Skiing Colorado's Gems: Skiing Up High At Low Rates

Resorts A–E

The best feature of the Gems Card is the 2-for-1 deal. This deal is good at each of the ten Gems Resorts twice each season. There is also an option to buy lift tickets for 30% off the regular price twice in a season. Most years some of the ski areas announce additional discounts.

Here’s a brief description of each ski area to help you plan your trip.

Arapahoe Basin, aka A-Basin, is just 68 miles/109.4 km from Denver. Back in the 1960s and 70s their lift tickets said “Ski above all” because they were the highest elevation ski area in Colorado. A-Basin is where some of the best double diamond runs in the state reside. For beginner and intermediate runs Arapahoe Basin has 7% and 22%, respectively. Arapahoe Basin is beautiful on blue-sky days and brutal during snowstorms.

Cooper, also known as Ski Cooper, is one of Colorado’s most historic ski areas. Sometimes confused with Copper Mountain which is on the same road up from Denver, Cooper is smaller and quieter than Copper Mountain. Ski Cooper is the region that the famed 10th Mountain Division trained at before heading off to World War ll. Sometimes mentioned as one of the most family-friendly ski areas, this is a place most parents feel okay letting their kids loose on the mountain while the adults hit the more challenging runs.

Echo Mountain is super close to Denver—just 30 miles/48.2 km away. Initially started as a snowboard park, they have expanded their area and offer night skiing/boarding. Echo Mountain is quite small and provides a good place for less experienced skiers and boarders to warm up for a day before heading up higher into the mountains.

Eldora Mountain Resort is the closest ski area to Boulder at just 21 miles/33.8 km away. Though Eldora rarely gets the big snows of the higher ski areas, snow depths are usually ample and provides mostly an intermediate to double diamond experience for advanced skiers/riders.

Granby, Loveland, and Monarch Mountain

Granby Ranch, formerly known as Sol Vista, is mostly a beginner area. Find lots of lodging choices here, unlike some of the Gems, and know that you won’t be sharing the slopes with the black diamond crowd that sometimes intimidates beginner and intermediate skiers.

Ski Hesperus is down south near Durango. With only one chairlift and being so far away, most will not make it to this outpost of winter fun. If you do, you will find a family-friendly place to learn or advance your skills on the snow.

Loveland is one of the Denver crowd’s favorites. On a good day, Denver residents can be on the slopes in a little more than an hour. With a nice mix of beginner through expert terrain, most will find excellent snow to play in. The highest lift, #9, takes you up to 11,432 ft/3,484.4 m where the view is breathtaking and the skiing great.

Monarch Mountain is a bit out of the way. Located about 40 minutes’ drive from Salida, this is one of the true gems of the bunch. Monarch has a nice mix of beginner through expert terrain, and the view from the top of Panorama lift is one of the best in the state. In heavy snow years, experts love dropping into Mirkwood, a double diamond zone. Lodging is best in the town of Salida, but closer options exist in Garfield and Poncha Pass.

Fun in the sun

Powderhorn is one of Colorado’s best kept secret ski areas. Located just 30 minutes’ drive from Grand Junction, Powderhorn provides excellent views and good skiing. One of the few Gems with a high-speed quad lift, this is a winner. Just be sure they have decent snow coverage before you go. Since Powderhorn is lower in altitude, this results in less snow base some years versus other Gems resorts. Lodging is onsite or in nearby Grand Junction.

Sunlight Mountain is popular with families due to its quiet location and a good mix of runs for beginners to experts. Sunlight Mountain has one of the longest ski trails of the Gems at 2.5 miles/4 km long. With the world-famous Glenwood Springs hotsprings nearby, families flock to Sunlight year-after-year to get one of the best package deals anywhere. Check out the ski-swim-stay packages and see why this is a favorite for those who know.