Sunlight Mountain

No queues and modest prices dominate: tickets cost far less than at Vail or Aspen, and even at weekends nobody stands in a lift line. The terrain rates as varied, running from learning slopes to seriously steep glades and excellent tree skiing, with grooming that gets consistent praise. Parking sits at the base with no shuttles, the lodge is a few steps from the snow, and the views of Mount Sopris and the Roaring Fork Valley win people over.

The lifts take the criticism: old, slow, a long haul to the top, and the chairs lack both safety bars and footrests. Natural snowfall is limited and the mountain is noticeably smaller than its big Colorado neighbours. Food choice in the lodge is thin. Signage is called confusing, and a wrong turn can drop a novice straight into extreme terrain. There is no apres-ski on the hill: evening life means a twenty-minute drive to Glenwood Springs.