Summit County Ski Vacation Guide

Summit County encompasses some of the best areas for skiing, dining, shopping, and sightseeing in Colorado. From Breckenridge to the Arapahoe Basin and everything in between, the area offers some of the best snow attractions and nightlife for vacationers.

Ski Levels

Your ski experience in Summit County will be second to none, thanks to high elevation and a variety of slopes. At Keystone Resort in Summit County, the only night skiing in Colorado is available. Sledding, sleigh rides, snowmobiling and ice fishing are just some of the activities available. Keystone has a variety of shops available, too, and one of the top snowboarding terrain parks in the country.

Copper Mountain Resort is the largest ski resort in the state of Colorado. In addition to skiing there's horseback riding, snowboarding, kids ski and snowboard programs and another top-rated terrain park with a variety of jibs, rails and jumps, and a learning area for beginners. Summit County offers 2 of the top 10 rated terrain parks in the United States an all of North America, so for snowboarding acting, including half-pipes, boxes, rails and jibs, the Summit County area is the place to visit in the snow season.

Après Ski

Breckenridge is the ultimate ski town, with the top quality Breckenridge Ski Resort that has benefited from recent expansions and slopes that people all over the world travel to ski. There's more to do in Breckenridge than just ski, however. Snowshoeing, snowmobiling, snow tubing, ice skating and sledding, as well as sleigh rides and a variety of ski racing programs and ski instruction make it a great winter destination. The winter International Snow Sculpture Championships goes over the winter, among other activities.

Shopping in Silverthorne could be considered a sporting experience, thanks to the 70 brand name stores that make up the variety of outlet stores available. Dillon and Silverthorne both have a variety of shops, restaurants, pubs and taverns available. From sports bars to ski bars designed for après ski and tales of hard-won slopes and achievements, there are many different places to enjoy in the area.

Another mountain town in Summit County is Frisco. This town is located on the west side of Lake Dillon provides an ideal location for a ski vacation. It is also next to I-70 a major interstate and roughly equal travel times to Breckenridge, Keystone, and Copper Mountain Ski Resorts. There are numerous shops, restaurants, lodging options, and nightlife along the town’s main streets.

Summit County, with its fine ski resorts, high elevation, shopping, activities, and nightlife is the ideal place to spend a ski vacation in Colorado. You get the variety of different resorts all located just minutes from each other, different mountains, and different nightclubs and shops without having to travel far to experience them all.

Summit County Snowboard Vacation Guide


Rider’s Guide

Summit County, Colorado, offers some great skiing at Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and Copper Mountain. Keystone has a vertical drop of 3,128 feet and about 230 inches of snowfall annually. Breckenridge gets a whopping 300 inches of snow and has a vertical drop of about 3,398 feet. Arapaho Basin has 367 inches of snow yearly and a vertical drop of 2,257 feet. And Copper Mountain has a vertical drop of 2,600 feet with 282 inches of snowfall on average each year. The area is one of the best groupings of resorts and quality ski and snowboard action in the US.

Parks and Pipes

Keystone has one of the best terrain parks in the US, with its Area 51 consistently ranked as one of the top 10 parks and Breckenridge is also known as having a top quality US terrain park. Arapahoe Basin has steep chutes and bowls, and Copper Mountain has the first North American superpipe for the fifth year running. They offer advanced terrain parks and one especially for kids learning the sport. Arapahoe Basin has two top terrain parks that contain both rails, boxes, and other man-made features as well as natural jumps and features.

Out of Bounds

With activities in addition to downhill skiing and snowboarding, there’s always plenty to do in Summit County. Backcountry skiing, dog sledding, sleigh rides, ice skating, snowmobiling and mine tours available, there are plenty of places to enjoy your ski vacation besides on the trails.

Hangout & Hookup

Pubs, taverns and après-ski destinations in Summit County include everything from a local bar to a ski lounge designed just for those who spent the day on the slopes. Don’t miss the casino action in the area for those who like the nightlife with a little bit of risk. International cuisine, live music and music and blues festivals, a brewery and many signature drinks among the resorts are fun nighttime activities for adults to enjoy while in Summit County.

Contact