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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 27, 2015 - 10:53pm PT
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Hey gang, I have work meetings in Denver on Mon-Wed, and I want to sneak in most of a day skiing this Sunday. Looks like Loveland Ski Area is the simplest to sort out, can rent all gear on-site.
Anyone in the area want to head out there for a day (but I won't get into the airport until 9:11am)? I'm going with or without new friends.
California Native with Stupid American Questions:
1) Am I going to die in traffic at 10am going there on a Sunday morning? How much time to budget from airport to the ski area parking lot?
2)Is the Sunday night traffic back to Denver so hideous that it justifies a roadside bivy in a goretex sack and down bag (with early Monday morning drive back), rather than braving Sunday evening traffic to get to a work-paid hotel?
3) Do I need to stop at Walmart and buy chains just in case, or is I-70 kept clean enough?
4) Good bivy spots? (PM me for any info on the down low)
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jan 27, 2015 - 11:42pm PT
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The weather forcast for the mountains this weekend is for light snow flurries off and on so I don't think you have to worry about the roads. They know to keep them plowed and sanded on Sundays (MLK holiday Monday in a blizzard was a different story). If you need chains, the road signs will tell you where to pull off to get some. That almost never happens for cars.
You'll be leaving late enough that the ski fanatics will be ahead of you by a couple of hours and it's a three lane road most of the way. Coming back, I'd have dinner somewhere and leave later. The worst traffic is about 5-7 pm. If you ski until they close the lifts and then eat dinner, you should miss most of it.If you take a nap after dinner and start out at 8 or 9 pm, there will be almost no traffic.
I would think driving time from the airport would be about two hours.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Jan 27, 2015 - 11:47pm PT
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The answers to all your questions is weather dependent. The current weather forecast for Sunday is looking good(no snow).
1) take I-70 straight to Loveland Ski Area. Should be able to do it in 1.25-1.5 hours easily. BTW, you are on the east side of Eisenhower Tunnel which greatly reduces the traffic congestion coming home(but not getting there).
2)There should not be too much traffic on I-70 at 10am. Before that it can be pretty bad. They are still working on adding an additional tunnel at Idaho Springs which can add 0.5-1 hour in each direction to your time of travel though this is only supposed to be occurring during the week so Sunday should be OK.
I would wait as long as possible(maybe 8-9pm) before heading back on Sunday evening.
3) don't worry about chains. I never needed to use them. The road crews are pretty good.
4) you are about as close to Denver as you can get. No need to bivy with the weather forecast for this coming weekend.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jan 27, 2015 - 11:56pm PT
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Looks like Bruce drives a lot faster than me! But don't worry about the tunnel construction on Sunday. That area is congested with two lane detours with tall concrete walls on either side making it claustrophobic which slows traffic down a bit but not much. Colorado drivers seem to love to speed 20-30 mph above the speed limit even on hairpin turns.
One thing to pay attention to when you're skiing is altitude and dehydration. It's very high altitude and you won't feel it until you end up dizzy and out of breath. You'll get more tired than you expect and dehydrated. And don't forget the sun screen. Even if its cloudy, you can burn quickly at that altitude.
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nature
climber
Boulder, CO
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Jan 28, 2015 - 06:20am PT
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skiing or boarding? If you are boarding and want to borrow one LMK.
Loveland is a good mounting.
3) no on the chains
4) bivy spots within an hour of Denver. No such thing (unless you head to Kansas then I'm sure you can crash a corn field or somesuch)
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jan 28, 2015 - 08:41am PT
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Colo doesn't do chains on passenger cars.
The traffic will truly bite.
You will have fun.
Solo the the waterwheel ice climb on the way out, and go to Bueajo's pizza in Idaho springs....
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nature
climber
Boulder, CO
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Jan 28, 2015 - 09:37am PT
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^^^--- that part is true
oh geez, just checked the weather. looks like snow this weekend.
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goatboy smellz
climber
लघिमा
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Jan 28, 2015 - 11:25am PT
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Avoiding I-70 will save you a couple of hours of driving plus waiting until 8pm to head back to Denver after the slopes close.
Eldora is closer to Denver has a better base right now compared to Loveland, better views, a good ski rental shop at the base and will be just as much fun for a half day of skiing.
http://www.eldora.com/
Also the drive up to Eldora is about 1000% better since you go through Boulder and the canyon up to Nederland where you can get an eyeful of all the great crags in the area plus dozens of great places to eat in Boulder or Nederland afterward.
I'd offer to show you around but I just left for warmer latitudes.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jan 28, 2015 - 11:43am PT
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I would check the snow reports and the wind speed in the morning, then choose between Loveland and Eldora, as Kath suggests. Both can have nasty winds, so pay attention to that number.
For Eldora, it will be about 1.5 to 2 hours to get there, but you will not have the traffic worries like on I 70. From the airport, you can take the empty toll road to Boulder in about 45 minutes. Then it's another 45 to the base and rental facility. Have dinner at the brewpub in Eldora afterwards or or any of the ones in Boulder and that scenario would be preferable in my book, unless Loveland got a lot more snow.
One consideration is that Eldora is lower in elevation with a base at 9200 feet. Loveland's is 10,800. Coming from sea level and in a matter of hours going up Loveland's marquee lift-- Chair nine--which tops out at 13,000, might lead to a headache, or worse.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:10pm PT
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I think the driving time to Eldora and Loveland won't be that much different for someone who doesn't know the area.. Getting from DIA to Boulder is straight forward on the toll road if you make the rather sudden turn off to Ft. Collins shortly after the airport. Otherwise you end you end up in Commerce City searching out I-25 (Obviously I speak from experience).It's stop and go traffic through Boulder on a Sunday and Boulder Canyon is slow going to Eldora because of a narrow curvy road with not many pull offs and all the Sunday traffic gawking at the climbers. Going back to Denver from Boulder involves navigating the construction mess to Denver and then he has to find his hotel there.
I-70 by contrast is straight forward and well marked plus high speed traffic all the way if you avoid the Sunday night rush.
And I agree with Rick, the altitude can be a bear if you're not used to it. Also, being lower, Eldora should be warmer.
Maybe it boils down to do you want to see really high mountains up close or do you want to have dinner in a cozy quaint place?
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goatboy smellz
climber
लघिमा
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Jan 28, 2015 - 12:42pm PT
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Maybe it boils down to do you want to see really high mountains up close or do you want to have dinner in a cozy quaint place?
Views from Eldora.
Views from Loveland...
Actually there is some great places to eat in Empire and Georgetown right off the highway coming back from Loveland but they are usually packed with folks on Sunday waiting for the weekend traffic to clear out.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2015 - 01:56pm PT
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Supertopo folks coming through yet again! I really appreciate all the useful beta- especially the altitude which I hadn't properly considered. I'm not very acclimated at present.
In any case, Eldora definitely seems more like my vibe.
* UPDATE * Getting my meetings moved to Fri 2/13 and Mon-Tue 2/16-17. Now I get two full ski days :) but on a holiday weekend :(
Anyone who wants to ski in Eldora on 2/14-15, let me know! Missing Valentine's Day with my sweetie, but we make many other days like our personal Valentine's Day.
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Prod
Trad climber
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Jan 28, 2015 - 02:42pm PT
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Traffic does blow going up 70, but Eldora isn't that great of a ski area. Especially on weekends.
We typically leave Buolder/ Denver area at 5:30 AM and have very little traffic heading West, Ski until 1:30 or 2 and head home with very little traffic.
If you have the weekend I'd go for A Basin and or Copper. Maybe Winter Park? Note if going all the way to Copper I'd be on the road by 1:30 at the latest.
Prod.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Jan 28, 2015 - 07:39pm PT
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Eldora can have good snow if it has just recently dumped. But, if there hasn't been much new snow in a while then Eldora can be icy. The snow in the Real(TM) Rocky Mountains (Eldora is technically in the Front Range) is generally better.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Jan 28, 2015 - 10:29pm PT
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If you go to Eldora from the airport, stay alert for a highway sign on the right about half a mile outside of the airport which will say Fr. Collins. That is your exit and it comes up fast. Only after you make it to the road it connects with, will you see a sign that says Boulder.
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steve shea
climber
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Jan 29, 2015 - 07:38am PT
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Coming from Pasadena you should have no problem with the traffic. Plus if it is this Sunday it is Super Bowl time and maybe traffic will be light on the trip home at least. The altitude is an issue but drink lots and take an aspirin. Shrink the brain for a day you'll be ok. The scenery is spectacular and the skiing is good. You can get a lot of vertical if all the lifts are running, even on weekends.
If the roads are good though, I would go to A Basin. Great skiing and scenery. Somewhat akin to the Tirol Hochalpenstrasse and really a cool alpine experience. Lot's of history there and lots of off piste. We used to day trip A Basin all the time from DU before I70. It was always our first choice over Loveland or Eldora. You need clear roads though to make it worth while with only one day.
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John M
climber
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Jan 29, 2015 - 08:31am PT
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Y'all should maybe read his update and give him some different beta on how to deal with the crazy holiday weekend. I would think staying overnight near one of the resorts,.. if you can afford it and something is available, would be the best idea.
* UPDATE * Getting my meetings moved to Fri 2/13 and Mon-Tue 2/16-17. Now I get two full ski days :) but on a holiday weekend :(
Anyone who wants to ski in Eldora on 2/14-15, let me know! Missing Valentine's Day with my sweetie, but we make many other days like our personal Valentine's Day.
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goatboy smellz
climber
लघिमा
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Jan 30, 2015 - 02:08pm PT
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If you have two full days available then by all means hit up A Basin, Copper, Winter Park/Mary Jane or Loveland but like Prod said you want to be on the road by 5:30 to 6AM to avoid the rush and then start heading back by 2:30 to 3 pm if not staying overnight. Even if you do take off or head back later it's probably just another hour of two of sitting in traffic so don't let the clock rule your trip.
If you want to drive less and ski more than Eldora is still the best spot where you can ski all day then drive back to Denver to dry out.
If you want to bivy overnight and ski Loveland there are a few pull offs going up Loveland Pass (Hwy 6) which can be noisy since you are right off the road or if skiing Winter Park both Berthoud Pass and Henderson Mine Road (Hwy 40) have forest campgrounds off the road with the latter being quieter since it has more options for camping farther off the hwy. For Copper there is a good spot up Hwy 91 at the Clinton Gulch Rez or head down to Frisco where there is a hwy rest stop right off I-70. Out of all those options only the top of Berthoud Pass has a warming hut/crapper with Frisco's rest stop having a typical hwy throne room.
Oh and if it dumps that weekend you are on your own and will surely die.
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Prod
Trad climber
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Jan 30, 2015 - 03:01pm PT
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Goat,
I was counting on you YELLING AT ME FOR DISSING ELDORA!! Not agreeing with me.
+1 for all of Goat's advice including bivys. My brother in law has been bivying in Coppers parking lot 3 or 4 times this season. It is posted no camping, but he has not been hassled. He also has a van with heat....
Prod.
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