5 great spring break ski destinations

by Kraig Becker on

With spring break just around the corner, many of you are no doubt looking for one last blast of winter fun before the warmer temps set in. With that in mind, here are five great ski destinations that will make your spring break a memorable one.

Big Sky Resort, Montana
Big Sky bills itself as the “Biggest Skiing in America,” and for good reason. With over 150 runs to choose from, the longest of which is 6 miles in length, you’ll never run out of mountain to explore. And thanks to a strategic partnership with nearby Moonlight Basin, visitors have more than 5000 skiable acres to shred. The resort is so large in fact, that you’ll rarely have to wait in line for one of the 22 chair lifts and once you do get to the top of the slope, you may not encounter another skier until you get back to the bottom again. Throw in dramatic Montana skyline, a host of other on site activities, and over 400 inches of snow per year, and you have a skiers paradise to say the least. Complete your Big Sky experience with a Yeti Dog and thank me later.

Whiteface Ski Resort, New York
East coasters who can’t make it out west this year have plenty of options for hitting the slopes as well. Whiteface Ski Resort, located in upstate New York, is the perfect example. With 22 miles of trail, spread out over 86 runs, Whiteface truly has something for everyone. The mountain even boasts 3430 feet of continuous vertical drop, which is not only the most of any resort in the east, it is also more than Aspen, Vail, or Park City. Surrounded by the spectacular Adirondack Forest, the trails offer a remote solitude, but when you’re ready for some fun off the slopes, nearby Lake Placid has plenty of bars, restaurants, and shops to keep you busy too.

Mammoth Mountain, California
Skiers and snowboarders on the left coast will no doubt already be well aware of Mammoth Mountain, a fantastic destination for everyone from beginners to experts. Located in eastern California, in the Sierra Nevada range, Mammoth offers up 3500 skiable acres that are covered in more than 340 inches of snow on an annual basis. Of the 150 or so runs available, about a quarter are rated for beginners, while a third of the remaining trails are rated as a Black Diamond or greater. The place is a popular destination for the snowboard crowd as well, thanks to its 18-foot Super Pipe and 22-foot Super Duper Pipe. Known for its long season, (the resort was one open for an astounding 10 months in a row!) Mammoth is likely to have great conditions not just for Spring Break, but for weeks to come as well.

Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley Lodge, located in north-central Idaho, has been a top ski destination since it opened all the way back in 1936. At the center of the ski and snowboarding culture that has developed there is Bald Mountain, or “Baldy” as it is affectionately known. Baldy offers 3400 feet of vertical drop, with an excellent consistency to the terrain, that has made it a favorite for skiers from around the globe. It also offers some of the finest powder you’ll find anywhere and miles of trails with few crowds to contend with. Throw in a great freestyle park and a Super Pipe for the snowboarders, and you have an amazing destination that will keep everyone happy.

Ruby Mountains, Nevada
For a completely different skiing experience, consider going to the Ruby Mountains, located in northeastern Nevada. There you’ll find Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience, a company that specializes in offering heli-skiing opportunities in the pristine backcountry. Unlike the resort options listed above, you won’t find any groomed trails or ski lifts here, just 200,000 acres of fantastic powder that is only accessible by helicopter. You don’t have to be a world class skier or snowboarder to enjoy the Ruby Mountain experience either, as you can choose to take on long, slow, shallow bowls or adrenaline inducing slopes that will have your heart pounding out of your chest. At the end of the day, you’ll return to the lodge for an amazing home cooked meal that will be the perfect end to a perfect day.

The calendar may say that it is turning spring in just a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have just a little more winter fun. Enjoy one last blast on the slopes before putting the skis and snowboard away for one more season.



Food & Wine Classic in Aspen celebrates 29th year; get discount tickets until March 15th

by Laurel Miller on

Better put your cardiologist on speed-dial; it’s almost time for the 29th annual Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. The nation’s most-lauded culinary festival will be held June 17-19, featuring food, wine, and cocktail seminars, cooking demos and competitions, grand tastings, and book signings by celebrity chefs like Tom Colicchio, José Andrés, and Michael Symon. Get your tickets before March 15th, and you’ll save $100 off the $1,185 ticket price. Hey, no one said gastronomic blowouts in Colorado’s ski town Shangri-la come cheap.

The price includes attendance at five Grand Tastings, where you can sample the goods from over 300 vineyards, breweries, and distilleries, as well as charcuterie, cheese, olive oil, and chocolate.

Think it sounds a little too high-falutin’? Take note of a few of this year’s witty new seminars: “Sauce on the Side: Wine, Wieners & the Works,” with restaurateur Danny Meyer; “Global Street Food” with chef/one of half of Two Hot Tamales’ Susan Feniger, and “One Pot Meals” with Ming Tsai. Also sure to be popular: “Sophisticated Sipping Rums,” “Top Chef: Salty and Sweet,” with Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio, and “Cheeses and Wine from Spain.”

FOOD & WINE donates two percent of the net proceeds from all Classic tickets sold to Grow for Good, benefiting Wholesome Wave Foundation. Grow for Good is FOOD & WINE’s national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture. To purchase, call 877-900-WINE or click here.

Aspen’s St. Moritz Lodge rolls back room prices to $69/night

by Laurel Miller on

Snow enthusiasts salivating over last week’s dump in the Colorado Rockies, don’t despair. A fall vacation in Aspen is affordable thanks to the St. Moritz Lodge’s “Roll Back Our Rates to 2006 Levels” promo.

Starting now through November 24th, get a low-season rate of $69/night for a standard Lodge room (double bed, twin, mini-fridge, TV, and private bath). If you’re a returning guest, call 800-817-2069 and receive a 10% discount. Early winter and spring ski season is still a screaming deal if you’re traveling with a friend or two, with standard Lodge rooms going for $99/night. It’s Aspen’s only hostel, and thus the best accomodation bargain in town.

Enjoy an outdoor heated pool and hot tub (summer/winter only), steam room, daily housekeeping, laundry, a well-equipped kitchen, free Wifi, coffee, and deluxe Continental breakfast, and a cozy lounge/TV room/library, and off-street parking.

The St. Mortiz is just 10 minutes walking from the hopping scene in the center of town and the Silver Queen Gondola, spitting distance from a handful of trailheads. Even if you don’t ski, take advantage of the gorgeous running paths and hiking/snowshoeing trails for free.

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Need more incentive? United and Frontier just announced they are increasing their flights into Aspen. In addition to the 14 to 17 flights per day from Denver International Airport (DIA), there are more direct flights from San Francisco, Los Angles and Chicago, and the newly added Houston-to-Aspen route. Delta and American Airlines serve Eagle County Regional Airport, an hour-and-half-away (FYI, this is the closest airport to Vail, 30 miles away). Colorado Mountain Express has shuttle service to/from DIA to Vail, Eagle, and Aspen, as well as Keystone, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Beaver Creek, and Snowmass.

Viceroy Snowmass offers ski season bargains

by Kraig Becker on

With over 20 inches of snow already on the ground, and more in the forecast soon, luxury ski resort Viceroy Snowmass, located near Aspen, Colorado, is preparing for the ski season ahead. In order to entice both early and late season visitors, the mountain resort is offering a great deal that include pampering both on and off the slopes.

Viceroy has announced that visitors who book three or more nights between November 25 and December 22 of this year, or between January 4 and March 31, 2011, will receive $150 in credit per night of their stay, which can be used for a variety of options during their visit. For instance, those credits can be applied to ski and snowboard rentals, lift tickets, lessons, or even spa treatments. Rooms start at $225 per night and go up to $675 for a luxurious studio lodge.

Viceroy Snowmass opened in November of 2009, creating a new standard for luxury ski resorts in Colorado. In addition to their world class skiing and snowboarding runs, visitors can take part in cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, snowmobiling, and more. And when visitors are done playing in the mountains, they can rest and recuperate in the 7000 square foot spa and treat themselves to a gourmet meal in one of the resort’s fine restaurants, and after dinner they can retire to their comfortable and well equipped rooms. The Viceroy’s 173 ski-in/ski-out accommodations include fireplaces, HDTV’s, private sundecks, and much, much more.

The Viceroy isn’t just a winter destination however, as there are plenty of things to do there all year round. Visit during the warmer months and you’ll be treated to some excellent hiking trails, gondola served mountain biking, horseback riding, fly-fishing, paragliding and plenty of other outdoor adventures.

To learn more about Viceroy Snowmass and to book your visit, click here.

Fall hideaways: Colorado ski resorts for the non-skier

by Gadling Staff on

I live in Colorado and I don’t ski, snowboard or otherwise partake in the numerous ski resort activities involving ice, snow, goggles, weird hats and heavy snow-suits (that the so-called fashionable people call ski apparel). But, I do go to the ski resorts at what I consider the best time, the Fall. It is after the summer crowds and before the winter madness begins; it is the perfect time for a getaway to hideaway- or not. The Aspens are turning, the Elk are bugling and the purple mountains majesty are there as always, only with less snow on them. Here are some great finds for a staycation in Colorado ski country.

1. The Little Nell in Aspen is a sophisticated country inn that exudes charm and class. Each room is unique and all have fireplaces. Everything is high-end, from the toiletries to the down comforters on the bed. There is not a bad view in the place and the hotel restaurant, Montagna, has”farmhouse cooking” with such items as crispy pork belly and watermelon salad and a great three course prix fixe dinner and all with a view of Aspen Mountain. There are two bars serving the rooms, condos and suites. In the Fall you can get a double room for $330-$415. Those prices double in season. Many movie stars stay here as the amenities are outstanding and the location is great. You can hide-out in the hotel or do what the stars do-shop Aspen. 675 E. Durant Ave. www.littlenell.com

2. The Steamboat Grand (2300 Mt. Werner Circle) in Steamboat Springs is a large upscale property with rooms, suites and penthouses with the usual high-end amenities. There are three restaurants, two lounges, free shuttle, and two hot tubs said to be the largest in Colorado. Steamboat Springs is known for its natural hot mineral springs which are said to have healing qualities. The town has turned these natural wonders into a thriving business, some with bathhouses. More on these at; www.steamboatsprings.org . 3. Allaire Timbers Inn Bed & Breakfast is a great place in Breckenridge for a romantic hideaway. It is the Colorado lodge style log inn complete with massive stone fireplace and fantastic mountain views. The room decor reflects well known mountain passes. Each room has a private deck, robes and fuzzy slipper-socks. It is just outside of town. If you feel the need for outside action, Breckenridge has the best nightlife in the Summit County area.www.allairetimbers.com Rooms are $149.00-$275, suites are higher.

4. Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa is just a quick walk to dining, shops and skiing. Located at 352 E. Meadow Dr. Fall room rates are half ($149-$299) of their high season rates. It is a lodge with an intimate cozy feel. All rooms have soaking tubs, fireplaces and feather beds. The hotel restaurant,Terra Bistro is a hot spot for locals and their spa is among the best in town. www.vailmountainlodge.com

5. Devils Thumb Ranch just outside of Winter Park is a guest ranch on 4,000 acres and gives new meaning to the term solitude. This is a great escape that has cabins decorated with rustic antiques and a lodge as well. The vibe is Colorado wilderness but cozy. It has two restaurants, a bar, spa, pool, sauna and a game room that boasts all non-electronic games. The ranch is very Eco-conscious and green and even uses geothermal energy for heat. It is a great place to hide-out from the rat race and breathe in that fresh mountain air. It is located eight miles from Winter Park Colorado on Grand County Rd. 83. $210-$565 for a lodge room and $315-$895 for a private cabin. For more information on this property; www.devilsthumbranch.com

All of these accommodations are located in the Northern Rockies and the towns are relatively close to one another. Fall is a great time to hideaway in the Rockies even if it is just for a little vacation close to home-a staycation.