Durango Colorado Ski Vacation
Planning a Colorado ski vacation can be amazing, look at the incredible experience you are about to have, but first you have to make a plan. The plan begins with the idea, how can I make cheap skiing in Colorado achievable? It all starts with the perfect destination, and Durango Colorado gives you the best of both worlds, great skiing at a reasonable price. This post will give you so many tips and tricks to make Durango the perfect ski vacation for your group.
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We have created the perfect packing list to get everything you need for your small town getaway into one lightweight personal item. Flights are getting more expensive, and carry-ons have become a charge for almost every flight. Getting everything you need into the perfect personal item is one of the best tricks to keep costs low.
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Colorado Ski Vacation
A ski trip to Colorado is the most epic way to spend your spring break vacation. You really deserve this adventure, but you want to get an amazing experience without breaking the bank. This is where you need to be, first off you need to go a little off the beaten path, but you will be thankful you did, not only to avoid some of the crazy crowds but to enjoy the lower prices.
Durango Colorado has an amazing ski resort right up the road, Purgatory Resort has it all. You can stay on property and enjoy the 12 lifts and 105 different runs, ranging from bunny slope to black diamond. This ski resort offers the perfect introduction to skiing and snowboarding, but also has 43% of the runs as advanced so your entire party will find ways to keep busy.
The elevation at the summit is 10,822 feet and with a vertical drop of 2,029 feet this offers some serious challenges in the best way. The view from the top is absolutely stunning and worth the slight terror (for the newbie skier) for the descent back down. They receive about 260 inches of snow per year and supplement with artificial snow when needed. You will love the gorgeous powder that Colorado has to offer, that basically no other place on earth can provide.
If you look up the resort in the fall, they will sometimes have ski packages that really help the budget. We booked a package that included food credit, lift ticket and rentals. This also helped with the budget during the trip because the major expenses regarding the skiing were already spent. They used to offer deep discounts for students, that help to encourage kids to get out and experience the slopes. This was a great intro for the kids, and also seriously helped the budget.
You can stay on property at the Purgatory Resort, as many owners rent out their condos for visitors, or you can stay in beautiful Durango and make the trek up to the resort on the days when you are skiing/ snowboarding. Keep in mind the earlier you get there, the better parking and the more beautiful the trails as they haven’t been carved down yet.
Colorado Ski Trips
Ski packages in Colorado are numerous, and there are plenty of local places that will put a package together for you. It is nice to go this route because these locals will know the best skiing and snowboarding locations in the area. They will have great gear options and will steer you, sometimes literally in the best direction. If you are staying in Durango, you may want to check out Purgatory Sports Downtown, they have rental gear and can help with booking your lodging and experiences.
If this is your first ski/ snowboarding adventure, then please please please do not go multiple days in a row. Plan to alternate days on the mountain, and maybe exploring downtown, maybe riding the Durango Train through Cascade Canyon, or soaking in the hot tub where you are staying. You will be tired from the elevation, if you are not used to high elevations, coming from Florida this kicked our butts. You will also be sore from the muscles you are using when you are skiing that you likely didn’t know existed… Totally worth every single bit, but plan in some rest options so you don’t need a walker to get on the plane at the end of the trip.
Cheapest place to ski in Colorado
Making Colorado ski resorts cheap, is difficult, you want amazing skiing options and Colorado is the best for that. Durango and Purgatory make skiing approachable, and there are ways to make it even more affordable for the week/ weekend you are there.
The first way to save a bit of money is be flexible with the flights, flying into the Durango (DRO) airport is usually pretty pricey, and there are only 3 airlines flying there: American Eagle, Frontier, and United Express. They fly into Dallas, Vegas, and Denver respectively. This limits your ability to truly get a great deal on the flight, not to mention your rental car is gonna be pricey cause there aren’t many options at the smaller airport. This is absolutely an option, but if you are looking to save a chunk of change then you might need to make a drive.
The option that we finally went with was Orlando, Florida to Albuquerque, New Mexico on Frontier Airlines, this saved flight time as it was direct, and save so much money… $150 roundtrip instead of $400+ It was a late night flight, so we woke up grabbed some yummy breakfast and stocked up at the costco for the week. It is a long drive, 3.5 hours, but it is a beautiful drive through some amazing high desert and through the beautiful Navajo Nation. You will appreciate all the views as you drive, and honestly the vistas devoid of high rises, and congestion is like a breath of relief for the soul.
If you have the space in the car you may save a bit, by renting your equipment off property. Also, make sure your entire party has ski goggles, gloves, and warm head wear for the adventure. Buying that last minute on property is not the best idea, you are for sure going to pay more. You need them, trust… your eyeballs will be super red and bloodshot if you do not protect them properly.
Colorado Winter Vacations
Durango Colorado is the perfect winter ski vacation location, it has the skiing just up the road, it has a lovely downtown area, great breweries, and a gorgeous train you can ride.
Spend a day exploring the downtown area shops, you might need to warm yourself up so grab yourself some delicious tea at the Old Barrel Tea Company right on Main Avenue. They have so many amazing options, you will have a heard time deciding what to go with. If you love the tea, which honestly you totally will… then you might opt for a membership with them. You will get tea delivered from them on the regular and it will always remind you about the amazing adventure you had in Durango.
After you wander all the shops to your hearts content, then you need to hit Steamworks Brewing Company. They are just two blocks away from Main Avenue on E. 8th Street and they have some delicious beer options. They have some yummy food too, just might want to make sure you join the waitlist as they can get pretty busy during the weekends.
You now need to make some time for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This train has been voted as the #1 Scenic Train by USA Today Readers, and we know they aren’t wrong. The winter is the perfect time to go, because you can ride the Cascade Canyon Winter Train. The views are incredible, as you enjoy heated coaches, along the beautiful Animas River. The train departs from Durango at 9:15am and returns at 2:30pm. You should book in advance on their website so you are assured a spot on the train. You will enjoy riding this historic train, and enjoying the views while resting your tired muscles from all that skiing… or in my case the pizza pie slice all the way down a mountain. (that’s what they teach the beginners, just make a pie slice… you should probably advance on to you know making them parallel, but its also good to know your limits… should’ve done some squats before coming…
Tips for making it the best Colorado Ski Vacation
- Pack layers, don’t be scared to layer up and down when needed
- Always wear sunglasses or goggles when on the slopes, the glare off the snow is serious business
- If you aren’t experienced, alternate skiing days with resting days
- Find a fire, and get the epic shot with the cocoa
- Enjoy, relax and unwind… you have earned this amazing break!
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