Although Colorado resorts are known for unbeatable on-snow adventures, they also offer a world of off-the-slope fun. Day and night, resorts and the towns near them make plenty of off-mountain activities available, including sledding, snowmobiling, snowcat tours, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Resorts also host a number of off-snow activities that keep guests who prefer the coziness of a warm indoor space. Festivals, live music, and plenty of shopping and dining abound in Colorado Ski Country.
Family activities, on or off the slopes, are easy to find.
Here are some of the activities that Colorado Ski Country USAs member resorts provide to show everyone a good time:
Arapahoe Basin
Arapahoe Basin offers non-skiers the chance to take in scenic views and grab refreshments on the mountain.
Guests can ride the chair lift to the summit, enjoy the 360-degree views of the Continental Divide and have lunch at the Black Mountain Lodge.
Guests are also invited to snowshoe up the mountain on designated runs.
Aspen-Snowmass
Aspen-Snowmass hosts more than 30 free events throughout the winter, including six outdoor concerts, which in the past have featured such well-known bands as Vampire Weekend and Blues Traveler, as well as dozens of on-mountain competitions, such as the Womens Winternational FIS Alpine World Cup Aspen Mountain during Thanksgiving and two weeks of Spring Jam with freestyle events on various mountains.
Aspen is also the place for snow sport spectators to take in the ESPN Winter X Games 15 and the Colorado Freeride Championships.
Aspen/Snowmass offers many family-oriented winter experiences.
Aspens Treehouse Kids Adventure Center at the base of Snowmass is the first of its kind in the snowsports industry, boasting teen activities, cooking nights, movie nights, a kids specific retail shop and a host of themed rooms for kids ages eight weeks old and older.
Storytelling by the campfire in Snowmass keeps kids and adults alike entertained on weekdays.
Family snowcat rides are available in the evenings, complete with sing-a-longs and a BBQ dinner at the Burlingame Cabin on Snowmass.
Copper Mountain
Copper offers a Kids Night Out for children from eight weeks to 12 years old, where kids can enjoy a night of crafts, movies, games and interactive Wii.
For those aspiring X-Games athletes, Woodward at Copper offers park and pipe progression without ever having to go on the snow.
The 20,000 sq ft Woodward at Copper Barn, located next to lodging check-in, gives campers access to Snowflex® jumps, foam pits, a spring floor, Olympic-grade fly-bed trampolines and indoor skateboarding features.
Woodward at Copper is a great activity for the whole family.
Information: www.WoodwardatCopper.com.
Crested Butte
The National Ski Areas Assn. (NSAA), the trade association for ski area owners and operators, recognized Crested Butte Mountain Resort with its Overall best guest service award for 2009-2010 among similarly sized resorts.
CBMR received the prize thanks to an exceptional investment in guest service, resulting in an increase of 13 percentage points in independent guest survey scores.
Highlights of the program include : establishing a service excellence team among employees throughout different departments across the resort, providing personal responses for guest service comments, a new centrally located guest service staff kiosk and new uniforms.
CBMR offers free daily guided tours of Crested Butte Mountain.
The two-hour tours highlight the resorts green and blue trails, providing information about trail locations and lift access.
CBMRs free guided mountain ski tours are a great way to start off a visit to CBMR and they give guests the chance to meet new friends
Loveland
Lovelands close proximity to mountain towns such as Georgetown, Silver Plume, Silverthorne and to Denver means that guests can find an après-ski activity to their liking in the surrounding area.
Those non-skiers who may have family on the mountain can sit and relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy access to free wi-fi in both base area lodges.
Monarch Mountain
At the base of Monarch lies the beautiful Arkansas Valley. The Arkansas River Valley experiences over 300 days of sunshine per year and is surrounded by massive 14,000-foot snow-capped peaks.
The weather and location create a region that is truly magical. Numerous hot springs can be found for those looking to soak after a big day on the mountain.
The towns of Salida, Buena Vista, and Poncha Springs each offer charming galleries and nightlife to the peaceful ambience of Buena Vista and the friendly hospitality of Poncha Springs.
Powderhorn
A Powderhorn, a varied network of Nordic trails crisscross the resorts boundaries. These give guests the perfect opportunity for scenic snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Free wi-fi access is available in Powderhorns lodge for those who are looking for a cozy retreat out of the cold.
For a day trip outside Powderhorn, guests can visit nearby Grand Junction with plenty of shops and galleries in addition to 15 wineries and the Colorado National Monument.
During March, Powderhorn guests can often mountain bike and ski in the same weekend due to Colorados unique spring conditions.
Some of the best mountain biking in the world can be found only miles away from Powderhorn in Fruita.
Purgatory at Durango
Purgatory invites guests of all ages and abilities to snowshoe through the scenic San Juan National Forest.
The guided tours provided by the resort include snowshoes, poles, lunch, water and breathtaking views. For a nighttime activity, the resort leads guests on moonlight or starlight snowshoe tours throughout the season.
Moonlight snowshoe tours are planned during the full moon of each month and starlight snowshoe tours are available in between.
As an alternative outdoor experience, guests are welcomed to take the last chairlift of the day up the mountain to watch the sunset and enjoy a wine and cheese party at the Powderhouse lodge before hiking down with a guide.
SolVista Basin
SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch offers snowy fun for non-skiing guests during the winter, but also caters to the overall Colorado outdoor experience in every season, with opportunities for hiking, fishing, and biking on-site throughout the year.
On snow, SolVista complements its night skiing activities with lift-served tubing on Saturday evenings twice per month.
Sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also popular around SolVista.
Steamboat
For guests wanting the on-snow experience but who are not of the downhill persuasion, the town of Steamboat Springs offers five Nordic centers within a 30-mile radius of Steamboat resort with a total of 166 km of groomed trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
To give youngsters something fun and educational to do, the resort hosts Kids Adventure Club at Steamboat, which offers a Kids Night Out for children ages five through 12 and for young teens.
On this special late night, children may ride the gondola, watch a torchlight parade and fireworks, and become involved in a variety of activities, games, movies and more.
To complete a trip to this signature Western ski resort, guests can ride horses, enjoy horse-drawn sleigh ride dinners, visit a working ranch, or participate in ranch responsibilities.
For genuine cowboys or cowboys at heart, Western hospitality and friendliness abound in this true American ski town.
Sunlight
Sunlight invites guests to ride through the White River National Forest on state-of-the-art snowmobiles for magnificent 360-degree views of Mt. Sopris, the West Elk Mountains and the Flattop Wilderness.
This exhilarating ride is sure to highlight the natural beauty that makes Colorado a favorite place for winter vacations.
Telluride
Telluride Ski Resort announced the opening of Telluride Eco Adventures last season, to enhance the guest service experience.
Offering tours and activities for the entire family, Eco Adventures features a winter and summer nature ccenter especially for kids.
Aimed at connecting guests to all the region has to offer both in winter and in summer, Eco Adventures aims to meet the diverse needs of a family on vacation.
Activities include snowmobiling through the forest leading to hot springs; beginner to expert ice climbing excursions; fly fishing on serene mountain streams; river rafting to get the heart racing; gliding through bluebird skies and heli-skiing with the first helicopter ski operation in Colorado.
Winter Park
Winter Park offers a lesson and tour program for guests wanting to try a Snowcycle, which is like a bicycle, but on skis instead of tires.
Guests can experience the novelty of biking on snow as an instructor teaches them how to maneuver a Snowcycle down the slopes.
Private and group snowcat tours are a way to slow down and enjoy the beauty at Winter Park during the day or evening, giving guests the opportunity to explore the mountain slopes in the warmth and comfort of a snowcat.
Wolf Creek
At the base of Wolf Creek Ski Area, a cross-country track goes through beautiful mountain meadows and continues along the snowy white fields of Alberta Lake. This can be a scenic activity for traditional cross-country skiers (snow shoes are welcome) or a great aerobic workout for skate skiers.
The cross-country track, which is maintained by the ski area, follows a six to 10 mile loop and is available at no charge.
