Family winter trip: Breckenridge, Telluride, or Jackson Hole?

10,131 Views | 15 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by FrontPorchAg
NoahAg
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Assuming:

2 adults who won't ski
1 adult and child who will ski/snowboard

I've been to Breck a few times, and know there are plenty of non-skiing activities, shopping, dining, etc. I've never been to Telluride or Jackson Hole. Would those offer just as much to do for non skiers?
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NoahAg
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Thanks, that's how I'm leaning. I didn't realize that the mountain is not actually in Jackson Hole. We'll be there through Christmas, so I think Telluride will be perfect.
Bachelor99
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AG
Telluride is not a bad choice...however, my favorite place is jackson hole...there are ski mountains in jackson (snow king) and teton village (rendezvouz)...you can travel via snowmobile....visit the national elk refuge...you have yellowstone and grand teton in your backyard...etc...
An Ag in CO
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AG
Quote:

I didn't realize that the mountain is not actually in Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole is the name of the valley between the Grand Teton and Gros Ventre ranges. Jackson is the only incorporated town in the valley. Snow King Mountain Resort is the ski area in Jackson while the much more famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is located in Teton Village.

Just thought I should clear that up.
NoahAg
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An Ag in CO said:

Quote:

I didn't realize that the mountain is not actually in Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole is the name of the valley between the Grand Teton and Gros Ventre ranges. Jackson is the only incorporated town in the valley. Snow King Mountain Resort is the ski area in Jackson while the much more famous Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is located in Teton Village.

Just thought I should clear that up.
Thanks, I finally figured that out. Jackson Hole is still on my to do list, but we've booked Telluride for Christmas. I'm super excited. Just need to decide if I'll sk or snowboard.

Any suggestions for non-ski activities is appreciated. 9 and 12 yr old boys. 3 adults, including 1 a little older.
ColoradoMooseHerd
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Sounds like you already booked the trip, but curious on how you plan on traveling to Telluride?

Drive from Texas to Telluride?

Fly to Colorado Airport and Drive?
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johnrth
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I'm a bit biased so my vote goes to Jackson. It is more difficult terrain but there's alot to do. Crowds aren't bad unless it's a powder day then all the locals are at the mountain. I've found that snowmobiling is cheaper and less restricted. I'll admit I haven't put much effort in searching CO, but what I have found is most places in CO only do half day tours with a guide. In Jackson theres a few places where you can rent snowmobiles without guides and for full days. Togwotee mountain Lodge offers full day unguided rentals for $165-$215ish depending on the size and model snowmobile and it is an absolute blast and miles and miles of trails right off the parking lot.
Texas Ag Mom
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ColoradoMooseHerd said:

Sounds like you already booked the trip, but curious on how you plan on traveling to Telluride?

Drive from Texas to Telluride?

Fly to Colorado Airport and Drive?
We go to Telluride every year. Typically we drive from Dallas spending the night along the way. Our overnight stop has been in multiple different towns depending on what time we leave Dallas. We have driven straight thru but then you end up driving the final 1.5 hrs in the mountains at night. Never again! Driving back to Dallas we do it in one day.This year we all flew. Hubs & I flew to Albuquerque & drove from there. The rest of our group flew to Montrose. We also have friends that regularly fly into Durango.
NoahAg
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ColoradoMooseHerd said:

Sounds like you already booked the trip, but curious on how you plan on traveling to Telluride?

Drive from Texas to Telluride?

Fly to Colorado Airport and Drive?
Well, we thought we had our place booked. Will know by Wednesday. We'll be flying to Montrose. We'll take a shuttle from Montrose to Telluride. A lot of what I've read says that once you're there you don't need a car.
JustPanda
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AG
Not Breck.
Jock 07
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AG
Never been to Telluride and it's on the ski bucket list. My main question would be how is the snow there that far south typically that early in the season?
NoahAg
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Jock 07 said:

Never been to Telluride and it's on the ski bucket list. My main question would be how is the snow there that far south typically that early in the season?
Good question. According to this it's ranked 11th in average snowfall (for what that's worth) among Colorado resorts. But it's a crapshoot planning for a late December trip.

I took the family to Red River last December for their first ski trip, and by that time pretty much no resort in New Mexico or Colorado had gotten any snow. Fortunately RR is able to make snow on much of the mountain, so we still had a good time.

Looks like Telluride can cover 30% with artificial snow. I won't worry much about it. We'll pray for the best, and make the most of it.

I just need to figure out if I'll stick with snowboarding (busted my tailbone good last year) or go back to skis. It's been 20+ years since I've been on 2 sticks.
FriscoAggieFan
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AG
Spent Christmas in Jackson with family last year. Stayed at one of the nicer condos at snow king. Tons of snow and everyone absolutely loved that trip.
Going to Telluride this Christmas and hope we enjoy it as much. WY is hard to beat and we will definitely be returning to the JH area.
NoahAg
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I'll probably bump this a few times through the Fall, rather than start a new thread each time I have a question. But have any of y'all done heli-skiing at Telluride? Is it really just for experts, or can novice/moderates survive?

I first learned skiing, but switched to snowboarding late in HS (20 years ago). I'm not an expert snowboarder by any means, but I make it down blues decently, and can carefully ride down blacks.
FrontPorchAg
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NoahAg said:

I'll probably bump this a few times through the Fall, rather than start a new thread each time I have a question. But have any of y'all done heli-skiing at Telluride? Is it really just for experts, or can novice/moderates survive?

I first learned skiing, but switched to snowboarding late in HS (20 years ago). I'm not an expert snowboarder by any means, but I make it down blues decently, and can carefully ride down blacks.
So one of my mentors is the snow safety director and guide for Telluride Helitrax. The snowpack they have in that part of the San Juans can be quite avalanche-prone so the guides tend to keep the slope angles on the lower end of the spectrum unless it is "green light". With this in mind, I wouldn't recommend getting on a heli-ski trip unless you are confident in your skiing/riding ability. As much as having a good ability to ski steep terrain you want to be able to ski in almost any snow conditions and density. Often heli-ski runs are deep epic powder at the top and chunder or mank by the time you ski out the flats.
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