shortcut to: family skiing in New England, Pennsylvania, New York State, Utah, Canada.
Ah, the Rockies. Half a dozen states have Rocky Mountain ranges (-such as Utah, next page), but Colorado is the marquis state, thanks to celebrity spots such as Aspen and Vail. Colorado has other great options too, some with quaint mining towns.
No surprise, mountain stats are big: a ski resort base might start at 9000' elevation, and have 3000+ acres. Vertical drops of 3000+ feet are common.
Tip: if timing (or money)'s tight, think twice about places that need connector flights to small airports. Flights can get canceled if weather's bad; and of course your airfares cost more too.
Aspen / Snowmass
This mega ski resort, 162 miles from Denver, has four different mountain areas. Aspen has been synonymous with "cool" for decades; think Victorian buildings, top shops and eats, private jets. Snowmass has a whopping 4400 vertical feet; giant new children's center; Too Cool for School, for teens. Aspen-Snowmass gets points in this guest article on Airport-To-Slope Time, thanks to a local airport with direct flights from big cities.*
Breckenridge
104 miles from Denver airport; many family-friendly features; charming Victorian town.
Steamboat Springs Ski Resort
157 miles NW of Denver; kids programs, kids-only terrain and lifts; check for Kids Free deals.
Crested Butte
Known for x-treme skiing but lots of easier acreage; 230 miles SW of Denver; quaint mining town.
Winter Park
Just 67 miles NW of Denver; 3000+ skiable acres, five mountain areas; very family-friendly; a leader in accessible skiing.
Lots more Colorado Ski Resorts
Kidznsnow.com overviews Colorado Ski Resorts, including less-known places that locals love. For the big picture, see this nifty mountain map at Coloradoski.com: a birds-eye view of all the Colorado ski resorts.
Family skiiners should keep in mind: with base elevations from 7500 to 9700', altitude may cause symptoms such as headache; usually symptoms are mild and soon go away.
*Always check for updates!
