Colorado Mountain Resort Guides
Steamboat Springs is the home of some of the lightest, driest snow in North America, actually trademarked as Champagne Powder®. Over the past few years, Steamboat has expanded to become the second largest ski area in Colorado and boasts the longest and fastest 10-person gondola in North America. It has transformed its base area to welcome skiers and provide easy access to the lifts, and plenty of activities and restaurants.
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The Moving Mountains complimentary shuttle picks guests up at their vacation rental home and drops them off at the Gondola Transit Center. From there, follow the signs to the escalator and take it down to Steamboat Square where you'll find the ice rink, ski storage, The Range Food Hall, ski school meeting spots, and the lifts.
- Mountain Camp (6 & under) - If you have children in the this program, it's located in the Sheraton, and you'll pass right by it from the Gondola Transit Center.
- Group Lessons (ages 7+) - For group lessons for all ages, head to the Wild Blue gondola and take it up to the Greenhorn Ranch Learning Center.
- Private Lessons (all ages) - You'll meet your instructor in front of the stage, or at a pre-arranged meeting spot (instructors call the night prior to the lesson to confirm)
The lift ticket office is located in Steamboat Square in the One Steamboat Place complex. If you have a bar code from a lift ticket confirmation, you can use that at the kiosk outside the office to print out your tickets so you can avoid any lines inside.
If you would prefer to store your skis and snowboards at the base instead of taking them back to your vacation home each night, you'll find a couple options:
- Creekside Lockers & Ski/Snowboard Overnight Storage – lower level, beneath Steamboat Square/Skeeters Ice Rink
- Steamboat Ski Storage (Ski Corral) – bottom of the escalator in Steamboat Square, below Timber & Torch deck
From coffee to lunch to après, there are plenty of spots to eat, drink, and rest your ski legs at the base area and on the mountain. Here are some recommendations:
Coffee/Breakfast
- Paramount - Filling breakfasts to fuel your day.
- Gondola Joe’s Express at Thunderhead Lodge - Grab a coffee when you get off the gondola.
Lunch/Apres
- Hazie’s - A great spot to meet for a sit-down restaurant-style lunch with non-skiers who can take a scenic gondola ride up to Thunderhead Lodge.
- Rendezvous – On-mountain lodge with a food court and sit-down restaurant Ragnars.
- Four Points - On-mountain lodge with a food court.
- Taco Beast – Snowcat turned food truck located at the bottom of Sunshine Lift.
- Timber & Torch - the outdoor patio is a prime spot for après while enjoying live music at the base and the Cowboy Downhill.
- The Range Food & Drink Hall - a central gathering spot in Steamboat Square with several cuisine options.
To further assist finding your way around the base area and the mountain, there are Ambassadors in yellow jackets walking around Steamboat Square to answer questions and direct people. Also, check out the following digital guide:
- Steamboat.com App – It contains interactive trail maps, snow conditions, lift status, mountain cameras, and you can track your stats to see how much vertical you skied in a day
- Peak 6 - Boasts some of the steepest hike-to chutes and terrain for experts, as well as intermediate skiing and snowboarding above treeline.
- Peak 7 - A playground for intermediate skiers and snowboarders with wide, open cruisers.
- Peak 8 - This is the heart and soul of Breck. It’s where it all began. From almost anywhere in town, you can look up and see Peak 8’s iconic Horseshoe Bowl, topped by the highest chairlift in North America—the Imperial Express SuperChair.
- Peak 9 - A beginner’s paradise, but don’t let that fool you. Look up into the trees for some of Breck’s hidden gems for experts.
- Peak 10 - The proving ground for black diamond rippers with some of the best-groomed expert terrain, as well as some of the best tree skiing.
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The Moving Mountains complimentary shuttle picks guests up at their vacation rental home and drops them off at the Peak 8 and Peak 9 (Beaver Run & The Maggie) base areas for ski school and lift access.
There are a few different ski school meeting locations on Peaks 8 and 9. Check your booking confirmation for the correct spot and the Moving Mountains shuttle will drop you off at the correct Peak.
There are lift ticket offices location at the Peak 7, 8 and 9 base areas, as well as at the base of the BreckConnect Gondola.
If you would prefer to store your skis and snowboards at the base instead of taking them back to your vacation home each night, you'll find a couple options:
- Peak 8 – across from BreckConnect Gondola entrance
- Peak 9 (Beaver Run) - near the Beaver Run Superchair
- Peak 9 (The Maggie/Village) - near the Quicksilver Superchair
Peaks 7, 8, 9 have the best options for taking breaks throughout the day in the lodges or soaking up the sun and views on the decks. Here are some recommendations:
Peak 7
- Pioneer Crossing – If you find yourself at the top of the Independence SuperChair on Peak 7.
Peak 8
- Ski Hill Grill – At the base area of Peak 8, it's a convenient place to meet up with your group.
- TBar – Named one of the best après-ski bars in North America, it's slopeside at the base of Peak 8.
- Vista Haus – Located at 11K feet at the top of the Colorado Chair Lift, incredible views are served up with your lunch.
Peak 9
- TenMile Station – A great patio and outdoor grill with views at the top of the Quicksilver SuperChair.
- The Overlook – Breck's highest elevation dining experience at just over 11K feet! It is intermediate to advanced terrain to get there.
To further assist finding your way around the base areas and the mountain, check out the following digital guides:
- Gobreck.com – Best for information about the ski resort and the town.
- Breckenridge.com - Best for comprehensive information about the ski resort, including grooming reports and mountain cameras.
- My Epic App - Best for Epic Pass holders, this app gives you interactive trail maps, lift status, and more.
Vail is one of the largest ski resorts in the world and the second largest single mountain ski resort in North America and the largest in Colorado. It's 5,317 acres of skiable terrain, there's a run for everyone - from groomed cruisers, to long steep bumps, to the legendary Back Bowls. To access the mountain there are three separate base areas with amenities, services and lift access. These are spread out at the base of the ski mountain - Golden Peak, Vail Village, and Lionshead.
The Moving Mountains complimentary shuttle picks guests up at their vacation rental home and can drop you off at several locations depending on where you want to start your ski day or if you're meeting a specific ski school group.
- Vail Village – Vail Transportation Center & Checkpoint Charlie
- Golden Peak – Main shuttle drop-off area
- Lionshead – Welcome Center shuttle drop-off area & West Lionshead Circle
When you are ready to be picked up, you’ll request a ride through the MM shuttle app and will be directed to the closest pick-up spot.
There are ski school meeting locations at the base of Golden Peak, Vail, and Lionshead. Check your booking confirmation for the correct spot and the Moving Mountains shuttle will drop you off at the designated area for the respective ski school check-in.
- Vail Village – The meeting spot for private lessons only.
- Golden Peak – Kids & adult group, and private lessons.
- Lionshead – Kids & adult group, and private lessons.
If you would prefer to store your skis and snowboards at the base instead of taking them back to your vacation home each night, Vail Sports has storage locations at Golden Peak, Mountain Plaza next to Gondola One in Vail Village, and Lionshead.
From coffee to lunch to après, there are plenty of spots to eat, drink, and rest your ski legs in the village and on the mountain. Here are some recommendations:
- Powerline Pub – New at Mid Vail this winter, this is a great central meeting point at the top of Gondola One.
- Eagle’s Nest Marketplace – Catch views of Mount of the Holy Cross and Game Creek Bowl at the top of Eagle Bahn Gondola.
- Two Arrows – Grab a coffee on the way to the lift in Vail Village.
- Vendetta’s - Legendary pizza in the village. Grab a slice at the end of the ski day when you're too hungry to wait until dinner.
- Wildwood Smokehouse – BBQ smoking at 2 miles high in the Back Bowls.
- Two Elk Lodge – Vail's iconic mountaintop lodge at the top of chair #14 with views of the Legendary Back Bowls.
- Buffalo's/Rocky's Roadhouse - At the top of Mountaintop Express (#4)you'll get views of the Sun Up Bowl and the Legendary Back Bowl’s Gate.
- Belle’s Camp – Vail Mountains farthest outpost atop Blue Sky Basin.
To further assist navigating around the base areas and the mountain, check out the following digital guides:
- Vail.com - Best for comprehensive information about the ski resort, including grooming reports and mountain cameras.
- My Epic App - Best for Epic Pass holders, this app gives you interactive trail maps, lift status, and more.
Beaver Creek is an exclusive resort with world-class skiing from family-friendly learning terrain to the steep slopes of the Birds of Prey runs. The mountain is accessed by three separate base areas: Beaver Creek Village, Arrowhead and Bachelor Gulch.
There are ski school meeting locations at the base of Beaver Creek, as well as Bachelor Gulch. Check your booking confirmation for the correct spot to check-in.
Group Lessons - Check in at Group Lesson Center located slopeside on the Promenade at Beaver Creek Village between the Haymeadow Express Gondola 1 and the Centennial Express Lift 6.
Private Lessons – Check in at the following locations:
- Haymeadow Express Gondola 1 - Beginners
- Centennial Express Lift 6 - Intermediate/Advanced
- Bachelor Gulch - No first-time or beginner lessons from this location
If you would prefer to store your skis and snowboards at the base instead of taking them back to your vacation home each night, Slopeside Lounge offers an on-snow ski valet.
From coffee to lunch to après, there are plenty of spots to eat, drink, enjoy the views, and rest your ski legs in the village and on the mountain. Here are some recommendations.
C Bar in the Chop House - Après at the base of the Centennial Lift while you’re waiting for the kids to finish lessons or the rest of the group to come down off the mountain.
Fireside Bar at The Ritz-Carlton at the bottom of the Bachelor Gulch Express chairlift
Spruce Saddle – At the top of Centennial Express Chairlift.
Talons Restaurant – At the base of Larkspur with views of Grouse Mountain and Birds of Prey.
Mamie’s Mountain Grill - A beer garden and grill at the top of Bachelor Gulch Express.
Cookie Cabin – Fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies at the top of Beaver Creek.
Broken Arrow Restaurant – At the base of Arrow Bahn Express Lift in Arrowhead Village
Eaton Haus – At the top of McCoy Park Express Lift that services the Nordic center and family and learning-friendly terrain.
To further assist navigating around the base areas and the mountain, check out the following digital guides:
- BeaverCreek.com - Best for comprehensive information about the ski resort, including grooming reports and mountain cameras.
- My Epic App - Best for Epic Pass holders, this app gives you interactive trail maps, lift status, and more.
