Last-Minute Ski Getaways: Colorado’s Best Spring Runs

by admin in RSS Social News. Posted February 14, 2026

Colorado is a skier’s dreamland, home to 28 ski areas spread across some of North America’s most dramatic mountains and blessed with the famously light, dry snow that keeps skiers coming back. This season America’s most famous ski state has fresh momentum with new lifts, expanded terrain, boutique hotels and milestone celebrations marking the state’s 150th anniversary. From big mountain icons to laidback local gems, Colorado offers an incredible winter holiday destination, for a trip with breathtaking mountain vistas, famously light powder, great lodging and dining options, bags of character and constant discovery.

Among Colorado’s best-known resorts, Aspen Snowmass delivers four mountains of varied terrain, from Snowmass’s wide cruisers to Aspen Mountain’s steep, technical runs and Buttermilk’s world class parks and pipes. This winter brings major upgrades at Snowmass, including the new high speed Elk Camp SixPack and an improved Cirque T Bar, boosting access to toptier expert terrain. With Aspen hosting the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix and unveiling the new White Elephant Aspen hotel, this world-famous destination feels more energised than ever.

Breckenridge delivers that classic Colorado mix of high alpine drama and lively, authentic mountaintown energy, spread across five linked peaks and home to the world’s highest chairlift. Its varied terrain suits every style, from mellow family zones to bowls and steeps that feel properly bigmountain. This winter the resort celebrates Breckenridge History’s 20th anniversary with a special Smithsonian exhibition, adding even more buzz to an already vibrant winter.

Winter Park blends big mountain adventure with effortless access, making it one of Colorado’s most appealing choices for the 2025/26 season. Its seven distinct territories offer everything from wideopen cruisers to Mary Jane’s legendary moguls, which celebrate their 50th anniversary this winter. Travelling is easier than ever thanks to the Winter Park Express, running expanded service from Denver’s Union Station right through to the end of March, turning the journey into part of the experience. With refined amenities, relaxed slopeside living and a strong familyfriendly feel, Winter Park delivers a classic Colorado ski holiday.

Copper Mountain blends high alpine adventure with a relaxed, athlete focused vibe, earning its nickname as Colorado’s “Athlete’s Mountain.” Earlier this season Copper hosted World Cup alpine racing for the first time with the Stifel Copper Cup featuring both women’s and men’s events. Add in naturally divided terrain, excellent progression zones and a lively base village, and Copper delivers one of Colorado’s most exciting, well rounded ski experiences.

Steamboat offers big mountain skiing and genuine Western heritage, along with more than 3,700 acres of terrain and a famously laidback ranchtown spirit. The powder here is famously so dry and light the resort has trademarked the name “Champagne Powder®” to describe it! The term, first coined by local rancher Joe McElroy in the 1950s, describes Steamboat’s uniquely light, low-moisture snow (around 6% water content). The resort’s iconic Cowboy Downhill returns each January, keeping the resort’s roots front and centre, while the Wild Blue Gondola, now the longest and fastest 10person gondola in North America, has transformed access to the slopes. With expanded hotspring experiences in town and new dining at The Crooked Antler, there’s fresh momentum at Steamboat this winter alongside its classic western charm.

Arapahoe Basin, not just one of Colorado’s but one of the whole world’s highest and most snowsure destinations, delivers skiing at its most soulful. Famed for its high alpine, bigview, no nonsense terrain, it has a loyal following that loves its steeps, chutes and famously long season that often runs from October to June. This winter brings fresh energy to The Basin’s lively social side, with weekly DJ sets at Black Mountain Lodge and a brand new Ice Bar opening this March.

Nearby Keystone pairs wideopen, confidence building terrain with a lively, family friendly base, and this winter brings one of its biggest upgrades in years. The brandnew Kindred Resort opens at River Run, delivering Keystone’s first true luxury, ski in/ski out hotel with inventive dining, a spa, kids club and dozens of firepits for relaxed après. On the mountain, night skiing continues to be a signature draw, now joined by cosmic afterdark experiences at the World’s Largest Mountaintop Snow Fort.

Telluride brings together timeless wild mountain scenery with a more polished ski culture. Its spectacular mountains frames expansive, varied terrain that suits confident cruisers, powder seekers and adventurous experts alike. The town’s authentic Western character adds real charm, connected to the Mountain Village by a cool, free urban gondola that glides above the canyon.

Purgatory brings a laidback, family friendly vibe to Southwest Colorado, backed by big views of the San Juan mountains and reliably good snow. The resort celebrated its 60th anniversary earlier this winter and invested more than $6 million in upgrades this season. That’s gone on expanded snowmaking on key backside terrain, a brand new fixed grip triple chairlift, five new trails, fresh glading and a new snowcat.

Vail remains one of Colorado’s most iconic ski destinations, famed for its vast Back Bowls, polished village atmosphere and superb intermediate cruising. This winter, Vail Mountain adds fresh energy with a season long programme of music forward après events, headline acts and on mountain popups, redefining alpine culture for 2025/26. With world class terrain, lively après and seamless resort facilities, Vail continues to set the benchmark for a Colorado ski holiday.

One of the state’s big news stories this year comes from Monarch Mountain, a resort which delivers a classic Colorado feel with uncrowded slopes, a friendly local vibe and reliable natural snowfall high on the Continental Divide. This season, the resort has unveiled its major No Name Basin expansion, adding 377 acres of new intermediate to advanced terrain and 10 fresh runs on both sides of the Divide. The development boosts Monarch’s skiable acreage by 50 percent, giving this independent gem a significant step up in scale while keeping its authentic charm intact.

Book Your 2026/27 Season Epic Pass or Ikon Pass in Spring For The Best Deal

Spring is also the best time to secure an Epic or Ikon Pass for next season, as both brands release their lowest prices long before winter demand pushes rates higher. Early buyers lock in the full suite of perks. In Colorado, Epic covers Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte, while Ikon spans Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park, Copper Mountain and Steamboat, with limited access to Aspen Snowmass. Beyond Colorado, both passes also cover many of North America and the world’s great resorts. Securing a pass in spring delivers the strongest value, widest choice and maximum flexibility for the season ahead