For those looking for a luxurious ski experience, look no further, as Colorado’s Beaver Creek has it all for you. With beautifully groomed slopes and a wealth of high-end hotels, it’s also renowned for being the location that welcomes some of the top skiers in the world when they all come together at the World Cup events. So heres more about Beaver Creek.
Let’s Talk Skiing
Although Beaver Creek is one of the newest resorts, having only opened in 1980, it’s part of the Vail Resorts group which includes Breckenridge and Vail which are close by. You’ve got 150 beautifully groomed trails to explore across three mountains: Arrowhead, Beaver Creek and Grouse, with loads on offer for skiers of all standards.
Beginners at Beaver Creek have a fantastic purpose-built ski area just for them – which is particularly brilliant for children. You’ve also got some world-class ski schools here to get you started. You’ll also find lots of dedicated family zones around the mountain which are great as you build your confidence. Head to the top of the Drink of Water lift where you’ll find lots of slow zones for you to enjoy. Safety-wise, the National Ski Area Association has also awarded Beaver Creek with the prestigious title of the Best Overall Safety Award.
Once you’re ready, you can join the intermediates on a great range of blue runs – make sure you take either the ArrowBahn Express from Arrowhead village, or you could take the Larkspur Express lift. And speaking of lifts, you can use your Beaver Creek lift pass on the 25 lifts which also includes 11 high-speed quad chairs. You won’t find any red runs here but you will find lots of blue and black diamond runs to try.
Expert and advanced skiers won’t be disappointed either. There are loads of adrenalin-pumping runs to challenge you. In particular, make sure that you take the Grouse Mountain and Birds of Prey lifts where you’ll find some superb competition-grade tree-lined pistes. And it’s also well worth adding the Stone Creek Chutes to your must do list.
There are some fantastic snow parks for you to enjoy too. There are three which offer loads for all different abilities – Park 101 being great for beginners, right up to the Rodeo Park where expert skiers will find loads to challenge them. If you’re a Nordic ski fan, make sure you head for the McCoy Park which has 32km of great cross-country skiing. You’ve also got 20 square miles where you can enjoy a vast amount of snow shoe runs – make sure you take the Strawberry Park Express Lift for a great experience.
The Resort
Across the region, Beaver Creek is without doubt the most exclusive, which means that it comes with a matching price tag too. You’ve got Beaver Creek Village which is where you can enjoy a mooch through the designer shops and galleries. Plus, they have escalators and heated walkways that take you to the Beaver Creek bars and restaurants, and also to the Centennial and Strawberry lifts.
Beaver Creek is a resort that’s set up to be a real crowd pleaser, with higher-quality service an expectation. As you stroll through the heated pavements, you can look forward to free warming cups of hot chocolate and cookies which are handed out on the Beaver Creek slopes.
Staying in Beaver Creek
Whether you choose to stay in catered or self-catered Beaver Creek ski accommodation, you’ll find an excellent choice of venues with lots available for most budgets. You’ve got over 100 Beaver Creek hotels to choose from, including the Charter at Beaver Creek; offering an excellent ski in ski out location, and the top of the range Park Hyatt. For self-catering options, there’s a great deal here too – you’ve got nearly 500 venues which include Beaver Creek Village and the Border Lodge.
Snow Conditions
As this resort has such high expectations and also benefits from a high altitude with Arrowhead at 2,255m, and Beaver Creek and Bachelor Gulch at 2,469m, you can expect good snow coverage. It’s worth bearing in mind that the Beaver Creek weather can be very cold earlier in the season. And they also have good snowmaking facilities which cover 680 acres of the Beaver Creek pistes. Traditionally, March is the best time to visit, with an average snow depth of 140cm at the top of the mountain, and at the other end of the scale, November sees the least with an average snow depth of 10cm at the top.
Resort Life
For non-skiers in Beaver Creek, you’ll find a lot of options to experience. Haymaker Tubing Hill is great for all members of the family, and you’ve also got the Marmot Maze where your children can explore a series of snow-bound slides and tunnels. There are also opportunities for ice skating at the year-round ice rink which is right in the centre of Beaver Creek Village. One of the entertainment venues that’s definitely worth visiting is the 530-seat Vilar Performing Arts Centre. With a great choice of performances on offer, you’ll find comedy, concerts, musicals and theatre shows too.
Without a doubt, there are excellent facilities for families – and children particularly here. Rated as the ‘consummate kid-friendly resort’ by SKI magazine, you’ll find that many of the hotels offer childcare, and you’ve also got the Small World Play School for day care, or resort sitters that can be booked for evenings.
What’s Good About Beaver Creek?
We like Beaver Creek as it’s a ski location that will satisfy all skiers from beginners right through to hardcore experts. It’s definitely worth visiting at weekdays when it’s quieter. Families – and other visitors will welcome Beaver Creek’s traffic-free and conveniently-sized village centre. Plus, with some fantastic fast chairlifts to get you to the pistes even quicker, this is just one of the many benefits that will guarantee you a high-quality ski break at Beaver Creek.
The SnowResort Verdict
If it’s a truly upmarket ski resort that you’re looking for, Beaver Creek is definitely for you. Beginners and intermediates will definitely be able to make the most of the superb tree-lined pistes, and although advanced skiers have their own challenges to enjoy here too, they might find that they might have issues when there isn’t fresh snow. For a variety of pistes, you’ve also got nearby Vail to explore. Beaver Creek is expensive – and this is also the case for the lift pass.