Colorado Ski Road Trip

An Ikon Pass each, a hire car from Denver airport and a fairly loose plan. Over one trip we skied Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain and Arapahoe Basin, made a little mountain town our base and came home desperate to go back.

There’s a lot to be said for a week on one mountain. This isn’t that. This is Colorado done as a road trip, where the skis go in the back of the car every couple of days and the drive between resorts turns out to be half the fun.

We started with a couple of nights in Denver, crossed Rabbit Ears Pass to Steamboat, chased a snowstorm into Winter Park and then settled into Frisco in Summit County, skiing Copper and A Basin from there before heading back to the airport for the overnight flight to London.

Each stop has its own story below, in the order we did them, with where we stayed, where we ate and what we’d do again.

The route

Why do it on an Ikon Pass?

Every mountain on this trip is on the Ikon Pass, and that’s what made the whole thing work. There’s no queue at the ticket office and no agonising over whether an afternoon is worth paying for when you roll into Winter Park with two hours of daylight and snow hammering down. You just go skiing.

If you’re working out which pass suits your own trip, our Ikon Pass 2026/27 guide goes through the options.

What’s in this guide?

• The Road to Steamboat. Denver, Rabbit Ears Pass, the trees and the hot springs.
• Into the Storm: The Road to Winter Park. Arriving in a snowstorm, Mary Jane and life at the base.
• The One I Didn’t Expect: Copper Mountain. One day that should have been several.
• Frisco: The Ultimate Colorado Ski Base. The town that made the whole trip work.
• A Basin: The Skiers’ Mountain. A last powder day before the flight home.

Frequently asked questions

Can you ski Colorado as a road trip?

Yes, and it works very well. Pick up a hire car at Denver airport and the I 70 corridor puts a string of ski areas within reach. Steamboat is the longest drive on this route at around 267km, roughly three hours in normal conditions, while the Summit County mountains are much closer together.

Where is the best base for skiing several Colorado resorts?

We rate Frisco in Summit County. In normal conditions Copper Mountain is around seven minutes away, Breckenridge 15, Loveland and Keystone around 20, Arapahoe Basin 25 and Vail about 30.

Are all the resorts on this trip on the Ikon Pass?

Yes. Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain and Arapahoe Basin are all Ikon Pass destinations, which is what made moving between them so easy. Access days vary depending on which Ikon Pass you buy, so check before you book.