What the locals know, (and the visitors ought to).
Truly the best source of information on an area is usually from those who
live there. Visitor's Guide to the Colorado Rockies will tell you where to find
the good powder, the best deals, the most fun, the best bars and restaurants,
and more. Everything you need to know to make your vacation in Colorado's Ski
Country an unforgettable experience.
A quick note from our Executive Vice President regarding winter rates and fuel surcharges.
Dear Valued CME Guest,
I hope this update finds each of you excited about the upcoming winter ski season. There are certainly some challenges in the world markets and economies for each of us, our companies and clients. Colorado Mountain Express appreciates your continued support and business.
In light of the current fuel price, Colorado Mountain Express will eliminate our fuel surcharge on all products and services effective November 19, 2008. There will not be any accounting reconciliation for reservations made prior to the above date.
Additionally, Colorado Mountain Express will recognize our 25th year of providing safe and reliable access to the mountain resorts that we serve by creating an anniversary special saving to and from Aspen Snowmass. CME, effective today, is reducing the Aspen to Denver shared ride shuttle by $25.00- This $99.00 rate is fully commissionable. CME looks forward to making additional announcements regarding our 25th Anniversary soon!
I look forward to working with each of you this winter. Please remember that I am always available to assist you or your company with any concerns regarding Colorado Mountain Express. You may contact me at 800-525-6363 x6103 (970-926-9730 x6103) or email: tomb@ridecme.com.
Sincerely,
Thomas S. Ball Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Colorado Mountain Express
A-Basin has filled up with snow in the past two days and it's still snowing.
Photo provided by Arapahoe Basin
A-Basin is open for top to bottom skiing with two lifts and four intermediate runs open.
Tomorrow, Saturday, A-Basin will open its Molly Hogan beginner run and lift. Snowsports will also start their lesson program Saturday with ski and snowboard lessons for all levels.
About A-Basin… An immortal winter giant, the mountain stands tall with a summit elevation of 13,050 feet, blanketed in fresh snow. From the base it invites you, calm and silent. Over a hundred trails expertly carved through its depths and seven chairlifts raising excited patrons to the sky, you stand in awe, captivated by its brilliance as the sun peaks curiously through the snow-filled clouds. It is the Legendary Arapahoe Basin. Lift Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm Monday-Friday 8:30am - 4:00pm Saturday-Sunday
Amazing service, great facilities, wonderful treatment
Last Saturday, I had the most incredible experience at the RockResorts Spa at The Lodge at Vail.
This was my first time at the RockResorts Spa (I usually book spa treatments at another Vail Resort) and I have to say it was the BEST spa experience I ever had.
From the moment I stepped into the spa, I was treated with amazing customer service. I was checked in immediately and given a brief tour of the amenities available to me.
I changed into my bathing suit and headed over to the wet room where I found the most inviting shower. It had two shower heads on each wall and a shower head on the ceiling. Water was coming at me in all directions. It was so relaxing and therapeutic.
I then proceeded to the stone hot tub that I had completely to myself.
After a completely relaxing experience in the wet room, I put on my plush robe and proceeded to the women only relaxation lounge for my 90 minute facial.
The relaxation lounge had fresh lemon water and some nut/fruit snack mix.
Abby, my therapist greeted me and brought me into one of the 11 treatment rooms that RockResorts Spa offers.
My 90 minute facial was a much needed relaxing experience. It was the first time ever that I started to fall asleep during a treatment. She massaged my face, scalp and neck which sent me into a deep relaxation.
After the treatment, I felt refreshed and was glowing from the treatment.
I would highly recommend RockResorts Spa at The Lodge at Vail. The service and expertise of the staff are truly great. The Spa is inviting and has every amenity you could ask for.
TODAY… Aspen has received up to 7 inches of new snow as of 8 a.m. this morning and it’s still snowing. We have close to 2 feet of snow on the ground on top of Snowmass and Aspen Highlands and it’s still snowing. Temperatures have been cold and we have been making snow at a near-record pace.
About Aspen-Snowmass Aspen/Snowmass, anywhere else this would be four separate vacations. It’s not just one mountain – it’s Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. With four choices and 5,303 acres, decide which mountain fits your passion. Snowmass, so many runs, so much variety – cruisers, steeps, glades, off-piste, terrain parks, superpipe and the longest lift-served vertical rise in the United States. Rising out of the heart of downtown Aspen and famous for its steeps, bumps and incredible views, Aspen Mountain and its double-black and tree runs are fun for skiers and snowboarders alike.
2008-2009 Operating Dates Snowmass - November 27, 2008 - April 12, 2009
Aspen Mountain - November 27, 2008 - April 12, 2009
Aspen Highlands - December 13, 2008 - April 5, 2009
Copper officially opened for the 08-09 season this morning at 9 a.m. Guests are enjoying terrain off the American Eagle lift as well as Opening Weekend specials throughout the Village at Copper.
Today guests are enjoying the intermediate Main Vein and Rhapsody trails under the American Eagle lift, as well as the Eagle Jib Park with 10 box and rail features. In addition, for those still perfecting their skiing and riding, Easy Rider lift and the enclosed learning area are also open.
* Copper opened today with an 18” base with 4” of new snow in the past 72 hours and has almost 50 acres open.
* For Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8 and 9, Copper will also open the Excelerator lift servicing intermediate terrain on Ptarmigan trail.
* All lifts will open at 9 a.m., seven days a week until Dec. 19.
* Season Passes are available for the 08/09 Winter season including the Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus. New this season, Copper is offering a Woodward at Copper season pass upgrade, as well as the traditional Rocky Mountain Super Pass, Copper Season passes, Transfour Cards and Four Passes. www.passwagon.com.
Opening weekend specials:
* Copper Savers opening weekend lodging package, starting from $99 per night for a hotel room, is the best way to enjoy Opening Weekend and get out on the snow, without having to fight traffic or the weather. Please call your Copper Vacation Specialists at 866-534-7443 to book your opening weekend lodging package. Restrictions may apply.
* Jack’s Bar will feature local musician Scott Staten from 2-4 p.m. today, playing all your favorite après tunes. In addition both Jack’s and Endo’s are offering $2.50 Coors and Coors Light drafts, $4 Margaritaville shots and $5 Margaritaville Margaritas all weekend.
Deadline to buy Epic Season Pass is Saturday, Nov. 15th!!!
Attention all skier and riders... Breckenridge and Keystone both set to open on Friday, Nov. 7, followed by Vail’s opening on Nov. 21 and Beaver Creek’s opening on Nov. 26, now is the time to buy a Vail Resorts season pass. This weekend, stop by the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expo Nov. 7-9 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver to purchase your pass or visit one of the other Front Range locations or resort locations at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge or Keystone.
Summit and Colorado Passes on sale through Nov. 9 Don’t delay. Sunday, Nov. 9 is the last day to purchase Colorado’s most popular ski passes – $419 for The Summit Pass™ and $459 for The Colorado Pass™.
About the Summit and Colorado Pass: The Summit Pass™ gives skiers and snowboarders unlimited, unrestricted access to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin for $419 for adults, $319 for teens (ages 13-18) and $209 for children (ages 5-12). The Colorado Pass™ offers unlimited, unrestricted skiing at Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin all season with an additional 10 days* at Vail and Beaver Creek for $459 for adults, $339 for teens (ages 13-18) and $219 for children (ages 5-12). Visit http://www.coloradopass.com for more information.
* The Colorado Pass is restricted from use at Vail and Beaver Creek: Nov. 28-29, 2008; Dec. 27-31, 2008; and Feb. 14-15, 2009.
Epic Season Pass on sale through Nov. 15! Time is ticking. Saturday, Nov. 15 is the deadline to purchase Vail Resorts’ Epic Season Pass™ - $579 for adults and $279 for children. The unlimited, ski-as-much-as-you-want, unrestricted Epic Season Pass™ with no black-out dates features more than 18,000 acres of skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Arapahoe Basin for the entire 2008-2009 season and is considered one of the best on-mountain deals in the industry this season. Visit www.epicpass.com for more information or to purchase your Epic Season Pass.
Keystone and Arapahoe Basin Four Pack
Additionally, Vail Resorts is offering the Keystone and Arapahoe Basin Four Pack for $149 that offers four days of skiing and snowboarding (restricted dates: Nov. 28-29, Dec. 27-31, Feb. 14-15). Sunday, Nov. 9 is the last day to purchase.
Pass renewals or New pass purchases Pass renewals for Summit and Colorado passes are available online at http://www.coloradopass.com. Renewals or new passes may be purchased at the following locations through Nov. 9:
Front Range: Boulder Ski Deals (Boulder), Colorado Ski and Golf (Aurora, Arvada, Colorado Springs and Littleton), REI (Denver Flagship, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Englewood, Boulder and Colorado Springs), Breeze Ski Rentals in Lakewood and Dumont, as well as Flatiron Crossing Mall, Park Meadows Shopping Center, The Shops at Northfield in Stapleton and The Orchard Town Center. Or, stop by the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expo Nov. 7-9 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver this weekend.
Mountain resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone (check for times and exact locations)
For more information about the Summit or Colorado passes or sales locations and time, call 888-215-3867 or visit www.coloradopass.com. Visit http://www.epicpass.com to purchase your Epic Season Pass™ or for more information about this new season pass.
Guests will enjoy terrain off the American Eagle lift as well as Opening Weekend specials throughout the Village at Copper.
Copper Mountain is pleased to open one week ahead of its scheduled opening date – welcoming skiers and riders tomorrow Friday, Nov. 7.
On Friday, Nov. 7, Copper will open the intermediate Main Vein trail and the American Eagle lift, as well as the Eagle Jib Park with 10 box and rail features. In addition, for those still perfecting their skiing and riding, Easy Rider lift and the enclosed learning area will also open.
For Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8 and 9, Copper will also open the Excelerator lift servicing intermediate terrain on Ptarmigan trail.
All lifts will open at 9 a.m., seven days a week until Dec. 19, to give Copper’s on-hill teams more time to prepare the snow for the day ahead.
Race training will take place from 6 - 9 a.m. daily on Main Vein trail.
Season Passes are available for the 08/09 Winter season including the Rocky Mountain Super Pass Plus. New this season, Copper is offering a Woodward at Copper season pass upgrade, as well as the traditional Rocky Mountain Super Pass, Copper Season passes, Transfour Cards and Four Passes. http://www.passwagon.com.
Stay with Copper:
• Copper Savers opening weekend lodging package, starting from $99 per night for a hotel room, is the best way to enjoy Opening Weekend and get out on the snow, without having to fight traffic or the weather. Please call your Copper Vacation Specialists at 866-534-7443 to book your opening weekend lodging package. This package is valid Nov. 7 - 8 only, is based on availability, and is not valid for group or conference stays. Tax, surcharge and booking fee are not included. Other restrictions may apply.
Thanks to Vail Resorts’ “School of Shred” program…Colorado fifth graders will now receive four free days of skiing at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone through Vail Resorts’ new “School of Shred” program.
Sixth graders in Colorado will now be able to ski (or snowboard) for free just like the state’s fifth graders for four days at each of the Centennial State’s four most popular resorts – Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone - thanks to a change announced today by Vail Resorts regarding its new “School of Shred” pass program.
From $99 fee to Free for Colorado 6th Graders. Plus Extra Days for 5th Graders
To celebrate the start of the season with the Nov. 7 opening of Breckenridge and Keystone, Vail Resorts is sweetening the “School of Shred” program by changing the sixth grade pass program from a $99 pass to a free pass starting today. The Company will refund the $99 amount for those who have already registered for the sixth grade “School of Shred” program (888-215-3867).
In years past, Vail Resorts has offered fifth graders three days of skiing and riding as part of the student ski program. This year, the Company is adding an extra day of skiing at each of its four Colorado world-class resorts – Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone - for a grand total of 16 days on the slopes this year (vs. 12).
How to redeem the 5th or 6th grade “School of Shred”
To receive the fifth or sixth grade “School of Shred” pass, a parent or guardian must present documentation proving eligibility – a report card or school ID that indicates grade level or a valid birth certificate - at any Front Range Vail Resorts’ pass sales location** through Nov. 9 during the fall pass sales time period or throughout the season at any resort season pass office. Student/s must be present at time of purchase to get their photo taken for their Vail Resorts “School of Shred” pass. The Company will refund the $99 amount for those who have already registered for the sixth grade “School of Shred” program (888-215-3867).
Passes will be loaded with four ski days (for each resort = 16 total days) and will also be enabled with radio frequency technology to allow for a hassle-free “easy scan” process, eliminating the need to physically present the pass in the lift lines this season. Passes are non-transferable.
Opening Day will be on Friday, November 7th, and breakfast starts at 8:30am - Peak 8
Breckenridge opens the season with a kick-off celebration, yes on Peak 8! Join us on the Bergenhof deck where we will be flipping free pancakes from 8:30 am until they’re gone. Live comedians and magical interaction, giveaways and great prizes from our local radio station personalities! Skiers and riders can expect to enjoy top to bottom skiing via the Colorado Superchair. The BreckConnect Gondola will be open providing the only resort access with a scenic ride from the skier parking lots in town (there is no parking on Peak 8 due to construction). The lifts will be running at 9 am so get here early to make your first turns of the season at Breck!
The five-race series was selected as the top choice in 2008 by voters via a poll from the magazine's Website.
The Vail Recreation District's (VRD) 2008 La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running Series was named best running race series for the second time in four years by regional magazine Colorado Runner. The five-race series was selected as the top choice in 2008 by voters via a poll from the magazine's Web site at http://www.coloradorunner.com.
According to VRD Sports Director Joel Rabinowitz, this year's series boasted nearly 1,500 participants, an increase of 400 participants over 2005 when it was last awarded best race series by the magazine. Nearly 20 runners completed all five races in the series, which took runners along 45 miles of trails for a total elevation gain of 13,492 feet.
10k at 10,000 FeetDates for the 2009 La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running Race Series are tentatively set and will take runners on approximately 52 miles for a total elevation gain of 16,475 feet. Rabinowitz says a final schedule will be announced in March, but currently 2009 races include the Summer Solstice on June 20, Vail HillClimb on July 5, Half Marathon on July 19, Berry Picker on Aug. 2, 10k at 10,000 Feet on Aug. 16, Vail Trophy Race on Aug. 30 and EverGold 10k on Sept. 13. trail running is so fun."
Joining 2008 series title sponsor La Sportiva were Vail Resorts, FirstBank of Vail, Vail's Evergold Trail RunMountain Haus, SmartWool, Tiga Advertising, Howard Head Sports Medicine Centers, Steadman Hawkins, Joint Juice and Gatorade.
The VRD is an equal service provider and operates under special permission from the White River National Forest.
For more information on the La Sportiva Vail Montain Trail Running Series, including 2008 results, call 970-479-2280 or visit http://www.vailrec.com.
Make sure your alarm is set and join us in celebrating the start of the 2008-2009 ski and snowboard season. As a huge “thank you” to the community who shows our guests incredible hospitality all season long, we’d like to invite you to join us for coffee and company. Members of Breckenridge’s management team and town leaders will be on hand at the following coffee shops in town to distribute 1,500 free mugs and free coffee to jumpstart the season.
Participating Locations: Starbucks Clint’s Cool River Amazing Grace Daylight Donuts Coffee Depot @ Main Street Station Helen’s Coffee Cart serving Bongo Billy’s Coffee @ City Market
The mugs will be stuffed with coupons from our local businesses, so don’t miss out on your favorite shop deals!
Come help CME fill our vans on Saturday, November 15 from 10AM-3PM
It’s the most important drive we will make all year! Colorado Mountain Express is excited to announce our Fill-the-Van 2008 charity event. CME is helping our local food banks stock up for the winter. On Saturday, November 15, CME vans will be parked outside our local City Markets from 10AM – 3PM ready to collect food. After the van is filled we will deliver all the collected items to many groups and shelters that help those in need in Vail Valley, Summit County, and the Roaring Fork Valley. Please save this date and tell your friends.
Bring your non-perishable food donations from the following list to your local grocery store on November 15. When the CME van is full, we’ll distribute the food to the many groups and shelters that help those in need.
• Canned Vegetables • Chili • Canned Cranberry Sauce • Dried Beans • Chicken Broth • Macaroni and Cheese • Canned Yams • Canned Tuna Fish • Cream of Mushroom Soup • Canned Soups • Stuffing • Spaghetti • Spaghetti Sauce • Peanut Butter • Canned Apple or Cherry Pie Filling • Refried Beans • Tortillas • Canned Fruit • Dried Milk • Baby Food • Oatmeal • Canned Ravioli • Rice • Instant Potatoes • Crackers • Cereal • Cookies • Top Ramen
Fill the Van 2008 City Market Locations… Vail Valley (Avon & Eagle) Summit County (Dillon & Breckenridge) Roaring Fork Valley (Aspen & Glenwood Springs)
At CME, Community Means Everyone. Any contribution you can make will mean the world to someone in need. We would love to see you on November 15th to help us fill our vans!
Benefiting: Family and Intercultural Resource Center, Lift Up, Salvation Army, The Summit Foundation, Summit County Social Service.
