A Guide to Car-Free Skiing in Colorado

CoPIRG Foundation and Snowriders International

FOR A PDF OF THE FULL GUIDE CLICK ABOVE ON “DOWNLOAD THE REPORT.” A SHORTENED VERSION IS AVAIALBLE BELOW. You can also check out GoI70.com which is a comprehensive resource for I-70 transit options, local bus services, I-70 rideshare programs, as well as carpool incentives offered by resorts and mountain towns.

For years, the only real way for people to get from the Denver region up to the ski slopes has been to drive their personal car. While the number of people who carpool along the limited roads that lead to our slopes is high, relying on personal vehicles to move hundreds of thousands of people from the Front Range to the ski slopes during the winter is inefficient, unsafe, and has a negative impact on our health and the environment.

Colorado needs a transportation system that provides safe, convenient, affordable options that connect the Front Range to the ski slopes. In the short term, we need to ensure that the personal vehicles that are travelling to the slopes are maximizing carpool opportunities in each vehicle. In the long term, we need a lot more options so people can ditch their car for shuttles, vans, buses and trains.

The good news is that over the last few winter seasons, options for getting to the slopes without driving your personal car have increased and smart phone technologies have made ride sharing and carpooling an increasingly efficient option.

This guide highlights the available options that our researchers found for travelling from the Denver metro region to the ski slopes without your personal car. Currently, available options include airport shuttles, multiple vans and bus programs, rideshares, and two train lines. The costs and convenience varies widely among the options but we included every option that our researchers found that we thought the public could access. The research was done between January 31st and February 6th. We also include some of the policies that ski resorts are implementing to incentivize carpooling including providing preferred parking.

SHORTENED VERSION OF THE GUIDE – INFORMATION FROM FEBRUARY 2017

Daily Access*

Bustang West Line
Stops: Frisco, Vail, Glenwood Springs
Cost: $12-$28   
www.ridebustang.com/west-line

RTD ski-n-ride (Route N)
Stops: Eldora   
Cost: $4.50
http://www.rtd-denver.com/skiNRide.shtml

Greyhound Bus   
Stops: Frisco, Vail, Glenwood Springs
Cost: $14-$32
http://locations.greyhound.com/bus-stations/us/colorado/denver/bus-stati…

Amtrak California Zephyr
Stops: Fraser-Winter Park, Granby, Glenwood Springs
Cost: $35-$168
https://www.amtrak.com/california-zephyr-train

Weekend Access*

SnowStang   
Stops: A-Basin, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, and Winter Park
Cost: $45-$60 (round trip)
http://www.ridebustang.com/snowstang2017

Front Range Ski Bus
Stops: Loveland Ski Area, Copper Mountain
Cost: $45 (round trip)
http://www.frontrangeskibus.com/

Amtrak Winter Park Express
Stops: Winter Park
Costs: $59 (round trip)
https://www.amtrak.com/WinterParkExpress

University of Colorado, Boulder Ski Bus Program **
Stops: Keystone, A-Basin, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Vail — different each weekend
Cost: $5-$15 (round trip)
http://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/transportation/bus/ski-bus-program

Access from Denver International Airport***

Colorado Mountain Express
Stops: Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Frisco, Vail, Beaver Creek, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, Glenwood Springs, Aspen & Snowmass Village
Cost: $49-$120 †
http://www.coloradomountainexpress.com/

Fresh Tracks Transportation
Stops: Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Frisco and Silverthorn/Dillon
Cost: $63††
http://www.freshtrackstransportation.com/

Peak 1 Express
Stops: Breckenridge and Summit County & Vail Valley
Cost: $44-$99††
http://www.mountainshuttle.com/shuttle-schedule/

Powderhound Transportation‡   
Stops: Aspen Snowmass, Beaver Creak, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Steamboat, Vail, Winter Park
Cost: $249-$299‡
http://ridethepowder.com/

Summit Express
Stops: Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, Frisco, Dillon/Silverthorn
Costs: $65††
https://www.summitexpress.com/

Ride Share Options *

SkiCarpool.org
SkiCarpool is a nonprofit organization that facilitates carpooling to Colorado resorts using an active rideboard on their website
www.skicarpool.org

Carpool World
International ridesharing website with an active ride-board of people driving from Denver Metro Area to the mountains.
http://www.carpoolworld.com/carpool_.html

WaytoGo SkiPool Program   
Between December 2014 and March 2015, members of a vanpool through the Way to Go program received one free rideshare trip to the mountains per week.  Way to Go members should contact DRCOG to see if SkiPool options are still available.
http://commutingsolutions.org/commute-options/get-a-lift-with-skipool-be…

Craigslist Rideshare   
General resource board where individuals can post requests and find people to carpool with.   
https://denver.craigslist.org/search/rid

Mountains with Carpool Incentives *

Arapahoe Basin   
Limited priority parking for a car of three or more.  Discount tickets with a car of four or more.
http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/about/environment/transportation.aspx

Copper Mountain Resort
Priority parking for carpools of four or more,
http://www.coppercolorado.com/winter/the_mountain/transportation/village…

Breckenridge Ski Resort
$5 discount on parking with car of four or more.
http://blog.breckenridge.com/2015/03/30/breckenridge-parking-made-easy/

Keystone Resort
Priority parking for carpools of four or more.
http://m.keystoneresort.com/parking.html

* Information subject to change by the organizations and companies that run the service. Check website for latest information.       
** only available to students and alumni
*** Only shared shuttle options presented unless otherwise noted
† Discounts for children   
 ††Discounts for 3+ people and kids