• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Eagle/Summit County Colorado ski area choices, etc?

benski

Active member
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
1,114
Points
36
Location
Binghamton NY
Killington is now offering "Preferred Parking for $20" where you can park super close.
Most of the Colorado resorts I read up on had paid parking, but they also offer free parking. Free parking you are forced to shuttle over to the base. Copper was the same way when we went. We never paid to park though, just used the shuttle service which was nice and easy.

I pay plenty for snowboarding expenses, parking is not one of them.

I figure as long as parking fees don't stop the better spots from being utilized the ski areas might as well charge. It help subsidize the rest of there expenses.
 

Jcb890

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
1,741
Points
38
Location
Central MA
If you think about it. The people who pay for parking are supplementing the outer parking lots that the shuttles service.
True, that makes sense.

I figure as long as parking fees don't stop the better spots from being utilized the ski areas might as well charge. It help subsidize the rest of there expenses.
Oh don't get me wrong, I have no issues with the mountains charging and the practices involved with parking and shuttles. Just saying I'm not paying for the parking. If others will/want to, that's totally fine. Then again, if I had stupid amounts of money and didn't care about expenses, I'd probably drop the cash for the primo parking.
 

jimmywilson69

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
3,193
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg, PA
There is little to no free parking in Vail. The free lot in Breckenridge is several miles via school bus to the town Gondola Station. No parking at the base areas of breck unless you are staying on property.

Free, Close Parking at both A-Basin and Loveland. More reasons to love those places.
 

Jcb890

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2015
Messages
1,741
Points
38
Location
Central MA
There is little to no free parking in Vail. The free lot in Breckenridge is several miles via school bus to the town Gondola Station. No parking at the base areas of breck unless you are staying on property.

Free, Close Parking at both A-Basin and Loveland. More reasons to love those places.
Ah, interesting about Vail and Breck.

We did Copper and Copper wasn't bad at all. Just park and hop on the shuttle. Being forced to pay for parking at a mountain rubs me the wrong way.
 

BenedictGomez

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
12,174
Points
113
Location
Wasatch Back
Being forced to pay for parking at a mountain rubs me the wrong way.

Definitely. I'd probably not even ski a place even if it was a minimal $5 parking, just out of principal if there wasn't a free option. Everything in general is getting ridiculous with the ways places are inventing ways to slip-in and hide fees etc...
 

abc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,852
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
Definitely. I'd probably not even ski a place even if it was a minimal $5 parking, just out of principal if there wasn't a free option.
No free option in Beaver Creek, nor Vail.

In theory, the village of Vail & Avon have something like 25 spots you can park for free. And they run a free bus that comes every 15-30 min.

Unlike Copper, which operates its own shuttle to the free lot, Breckenridge's free parking and shuttle is operated by the village of Breckenridge. It's the home and businesses owner of Breckenridge who are subsidizing your free parking, not Vail Corp.
 
Last edited:

BenedictGomez

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
12,174
Points
113
Location
Wasatch Back
No free option in Beaver Creek, nor Vail.

In theory, the village of Vail & Avon have something like 25 spots you can park for free. And they run a free bus that comes every 15-30 min.

Unlike Copper, which operates its own shuttle to the free lot, Breckenridge's free parking and shuttle is operated by the village of Breckenridge. It's the home and businesses owner of Breckenridge who are subsidizing your free parking, not Vail Corp.

The place I'm staying at Vail has free parking.

In Breckenridge, is the free parking in town + shuttle the best option?
 

snoseek

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
6,289
Points
113
Location
NH
Mary Jane has the best lot in Colorado imo as you can arrive late and still often park slopeside.

Doesn't beaver creek have free parking? I don't remember paying. ....
 

dlague

Active member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
8,792
Points
36
Location
CS, Colorado
The place I'm staying at Vail has free parking.

In Breckenridge, is the free parking in town + shuttle the best option?

Parking right next to the gondola one either side downtown is $12. In fact, all in town parking is pay for parking except after 3 then it is free. To park for free, there is an airport lot that has a shuttle but that adds about another 15-30 minutes to getting started. The Shuttle will take you to the Gondola. Parking near the bases is very very limited.

http://www.townofbreckenridge.com/y...arking-community-service/parking/free-parking
 

dlague

Active member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
8,792
Points
36
Location
CS, Colorado
What a P.I.T.A.

Breck is for sure! It will not be busy but when it is - holy crap! Waste time just parking. It is he worst parking scenario out of all resorts. Vail we parked and paid $25 and walked to the base. Keystone, if you know the spots you can park close ($20) otherwise it is a good shuttle ride and free parking. Beaver Creek, we had to park ($5) then take a shuttle (relatively short ride) but do not know if there are other alternatives.
 

abc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,852
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
Keystone has free parking, within walking distance of lift. No need for shuttle.

Breck also has free parking but requires shuttle. It comes frequently, albeit PITA and adds time to ski-on-snow time.

Vail and Beaver Creek has NO free parking, shuttle or otherwise! You can use the town lot, but space is EXTREMELY LIMITED. And the shuttle is infrequent (15-30 minute + ride time), plus some walking on top of that. So you could be looking at 45 minute to the snow.

Compared to that, Copper is much better. If you stay in Frisco, you can also ride the Summit Stage directly from hotel to the lift, without having to drive at all. Works extremely well if individual in your party wants to quit skiing early and go back to the hotel. They can simply hop the bus.

A-basin has the best parking, right at the lift. But space is a bit tight so get there early on Saaturday/Sunday.
 

dlague

Active member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
8,792
Points
36
Location
CS, Colorado
Keystone has free parking, within walking distance of lift. No need for shuttle.

Breck also has free parking but requires shuttle. It comes frequently, albeit PITA and adds time to ski-on-snow time.

Vail and Beaver Creek has NO free parking, shuttle or otherwise! You can use the town lot, but space is EXTREMELY LIMITED. And the shuttle is infrequent (15-30 minute + ride time), plus some walking on top of that. So you could be looking at 45 minute to the snow.

Compared to that, Copper is much better. If you stay in Frisco, you can also ride the Summit Stage directly from hotel to the lift, without having to drive at all. Works extremely well if individual in your party wants to quit skiing early and go back to the hotel. They can simply hop the bus.

A-basin has the best parking, right at the lift. But space is a bit tight so get there early on Saaturday/Sunday.
Have not found the free parking next to the Village or Mountain Top Lodge base at Keystone. I know after 12 the paid parking is free. A Basin has the large lot next to the Beach but gets loaded fast. There is free parking across the road that is easy walking distance. Beyond that is is a shuttle. You can park for $30 but that lot is small. BTW it used to be $20 two weeks ago. We almost always park there. Once everything shuts down and A Basin is the only game left they use anew overflow lot about 3 miles away. Loveland has close parking except on busy days where you have to park next to Loveland Valley.

Sent from my SM-G930P using AlpineZone mobile app
 

jimk

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 1, 2012
Messages
1,800
Points
113
Location
Wash DC area
The place I'm staying at Vail has free parking.

In Breckenridge, is the free parking in town + shuttle the best option?

Since Jan 2015 I have approx 38 days at various Vail Resorts in CO and have never paid for parking to ski. This includes many days at Vail, Beaver Creek, and Breckenridge. Send me a PM if you want details on publicly available free parking at those resorts. Obvious and decent solution at Breck is free airport parking lot with frequent shuttle service to Breck Connect gondola. The info on Vail and BC parking is on the internet if you look hard enough, but is almost like the info on best powder stashes. Share with friends only:)
 
Last edited:

jimmywilson69

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
3,193
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg, PA
I too have used some of the free parking at Vail, but its definitely like powder stashes and is often full if you come later. Probably not an issue for BG since vail is winding down for the season.
 

Smellytele

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
9,936
Points
113
Location
Right where I want to be
Don't mind paying when I am with a group and split the cost but hate when it is just me and the family and I have to shell out the full cost of parking.
 

dlague

Active member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
8,792
Points
36
Location
CS, Colorado
Since Jan 2015 I have approx 38 days at various Vail Resorts in CO and have never paid for parking to ski. This includes many days at Vail, Beaver Creek, and Breckenridge. Send me a PM if you want details on publicly available free parking at those resorts. Obvious and decent solution at Breck is free airport parking lot with frequent shuttle service to Breck Connect gondola. The info on Vail and BC parking is on the internet if you look hard enough, but is almost like the info on best powder stashes. Share with friends only:)

In our case, we are learning the spots through some locals and trial and error. Vail and Beaver Creek are not going to be frequented since the drive is like 30 minutes further. I expect 4 visits per season between both. But the info is worthwhile!

If I can walk to the base and park close, I generally do not mind paying. We used to pay for valet at Waterville, slipped $20 to the unloading area attendants at Sunday River to park in the Season Pass-holders lot, etc.
 
Top