Frisco – Gateway to Colorado skiing

With world-class snow, breathtaking mountain views, and an array of ski resorts for all levels, Colorado is a skier’s paradise, with amazing ski areas with great snow. But where do you stay, eat and explore to get the most out of your ski trip? If you are heading west from Denver, the I70 corridor is a reasonable route with resorts and options. Frisco, originally a mining town that began operations in the 1800s, is the starting point and stop for ten ski resorts and a destination for nightlife. Frisco allows outdoor enthusiasts to change their experience every day with a different resort within driving distance and many outdoor options.

Butterhorn Bakery

Nothing makes a person ski like a good breakfast, and the am fuel up in Frisco is Butterhorn Bakery. Walk in the door, and the smell wafts from start to finish. Power up your starter with a royal scrambler, which adds cream cheese and mushrooms to your eggs and toppings. If you’re in a pinch, top off the country roast beef with homemade fries, fresh gravy, and two eggs. Pancakes? Just mounds of delicious flavor. You can add a variety of extra baked treats like gooey cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and tuck them into your jacket for a little mountain fuel.

Hotel Frisco

Ski town hotels need to be comfortable and, at the end of the day, within walking distance of restaurants and shops. Hotel Frisco fits the bill and more as the only boutique hotel in Frisco. It has received a complete refresh, making it more comfortable than ever. It’s pet-friendly and works hard to reduce environmental impact. Each room in the three-story hotel is unique; many have views of the mountains. And the fact that you’re right on Main Street means those tired legs don’t have to go far for dinner, shopping and drinks.

Vinny’s Euro American cuisine

Dining in tourist towns can be iffy because many restaurants have limited competition. Enter Vinny’s, where the restaurant operates where you are carefully guided by Vinny, the chef and owner. The focus is on combining American + Euro cuisine with delicious twists. Expect an amazing happy hour that goes right into the food with unique specials each night. Move over Austria, as the star dish is a mushroom strudel with minced mushrooms in puff pastry and lemon caper butter. Hit the main course with Aspen Ridge boneless beef short ribs, topped with a creamy corn sauce and cabernet demi-glaze. In the pasta department, go higher with the sausage rigatoni with a sweet-fennel star Italian Berkshire pork sausage and topped with a creamy rosé sauce.

Copper Mountain Aerie Lodge

Copper Mountain is the closest ski resort in Frisco nine minutes away. Copper works every year in development mode like the king of the hill. This year’s skiing gets a boost from their new Timberline 2.0 lift, increasing capacity on the resort’s most desirable western slopes. The restaurant finds luxurious options at the stellar Aerie, a mountain lodge with an amazing sit-down experience. On select days, take the gondola to the top after the resort closes for a delicious meal featuring Rocky Mountain specialties like venison, with views of the Continental Divide. Late season skiing means the alpenglow is just getting started when the area closes. Copper Mountain uses this time of year to open the lower run for skiers who schuss an hour on their own, then head back down to 11,200 feet for a special dinner in the sunshine. Dates are offered in March and April for this one-of-a-kind ski/dining experience.

Breckenridge Nordic Center

The Breckenridge Nordic Center is the most complete Nordic experience in Colorado. Owned and managed by the Dayton family, all Nordic competitors use races and tours in 10 other countries to hone BNC components. Classic and skate trails meander through protected wetlands and national forests. The facility includes a variety of snowshoe trails for non-skiers and even luge experience for beginners. The nearby store has many products with 5,000 square meters of options, which is more important than any non-snow operation in the area. Their try-then-buy program ensures that you get the best gear for how to skate using real trails. Two ski instructors are always on site to guide skills from the novice to the seasoned enthusiast. The lodge was hand built by the Daytons using local timber. It is more than comfortable with a bar, tables, kick back chairs, and sofas. The food here is more than the usual dog and chips with Bavarian pretzel-zilla, award-winning glühwein, and two homemade soups daily. Add apres-ski entertainment; experience will get even the most reserved skier to release a few songs.

Two rides Down the sleigh

At the end of the day, it’s better to move forward on the strength of someone else’s leg. Hop on Two Below sleighs in Frisco for the ultimate adventure in the snow-bound Colorado High Country. For an afternoon hike, try the epic cocoa ride, which departs from Frisco to their base camp for a hot warm-up (adult drink versions available!), with fun. For a more adventurous experience, book a seat for a dinner ride, which includes a quick run in the highlands and a home-cooked dinner and entertainment in the hot tent.

Neil Wolkodoff

Neil Wolkodoff is a travel writer from Denver, Colorado, USA. It combines golf, dining, activities and accommodations from a luxurious and unique look.