Steamboat vs. Crested Butte? Where would you go?

[jaywbigred]

This is an odd set of circumstances. Without getting into exactly how, family friends are hooking me up with basically a $3,000 credit for flights anywhere United flies. For social reasons, I think they want me to only book 2 tickets (one for me and one for my girlfriend), so I don't think I can grab 6 tickets and take some friends with me. They also have urged me to use as much of the $3k as possible, so it doesn't go to waste. So I believe what I must do is book 2 round-trip tickets first class to a ski resort out west. Poor me :razz:

Originally I wanted to go to Aspen this winter for a long weekend (which is all I can take off from work), but the ticket price is $1900 (departing Thurs returning Tuesday) per ticket. I'm flying out of Newark, NJ, and united connects mostly through Denver, so SLC and Vancouver, e.g. become longer trips with more expensive 1st class pricing. I also do not want to repeat a resort I've been to before, so Telluride, Vail, and Breck are out (Ajax, Highlands and Snowmass too, technically). I've been to Jackson in the summer and while I loved it, I don't think the lady would enjoy it as much...this is intended to be a very romantic trip, so the onus is not on just the skiing. A cute town or setting would be nice too. I'd love to avoid renting a car, and being close to the lifts is a plus. We don't need raging nightlife, as long as there are a couple hotel bars or small pubs to check out. A decent restaurant or two would be nice as well.

Given these "constraints", I am thinking a trip somewhere in Colorado, flying into Denver and then on a puddle jumper to the regional airport, is the way to go. My search seems to have settled on either Steamboat or Crested Butte. I am leaning towards Steamboat right now, but would love input from everyone on both of these places, or perhaps somewhere else I've overlooked. Of course, I am always trying to keep the price down, but I guess with no airfare costs, this may be less of a concern this go round.

 

[dmc]

Crested.... Hands down.. Place is SICK!

 

[tarponhead]

If you haven't already seen it, one of the recent skiing rags did a big artcle on Crested Butte. (I thing Skiing?) Seems like a pretty cool place from the article.

Personally, if I was in your shoes and looking to extra-curicular girl stuff (non-skiing) I would go to Big Sky. Can make it as swank as you want it. Also, Yellowstone in the winter is unreal. Primordial looking stuff there. You can rent snowmobiles and cruise the park rodes (and watch wildlife flee). Many many things to do off the slopes.

Wish I had your problem....

 

[ccskier]

I can not comment on Crested Butte but Steamboat is a great place, combo of trees, openess etc... The issue you would have is travel. It is a few hours from Denver, you could probably get a ride w/ the colorado mountain service, but a rental would be good to have.

 

[jaywbigred]

If you haven't already seen it, one of the recent skiing rags did a big artcle on Crested Butte. (I thing Skiing?) Seems like a pretty cool place from the article.

Personally, if I was in your shoes and looking to extra-curicular girl stuff (non-skiing) I would go to Big Sky. Can make it as swank as you want it. Also, Yellowstone in the winter is unreal. Primordial looking stuff there. You can rent snowmobiles and cruise the park rodes (and watch wildlife flee). Many many things to do off the slopes.

Wish I had your problem....

I know, I feel like I won the lottery!!!

Big Sky...interesting, hadn't thought it would be romantic-type place. To be clear, gf is an avid skier, just not a ripper. Even with Yellowstone next door, on a long wknd, we would def. not give up a day of skiing to do non-skiing things.

I can not comment on Crested Butte but Steamboat is a great place, combo of trees, openess etc... The issue you would have is travel. It is a few hours from Denver, you could probably get a ride w/ the colorado mountain service, but a rental would be good to have.

United flies from Denver to both Gunnison/Crested Butte and Steamboat Springs airports, so I don't think that will be an issue.

 

[Dr Skimeister]

Having recently done legwork on Continental for flights out of Newark, I'm pretty sure that United and Continental are part of the Star Alliance. Your United vouchers might also be good for Continental flights that you book through United. Continental has non-stop Newark to Hayden flights if you decide to do Steamboat (which I can recommend, but I've never been to Crested Butte)

 

[snafu]

Take weather into account...who's looking to get more this year? Steamboat being north has a different stormtrack then central mountains.

 

[snoseek]

I bet Steamboat has a low snow year. I also bet CB does better than normal. Steamboat is a bigger mountain but CB has better terrain for the advanced skier by a mile. I'm not saying Steamboat is flat-just not a lot of really steep stuff. January in Steamboat seems to be a nice month. Later in the year I don't like Steamboat because the sun manks the hell out of their "champagne" powder. Both towns are pretty romantic I think. Both areas have good cruising. Both areas are in the middleof nowhere.

I would go to Crested Butte personally especially if the southwesterly really sets up soon which I think it will. What about T-Ride?

 

[crank]

I vote for the boat not the butte. Why? Crested Butte is like the tale of 2 ski areas. It was the blackest of hills and it was the bluest of hills. The blues are fine, but you may as well be skiing Okemo or Loon or anywhere because there is no character to them. The blacks are fantastic but they are not intermingled with the rest of the resort. While Steamboat doesn't have the steeps, its blues are more interesting and longer, plus there is the opportunity for you and your girl to ski easy trees.

Neither hill is right in town, but both are and easy shuttle ride away. Crested Butt might win out on charm here, as least it did last time I was there back in 1998, mainly because it was smaller and more compact, thus easier to walk everywhere.

 

[deadheadskier]

Personally?

I don't see the big deal in flying first class. If the cost of a coach ticket to Utah is the same as a first class ticket to Colorado and your preference is to check out Utah, I'd go there.

Ultimate in romance? Maybe not doable for a long weekend, but I'd have to think Banf and a stay at the Fairmont Lake Louis http://www.fairmont.com/LakeLouise/

I skied Steamboat when I was young and it's a fantastic mountain for intermediate skiers. Does have some pretty sick bump runs to. I remember Rolex being amazing. Can't comment on Crested Butte.

 

[snoseek]

Personally?

I don't see the big deal in flying first class. If the cost of a coach ticket to Utah is the same as a first class ticket to Colorado and your preference is to check out Utah, I'd go there.

Ultimate in romance? Maybe not doable for a long weekend, but I'd have to think Banf and a stay at the Fairmont Lake Louis http://www.fairmont.com/LakeLouise/

I skied Steamboat when I was young and it's a fantastic mountain for intermediate skiers. Does have some pretty sick bump runs to. I remember Rolex being amazing. Can't comment on Crested Butte.

Nine out of ten times I would travel to Utah coming from the east. That one other time I would pick somewhere like taos, mammoth, or southwest colorado that get's good snow in a el-nino year. Those areas are all premium with a good base. The terrain is absolutely sick with 80-100 inch base or more. I'm no weatherman and I easily could be wrong but odds are definately in favor of this region. Wolf creek is 100% right now already, probably thin but it's not even winter yet, Steamboat just opened on 12 trails-manmade snow mostly


I would choose Telluride as it meets your needs well with the romance thing. There is also some really really sweet cruising on some huge vertical along with super steep terrain. Very few people down there

 

[ski220]

For a long weekend, that's a lot of traveling. Connections can be missed if you have to change planes. I know there are direct flights to SLC out of NY, if not EWR. How about multiple trips if you can only go for long weekends??? Or, see who is getting the snow and book last minute. Any western resort would be romantic if you stay in a nice place.

The trouble with CB is two fold. They don't really get that much snow and the extreme terrian needs a lot of snow. That being said - there's probably no better place (insert favorite ski area here) when they do get the snow. Cool town, good bus system. Steamboat is better suited to anyone less than true experts. In a normal snow year gets twice what CB gets.

 

[abc]

Is the flight credit good for out of the country? If so, you might want to look to Europe instead. The flight credit might not be enough for a 1st class there though...

For a long weekend, I wouldn't get too complicated a connection.

Can't you get TWO trips out of these credits??? Two long weekends to Utah could be a lot more satisfying than one expensive one with a 10 travel time.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

The Boat or the Butte...you picked two resorts really far from each other. I think they are both awesome. The Butte is better for experts, the Boat for the trees and a tamer terrain. Steamboat Springs, the town is real, still alot of authentic old west vibe once you get away from the resort. The Boat also has a large developed base village. If you go to the Butte, spend one day up at the ski area on Monarch Pass, If you fly into Denver the Boat is a much shorter drive. One ski trip we did from Boulder to the Butte took hours and hours. The Butte/Gunnison area can get really really cold. The Boat can get mucho big dumps. Gunnison has a big W on a hill for Western State College, Steamboat has alot of trees, most of the terrain is below timberline.

 

[Geoff]

The Boat or the Butte...you picked two resorts really far from each other. I think they are both awesome. The Butte is better for experts, the Boat for the trees and a tamer terrain. Steamboat Springs, the town is real, still alot of authentic old west vibe once you get away from the resort. The Boat also has a large developed base village. If you go to the Butte, spend one day up at the ski area on Monarch Pass, If you fly into Denver the Boat is a much shorter drive. One ski trip we did from Boulder to the Butte took hours and hours. The Butte/Gunnison area can get really really cold. The Boat can get mucho big dumps. Gunnison has a big W on a hill for Western State College, Steamboat has alot of trees, most of the terrain is below timberline.

I did the day trip to Monarch from Crested Butte. The next year, I spent a week at Monarch. If it wasn't so painful to get there, I'd ski Monarch all the time. I think it's the best small ski area in Colorado. The skiing surface blows away the "bigs". As an eastern skier, I have no problem getting my vertical 1000 feet at a time.

Both Steamboat and Crested Butte have the same basic problem.... the town is separated from the ski resort. You have slopeside condos and a cluster of bars & restaurants but most things are a shuttle bus ride down the hill.

Steamboat gets far more snow than Crested Butte. I think Crested Butte is a boring intermediate area with some interesting steeps tacked on the side. People sneer at Steamboat but I'm plenty entertained skiing there. I think it's #2 in North America for tree skiing behind Deer Valet. The numbered chutes at the top are short but they hold your interest for a run or two per day. I can dabble in all those wide open aspen trees all day.

For flying in, both Gunnison and Hayden have their issues during storms.

I think the town of Crested Butte is slightly better than Steamboat Springs. The big advantage of Steamboat is the hot springs.

 

[snoseek]

Bump.....Telluride

and yes I gotta agree with Geoff saying Monarch is loads of fun.

 

[Philpug]

I hit Steamboat quite regularly, great mountain, some of the best bumps and trees anywhere. Not an overly challenging place but you get Utah snow in Colorado. I have yet to ski CB, but I hear it its a good mountain but not much surrounding it. Someone mentioned Telluride, another place I want to ski that tends to be expensive to get to, this might be your chance, I would add Sun Valley to Telluride. As far as flying first class, always nice when you can.

If you have this flight for free....why not Alyeska???

 

[deadheadskier]

What about Winter Park? If I was going for only a long weekend, I'd try and eliminate travel as much as possible. Both Steamboat and Crested would require at least a couple of extra hours on both ends of your trip compared with Winter Park. While lacking the old charming town, I'm sure it has enough entertainment to keep you occupied for a long weekend.

Place wouldn't suck for a self professed mogul fanatic either.........

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

What about Winter Park? If I was going for only a long weekend, I'd try and eliminate travel as much as possible. Both Steamboat and Crested would require at least a couple of extra hours on both ends of your trip compared with Winter Park. While lacking the old charming town, I'm sure it has enough entertainment to keep you occupied for a long weekend.

Place wouldn't suck for a self professed mogul fanatic either.........

gotta drive to winter park from denver...it would take less or about the same time to fly to hayden and catch a shuttle to steamboat and then he can avoid renting...not cheap in CO.

 

[snoseek]

The ski train to winter park is back under new owner. It runs thur/sun I think.

Winter Park is an awesome mountain but definately not my fave on the weekend. Mary Jane side stays tolerable for the most part though. I still bet the snow happens down south-I hope for my sake I'm wrong.