CO Skiing question re: altitude sickness

[WatchingThemGrow]

So I found an incredible deal to get all 5 of us to Denver at 8:35 on a Sat. morning (from the east coast.) If we hydrated for days ahead of time, could we drive to Copper mtn, and ski Sat. afternoon? We'd have all day Sunday and Monday to ski also, then back to Denver for a midnight red-eye that would land us home at 5:30am on a school day. I *think* the kids could make it at school that day, but I don't want to ruin the whole thing by getting on the mountain too soon. Last year, we took a day to acclimate since we had a week, but this time we don't have that luxury. But...flights are $321 for FIVE of us. I need to buy them, right???

[westwoodmom04]

We never take a day to acclimate and we live on low elevation east coast. Has anyone in your family had an issue before?

[WatchingThemGrow]

we haven't had an issue before, but we've only been once :)

[erosenst]

Real issue, for most, is how high will you be SLEEPING? (The lower the better...) The time on the mountain during the day isn't an issue for most people - but I'd prioritize sleeping as low as is convenient.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Real issue, for most, is how high will you be SLEEPING? (The lower the better...) The time on the mountain during the day isn't an issue for most people - but I'd prioritize sleeping as low as is convenient.
Is the base of Copper Mtn low enough?

If there's another place that's an easy drive from Denver which would be good for a 2.5 day trip, I'm happy to check it out!

[smilequeen]

We never take time to acclimate either. We do hydrate really well though. Just be aware that the first day someone may need to end the day earlier.

[bcafe]

I would have no problem with that, but we are fairly used to an altitude. My main issue would be getting to ski in the afternoon as your time on the mountain will be really short. Most mountains close @ 4:30.

[mommy111]

Rest the first day. I’ve never been to Denver, but did go to aspen a couple of years ago and remember being really exhausted with even small walks. And fwiw, I grew up in the mountains

[Philly Mom]

Look at Winter Park.


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[basil]

How old of kids?

I got altitude sick in Breckinridge as a kid. Flight was delayed, it was snowing on the drive up from Denver, we ended up getting to the house at like 3 am. Then woke up and skied the next day. The night after skiing I was puking and had the worst headache, so I think I didn’t ski the next day. We were coming from sea level to 10,000 feet. I was about 8. I think the rest of our group was ok but I did not tolerate that change in altitude or sleep deprivation at that age.

[AnnieW625]

We definitely need a day to get used to elevation. Is there anyway you can add a day on either end and still get a great deal on tickets? I would hate to spend all of that money and have someone not be able to ski for a day. We live at sea level and have gone to 7,000 ft a number times and there is always someone who needs a little extra time adjusting. This past trip for us it was me who ended up with an awful headache after being there for 24 hours that I needed an early evening nap. And I drink a lot of water.

If you think the quick trip works for your family then do it but honestly I wouldn’t send my kids to school after being on a plane all night. If the kids not missing school is import to you then don’t go on the trip.


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[WatchingThemGrow]

Look at Winter Park.


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We ARE! Berthoud Pass is a bit of a trigger for us, though. We did Winter Park in late March, and it was AMAZING. Our friends own an airbnb in Granby that was exquisite, but with the short trip, we would rather be dropped off via shuttle, stay close to the mtn., and shuttle back to the airport.

[newnana]

Berthoud Pass is a trigger, for sure. There is a DIA/Winter Park shuttle if you are interested:
https://www.winterparkresort.com/plan-your-trip/getting-here/ride-to-wp

[petesgirl]

We definitely need a day to get used to elevation. Is there anyway you can add a day on either end and still get a great deal on tickets? I would hate to spend all of that money and have someone not be able to ski for a day. We live at sea level and have gone to 7,000 ft a number times and there is always someone who needs a little extra time adjusting. This past trip for us it was me who ended up with an awful headache after being there for 24 hours that I needed an early evening nap. And I drink a lot of water.

If you think the quick trip works for your family then do it but honestly I wouldn’t send my kids to school after being on a plane all night. If the kids not missing school is import to you then don’t go on the trip.


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I agree. My kids are little but my 8 yr old would NOT be able to do school the next day.

[WatchingThemGrow]

We did summer camp after a red eye this summer. Nobody threw up, and they really want to ski, so...

I do believe getting the shuttle to and from the mountain is the most important part of the puzzle. It will take away a lot of anxiety for us. Now to find a hotel/condo for 2 nights (only) and figure out which mountain has the best deals on rentals/lift tix.

I did order the skicolorado passes for my 5th grader and 6th grader, thank you to whichever BBBer mentioned that last time! [emoji119]


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[bcafe]

I did order the skicolorado passes for my 5th grader and 6th grader, thank you to whichever BBBer mentioned that last time! [emoji119]
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Hey, that was me! Such a great deal!!

[WatchingThemGrow]

Hey, that was me! Such a great deal!!

my kids thank you bcafe!!!

[mmsmom]

I would look at Keystone as I think they have night skiing. If you land on time, you probably won’t be out of the airport until 9:30 at the earliest. That would put you at a ski resort around noon. By the time you get geared up and get rentals and eat (food is important for adjusting to altitude too) I don’t think you could be on the mountain until around 1:30 which wouldn’t give you much time. I would take your time on Saturday... have brunch in Denver then head to resort and be ready for the night skiing session on Saturday with 2 ski days after.

[smilequeen]

I found this

https://www.snowpak.com/colorado/closest-ski-resorts-near-denver

There is a train straight to Winter Park? That's pretty cool.

I second Keystone though. The night skiing could definitely give you more time. My older two learned to ski on that mountain (spent their first 3 years skiing there). It can get crowded but it's still early season right now. Super kid friendly, my kids loved the terrain parks they had.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Unfortunately, The winter park train hours don’t work with our flight to Denver. We arrive at 8:30am and it departs at 7am.

Going to look at keystone! Copper, WP, amd Steamboat are contenders. I LOVE steamboat and would love to be there with our family, even if it means staying at Homewood Suites and taking the bus to the mtn.


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[bcafe]

When will you be traveling? This would be my deciding factor.

[WatchingThemGrow]

When will you be traveling? This would be my deciding factor.

Last weekend of Jan. not a holiday weekend :)

Steamboat is a haul, but it would give us night skiing for $29 that first night. Staying at Homewood Suites would give us a tasty breakfast, and it's $387 for two nights. Any way we stack it, it's $3000+ for 2 days of skiing. ugh! Trying to get that extra night skiing in makes it slightly worth it. And we could go to the in-town hot springs on Sunday night. I wish that 5th and 6th grade pass site had some awesome lodging or parent/sibling ticket discounts. (I did see a few parent ticket offers.)

How crowded are Keystone and Copper on Sun and Mon? And would we like them as much as the big resorts?

If we did Winter Park, we could go to Granby Ranch for night skiing that first night, although...we would rent skis there and then go through the process the following day at WP. That's what makes it less enticing.

Please share any ideas :) Thanks!!

[mmsmom]

For such a short time I would focus on what options would give you the most ski time. So traveling between resorts or trying to fit in several other activities would be out... go where you are ski in/out or walk to slopes.

[bcafe]

While we love Steamboat, I would not make the drive for such a short time frame. I would focus on Winter Park. I have friends driving up tomorrow to ski early season in WP and I am envious! I love smaller resorts as they are less "pretentious" and friendly. Smaller is great for kids too. We just love to ski/board and have no issue with quick jaunts to ski at small resorts. Skiing the Rockies is such a different experience than the east coast or the midwest (where we are originally from).

[AnnieW625]

......... Any way we stack it, it's $3000+ for 2 days of skiing. ugh! Trying to get that extra night skiing in makes it slightly worth it........

Please share any ideas :) Thanks!!

For 3 days of skiing (and I love skiing) this just seems crazy to spend that much money for that short amount of time especially when the nearest ski resort is about 90 minutes from the airport. I like 5 days because then I don’t feel guilty about having time to relax and can still ski for 2-3 days. If I did three days of back to back to back skiing plus the drive to and from the airport, a 4-5 hour or so plane ride I would need a vacation to just recover from the go go go. I hope you have fun, but those are my thoughts.


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[Mommy_Mea]

This has happened to me with cheap plane tickets too, start adding up the total of the trip and realize it isn't so cheap. Sounds like for such a short trip, it might be a little much. (And we love skiing and talk about doing it every time we visit family in Denver and never make it because of time/cost)

[WatchingThemGrow]

annie and mommy_mea, I totally concur with the shortness and the go-go-go...but I'm also thinking about how we've held out for all these years, waiting for the kids to be old enough/strong enough to walk in ski boots/manage their own stuff and actually go all day. I think we have to do it. We know a few families who have lost a parent, and the fact that we're physically ABLE to travel with all 5 of us means we really should just do it before 50 hits and we aren't as able in a few years.

Also, getting it on the calendar now means kids can ask for grandparents to chip in for lift tickets and rentals as Christmas gifts, maybe even a t-shirt as a tangible gift.

The prices of lift tickets at Winter Park are more than at Steamboat, and I like the idea of doing the 5-7 day thing again at my friend's WP airbnb in the future. Our spring break is late in April this year, so we can't go then.

Totally a sucker for cheap flights, mommy_mea! But $264 for 5 people to fly directly to denver during non-work,non-school times is unbelievable.

The only sticking part currently is the travel from Denver to Steamboat. I've done Go Alpine and I've been a passenger in a Corolla-type car in Jan. Both have been fine if it's not snowing. Right now, I have a car rented for $280, and the shuttle service is $388 each way, so $776 round trip. I did find BUSTANG, but it runs the weekend before our trip. https://ridebustang.ticketspice.com/snowstang-steamboat-december-28-29-2019

[westwoodmom04]

Have you looked at the airfares to Salt Lake City? It’s really the most convenient for a short trip given how close the slopes are.

[StantonHyde]

Just to add, I’m 54 and can go go go. I am all for doing things now vs wAiting. But you aren’t going to go downhill at 50 as long as you stay active. I am racing triathlons in my 50s that are double the length of what I raced in my 40s