Which would you pick? Steamboat, Breck, or Crested Butte?

I’m a 23 year old female, living in Manhattan, and have recently made the decision that it’s finally time to go be a ski bum. I’m really excited, but have limited Colorado knowledge. I’m laid back, love beer and sports bars, good food, and places with character. I’m looking for a great mountain and a great little ski town. If you could pick one of these…which one would it be and why? Or if you have a different suggestion, I’m open… Thanks for your help!

Stamboat = Cowboys (or cowboy wanna-be’s.) The hot springs are nice, especially after dark. There are a number of good Steak Houses in town. It’s only couple of hours to Ft. Collins and all of the micro-breweries you can handle in one afternoon. The downside is that it’s the only place to ski in the area unless you want to venture out into the Backcountry (which is usually good!) The plus side is that it isn’t to far from the Poudre River and you can get some good days kayaking there when there is no more snow.

Breckenridge is smack dab in the middle of the big areas. There are plenty of great opportunities for skiing both at Breck and the other resorts as well. You will encounter more touristas there, but that’s to be expected. It is closer to Denver in the event you need to get a Big-City fix and have the sudden urge to visit large centers of commerce, need to see a Rockies game, or hit up an amusement park.

CB, as one other person said, is kind of snobbish. But it’s snobby in the Dirt-bag kinda way. CB is ground zero for Telemarkers…Telemarkers are generally self-righteous about thier skiing and tend to be smug about other aspects of thier lifestyle as well. On the other hand, most of the residents are hippies, so you know it’s laid back. I’ve only been there in the summer, but have had friends work there in the winter. Since they are also self-righteous hippy telemark skiers, they felt right at home. Since I’m a self-righteous telemark skier, I probably would fit right in too.

Gus Kenworthy – Aspen Open GoPRO

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