Category Archives: Skiing

Colorado, Skiing, Travel

Crested Butte: Easter Ski Adventure

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Sometimes you just get lucky.

The winter of 2025-26 has been really warm and dry in Colorado and in much of the western states. The snowpack in Colorado is at the lowest level it has been at since the 1940s when the snowpack measurements were first recorded.

In December we decided to make reservations for Crested Butte over the Easter weekend. We’ve gone skiing in early April before (Keystone in 2019, Steamboat Springs in 2013, and even Snowbird in Utah in 2003). Of those trips only Steamboat was a bit scant on snow. Snowbird and Keystone had epic levels of snow those years.

So we were looking forward to good skiing at reduced lodging rates and with thinner crowds than in the prime of ski season.

The only problem was the snowfall levels across Colorado were incredibly low. So low that many resorts have closed early or shut down a number of runs. Even Crested Butte closed part of its terrain early due to low snowfall totals.

A week before our trip we saw video of bare ground under the ski lifts and all over the slopes. Rocks, grass, and baby trees. Was it even worth trying to ski? I planned to pack our hiking boots just in case we needed an alternate plan.

Well, mother nature came through for us. Crested Butte received 20 inches of snow the day before we arrived. Enough snow to basically return the runs to a pretty decent shape for a good day of skiing.

So we got out on the slopes post-snowstorm in 50 degree weather on closing weekend. And we had as much fun as I can remember having on a day of skiing.

Warm enough to ski in a hooded sweatshirt without a coat (some skiers were wearing even less). Crowds thin on the slopes and no lines to ride the lifts. We were down and up more times than I can remember on one day and skied more trails than I remember in one day too.

Six hours of skiing with only a short break for lunch. My son now old enough to go on his own or with me as he pleased. My wife able to enjoy the resort, have coffees and meet us for lunch without crowds or cold weather. By the end of the day we were plenty sunburned and tired but pretty darn happy.

A person wearing a ski helmet and goggles smiling for a selfie on a snowy mountain slope, surrounded by evergreen trees and a clear blue sky.
A person and a child wearing ski helmets and goggles smile for a selfie on a snow-covered ski slope, surrounded by evergreen trees and a clear blue sky.
A snow-covered landscape showcasing groomed ski trails, surrounded by evergreen trees and distant snowy mountains under a clear blue sky.
A young person wearing a black helmet and mirrored goggles smiles while seated on a ski lift, surrounded by snow-covered mountains and trees under a clear blue sky.
A skier navigating down a snow-covered slope with pine trees and mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
A woman sitting at a table in a restaurant, smiling and holding a glass of yellow beverage, with a plate of food in front of her. Snowy mountains are visible through a large window in the background.
A smiling man and a young boy sit together at a table in a casual restaurant, both wearing dark hoodies. The boy is holding a drink, and a menu is visible on the table.
A woman and a boy sitting together on a ski lift chair in a snowy outdoor setting, smiling at the camera. They are dressed warmly, with snow on the ground and a building in the background decorated with holiday lights.
Wide snowy landscape with ski tracks leading up a slope, surrounded by evergreen trees under a clear blue sky.
A young person sitting cross-legged on a stone hearth in front of a fireplace, wearing a black hoodie with a dinosaur graphic, smiling softly.
Two individuals wearing ski helmets and goggles smile for a selfie on a snowy slope, surrounded by evergreen trees and a clear blue sky.

As usual we also saw a lot of wildlife in our short visit to Crested Butte too We saw a fox right outside our hotel room, some moose just down the street from the hotel, and some bighorns and a heron on the drive back home.

A wild sheep with curved horns grazing in a grassy field surrounded by other sheep.
A group of bighorn sheep grazing in a dry, rocky landscape, with some animals in the foreground and one partially visible in the background.
Two bighorn sheep standing in a grassy field, one resting its head against the other.
A moose standing among trees in a snowy landscape, with another moose partially visible in the background.
A moose standing in a snowy landscape, partially hidden among trees.
A fox walking on snow-covered ground.
A fox walking through a snowy field, surrounded by sparse vegetation and trees.
A great blue heron standing near the edge of a calm river, surrounded by tall grass and rocks.

And we made a morning stop at Paradise Cafe (but it wasn’t quite as good this time).

A close-up of a table setting at a restaurant featuring a cup of coffee topped with foam, a glass water bottle, and a cup of whipped cream. The menu titled 'BREAKFAST' is visible in the foreground.

Overall though, it was a good trip. We vow to NOT wait until the end of ski season next year.

And I think we’ll visit Crested Butte in the summer too.

Colorado, Skiing, Travel

Four Feet of Snow?!

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We went to Crested Butte to enjoy a ski weekend and got more fresh snow than we could have ever imagined. Back at our house temperatures dipped to frigid sub-zero temperatures, but in the Colorado Mountains epic snow came pouring down. 

Over three days Crested Butte got around four feet of snow. Never have our kids experienced powder like we had at Crested Butte on MLK weekend.

When it was time to leave we actually had a bit of a challenge finding an open route as almost every mountain pass in the state of Colorado was closed due to avalanche danger. We ended up driving on a southerly route after Monarch Pass closed and made it across Cochetopa Pass before it was closed. 

It was a bit stressful but after backtracking several hours and spending a night halfway we made it home.

Colorado, Outdoors, Skiing

Keystone Ski Resort

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Near Silverthorne, Colorado, Keystone is a terrific ski resort with seemingly endless terrain for all ski levels. I went April skiing with my 10-year-old to finish out the season before we transition to summer of hiking, camping, and more.

In this video below we will travel a 3.5 mile green slope from the top of the resort to the base.

In the distance you will be able to see Dillon Reservoir at 2:38 in the distance.

Colorado, Outdoors, Skiing

Loveland Ski Area

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Tango Road at Loveland Ski Area

Our ski and snowboard journey took us to Loveland Ski Area which sits right off the I-70 at the entrance to the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnel at the continental divide. This ski area is more basic with lifts in two areas (Loveland Valley and Loveland Basin), a few eateries, a rental shop and no on-site lodging.

We actually found that the Basin area is much more enjoyable than the Valley area. The Valley area has only a couple lifts and is meant for beginner skiers and snowboarders. Since my kids have progressed tremendously in one season we had no reason to spend much time in this area which was also quite crowded.

After returning by shuttle bus to the Basin area we had more fun on more interesting terrain and it was also less crowded (and the people actually less rude and willing to wait in line to get onto the lifts).

While we enjoyed the nearby Arapahoe Basin area which is just over Loveland Pass when we went to it a few years ago, Loveland was somewhat disappointing overall. We’ll head further on to a larger resort next time we go skiing.

Colorado, Skiing, Travel

Thanksgiving at Crested Butte

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Overall we had a good time spending Thanksgiving weekend at Crested Butte, Colorado. We came primarily to ski, and ski we did.

Since it was only late November not all of the ski runs were open and there was a lack of natural snow except at the higher elevations, but the man-made snow was better than expected (winter is starting late this year).

Also a lot of the resort and the town as a whole wasn’t quite up and running as it would be in the middle of ski season. We were hoping to eat breakfast at our favorite restaurant in the town of Crested Butte (Paradise Cafe), but it was one of many businesses closed during the low season.

We saw a surprising amount of wildlife though. Lots of bighorns, a red fox, and some stellar jays all of which you can see in the photos below.

Overall I don’t think we’d go back at Thanksgiving just because it’s not prime skiing time. But the slopes weren’t busy and it was easy to get the kids practice time on uncrowded lists and runs. Daniel is just starting to learn the snowboard while Evan has a few lessons under his belt and is getting proficient at skiing. Both took lessons at Crested Butte Ski School.

We’ll be skiing again in the next couple months at various resorts.