Squirtinkirstin

Where is the safest place to snowboard for beginners around Denver?

22 posts in this topic

Im from texas just visiting and have only tried it once. That day I fell on my face all the way down the mountain. They said the second time is always better. I must do it!

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Avon has easy Slopes, So does Breckenridge and Silverthorne. All along the I-70 West Route. Small towns. Good Vibes. Decent snow. Have fun! And don't forget your sunscreen!

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you really want a easy time, Ruby Hill Park off of Florida and Santa Fe (in Denver) has a dedicated snow board area. Of course, depending how much snow we get will determine how good it is there.

I’ve always heard that Loveland or A-Basin are good areas for beginners.

Edited by ilovewomen
0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was going to mention Ruby Hill as well...free, and in town. I've heard Eldora is good to go take a lesson for first timers as well. Good luck!

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Eldora -Very close to Denver and very simple easy place to start off. 

https://www.eldora.com/plan-your-trip/lessons-rentals/programs

Eldora Mountain Resort is a ski area in the southwest corner of Boulder County, Colorado, near the unincorporated community of Eldora and 3 miles west of the town of Nederland. Wikipedia
 

Address: 2861 Eldora Ski Rd, Nederland, CO 80466

I grew up skiing and was raised on the Western Slope. Not that I am tooting my horn or anything?!  Super close to Denver/Boulder area too. 

 
 
Hours: 
Closed ⋅ Opens 9AM Thu
Edited by Kali Sensual Reiki
0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, shooter23 said:

I was going to mention Ruby Hill as well...free, and in town. I've heard Eldora is good to go take a lesson for first timers as well. Good luck!

Eldora is a good place to go and get some lessons!  Just saw your note. lol Never been to Ruby Hill? Never heard of it. 

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, Squirtinkirstin said:

Im from texas just visiting and have only tried it once. That day I fell on my face all the way down the mountain.

I had a similar experience the first time I tried snowboarding... at Whistler in Canada, no less. I traveled there with a friend from Seattle. She already knew how to snowboard; I had never snowboarded nor skied before. She pointed me down the mountain and said, "Go for it!" Lots of falling down the mountain ensued. (For the record, Whistler is not the best place to learn snowboarding. The greens are like blues.)

In retrospect, I wish I had taken lessons. I enjoyed getting the hang of it on my own, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I got some experienced guidance to get started. I have since taught some other friends to snowboard, and they were able to pick up the sport much easier as a result.

So my advice is to take at least one day of lessons (or even just a half-day). I think you'll really enjoy it more and build your skills faster, especially since you don't live close enough to snow to keep trying on your own. Good luck!

As far as the best resorts for beginners here, I've only recently moved to Colorado so can't give you first-hand advice. However, I've been asking the experienced locals and have been told:

  • Eldora is close-ish to Boulder and more convenient to get to than the resorts along I-70. And it has easy greens for beginners. However, the day pass lift tickets are rather expensive compared to other resorts. And apparently it can get quite windy at Eldora.
  • Echo mountain is one of the first resorts you hit off I-70 when heading west out of Boulder. It's a smaller resort and newbie friendly. I don't believe they offer lessons, but apparently they do have pros on the slopes who give free guidance to learners. Day passes are reasonably priced.
  • Arapahoe Basin (usually referred to as "A Basin") was recommended as also a good place for beginners. And it's one of the next resorts after Echo when heading west on I-70.
  • Copper Mountain was also recommended for beginners. But it's quite a bit farther west, about the same distance as Breckenridge.

Again, this is just what I've been told, so YMMV. Haven't had a chance to try any of them yet so I can't give you my personal take.

Edited by AsianLover
0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

No matter where you go, take a lesson.  You will advance and enjoy so much sooner. 

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ruby Hill is actually a Denver city park that has an area dedicated for boarding and sledding.

Its not very long and not very steep.  No lessons or rentals available. You’ll probably find mostly local teenagers there.

And as our weather warms up, the snow will melt fast.

If you want lessons or good snow, definitely go to one of the mountain places recommended in this thread.

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have no idea what these folks are talking about, but Keystone is definitely the easiest ski hill, and it has a great snowboarding school. And lights to ski at night!

Ruby Hill is fun for sledding or an hour or two, but it’s just a hill, no lifts, you get real tired walking up the hill.

TAKE A LESSON! Lessons are actually fun, and they get you to enjoyably good quickly.

1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, BadBoy said:

I have no idea what these folks are talking about, but Keystone is definitely the easiest ski hill, and it has a great snowboarding school. And lights to ski at night!

Ruby Hill is fun for sledding or an hour or two, but it’s just a hill, no lifts, you get real tired walking up the hill.

TAKE A LESSON! Lessons are actually fun, and they get you to enjoyably good quickly.

Plus 1.

Keystone has some awesome beginner slopes 

1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Silver Creek has family friendly slopes (some black ones too). It is ar Grandby and the lodge there is comfortableand not expensive.

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Loveland Ski Area. Loveland is only a 50 minute drive from downtown Denver in light traffic up...  I just peeked at the trail map and plenty of blue and green trails!  <_<

1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Everyone has an opinion so my favorites are Breckinridge & Keystone for taking out of town visitors that are beginners.

Winter Park is excellent for beginners.

Eldora and Loveland are good but the wind is brutal and seems to blow all the time.

A Basin is more advanced.

Take a lesson in the morning and you will be skiing in the afternoon.

Have fun!

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Take a lesson, be prepared to fall MANY TIMES and maybe invest in some wrist protection. 

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OK, just to first establish cred: Been skiing in Colorado for 55 years - I could ski before I could ride a Trike.  Taught skiing to beginners in a ski school for five years.  Lived in the ski areas for three years, raced competitively for a few years.

Here is what I consider to be the low-down:

1.  The reason I recommended Keystone is the combination of good, easy, consistent slopes along with an excellent ski school that emphasizes snowboarding.  Keystone goes out of its way to be a snowboard paradise.  Really, it is where you should go.  Your first day will determine how your entire riding career will be, so invest in a good first day.  A full day ticket and a morning lesson will be around $250 or so - money well spent (heck, I spend that in 30 minutes in my favorite hobby :rolleyes:).

2.   Arapahoe Basin - No way, Jose.  This is an expert's area.  The few beginner runs are very crowded.  The ski school does not emphasize snowboarding.  Also, it is the highest ski area in the United States, and a beginner will get exhausted and cold.  The wind blows constantly.  Bad for a beginning snowboarder, it is also personally my favorite mountain, so don't think I am prejudiced against it, it's just not the tool for the mission.

3.  Echo Park - No real ski school, lots of rocks, not much snow.  Sure it's close, but that doesn't make up for the downsides.

4.  Loveland - Again, it's close (and I love it for my style of skiing), but it is high, cold, windy, rocky and doesn't really encourage snowboarding or have a great school.

5.  Winter Park - A good second to Keystone.  Everything I said about Keystone is true of Winter Park, except Keystone really welcomes, educates and encourages snowboarders, but WP is still great.  I love Winter Park.  My mom skied there on opening day in the 1940s on her Army Surplus 10th Mountain Division wooden skis, and I had a place there for 20 years, but for beginner boarding I still think Keystone is better.

6.  Vail - Ditto what I said about Winter Park (except the part about Mom).

7.  Breckinridge - Ditto Winter Park.

8.  All the other major  ski areas in Colorado (Copper, Beaver Creek, etc.): Ditto Winter Park.

The bottom line is that all the majors  have plenty of good beginner slopes, good ski schools, and you will learn and have a blast.  Keystone has a slight edge, because that is their niche and they work hard to be the place for beginning snowboarders.  Don't think this is the product of personal prejudice, I personally never ski Keystone and usually stick to A-Basin, Loveland and Vail, but I am not a beginning snowboarder.

Have fun, you are going to love it!

Edited by BadBoy
1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

All great advice.  I have heard Eldora is good and gentle.  A-basin can get icy cause of the direction it faces.  The best advice I have gotten was take some lesson and when you fall, not if cause you will.  Do not try and catch yourself unless going really slow.  Putting out your hands and arms is how a lot of wrist get broken and arms dislocated.  Best of luck and have fun.

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Loveland!! 

I did it when i was 5 ...im sure its as do-able as any one oops i mean place

did i flubb up? 

There’s a first oops i mean 99th 

i crack myself up

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ruby Hill is a park in Denver not a ski area. It is mostly for sledding, but would be a low threat cheap way to start boarding I guess.

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Bigguy said:

Ruby Hill is a park in Denver not a ski area. It is mostly for sledding, but would be a low threat cheap way to start boarding I guess.

No offense, really, but going to a sledding hill is a high-threat endeavor: the threat being that the miserable time inherent in walking up a crowded hill, along with the guaranteed fact that you will fall down a lot due to lack of instruction, threatens your long-term enjoyment of the sport.

I absolutely guarantee that if you go to a good mountain (not to sound like a broken record, but like Keystone) get good instruction, and actually have fun, you will be much more likely to enjoy and continue on in the sport.  The threat here is that a miserable first day will dim the enthusiasm and end a potentially terrific riding career.

See my longer post above, this is actually something I am pretty passionate about:  I have derived so much enjoyment over the years from snow sports that I am somewhat of a missionary, and as a former instructor, I know how much importance a good school puts on staying warm, having fun and learning on the first day, since it usually is the make-or-break day for your entire snowsport career.

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 minutes ago, BadBoy said:

No offense, really, but going to a sledding hill is a high-threat endeavor: the threat being that the miserable time inherent in walking up a crowded hill, along with the guaranteed fact that you will fall down a lot due to lack of instruction, threatens your long-term enjoyment of the sport.

I absolutely guarantee that if you go to a good mountain (not to sound like a broken record, but like Keystone) get good instruction, and actually have fun, you will be much more likely to enjoy and continue on in the sport.  The threat here is that a miserable first day will dim the enthusiasm and end a potentially terrific riding career.

See my longer post above, this is actually something I am pretty passionate about:  I have derived so much enjoyment over the years from snow sports that I am somewhat of a missionary, and as a former instructor, I know how much importance a good school puts on staying warm, having fun and learning on the first day, since it usually is the make-or-break day for your entire snowsport career.

I think this post should now be closed and your longer thread should be the answer. Well thought out and good reasoning 

0

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now