Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2008 - (Page 47) ©Jack Affleck/coloradoimage.com Beaver Creek 3. Getting Here Is Easier It’s entirely possible to have a ski vacation in Colorado without a rental car. Fly into Denver International Airport, transfer by shuttle to Union Station and hop on board the Ski Train. You’ll see snow-covered, roadless wilderness for miles, and get dropped off at the base of the slopes at Winter Park in less time than it takes to watch a movie. 6. We’re Kid-Friendlier With 26 top-notch ski schools and miles of kid-friendly trails (not to mention conditions that are rarely icy), Colorado is the place for kids to get their first taste of skiing. We’re pretty certain you’ll see more smiles of accomplishment when they’ve learned how to ski on a Colorado slope. 9. Because We’re Always First Each year, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland race each other to see who can be the first resort to open in North America. Without fail, one of them wins the title, usually in early October. Regardless of who’s first this season, the real winners are early season skiers who have waited months for that much-needed skiing fix. 4. You Can Ski with the Stars When the rich and famous need a break from SoCal or the Big Apple, they often end up in Aspen, Vail or Telluride. While asking them to autograph your goggles may be overdoing it, you can always deliver the scoop back home: “ He’s a better skier than he is an actor.” 7. We’re Forward Thinking Four Colorado ski resorts — Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone and Breckenridge — as well as a gamut of ski lodges are now offsetting their entire energy use by purchasing renewable wind energy. Annually, this effort will avoid 211 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions — the equivalent of taking 18,000 cars off the road. 10. Our Bowls Are Unreal Colorado’s broad, open bowls offer up some of North America’s best terrain. The skiable amphitheaters of Aspen Highlands, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Keystone, Loveland, Silverton, Winter Park and, of course Vail are a veritable playgrounds where you can cut the widest, sweetest turns and take in priceless views of the sharp-edged Rockies. 5. Our Terrain Parks Are Better While Colorado terrain parks are the stomping grounds for some of the X-Games’ biggest names, it’s not all huge jumps. If you’re looking to see what you’re made of, give it a shot. 8. We Know Après-Ski Coloradans are extroverted by nature. So when the slopes close, they want to kick back and hang out. Slope-side brewpubs and cantinas serve up tasty burgers, burritos and locally brewed beers, so hang up your ski jacket and belly up for a delicious meal. 1-800-Colorado | www.colorado.com 47 http://www.colorado.com
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