Which is better keystone or copper

In fact, Copper Mountain is low-key one of the best ski resorts in North America. Copper Mountain is one of the few ski areas in Colorado that offers nearly degree skiing via three separate peaks: Union Peak, Copper Mountain, and Tucker Mountain.

On mountain, the great beginner and intermediate terrain is ideal for perfecting skiing or snowboarding technique. Although Copper features tons of expert and off-piste, above-treeline ski terrain, what everyone will tell you is that the groomers here are bar none. Parking is, more or less, in town. Gondolas service the lots and take you up to base. For a day skier, this whole process of parking and riding the gondola simply takes too long.

It eats up too much of the day. I think for kids, the gondola ride is fun, but I'd rather just walk from the lot to the lift, if possible. And for a guy who doesn't like buses, I still prefer Copper's system. I have a lot of mixed feelings about Keystone. It's a great ski area for kids. In general, Keystone is what I'd describe as family-friendly. There are a lot of long, green runs that families can enjoy together.

I've gone to Keystone with my kids and had a great time. For me personally, as an expert skier, I don't like the mix of terrain. Keystone does a nice job of segregating its expert terrain from its intermediate and easy terrain. However, I find Keystone's terrain to all be similar. Keystone either has groomed runs or mogul runs. There's very little open, bowl skiing. While I find it fun to travel back to Keystone's expert terrain, which requires multiple chair lift rides and feels like it's in another universe, there's not much reward other than fewer people.

Keystone has a pretty good parking situation. They have a number of large lots near the resort where you can park for free. Usually, during the weekend, they fill up and you have to park across the highway and take a bus over. I used to park in a secret, free lot really close to one of the lifts, but Keystone started charging for it.

When it's not busy, I think it's still free. The walk from the normal lots to the gondola is a little long, so they offer wagons to tote the kids and their stuff. I have a friend whose first skiing experience was Arapahoe Basin. Needless to say if you know A-Basin , he hasn't skied since.

Although it has some beginner runs, A-Basin is for intermediate and expert skiers. I recall being on the main lift and watching somebody fall toward the middle of the lift and slide all the way down the run on his back. A-Basin is a smaller resort, although they've just added a new bowl that I haven't skied yet.

There's also a totally different feel at Arapahoe Basin than at the other resorts, except perhaps Loveland. It's laid back.

Usually the crowds are smaller there, though getting up the mountain from base can sometimes be a process. If you're an expert skier, there are some jaw-dropping runs at Arapahoe Basin. Among the best-known is Pallavicini. It looks intimidating from the bottom and from the top. It's among the steepest runs in Colorado. Actually, Gauthier is steeper, which is also served by the Pallavicini lift. Basically, if you try to ski these when they're packed and icy, don't fall, you might die.

If you go when it's not busy, like on a weekday, you can park right next to the base and walk to the lifts. If it's a weekend, you can park at the outer parking lots, which aren't too far away either. I haven't skied Loveland in a long time, but I know people who prefer it over all the other resorts. There are a number of reasons. Chief among them is that it's the easiest ski area to access from Denver. Keystone offers lots of condos and a main lodge surrounding a small lake.

Keystone has a gamut of summer activities and two exceptional golf courses. Look for year-round family friendly packages that include lodging, skiing and more. Summit County is a straight shot from Denver up I and through the Eisenhower tunnel.

Denverites head to the high country to ski and escape summer heat, so weekend traffic can be terrible. Try to visit on a weekday.

Otherwise, go very early or in mid-morning, and as savvy Front Range folks often do, stay up high for dinner. Top of the Rockies: Breckenridge and Summit County … a perfect summer or fall weekend. Username or Email Address.

Many people staying at Keystone drive somewhere else in the evenings to eat and play. It should be very evident at this point that we prefer Breckenridge over Keystone for everything but cost and crowd level. A trip to Breck is just a much more complete experience for the average traveler.

We still think Keystone is awesome, but its appeal is more limited in scope to visitors whose sole priority is skiing from sunup to sundown. Our best advice for those who are on the fence is this: Stay at Breckenridge and spend most of your trip there, but dedicate a day of your trip to drive over to Keystone. The two resorts are so close together that this is really a no-brainer for anyone who wants to experience both.

The pass has tiered levels that include anywhere from 17 to 69 different ski resorts around the country. Username or Email Address. Remember Me. To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Search Search for: Search. Breckenridge vs Keystone — Complete Comparison Keystone and Breckenridge definitely have a lot going on between the two of them, but there are some key differences that can them each appeal to a different type of traveler.

Best Snow Quality: Breckenridge Very Slight Edge Snow quality is the category that is hardest to choose a clear winner between Breckenridge and Keystone, but we give Breck the slight edge overall.