Night skiing in the United States is nothing new, some small local mountains have been lighting their slopes at night for the last 20 years, but an increasing number of ski areas are trying to lure people on ski vacations by offering evening sessions. Telluride, located in the southwestern part of Colorado, is the latest resort to open a terrain park to nocturnal schussers and boarders.
I personally think one of the best things about a day on the slopes is the après-ski beer in the lodge and subsequent dunk in the hot tub at my Telluride hotel, but there are plenty of others who want to play in the white stuff long into the night. For those people, Telluride’s newly lit terrain park will be a popular option. The park includes jumps, rails, and a Superpipe for those who want to catch really big air. The park is open 4p to 7pm every Thursday through Sunday during the winter, with night sessions costing $25 per person.
If you won’t be in Telluride any time soon, here are some other options for evening ski thrills in Colorado:
Keystone: The most famous Colorado resort for night skiing is Keystone. This resort, located a few hours outside of Denver, offers a wide variety of slopes as well as a terrain park for those who want to watch the sun set over the Rockies while getting in a few more runs. Up to 15 trails per night, covering almost 300 illuminated acres for all abilities, are lit by large, powerful lights. One of the most extensive night skiing operations in the country, Keystone allows those who buy a day pass to continue to use it at night. For those who prefer just a night session, tickets for those are available starting at 4pm. The Keystone night skiing experience is offered Wednesday through Sunday until 8pm.
Echo Mountain: Only 35 minutes from Denver, making it the closest resort to Colorado’s capital city, Echo Mountain is a ski area frequented by locals. Rails, walls, and pipes keep shredders entertained while they work to perfect their latest moves. Echo Mountain is open for night skiing until 9pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Afternoon sessions (from 3pm-9pm) are only $28.
Howelsen Ski Area: Established in 1914, Howelsen, located a few miles from Steamboat Springs, owns a piece of Colorado history as the longest continually running ski operation in the state. It has also sent more skiers to international competitions than any other ski area in the country. Known for having tons of jumps, it even has an Olympic ski jump that anybody can try. Its night skiing sessions are on Tuesday evenings from 6-8pm and are included with the cost of a day pass.
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