Sophia Neckin poses in her ski gear. (Courtesy of Sophia Neckin/CU Independent)
This piece is from the CU Independent’s opinion section. Any opinions or views do not represent the CU Independent.
I know you’ve been feeling the allure of the mountains. They’re calling you. At least, they’ve been calling me all season.
You’re in luck because I’ve been living the certified ski bum life, just so I can help my fellow ski enthusiasts and Ikon pass holders live their best ski bum life.
To start, let’s talk about the limitless pros of the Ikon Pass. Yes, upfront, it is expensive. However, do not overlook the amazing discount you get as a student at the University of Colorado Boulder. By doing the math, I can confidently say that, even if you only go skiing four times all season, you will still be paying less than if you were buying individual lift tickets for each trip. Not to mention, you can go an unlimited number of times to a wide selection of mountains.
Which brings me to my next point: what are the best mountains? I have assessed each mountain and compiled extensive pros and cons for each.
Let’s start with one we know and love: our amazing mountain, Eldora. One of Eldora’s biggest pros, which might seem pretty obvious, is how convenient it is to get there. Being only a short 45-minute drive from CU Boulder’s campus, Eldora is perfect for a morning half-day trip before afternoon classes or an afternoon trip after morning classes. On most days, there’s significantly less traffic, so you don’t have to stress as much about perfect timing when you leave or arrive.
Eldora is a very beginner-friendly mountain, with a majority of greens and blues — 48% of the mountain is ranked intermediate. But if you’re like me and love to shred, there are some great black and double-black runs accessible via the Corona and Indian Peaks lifts. I personally recommend Red Tail, Muleshoe and West Ridge for advanced skiers.
Eldora also has a great beginner-friendly terrain park if you want to start working on qualifying for Hill Jam. Since it’s one of the smaller mountains, you might find yourself completing a majority of the runs in just one day, but with only a 40-minute travel time, I can’t complain — especially when winter weather warnings make the drive to Winter Park look way too sketchy.
I also recommend stopping at the lookout at the top of Corona for a quick bite or some hot chocolate mid-day. They have great pizza, and it’s a really cute place to take photos and show off your ski drip.
On that note, let’s talk about Winter Park. I’m going to be totally honest, if you board (a.k.a. the less cool method of getting down the mountain… I know, crazy opinion), you might not be a fan of the extensive catwalks that seem to appear out of nowhere. Then, of course, you take out your frustration on your skier friends, who have these nifty, convenient things called poles. Like I said, skiing is better.
Travel time is about an hour and forty-five minutes, but with traffic and snowy, sketchy conditions on the Winter Park pass, it can take well over two hours. If you want to avoid traffic and a potential four-hour drive, you’ll need to leave around 5:30 a.m. That said, the early bird gets the worm, and the mountain base — with its strip of shops and restaurants — might just make it all feel worth it. The terrain is a blast for beginners and intermediates, with some sneaky spots to keep the experts entertained.
(Courtesy of Sophia Neckin/ CU Independent)
Next up is Arapahoe Basin, also known as A-Bay. One of the best things about A-Bay has to be the parking — the lot is right at the base, just feet away from the lift, so you don’t have to trek miles in ski boots.
The drive up can be a bit daunting, as you’re on the edge of a mountain with no guardrail for most of it. It takes about an hour and a half from Boulder. However, A-Bay is a smaller mountain, and the runs can feel a bit repetitive. It’s a good spot for beginners, but as a more experienced skier, I found the backside bowl to be pretty fun.
Black Mountain Lodge is a great place to pop in, warm up and get some amazing Instagram content to show off your unmatched college lifestyle.
Last but certainly not least, we have Copper Mountain— which just so happens to be my favorite mountain. I personally believe Copper is more suited for intermediate and advanced skiers. It’s a huge mountain, leaving you with acres upon acres to ski and explore. There is a beautiful array of blacks and double blacks and if you’re feeling daring, you can take on my favorite place on earth — the Copper Bowl.
The Copper Bowl offers miles of heavenly ungroomed terrain with patches of adrenaline-triggering drop-offs, natural obstacles and leg-burning moguls. You should keep in mind that the bowl will always be about ten degrees colder than the rest of the mountain, so layer accordingly. There are also a multitude of shops with such cool gear that it might feel like the money is being pulled from your pockets. All of this is tied together with the bow of amazing food and breathtaking views.
Although CU Boulder is a great school with competitive academics, I also chose it for the opportunity to experience different activities and the overall lifestyle. There is nothing like coming home with a sun and wind-burned face (which reminds me — wear your sunscreen!), sore legs and a unique kind of exhaustion that makes me feel even more content with my decision to study in Colorado.
I hope that no matter what it is — whether it’s skiing, rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, biking or snowboarding — you find outdoor activities that help you slow down and admire the wonderful life you’re living as a CU Buff.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sophia Neckin at sophia.neckin@colorado.edu.
