How to find the best place to ski - when Rocky Mountains offer so much to see.

As a skier you have most likely dreamed of skiing in Rocky Mountains. As it gets closer to realize your dream you have to start picking from all the great resorts. My dice ended up showing Breckenridge as destination and Denver International (DEN) as the place to fly into. Breck as it is promoted offer great skiing, relaxing spa and a shopping scene with many shops under local brands.

As landing spot we picked Denver as it is a manageable drive from the main resorts even for a weekend trip. If you are on the adventurous side you might want to fly into Eagle County Regional Airport in Vail, rated as one of the 10 most dangerous airports in the world. The Interstate 70 take you towards the resorts and en route you will pass the Eisenhower tunnel at 3401m/11158ft on a drive with beautiful scenery along the road. Arriving at night we did not see much of it but could feel the altitude differences in our ears. Make sure you travel in daylight at least one direction to get to see it all.

There are plenty of ski resorts and locals pointed me towards Arapahoe basin (Closest to Denver and primarily advanced skiing), Keystone (close with easier skiing options), Vail (Variety and big, big bowls) and Breckenridge (Highest skiing in North America) in lift conversations.

Skiing in Breckenridge is all about the peaks. All guidance provided will be as seen from the top looking down. The gondola up from town is free so easy to schedule a lunch appointment at the base of peak 7 or 8.  Peak 6 recently opened and takes you up above the tree line. To the right you have a great bowl and to the left a great carving cruising area. Peak 7 have a lot of blue slopes down in the system, but great advanced skiing at the top by the T-Bar. Why wait in line at the coffee shop in the morning, when the T-Bar is open for skiing. Peak 8 offer great skiing just above the Gondola. Chair 6 and the Imperial take you up to North Americas highest skiing, at least if you are going up by lift. Peak 9 has advanced mogul runs to the left from the top, be prepared for long bumpy runs. Last but not least, Peak 10 offer great black slopes on the right sides from the top. Advanced skiers grown up with European color codes will see black resonate more with their red reference and double-black with black slopes. Great skiing with 1000m/3000ft vertical drops.

The ~160km/100mi drive from DEN airport to Breckenridge takes around 2h. We selected Breckenridge for the variety in skiing and the ability to combine with spa/shopping days for the secure variety for all travelers. The village has a main street where most of the shops are located. For great restaurants, check out the Swish Haven. A great place for fondue and take the option of ordering a bit of both cheese and meat fondue.  Wine lovers are best off at the Hearthstone, offering an old style dining area, higher end dishes and a wide wine selection. First time and long weekend visitors are great off skiing in one place. For a week long trip, a pass enabling visits to multiple resorts make most sense for a more complete Rocky Mountain experience.