Boulder - Loveland, A-Basin, or Eldora?

[SixFour]

Recently graduated from college and landed myself a few solid job offers in the Boulder/Denver region. As of now I have a few weeks to decide between full-time in Denver to really start myself down a solid career or part-time in Boulder for subsistence living but the ability to bike, climb, and ski a hell of a lot.

I am from the Northeast and have only skied NE. Visited Boulder 2 weeks ago and within 20 minutes I knew it was the place for me (minus the drifters and hippy scene) so I will be living there. Right now I am looking at Loveland, A-Basin, and Eldora - as the title suggests. Currently I am leaning towards Loveland, however my decision has mainly been based upon Vimeo.

The closeness of Eldora is appealing, plus avoiding I-70, however the terrain at Loveland seems much better. A-Basin may be a bit out of my reach, maybe next season, but I could be mistaken.

Any nearby places to night ski once I am done with work during the week?

In short, I hope for a place that is just about skiing with solid conditions and terrain. More of a wake up early, inhale breakfast, pack a PB&J, and ski first chair open to close just to wake up the next day and repeat type-of-person. Can't stand the base lodge scene with bitchy kids and even bitchier parents, that is the exact atmosphere I hope to escape from.

Finally, I sold my car upon entering college and now have to buy another one. Not sure of the road conditions during the winter at these locations but I am looking into a Jetta TDI (MPG), Audi A4 (AWD+MPG), or Toyota Tundra (4WD+Camping in). I know, breaking from the Boulder norm and not buying a Subaru!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and would be returned in the form of TRs come October.

[Tunco]

As far as cars go, I wouldn't worry about AWD. I did Denver to Loveland everyday they were open for 4 years. 1 year in a Suzuki Samurai, 2 years in a Subaru Loyale that I never put in 4x4 and 1 year in a Volvo 850. Just get good snow tires and don't drive like a fuckhead.

[concretejungle]

Eldora cause some dumb bitch on the lift at Loveland said if she lived in Boulder she'd ski there every day because it was so close.

[SixFour]

Eldora cause some dumb bitch on the lift at Loveland said if she lived in Boulder she'd ski there every day because it was so close.

Looking to avoid the dumb bitches too. +1 Loveland? Note sure how that one swings.

[iamTRuTH]

If you like park then Eldora
If you want to ski then Loveland,
if you want to ski after a longer drive and wait in lift lines then A-basin.

All three offer unique terrain, however Eldora is like back east skiing when there is no new snow and you are just skiing the man made. +1 Loveland.

As for a car AWD is not necessary, I have made the trip for the last 20 years in front wheel drive only cars. Clearance is nice if you plan on doing a bunch of camping and hiking.

[Mannix]

IamTruth speaks the truth.

Eldoorknob is awesome in the spring when an upslop(e) storm barfs 2+ feet on it while everyone else gets 2-3 inches.

Otherwise....ehh. It IS in fact closer to Boulder, but unless you live at 8th and Canyon or so, it takes the same amount of _time_ to get to Loveland.

I lived in Boulder for 8ish years. I skied a lot, but those that call it a "ski town" are morons. It is a drive to any hill. It offers a lot of things that Sandy, UT does not, though.

I worked at Loveland for a while, in their repair shop. I used to be able to get there in right around an hour, if I stuck my foot in it. Plan on 1.5.

Abasin is ~20 minutes past Loveland on highway 6. Some good terrain there, but traffic is heavy, it gets freaking bumped out in the woods. Crowded. Worth skiing there on a weekday, though. Ehhh, skiing there on a weekday might make you regret buying a pass at Loveland. Go to Arapahoe on a weekend. WAY too many freaking people. They have liftlines. Lame. Place is tiny, too. That said, you should ski there once or five times, it does have merit.

Day trips are realistic to all the major Slummit county hills. Loveland is the closest "real" mountain. It gets the most snow. It rarely has liftlines (pretty much only on opening day/early season).

Complaints about LLand? Terrain. Largely flat. Short shots.

That's it. The baselodge is simple, you can leave your crap in it without fear of it disappearing, dirt parking lot, no hotels, no liftlines, you can ski untracked snow there pretty much every day if you know where to look and don't mind a little sidestepping/traversing, the kitchen staff plays deathmetal (may or may not be incentive to buy a pass there, but, well, they do, and as of two seasons ago, you could hear it while ordering stuff - weird), their breakfast-offerings are actually reasonably priced and allegedly fairly decent, if you can speak pig-Russian or whatever, they rescue ski-area-cooks from communism sometimes, Loveland benefits from upslope storms AND the normal kind, shrug, I've had passes at most of the Summit hills, and Loveland is what I've bought since Berthoud closed.

I like Loveland. Arapahoe has better terrain, and certainly a good "vibe," but the crowds scare me off. Skiing at Vail is a freaking circus, but there's some decent stuff there, you just have to go with someone who knows where it is (and EVERYTHING else about it blows, IMHO, stupid fake eurotrash village, liftlines to get out of said village, parking sucks, ehhh, hate....), Breckenridge never really did it for me, but I've not been there for a long time, sounds like there's some fun hike-to stuff there now, Winter Park does have some interesting tree skiing (Mary Jane, I guess), but it gets tracked out fast.

Loveland.



Iain (although, if you've only skied New England, they'll all seem pretty damned good....)

[freshie247]

A-basin for the terrain & easy access slack country, MJ for the same reasons.

[Sinfield]

Eldora's not really worth in my opinion. If you get a place in Golden, it's probably a lot quicker to get to LL or Abasin than I would be to get to Eldo from Boulder. Plus then you're a lot closer to GCB. Win.

[agent j]

I have had passes to all 3 (and others) at various times. Of the three you mention I would choose Loveland given reasons already stated above. You might consider WP/MJ as well.

[bendtheski]

Loveland.
Quick and easy drive, great terrain, great vibe, almost never crowded, great terrain.
Did I mention the great terrain?
Also being right on the East side of the divide often means bonus unforecast and unreported snowfall accumulation. Snowfall reporting is almost always several inches shy of what they actually receive and last year at least cover and open terrain was consistantly better than A-basin. (this varies depending upon the season though; it can go either way)
A-basin's season is a month longer but if I had to choose just one, I'd take Loveland hands down. Closer, less crowded, and the divide snow generator factor.
This season I'm opting for the CO pass. (A-basin, Keystone, Breck and 10 days at Vail/BC). It's only $100.00 more than Loveland alone and has way more options. I can still ski LL on my employer's corporate pass when everyone else is jammed (weekends) and when LL has more snow (frequently).
I'll be the old man skiing with his feet together.

[jrbd]

Definitely go for Loveland. If you haven't had enough by early May, buy an A-Basin pass in the spring and you can ski A-Basin for the rest of the season and the next.

You'll probably meet people who will want you to ski at Breck, Vail, Keystone, etc. Go once to try each one out on a weekend, then you'll appreciate Loveland even more. A-Basin has a "bonus pass" that gives you five days at these (limited to one at Vail) for a reasonable price, which might be a good approach for trying them out.

[Name Redacted]

Have you looked into Echo mtn? It's closer than loveland and they are expanding this year!

[bendtheski]

Have you looked into Echo mtn? It's closer than loveland and they are expanding this year!

You'll have to pass the mandatory ass-crack exposure check though. No admittance for anything under 3 fingers...

[Hacksaw]

Have you looked into Echo mtn? It's closer than loveland and they are expanding this year!

Yeah, I can't wait until they open the new back bowls...

[montanaskier]

Sol Vista and Echo are the two....hands down.

[SterlingSpikeDancer]

Sol Vista and Echo are the two....hands down.

But only until they re-open Geneva Basin in 2012.

[bamboocoreONLY]

You might as well get a subaru. Regardless of whether you need 4 wheel drive or not, it's still fun as hell to romp snow in them, and for passing people fast on the pass if you were to go to abay. But loveland would be the solid choice in my eyes. Eldora just lacks the terrain to put it that simple, and abay has the liftlines. +1 loveland

[SixFour]

Thank you for all the help reaffirming what I thought, Loveland it is. I have a feeling that coming from years of the over-groomed ice each time I ski Loveland for the first few months is going to be the best I have ever experienced.

That does not suck.

[marshalolson]

1. you could easily ski 100 days per year in a 25 year old ford festiva with shitty tires.
2. a-basin has the best terrain of the 3, but the longest drive and the longest lines.
3. loveland has much better terrain that eldora, much better snow, and is about 20 minutes further, depending on where you live in boulder.
4. eldrora is certainly fine skiing and fine terrain, but it is most certinaly NOT why you moved to colorado.
5. eldora and keystone are the calls for night skiing, unless you want to ski park only (echo).
6. based on what it sounds like what you are looking for, loveland is the place. close enough (about and hour to hour 15 each way), good terrain, the best snow probably of the 3, and overall a good scene that is about skiing, not shopping and real estate.
7. finally, get your ass up early, and either leave early, or catch a couple drinks at the rat, and the traffic is no biggie from loveland. just gotta know how to play the game.

[Sinfield]

I thought Eldo stopped doing night skiing a few years back? I know that we never saw any evidence of night ops when we were hitting last runs this year...

[tommyvee]

I thought Eldo stopped doing night skiing a few years back? I know that we never saw any evidence of night ops when we were hitting last runs this year...

Eldora has night-skiing now only for organized races and events, but the lifts do not turn at night for the general public (or pass holders).
Eldora works for me as a base to ski out the Forest Service gates to surrounding terrain for a backcountry/slackcountry headstart, but Loveland sounds like the place that meets your needs. For self-employed people in Boulder, Eldora is great for quick powder mornings, while Loveland is more of an all-day event. Loveland always sells 4-Packs of tickets for $100 and I always buy a couple in addition to my Eldora pass.

Plus Eldora is the only Front Range ski area that you can access from an RTD bus, free if you have an EcoPass.

[Vermonter]

Dont forget about mary jane quite yet. It can get tracked out quick but has great terrain, normally better snow, quick lines and just a great vibe. That being said I haven't spent time at loveland outside of the pass yet and I've heard great things, but mary jane is definitely a better choice than abasin or eldora in my opinion.

[SterlingSpikeDancer]

Dont forget about mary jane quite yet. It can get tracked out quick but has great terrain, normally better snow, quick lines and just a great vibe. That being said I haven't spent time at loveland outside of the pass yet and I've heard great things, but mary jane is definitely a better choice than abasin or eldora in my opinion.

+2 for wp/mj. I don't think that it gets tracked out too fast, except for Saturdays, and where in CO doesn't? But LL kicks much ass, and has a ton of mags there too.

Bottom line, like Marshal said, figure out your weekend traffic patterns, and get your ass up the hill on the weekdays.

[DharmaBum]

Notice that nobody is suggesting the career option in Denver.........

How about this: don't buy a season pass. Take a year and explore the closer areas, and a few that aren't so close. You'll get a better feel for Loveland after 4-5 days, etc, and you can choose where you spend your powder days. Get a pass next year.

Aren't there passes that cover a couple different resorts (Colorado Pass or something??)

I'd 2nd living in Golden if you want to live a little cheaper and be closer to skiing, but I understand the attraction to Boulder too (and I kind of like the hippies).

[khakis]

How about this: don't buy a season pass. Take a year and explore the closer areas, and a few that aren't so close. You'll get a better feel for Loveland after 4-5 days, etc, and you can choose where you spend your powder days. Get a pass next year.

I did this my first year and let myself miss a lot of days because I ran out of 4-packs and was being too cheap to buy more, or to buy lift tix at buddy price like I thought I would. Maybe you're not a cheapass but for me there's a psychological motivation to have a pass. Any pass. 12 days and your LL pass breaks even with the 4-packs. You'll probably get that before December.