Date of visit: March 2012
Review:
I hit Beaver Creek with the family for an end of the season spring trip last year. After one of the worst winters on record for the area (snow shortage) we were unsure of what to expect. While the weather was warm, snow was in short supply, and there were only about 30% of the trails open we could not have been more satisfied with our time there. Where most resorts may have blamed the weather Beaver Creek made limoncello out of the lemons that mother nature had handed them. By the end of each day the conditions where rough but with an army of groomers we awoke each morning to perfect corduroy and beautiful blue skies. If you are a cruiser and like long smooth runs this place will be heaven to you.
For the staff and facilities they also get an A+. Everyone was friendly, everything was clean, and the whole resort seemed focused on creating the perfect vacation for their guest. It's a bit like Disney World level of service without the mouse ears and tourists in shorts. If I had one complaint it would be that their "Not Exactly Roughing It" motto is basically code for "Not Exactly Cheap". High resort standards come with a steep price tag but at least you are assured that you'll get what you paid for.
Skiboarder specific tips:
Like I mentioned above the Beav is a cruiser's paradise. If you are a rider that likes long smooth rides this one's for you. I was with two small kids so we didn't really get a chance to try any of the terrain parks so others will have to comment on those. The resort is pretty easy to navigate with skiboards as everything flows well. There are a few cattracks where you'll encounter long flat spots that you'll have to skate if you don't use poles. Lift lines were minimal while we where there and lift areas are set-up well so you are not skating uphill or downhill while waiting for the next chair.
Non skiboarding activities:
Beaver Creek has a huge maintained and lift accessed Nordic sports park. If you like or want to try cross country skiing or snowshoeing this place is awesome. They have a nice tubing run for snowtubing with the family but will cannibalize the snow from this area to maintain skiing if the weather is bad so it may not be open late in the season. Outside the resort there is no shortage of outdoor Colorado sports (snowmobiling, hiking, fishing, etc..) plus Vail is just a short bus ride if you are looking for new terrain (and your lift tix are good there -- same ownership).
Dining/Food:
Beaver Creek has tons of fine dining that go along with it's high resort standards. My family tends to lean toward more casual places so we avoided most of them. If you are like us I suggest you hit the Blue Moose Pizza down in the Village for a great wood fired pizza. If you love craft beer head out of the resort and hit Gore Range Brewery in Edwards. I don't know if there is an In-n-Out nearby so the Junk Show crew may be out of luck?
Lodging:
You don't have to pay the resort village premium to get convenient access to Beaver Creek. We had family that stayed in an on mountain resort but we opted to stay at the Sheraton down in Avon. It was much cheaper and accessing the mountain was just as easy with free door-to-door public shuttle bus service provided by the Town of Avon.
Summary:
I would recommend Beaver Creek to anyone looking for outstanding mountain conditions and a great family vacation. You may pay a little more for it but you'll get what you paid for. If you are doing a long trip there and riding a whole week look for an Epic Pass or Epic 7 Day Pass before the season starts to help get your lift ticket costs down.
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