Road Trip Beta Request CO through UT 4/4-4/12

[Vets]

Let me know when you hit Monarch. I can give you a comp pass and take a lap or two.

Will do. Hoping to be there on Monday the 6th. I should have one free day with my Sierra pass. I'd I appreciate being shown the direction to get to the goods.

[goldenboy]

Not sure what you'll find in CB at this point. Below avg snow and above avg temps are really doing a number on things. Still pretty fun though.

[Vets]

^
Thanks for the heads up. Still hope to make it there for the first time for their scheduled closing day (4/5.) I have been skiing way below average snow and way above average temps around Tahoe. I'll be able to compare it to CB's conditions.

[Vets]

A thread bump for some more detailed information/suggestions/recommendations.

I made lodging reservations in Gunnison, Avon and Aspen. I'm open to ideas for food, etc. in these towns as well as in/near the ski resorts mentioned in my first post.

Thanks again.

[adrenalated]

CB - The Secret Stash pizzeria is kinda considered the must-hit restaurant, but Teocalli Tamale is always worth a stop for a burrito too. Gas Cafe has awesome, cheap breakfast sandwiches. Powerstop in Gunnison has shockingly good burgers.

Dillon - at least have a beer at Dillon Dam Brewery. A mag is the brewmaster there.

[Vets]

CB - The Secret Stash pizzeria is kinda considered the must-hit restaurant, but Teocalli Tamale is always worth a stop for a burrito too. Gas Cafe has awesome, cheap breakfast sandwiches. Powerstop in Gunnison has shockingly good burgers.

Dillon - at least have a beer at Dillon Dam Brewery. A mag is the brewmaster there.

Thank you! I checked out the menus and I may need to eat dinner three times in two nights.
I now also plan to support the Dillon Dam Brewery apres ski.

[adrenalated]

Please note my recommendations come from the dirt bag with a beater truck tasty cheap food school of thought, not the highbrow euro diesel status wagon gourmet connoisseur school of thought.

[snowaddict91]

Please note my recommendations come from the dirt bag with a beater truck tasty cheap food school of thought, not the highbrow euro diesel status wagon gourmet connoisseur school of thought.

Came in here to make all the same recommendations. But note they are from the same school of thought as above. Also, have a pitcher while you are at the powerstop waiting for your burger (service can be slow) or you're doing it wrong.

[WTF is dat]

Garlic mikes in gunnison for good italian

[Bromontana]

[MakersTeleMark]

What's yer budget?

Avon: happy hour at Vin 48 for small plates, great wine parings and insanely reasonable given the quality.
Budget: One of the best burgers you'll ever have, No Se Hagan Bolas. You'll need to google that for the closet location.

Aspen area: do you have a car?
CB: covered. Gunni: I've always had a tough time getting a good beer, and what I would call anything decent food wise to be worth paying for, so I just pack one and have a beer.

[adrenalated]

^^^ I don't know any of the places Makers mentions, but I do know the man has excellent taste in food. Listen to him.

[capulin overdrive]

+1 for Powerstop in Gunni, if only to get a mixed drink at a gas station!


Soupcon is best food in Crested Butte, Donitas for Mex, and Last Steep for food later in the night.


Dillon = Pug Ryans and Arapahoe Café for me.

[Vets]

What's yer budget?

Avon: happy hour at Vin 48 for small plates, great wine parings and insanely reasonable given the quality.
Budget: One of the best burgers you'll ever have, No Se Hagan Bolas. You'll need to google that for the closet location.

Aspen area: do you have a car?
CB: covered. Gunni: I've always had a tough time getting a good beer, and what I would call anything decent food wise to be worth paying for, so I just pack one and have a beer.

Thank you, and others, for the suggestions.
Also, to answer your questions...
My budget is not extravagant. I'm living on a teacher's salary. However, I won't need to buy any lift tickets in Colorado by using my passes, so this may free up splurging on occasion that can also be offset by valuable and enjoyable dirt bag suggestions.
In Aspen and elsewhere I'll have my own car. I have reservations to stay at Tyrolean Lodge for two nights.

[NakedShorts]

CB
You will want a shortish ski for the off piste. Think nimble.
My buddy told me that I would hit more rocks and trees than I would be comfortable with. You'll want to do the billy goat hop.
Steep shit.
Best ski town in whatever!
Free bus!
Incredible location!
Drink some brews and have some fun

[MakersTeleMark]

Tyrolean is a good choice. Save a beer or two for at least one at the Jerome, and take the quick trip to the Woody Creek Tavern for the other and just order whatever their rotating special is.

Not sure who is playing at Belly Up, but if there is any show, just go. You will have fun. Spitting distance.

Also, I really love the Indian place in S.S.S. Glenwood if you are driving through. It's called Himalayas.

[adrenalated]

Few Aspen suggestions, hung out there this past weekend...

Had a real nice dinner at White House Tavern. Not terribly expensive for Aspen, but definitely not cheap.

Got a good tip from a local about a $10 burger at Justice Snow's. It's not really on the menu, just go order the house burger. Apparently they also have a $3.50 shot + beer happy hour special. Slush bumps at Ajax were especially fun the last couple days.

[Vets]

Bump
I'm on my way. Made it to Cedar City, UT. Plan to ski Brian Head tomorrow morning before heading out to Gunnison,CO.
Any recommendations on food stores in CO and/or better places to fill up with gas?

[Vets]

Just had a burger at The Powerstop in Gunnison. Delicious. Great call by all who recommended it. Thanks!
Brian Head was fun this morning. A good warm up even though it didn't really warm up that much there. Still edgable though. It is now on my to-do again list, Great sidecountry potential with more snow/soft snow.
Crested Butte tomorrow...

[goldenboy]

^^ That's going to be a strange first day at a new resort for you- but fun. Wear a costume, and check out the peak at noon for some Chinese downhill action.

[Name Redacted]

Check out the Montanya distillery, Bachanale (Italian), Secret Stash (awesome pizza), and Camp 4 Coffee. I'm sure the CB locals could add to that, but those are my faves as an outsider.

[Vets]

Crested Butte is a fun and amazing mountain! I'd love to return here during a really big winter. Just had a burrito at Teocalli Tamale - delicious!

[Vets]

They opened the High Lift yesterday. I skied The Headwall Glade.

[Vets]

I skied at Monarch Mountain yesterday. Whipski showed me around the mountain. Thank you!
A few photos:



Edit: Photos wouldn't upload.

[Vets]

Today was a three resort recon day.
1. Keystone (I'm not sure why, but it was on the way) One hour of nearly empty mostly firm groomers.
2. Arapahoe Basin - I finally got to ski it fully open. A Pali lap. Two laps in Montezuma Bowl. Three laps on the East Wall. What a fun place. There was still lots of chalky winter snow to enjoy.
3. Breckenridge (It was sort of on the way back.) Wide variety of conditions.
More resort recon tomorrow. Hopefully to help decide where to ski on Thursday, which may have some fresh snow.