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Beaver Creek Ski Resort
Beaver Creek is a little gem nestled in the American Rockies. Relatively unknown compared to the other local ski areas of Vail and Aspen, this beautiful resort prides itself on providing an upmarket experience – their slogan “Not exactly roughing it” says it all. Located 25 miles east of Eagle County Airport with only a half hour transfer, and 120 miles from Denver International Airport taking approximately 2 hours to reach, it’s convenient and picturesque location has attracted a high calibre of clients over the years.
This purpose built resort houses 3 villages on the mountain, as well 2 towns down in the valley. The main village is connected to the other villages of Bachelor Gulch and Arrowhead by complimentary transportation system, making flitting in between villages a seamless transition. The pedestrianised area around the central plaza with its ice rink, grand hotels and classy shops has an air of elegance and splendour that matches its upmarket service. Bachelor Gulch is the second mountainside village; home to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, this village is an exquisite example of upper echelon luxury. Arrowhead is further down the mountain, and houses the well-known Broken Arrow Restaurant. All three villages have quick and easy links to the mountain, housing a number of lifts each.
Don’t think that as a purpose built resort Beaver Creek is without beauty; the only thing it lacks in comparison to Aspen and Breckenridge is history. The thought process that has gone into making the whole visitor experience effortless is outstanding. Heated walkways and escalators transport you up to the ski lifts, whilst ski ways snake throughout the town to connect people with most accommodation in the village, invalidating the need to traipse on roads carrying your equipment - in prior seasons, freshly baked, complimentary cookies have been handed out every day at 3pm at the bottom of the slopes, just the pick-me-up you need after a tiring day.
The resort has a pedigree of ski racing events - in 1989 and 1999, it was the host of the World Ski Championships and in recent years has been the site of the annual Audi Birds of Prey World Cup, seeing top male skiers contend for the World Champion title.
Stats & FAQ
Location: US, Rocky Mountains
Established: December 15, 1980
Open: November - April
Downhill: 1,832 skiable acres
View our detailed Beaver Creek snow forecast or snow report and see all live webcams, piste maps, road and travel maps and lift pass prices. For a picture of historic snow conditions see the snow depths month by month with our Beaver Creek snow history.
| Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
| Eagle County Airport | 25 miles east, 30/35 mins |
| Denver International Airport | 120 miles, 120 mins |
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| Top Altitude: | 3,488m |
| Bottom Altitude: | 2,469m |
| Resort Altitude: | 2,469m |
| Longest run: | 2.75 miles (Centennial) |
| Slope Orientation: | Lots of North Facing slopes |
| Vertical Drop: | 1,231m |
| Skiable Vertical: | 1,231m |
| Night Skiing: | No |
| Glacier: | No |
Snow Report
Web Cam
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| Downhill Runs: | 1,832 skiable acres |
| Beginner slopes: | 19% |
| Intermediate: | 43% |
| Advanced slopes: | 38% |
| Lift Pass Price: | $444 (adult 6 day) |
| Nearby resorts: Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen | |
Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Beaver Creek
Beginners will appreciate the world class ski schools, as well as its purpose built ski area for children’s lessons.
Specific family zones found around the mountain, predominantly up at the top of the Drink of Water lift, and numerous slow zones mean that beginners can learn in peace and in the safest possible environment – Beaver Creek has also been awarded the Best Overall Safety Award by the National Ski Area Association.
The numerous greens around the resort make getting around the mountain easy for all abilities; check out Cinch for a very long, easy run back into Beaver Creek.
In addition, there is a large amount of terrain for intermediates – if you head up the Larkspur Express lift you’ll have access to numerous blue runs, as well as the ArrowBahn Express lift from Arrowhead village.
The USA doesn’t feature any red runs, jumping straight from blue to black diamond, so if you’re looking for a challenge, don’t be afraid of the black diamond runs when they’re freshly groomed. The difficulties of these can vary - a number of short black diamonds under the top of the Centennial Express lift will let you test the waters.
Advanced skiers have a myriad of opportunities available to them, if you know where to look. With the Birds of Prey Express and Grouse Mountain lifts providing access to a huge variety of black diamond and double diamond runs, you’ll be sure to find something to enjoy in these competition grade slopes. Tree runs feature heavily in Beaver Creek, with the whole mountain enjoying tree coverage. Thinned out glades allow experienced skiers to pick their way through the many obstacles and will be a test for even the best skiers.
The Stone Creek chutes in the Rose Bowl are the place to be seen among the expert level skiers, with pillows, trees and, as the name suggests, chutes to enjoy.
For those looking to spend some time in the parks, the resort offers 3 of ascending difficulty, from Park 101 at entry level, to the Rodeo Park treating professionals and experts alike.
There is also the Nordic skiing McCoy Park, with 32km of cross country skiing and snow shoe runs in 20 square miles at the top of the Strawberry Park Express Lift for those looking for something different to alpine skiing.
Beaver Creek Apres Ski
Beaver Creek’s reputation of an upmarket resort providing spectacular service is translated into its style of après entertainment. If you are looking for a crazy party scene, then Beaver Creek is probably not the right resort for you. Whilst it does have a few more lively bars to cater for the souls who need a big night out during their holiday, the typical type of après available is a scrumptious cocktail in a swanky bar. If this is your style, head to The Dusty Boot for their extensive drinks list, featuring margaritas for every price range, from their Signature Margarita at $7 a pint, to their Platinum Margarita for $200 a pitcher. If you’re looking for a more stereotypical party joint, head to Coyote Café, boasting the “Best Après Ski in Beaver Creek”, showing ski films on huge TVs, and has a patio for warmer days. If you fancy something a little different, then head down to the Gore Range Brewery in Edwards to sample a range of beers from their very own microbrewery, as well as dine in their mouth-watering restaurant.
The quality of food on offer in Beaver Creek is second to none. If you’re looking for a five star dining experience every night, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Grouse Mountain Grill is a spectacular restaurant at the higher end of the price range, and is perfect for a celebration meal, offering succulent dishes with a range of ingredients such as lobster, duck and elk. If you want an amazing mountainside meal, look no further than Beano’s Cabin - accessible during the ski season by an open air sleigh pulled by a snow cat, this is a once in a lifetime dining experience. If you want somewhere for a cheaper meal why don’t you try the Route 6 Café – a locals’ favourite and an excellent place for breakfast as well as after hitting the slopes.
There are a number of other options available for those looking have a break from skiing. The Haymaker Tubing Hill is an exciting and fun way to keep the kids, and adults, entertained throughout the holiday. Right next to the tubing hill, near The Ranch, is the Marmot Maze, a series of tunnels and slides in the snow that is sure to entertain the children for many an hour. If you’re looking to keep yourself occupied a little closer to the accommodation, then head to the year round ice rink in the centre of Beaver Creek village for a skate in the beautiful town centre.
One of the most popular attractions is the Vilar Performing Arts Centre, providing a variety of performances from comedy, musicals, theatre and concerts. With events to suit most of the family, this 530 seat theatre can provide an alternative, cultural break away from the stereotypical activities seen in most resorts.
Best time to go
Best time to ski Beaver Creek
Best time to visit & ski Beaver Creek
Resorts of this calibre, with their intense desire to please customers and going above and beyond what you usually experience, try their best to make sure that the skiing conditions are good all year round.
With both Beaver Creek Village and Bachelor Gulch at 2,469m, Arrowhead at 2,255m and the highest lift at 3,488m, this resort is very high, typically ensuring good snow coverage and with an average of 325 inches snowfall throughout the season you’d be unlucky to have poor conditions.
The area is covered with trees making for good wind protection.
You’ll need lots of layers earlier in the season as the high elevation can make for very cold spells. The altitude makes for great spring skiing as it keeps the temperature down, and with a large number of north facing runs, the sun doesn’t hit the snow for as long and thus conditions stay favourable.
In the unlikely event that there’s not enough snowfall, technology can come to the rescue with snow making facilities covering 680 acres of terrain.
With 25 lifts carrying a capacity of 34,220 people per hour, the infrastructure keeps queuing time to a minimum before you venture onto the snow.
Peak Dates
With its family orientated feel and organised festive events with the beautiful mountain backdrop, Christmas in Beaver Creek transports you to a winter wonderland. Torch lit processions, parades and Father Christmas are but a few of the attractions that keep people coming back, not to mention the customer service and luxurious style experienced, which leave you feeling refreshed and pampered, not wanting to return to reality.
The variety of restaurants, bars and events on offer provide the perfect setting for you to see in the New Year in Beaver Creek. With activities that cater for the whole family, as well as those looking to see in the stroke of 12 without children, you are sure to enjoy the fireworks, processions, exquisite food and sumptuous drinks that are available to you.
As a resort geared towards pleasing every member of the family, spending half term in Beaver Creek is a dream come true. You could choose for the kids to be taught in the world class ski school, leaving you to enjoy some ‘you’ time, or ski with the children in one of the family zones. The variety of family friendly activities available during the evenings keeping the younger ones entertained, giving you the chance to relax in this spectacular resort.
Spring skiing at a resort of this height and snow history means spending Easter in Beaver Creek will appeal to those who enjoy maximising their time on the mountain, in the very best conditions.
Families in Beaver Creek
There’s nowhere quite like Beaver Creek if you’re a family looking for a ski holiday. The resort’s attention to detail and addiction to providing the whole family with a spectacular time is astounding, and is what makes parents and children come time after time.
The ski school here is world renowned. Offering lessons to cater for every level, from the youngest beginner, to experienced teen looking to venture into the park, they’ll provide an expert and professional service. For beginners, there’s a specified learning area for the ski school, and the aspect that makes this special is the Buckaroo Express Gondola – servicing the beginners’ area – and the fact that ski school has sole use of it. This means the children’s time on the slopes is greatly increased compared to ski schools just using a magic carpet, and is designed to help your children learn at a faster rate. “The Ranch”, the specially designed lodge at the top of the Buckaroo Express, caters as a teaching aide, with TVs on the wall to show video playback of technique, as well as a pit stop for lunch, priding itself on providing healthy and fresh food, keeping both the children and parents happy.
If your little ones don’t fancy ski school, there are plenty of places on the mountain to take them out, with measures in place to ensure the safest possible environment whilst providing the most entertainment. The family zone at the top of the Drink of Water lift offers a range of runs, including a kid’s adventure zone on Jack Rabbit Alley, perfect for keeping the children entertained. The slow zones down into each village also ensure you are in the safest possible surroundings for getting home in one piece.
Off the mountain, there are a number of other activities to keep you and your little ones happy - whether it’s the Haymaker Tubing Hill and Marmot Maze for some outside amusement helping to tire them even further, serenely ice skating in the village plaza, or one of the special events organised by the resort. In the past, the resort has hosted a number of family friendly events, such as the World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Competition, which is of course voted for by the public who can sample each entry, and the Beaver Creek Loves Kids events during their peak weeks. Small touches in previous seasons, such as the Cocoa and Corduroy, where they provide hot chocolate at the top of the Centennial lift at 9:30, and Cookie Time, where freshly baked chocolate chip cookies are served to people coming off the slopes at specific locations, supply the whole family with a warming sense of satisfaction.
If you’re travelling with children too young to ski, or fancy an evening for just the grownups, there are numerous childcare options available for you to consider. Many hotels offer childcare onsite, so check out individual pages to see if it is available. If not, the Small World Play School offers childcare during the day and Resort Sitters can look after them during the evening, both of which provide information about their availability and rates online.
SKI Magazine named Beaver Creek the “consummate kid-friendly resort”. If you choose to visit, there is a very likely chance that you will agree – we certainly do!
GroupsGroup Holidays Beaver Creek
If you’re part of a large group planning on heading to Beaver Creek, the variety on offer with respect to all aspects of this resort should keep everyone more than happy. First off, the ski area’s variation of terrain is outstanding. Beginners can look to the top of the Drink of Water Lift for access to a range of greens and blues, as well as a family zone for quieter and a more sedate experience, perfect for learning. Intermediates can head to the slopes in Arrowhead or to the top of Larkspur lift for a gentle blue run the whole way from the summit to the Beaver Creek village, descending 692m. Experts will find paradise around the Birds of Prey Express and Grouse Mountain Express lifts for a range of pisted black diamond and double diamonds, or over in the Rose Bowl for the Stone Creek chutes. For park rats or those just fancy dabbling in freestyle, try out the 3 parks of differing difficulties to hone their skills.
The villages also cater to a range of needs and wants, with 31 restaurants providing a number of different options. Blue Moose’s pizza is legendary, and perfect for a cheaper or lighter option, whilst Grouse Mountain Grill can provide a superb sit-down gourmet dinner of locally inspired dishes.
All three villages have lifts to the mountain directly out of them, so it couldn’t be easier for transport. In addition, there are ski ways in the Beaver Creek village ensuring most accommodation is serviced by ski in runs, reducing the stress of finding transport for a number of people. However, if ever you do need transport, the resort offers a free shuttle service in between villages, making getting around a dream.
Whilst the après is not stereotypically a wild party scene, the number of bars and activities can vary hugely, so make sure your group checks out a range. From local microbrewery beers from the Gore Range Brewery, to the Coyote Café, with its more stereotypical European après style and indoor and outdoor patio service, to The Dusty Boot, offering potent margaritas from $7 to $200, your party will not be bored throughout their stay. If you don’t fancy checking out the bars, the Vilar Performing Arts Centre puts on year round performances of jazz, Broadway musicals, theatre, live concerts and comedy.
Hotels can be perfect for groups of all shapes and sizes as they typically have a higher number of rooms per building, giving a higher chance of keeping the group together. Also the bigger the hotel, the more amenities it is likely to have on site, reducing stress of getting groups together to head into town for ski hire, dining or spa treatments.
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