The well lit trails of Granby Ranch.
If you arent exhausted enough from your full day of skiing or youre bold enough to combat wintry temperatures without the sun, then night skiing is for you! Crowd free runs, star-speckled skies, and more time to ski and ride make night skiing a must-try activity in Colorado. Heres where to go when you yearn for those extranighttime turns.
Run by the Little Nell, this operation will be the only one on the list to provide powder turns after dark. On three nights in January, February, and March right before the full moon, the Little Nell will be taking out its private snowcat to the backside of Aspen mountain after the sun dips. If youre lucky enough to be staying there or at the Limelight Hotel, book this now for some whiteroom slashes under the galaxies. Buyout the cat for $425 a person with ten spots, or $500 a pop for singles. Check the schedule and Little Nell’s writeup here.
Photo by Tripp Fay courtesy of Copper Mountain.
Copper is offering a dine and ski series, complete with an hour of groomed, moonlit skiing ensued by an upscale evening of cocktails, music performances, and of course a gourmet meal. Treat your special skier with a Valentines Day dinner for a romantic date on the slopes, or close out the season with a late spring party. Tickets go for $75. Book now.
Howelsen Hill.
This quaint mountain offers three nights per week to get your starlit shred on. You can cruise one of the mellow groomers, or spend the extra time perfecting your jibs in the terrain park. The $25 tickets, valid all day and night, shouldnt break the bank, either. Find the schedule and trail map here.
Just down the road from Howelsen lies The Boat, offering some 1,100 feet of vertical at night. There are five different illuminated runs to choose from under the Christie Peak Express, which all link up to the Lil Rodeo Terrain Park. Scoop a ticket up for $25 if booked with a weeks notice, $37 the day of, or absolutely free if you flew into Steamboat/Hayden airport earlier that day! Look at their calendar for eligible dates.
This little mountain offers quite a bargain, where you can get four hours of night cruising for only $12 when bought online. This amenity is offered on Friday and Saturday from January 6th to March 25th. Go see it for yourself, and get your tickets here.
Night skiing at Hesperus. Photo by Scott DW Smith.
This lesser-knownmountain offers more night skiing than anywhere else. Hesperus’ lift runs from 4PM-9PM during the week, so you can get some laps in without ditching your day job. Heck, at this friendly mountain, youll probably see your boss there too. On Saturdays, see how many vertical feet you can rack up in twelve hours, as the mountain is open from 9AM-9PM. Grab a nighttime pass for $29.Find Full Day, Half Day and Night Skiing days and hours of operation here.
Test your night vision at Eldora for some good ol racing. Nighthawks Racing takes place every Wednesday from January 25th to March 3rd, the mountain offers Downhill, Alpine Touring Uphill, Telemark, Snowboarding, Cross-country Classic, Cross-country Skate, and Snowshoe racing under the lights. Register for $15 if you have a season pass.
Headlamps required! Testyour racing savvy on your fatbike, nordic skis, or snowshoes at Purgatory in thier fun-filled McDonalds Twilight Nights Race Series around a snow track. On four consecutive Wednesday nights from January 11-February 1, race just one, or all the competitions. Prizes will be given out after each race as well as at the end of the series to the overall points leaders. Register for $10 per race, and check out more details here.
If youre the type that likes to work for your dinner, then the Crested Butte Nordic Center offers something for you. Skin one mile to a backcountry yurt under the stars to be met with libations including local beer and rum, live music, and a five course dinner. Grab a ticket for $135, with dinner and gear rentals included. Make reservations through here.
