Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

Alexa’s Trip to Telluride

Monday, July 6th, 2009

 

Colorado Street in the center of Telluride

Colorado Street in the center of Telluride

 

 

Even though we just celebrated the 4th of July, it’s never too early to plan that fantastic winter ski trip! There are many things to consider when planning a trip: First and foremost, you need to pick where you want to go! With fabulous spots in the Rockies, Canada, and back East, it’s definitely a difficult decision.  I’ve decided to head to the Rockies, and more specifically, Telluride, Colorado.  Telluride combines amazing skiing with a great apres ski scene- which are both imperative to the perfect ski trip.  

Now that I have my destination, it’s time to decide when to go.  Holiday weekends like President’s Day are usually crowded and expensive- so I’m going to go on a non-holiday weekend.  I’ll need a week or two after the holidays to shed the holiday pounds, so I am going to plan my trip for January 21st to the 24th.  Leaving on Thursday will hopefully give me 3 full days of skiing- half days Thursday and Sunday, and full days on Friday and Saturday. 

So how am I going to get to Telluride? I live in Southern California, so if I were to drive, my trip would be about 895 miles and 14 hours.  Since I’m only going for a long weekend, I’m going to fly instead. I can fly directly to Denver, and if I wanted to drive from there, it would be about 365 miles and 7.5 hours.  Again, due to the shortness of my trip, I think I’ll fly closer to Telluride.  Montrose Airport is is about 70 miles from Telluride, so that’s an option.  Telluride has its own regional airport and is only 6 miles away from the center of town.  I entered my dates and destinations on expedia.com and I can fly on Frontier Airlines round trip for $520.  The times are perfect- I arrive at 1:00pm on Thursday, so I can do a little afternoon skiing, and I depart at 4pm on Sunday and can enjoy some last-minute morning runs.

So now I’m in Telluride–where will I stay? Back to expedia.com, I go! I can check out what hotels and resorts are available for my trip just by plugging in my dates. Last time I stayed at The Peaks, so let’s try something new.  The Hotel Telluride is located right off the Colorado Avenue, Telluride’s main street.  It’s also a half mile from the gondola station that can take me to the Mountain to get my ski on! 

One more thing- before I can start doing my best Picabo Street impression, I have to buy my lift tickets! I hopped onto Telluride’s site, and was able to buy my ticket for my 3 days of skiing! Now, I’m really set! Time to pack up my equipment (tips for packing are in an earlier post on this site), and get ready to ski the steep and deep!

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Ski Travel Tips

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Ski travel and planning tips including booking your trip, packing your gear, and getting a good deal on a ski vacation.

Booking Your Ski Trip

Check out Ski and Stay packages that include lodging, lift tickets, and possibly a lesson. You’ll save by bundling your trip.

Time Your Ski Trip - Consider a mid-week or early or late season trip. There are often significant discounts for mid-week and off-season skiers. Also, if you have the flexiblity to travel at a moment’s notice, you can find last minute deals and discounts. Check directly with the ski resorts for availability.

Car Rentals - If you’re traveling with your skis and equipment, consider renting a skiercised car that comes with a ski rack. Garmins or other GPS navigation devices are available through some car rental agencies. If you’re skiing at multiple locations, both come in handy.

Packing Your Bags

Check With the Airline - Check airline regulations before you start packing. Most airlines allow a carry-on bag, a personal item you can also bring on board with you, two suitcases, and one sports (i.e. ski) bag, but make sure your luggage and gear meets the requirements in advance of your ski trip.

Ski Bag - I use a ski bag that holds two pairs of skis, then cram it full of ski pants, jackets, and other gear. Be careful it doesn’t go over 50 lbs in weight or it will cost you an extra $50.

Boot Bag - My boot bag travels with me as carry-on luggage. Besides my boots, it holds my helmet and a day’s worth of ski clothing - base layer, gloves, ski pants, ski jacket, boot heaters, and the rest of my gear. That way, if my baggage gets delayed, my skiing won’t be held up.

Travel Documents

Just in Case - I print out duplicate copies of my boarding passes (I check-in before I leave), flight itinerary, car reservation, and hotel reservation. I keep the extra copy in my computer bag, just in case I need it.

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