Where I am right now: Beaver Creek
Why you should be there too: After feeling like a bridesmaid for the last couple of weeks when it seemed as though everyone got snow but BC, the tony town got whacked with a fluffy foot overnight and has been swimming in the white stuff ever since. The double bonus is that no one seems to know this, and so the powder is holding.
The exclusivity at Beaver Creek has always been a double-edged sword. On the one hand, no one likes to feel left out, and sometimes Coloradans complain that BC is even snootier than Aspen. On the other hand, few places feel safer than this one. Traffic is light. The riffraff quotient is low, so if you’re looking for people hanging out drinking beer at the end of the runs on their car bumpers, this isn’t the place for you.
Eat at these places: Foxnut Asian Fusion (122 The Plaza, 970-845-0700) sports a Lilly Pulitzer-meets-Harajuku decor and squatting sumu wrestler knickknacks, along with a menu that makes it almost impossible to stop eating. The sushi is excellent (yes, the $20 “pipeline” roll filled with lobster is worth it), the “poketini” of avocado, seaweed and tuna is amazing and the $19 bottle of Firestone riesling is a bargain by any standards…Rocks Modern Grill (26 Avondale Lane, 970-845-1730) is intense looking, with its red accents and dark wood, and the hostess was a little off-putting, but don’t let that stop you from taking down some hearty, upscale manly fare such as ribs and buffalo red chili, and save room for dessert, either the chocolate lava cake or the huge just-baked chocolate chip cookie…Columbine Bakery & Cafe (51 Beaver Creek Place, Avon, 970-949-1400) has a European flavor and makes killer quiches and baked goods that are perfect for tucking in a pocket to take up on the mountain.
Sleep at this place: East West Resorts runs an area called Ridgepoint that did quite right by us (85 Willis Place, 800-235-3557, eastwestresorts.com). Only 3/4 of a mile inside the gate, the area will be ski-in/ski-out as soon as a little more snow falls. A two-bedroom condo with a loft that had two twin beds cost $875 for three nights (during their Early Value Season) and included the use of a hot tub, unlimited shuttles around Beaver Creek and passes to use the pool and hot tubs at Allegria Spa at the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek Village. The condo had a full kitchen, TV with DVD player, a ton of board games and movies, and unlimited free long distance.
My favorite experience: There may be a few things on the planet better than waking up to the first few inches with another foot to come, and you have a season pass and nothing but time – but not right at that moment, there isn’t. We were just giggling down every run, and when we would get back up to the top, more snow had fallen. And a couple of times, it was just me and my daughters from the top to the bottom. Heaven.
The only bummer: The day job, dude…
Look for a full update on the mountains in The Denver Post in February, and keep your eyes on denverpost.com for periodic Road Tripper updates…
Travel editor Kyle Wagner can be reached at 303-954-1599 or travel@denverpost.com.
