Powderhorn

Powderhorn is praised above all for empty slopes: there are no lift lines even on holidays, and after a storm the tree runs stay untracked for days. The glades are called the mountain's best asset, and the long winding blue groomer Red Eye regularly appears on lists of the finest intermediate runs in Colorado. Reviewers value the cheap lift tickets, the friendly staff and decent rental gear.

The hardware draws criticism. The West End lift is a slow fixed-grip double and the ride runs past a quarter of an hour, punishing in cold weather, while some runs demand long traverses. There is essentially one genuine double black and its steep section is short. On-mountain facilities are thin: for food or a toilet you must return to the base, and cafeteria prices are called excessive. Potholes on the access road and in the parking lot come up repeatedly.