Ski season

Ski Resort Transportation from Denver

Colorado's ski season typically runs mid-November through April or May; Arapahoe Basin usually runs into June. For four of those months the drive to the resorts is a winter mountain drive, whatever the forecast said when you booked your flight.

Resorts by elevation

Denver 5,280 Downtown Denver 5,280 Red Rocks 6,450 Idaho Springs 7,526 Estes Park 7,743 Loveland Ski Area 10,800 Eisenhower 11,158 Winter Park 9,000 Keystone 9,280 Copper Mountain 9,712 Breckenridge 9,600 Vail 8,120 Avon 7,431 Beaver Creek 8,100 Eagle Airport 6,547 Steamboat Springs 6,900 Glenwood Springs 5,761 Aspen 7,945 Snowmass Village 8,104

25 mi 40 mi 56 mi 75 mi 80 mi 90 mi 93 mi 101 mi 104 mi 120 mi 130 mi 132 mi 155 mi 179 mi 180 mi 220 mi 220 mi

Denver 5,280 ft
Downtown Denver 25 mi 5,280 ft
Red Rocks 40 mi 6,450 ft
Idaho Springs 56 mi 7,526 ft
Estes Park 75 mi 7,743 ft
Loveland Ski Area 80 mi 10,800 ft
Eisenhower 11,158 ft
Winter Park 90 mi 9,000 ft
Keystone 93 mi 9,280 ft
Copper Mountain 101 mi 9,712 ft
Breckenridge 104 mi 9,600 ft
Vail 120 mi 8,120 ft
Avon 130 mi 7,431 ft
Beaver Creek 132 mi 8,100 ft
Eagle Airport 155 mi 6,547 ft
Steamboat Springs 179 mi 6,900 ft
Glenwood Springs 180 mi 5,761 ft
Aspen 220 mi 7,945 ft
Snowmass Village 220 mi 8,104 ft

Pick a resort to see the route. Elevation above sea level, ordered by driving distance from Denver airport. Spacing is even rather than to scale, and these destinations sit on different highways — the line is a guide, not a road.

Where you sleep matters more than where you ski. The gap between Denver and a resort bed is the number that decides how your first night goes.

Every resort we run

Flat rate for the vehicle, not the seat. Drive times are for clear conditions — peak Saturday mornings run longer, and each route page says by how much.

1h 29m from DEN

1h 50m from DEN

1h 51m from DEN

2h–2h 30m from DEN

4h 10m–4h 53m from DEN

Snow-covered peaks above Keystone Resort

1h 48m from DEN

1h 30m from DEN

6h–7h 30m from DEN

2h 10m–2h 45m from DEN

A Snowmass gondola cabin above the village

Snowmass Village $950

3h 45m–4h from DEN

A footbridge over the creek in Beaver Creek village during snowfall

Beaver Creek $550

2h 28m from DEN

The Maroon Bells above Maroon Lake, near Aspen

Aspen $950

3h–4h 30m from DEN

The Howelsen Hill ski jumps above Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs $1,145

3h 30m from DEN

Flying into Eagle County instead? Transfers from EGE to Vail, Beaver Creek and the other resorts are on the Eagle Airport car service page.

The traction law, in plain terms

From September 1 to May 31, Colorado enforces a traction law on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison. It applies to all passenger vehicles under 16,001 lbs GVWR, including 4WD and AWD.

Your vehicle needs snowflake-rated winter, all-weather, or M+S tires, with at least 3/16 inch of tread. All-wheel drive on its own does not qualify. The fine is $100 plus a $33 surcharge, and $500 plus $157 if your car blocks the highway.

The law covers rental cars too, but the rental counter will not check your tires. Our vehicles are compliant all season.

Altitude on day one

Above 8,000 feet, gain no more than 1,000 feet of sleeping elevation per night. Denver is already 5,280 ft, and most resorts are 3,000 to 5,000 feet above that.

Spend a night in Denver before going up
Skip alcohol for the first 24 to 48 hours
Drink 3 to 4 liters of water a day

Gear

Ski bags are long rather than heavy, so cargo volume only tells part of the story — the constraint is usually shape, and it competes with the seats you wanted to use. See the fleet page for the manufacturer figures.

Rental gear delivery services will meet you at your lodging, which removes the airport gear problem entirely. Worth knowing if your group is large.