternoon last March, sitting in silence in the middle of beautiful snow-covered pine trees, breathing in that magnificent, cold, thin, mountain-fresh air.
People thought I was out of my mind when I told them I was going off to the Colorado Rockies, alone. Many times while planning the trip, I almost psyched myself out of it.
Men’s adventures solo traveling are often romanticized, but women are typically encouraged to go with their partners or a group of friends. I didn’t originally plan to go alone, but when things didn’t pan out with a friend, I thought: Why don’t I try it by myself? I’d already struck out alone across Europe years before.
My itinerary: Fly the two hours to Denver with all my equipment in tow, rent a car and visit two of Colorado’s most popular winter destinations — Breckenridge and Vail. The trip in March would be this Minnesota snowboarder’s first time on true mountain runs.
But a ski trip out West isn’t for the faint of heart.
And it’s never easy getting to the mountains. I drove through winter warning alerts, once at night with blowing snow and limited visibility through Interstate 70’s up-and-down terrain. Then there was the black ice in the early mornings, and the evenings I maneuvered around crashes and jackknifed semis. I thanked myself for having the foresight to rent a car with four-wheel drive as I passed lesser vehicles stopped on the shoulder.
It wasn’t until I pulled into my lodging for the week, the Fireside Inn & Hostel in Breckenridge, that I realized there are shuttle services from the Denver airport for just $65-$75.
Getting high in Breck
On my first full day, the conditions at Breckenridge Ski Resort were the best I’ve ever seen, with snow dumping in the morning and clearing up just enough to see a stretch of the Rocky Mountains. I was braver than I’d ever been on Minnesota’s ski hills, which are often tough snowpack, layered with ice.
I got major air off jumps, unafraid of how I would land (as long as there weren’t trees or rocks in the way). In the mornings, the runs were wide enough so everyone could have their own space sliding through the many, many inches of glorious powder.
Breckenridge’s highest point across its five mountains reaches 13,639 feet above sea level. In fact, Breckenridge has the highest chairlift in North America, the Imperial Express Superchair, which tops out at 12,840 feet. I wasn’t able to get above about 11,500 feet, according to my Apple Watch. I get terrible altitude sickness, so I took my first day slow, exploring the lowest runs on the mountain — a strategy I’d recommend at least on the first day or two. There were many people puking in the bathrooms.
The town of Breckenridge itself feels like a true mountain town, albeit with a lot of touristy shops and bars. During the day, skiers and snowboarders trailed back and forth through town between the mountain and their nearby lodges. When the mountain closes, the town comes alive with a vibrant nightlife scene that includes plenty of restaurants and spas. After a long day of shredding, there was nothing like a hot bowl of tom yum soup at Thai Chili 89, serving Thai street food.
At my hostel, I slept on a twin bed among nearly a dozen other beds. On weeknights, there were never more than five or six people in the room at a time, and while people were respectful and quiet, it wasn’t hard to strike up a conversation.
The company made solo traveling easier. My questions about getting around were easily answered by fellow travelers, and my host gave me some good restaurant recommendations. Plus, staying with like-minded people, who prioritized getting on the mountain as soon as the resort opened, meant everyone respected quiet hours.
Getting comfortable in Vail
Snowboarding at Breck from opening to close at 4:30 p.m. meant I had a lot of downtime. After the daylong rush of adrenaline wore off, I realized I still had about six hours before I could fall asleep and do it all over again. In the hostel, I didn’t have much privacy for long phone calls with friends and family. But nearby towns like Frisco — about 20 minutes from Breckenridge — were fun to explore, with ample bookshops and stores.
There’s plenty of public transportation in the mountains, too, like free buses that take skiers and snowboarders between resorts, and affordable ski shuttles. There’s a load of ski resorts besides Breckenridge and Vail, like nearby Copper Mountain and Keystone, to keep visitors busy.
Whereas Breckenridge is charming and rustic, Vail — about a 45-minute drive from my hostel — is the crème de la crème of Colorado ski resorts, with ease, modernity and comfort at the forefront. Gondolas go up and down the mountain, shielding riders from cold winds. On the slopes themselves, many chalets boast splendid views of the sprawling landscape through giant floor-to-ceiling windows.
Elevation at Vail reaches 11,500 feet from a base of 8,120 feet, meaning if you choose your runs right, you can descend more than 3,300 feet. It’s a great place for both experts and beginners (there is, of course, a ski school for first-timers or those looking to brush up on their skills). With lifts at lower points on the mountain, it is also perfect for people like me who are prone to altitude sickness. And with more than 5,300 acres to ski, it’s hard to be bored.
I wasn’t able to see everything Vail has to offer, even though I spent two days there. Out of a whopping 278 runs, about one-fifth is beginner terrain, a third is intermediate and more than half is considered advanced.
I got my fill of the wild feeling of the bowls, but I often preferred slowly cruising on the mountain’s longest, more gradual trails (the longest stretches 4 miles), slowly enjoying all the beauty of the Rockies.
With wide runs and frequent snow dumps, Breckenridge ski resort is the perfect place to experience powder for the first time.
The price of powder
Even taking the cheapest route, packing granola for breakfast and lunch, booking the cheapest hostel, and eating at Taco Bell for most of my dinners, the five-day trip cost me about $2,500. That included $974 for an Epic Season Pass that allows unlimited entry at dozens of Vail properties, including Breckenridge; I also used the pass back home at Minnesota’s own Afton Alps. (A cheaper, up-to-seven-day version of the pass is available, but all passes were are sale only until Dec. 2.) My Delta flight to Denver cost about $350, including a $30 checked bag with all my equipment: snowboard, boots and helmet.
My hostel, at about $90 a night, came with free parking and was close enough to walk to the Breckenridge gondola that connects the town with the resort. The car rental was $48 a day through Turo, a service that allows you to rent someone else’s car, Airbnb-style. I paid $30 a day to park at Vail.
The key to having a great time at Colorado’s mega resorts? Go when no one else does. That means avoiding holidays and weekends; even Friday starts to get busy. But on a Wednesday morning at Vail, it felt like there were only a handful of people on the slopes with me.
For three days at Breckenridge and two at Vail, fresh powder under my snowboard, it was all worth it.
When the mountain closes, nearby mountain towns like Frisco, Colorado, are exciting places to explore.
