The Skiing at Eldora

Just 20 miles up the canyon from the city of Boulder, Eldora is easily the most accessible resort in the Front Range. There are three primary groups of people who use the mountain: locals sneaking away from work for a few hours, kids learning to ski, and Nordic aficionados training for the Birkebeiner.

Locals head straight to Corona Bowl to do laps in the Salto and Moose Glades. The trees are nicely spaced and the top slope is steep enough to satisfy experienced skiers. Limited traffic on this side of the mountain means that if the weather holds, good snow sticks around for several days.

The ski school at Eldora is outstanding for a mountain of its size. Families in Boulder who spend Christmas in Telluride send their kids here to learn to ski.

The well-stocked Nordic Center serves as the gateway to 25 miles of groomed, undulating trails. At an elevation around 9200’, it provides a great altitude workout and is one of the best Nordic spots in the state.

The Town: Eldora

A day at Eldora is best capped with a beer in nearby Nederland, a town made famous for hosting “Frozen Dead Guy Days”, a festival that literally honors a frozen dead guy in a Tuff shed. In addition to its colorful downtown, no visit to Nederland is complete without a Bloody Mary breakfast at the Sundance Café.

A Few Words On The Snow

If you're waiting for a powder day at Eldora Mountain Resort, then you might have a long wait. Only 9.0% of winter days see more than 6 inches of snowfall, which means, on average, you'll have to spend 10 days or more mining the slopes at Eldora Mountain Resort to score that one great day. It could be worse, however. You could be muskie fishing.

Skiing at Eldora Mountain Resort is about getting outside, ripping up the slope, eating chili dogs and getting in as much vertical as you can. It's not about big dumps. And that's okay. This place is about honing your skills for that trip to Snowbird or Alaska. With only 2.0% of months at Eldora Mountain Resort getting more than 90 inches of snow, this isn't the place to set up your powderhound shack.

Drought Potential

If you're banking on snow and you're boarding a plane for a week at Eldora Mountain Resort, you should temper your expectations. This is a place where winter drought can grab hold of the weather pattern for long periods, as 35.0% of the winter months here see less than 30 inches of snow.

Getting to Eldora Mountain Resort, if you're flying in

The stretch from the Denver airport takes a modest drive of 85 minutes, not enough for your legs to fall asleep before you stretch out in the parking lot.