Vail, Colorado is one of America’s all-time favorite ski resorts. It welcomes an astonishing 1.75 million visits per year. Guests from all over the world travel here to stroll through its charming villages and charge down its powder-filled terrain. And there’s an awful lot of terrain for them to explore; Vail’s 5,289 acres makes it one of North America’s biggest ski resorts. It’s perfect for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels — everyone finds something to love at Vail.

The nearby resort of Beaver Creek is owned by Vail Resorts. Mellower (and less busy) than its big cousin, Beaver Creek consistently tops the charts for its classy atmosphere, its impeccable grooming, and its top-notch ski school.

The resort hotels are luxurious here, too — and we’ve got one of the very best.
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek is a quick gondola ride away from the slopes. We’ve got five relaxing nights here, giving you enough time to connect with an incredible group of new friends from across North America and beyond.

Space on this trip is limited.

Sunday January 14 to Friday January 19, 2022
Four -- Monday through Thursday
Base of Beaver Creek | gondola connection to lifts
Recommended for all skill levels
$1999 per person
We reserve the right to cancel, reschedule, or make changes in the trip itinerary as a result of weather or safety considerations or as otherwise deemed necessary or advisable. If your trip is cancelled or rescheduled due to weather, snow, or mountain conditions, or circumstances beyond our control, you will receive a partial credit toward a future trip. All trip credits may be applied to any trip in the SKI BUMS future. There is no expiration date.

SKI BUMS is not responsible for the cost of any additional expenses that you may incur as a result of trip rescheduling or cancellation (airline ticketing fees, etc.).

To use a credit for a future deposit or payment, please
contact us directly.
Through November 1, you may cancel your spot at any time and receive a full refund. After November 1, the following cancellation fees apply:

For cancellations received from November 2 - December 31, $1000 fee. After January 1st, 2018: no refund.

In order to obtain our bulk group discounts, we must agree to a very strict cancellation policy. It's the nature of group travel. Think of your SKI BUMS booking as you would an airline reservation; even we find someone to take your place,
the cancellation fees still apply.

If you buy travel insurance, you can still receive a refund for a cancelled SKI BUMS trip.

To cancel your SKI BUMS trip, click here >
Buy travel insurance. We cannot stress this enough.

A travel insurer can provide a refund even when SKI BUMS cannot. In the circumstance that you need to cancel your trip because of work or health reasons, you should purchase travel insurance within 30 days of your initial trip deposit.

Even if you purchase travel insurance after this date, some coverage is much better than no coverage at all. Our cancellation policy is strict, and after cancellation fees kick in, a travel insurer may be your only chance for a full refund.

There are many travel insurers, and policies are very affordable. We especially recommend
travelinsured.com, and suggest you add the sports package to cover skiing & snowboarding activity.
$1999 USD per person, for double occupancy

-- additional options --

$1000 USD supplement for single occupancy 
$1000 deposit due at sign up

$999 Balance due 14 days after deposit |
To pay your balance online, click here >

These are the dates for those who sign up today. Pricing and payment dates may change for those who sign up at a later date, if space remains. Late payments are subject to a 5% late-payment fee. It is up to you to submit your payments on time. You may always pay early.
You may pay with any major credit card, cash or check.
Your trip includes a four day pass for Vail Resorts.

Note:
If you hold the Vail Resorts Epic Pass -- or if you or your travel partner do not ski or snowboard -- or if we can remove the lift tickets from our package. Indicate “I do not need a lift pass” at signup, and you’ll receive a $400 discount on your initial trip payment.
About a month before we travel, all participants will submit a Travel Portfolio, where we'll collect your flight information, dietary restrictions, roommate requests, emergency contact info, skill level, and other pertinent details. We'll email everyone and post the link here when it's time to submit it.
SKI BUMS designs our season for all levels of skiers and snowboarders, but we make specific recommendations for each trip. On ALL SKI BUMS trips, we begin by dividing into skill level groups so you can identify those who enjoy the same terrain that you do.

See how our groups work >

We recommend this trip for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.

VAIL is one of the most well-loved ski resorts in the world for this reason: it has something to offer for everyone. The beginner and intermediate areas are expansive, with top-to-bottom runs that reward your endurance. Intermediate and advanced skiers and riders always fall in love with the Blue Sky Basin area, which offers its own playground of undulating hills and evergreen groves. No two runs there are ever the same. For advanced skiers and boarders, Vail’s infamous seven “back bowls” are a must-see. These huge valleys are an exceptionally great place to spend a powder day!

BEAVER CREEK is generally more mellow, with a higher percentage of beginner and intermediate terrain, and some especially good learning areas for those who are still polishing their turns. But it’s also home to one of the greatest expert runs in the world, Birds of Prey, a super-steep runway that forms an exhilarating course for annual World Cup ski races. Like Vail, Beaver Creek offers excellent variety for skiers and boarders of all skill levels.

Contact us to discuss how this trip compares to skill levels of other SKI BUMS trips >
We’ve planned our trip to finish just as the big weekend of Aspen Gay Ski Week begins; some participants will drive (or take a shuttle transfer) to Aspen on Friday morning.

As for additional nights and accommodations at our hotel, SKI BUMS trip leaders are happy to offer
advice, but we cannot book additional nights for you, and we will not be on hand to offer travel assistance beyond the official dates of our itinerary.

To extend your stay at the Westin, book your own independent reservation for any additional nights you desire. We will request for you to remain in the same room during our stay, but SKI BUMS cannot offer discounted rates beyond our Sunday through Friday stay.

For more discussion about trip extensions -- and to see if others would like to join you -- join the discussion on our Facebook group >
Air transportation is not included. Read these recommendations closely before buying airfare. 

Vail-Eagle (EGE) is the airport we recommend for this trip. If you'd prefer to fly into Denver and drive (or take a shuttle), be sure to allow extra travel time for traffic (although you'll be going against the normal traffic flow!). 

PLANNING YOUR AIR TRAVEL

You'll want to be smart about buying your airfare, keeping our itinerary and potential winter weather delays in mind. We recommend waiting until late October to purchase your flight, after the airlines add more flights to the January schedule. View the flight schedule to / from EGE >

RECOMMENDATIONS | ARRIVAL: to make sure you don't miss our meet & greet, please plan to arrive in EGE by 3 PM. It's about a 45-minute ride from the airport to Beaver Creek Village, and ideally, you'll want to give yourself some time to rest, hydrate, eat dinner, pick up rentals, etc. before our 8 PM gathering. | DEPARTURE: Friday is a travel day; book your flight at whatever time seems best for you, but keep this in mind: ground transfers usually pick up at our hotel about 3 hours before your flight time. Translation: an early departure makes for a very early alarm clock.

Some participants may choose to stay in Colorado through the end of the weekend; our trip finishes just as the big events of Aspen Gay Ski Week are underway. See “Trip Extensions,” below.

- - - - - - - - -

Connect with the other BUMS on Facebook if you'd like to coordinate travel with others.
It's about a 45-minute drive from Vail-Eagle Airport (EGE) to our hotel. About 3 weeks before the trip, contact Colorado Mountain Express to arrange your ground transfer and tell them SKI BUMS sent you. You should budget about $100 for a round-trip transfer. They also offer transfers from Denver, (about $200 round-trip). View rates >

Vail is arguably America’s most famous ski resort. Consistently named on nearly every list of America’s greatest resorts, it’s also one of the largest, with a gargantuan 5,289 skiable acres (2,140 hectares). There are three general areas here; the Front Side, the Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin, each with their own unique terrain features. The Back Bowls stretch seven miles (11km) across, offering up some of the world's most expansive powder skiing and riding. This is a resort where there's truly something for everyone, and even beginners can enjoy terrific terrain with gorgeous 360° views. 

At the base of the mountain, Vail’s two large village areas are overflowing with scores of shops, restaurants, galleries and gear outfitters; there’s a great mountain-town atmosphere here.

Located just a gondola ride away from our hotel, Beaver Creek offers up its own exciting adventure while avoiding many of the crowds that flock to Vail. It's classy in the best way, winning accolades for its grooming, and enjoying a lofty perch at #8 on Ski Magazine's list of the best North American ski resorts. It hosts annual World Cup ski races on its expert terrain, but offers excellent beginner and intermediate areas for adventurers of all skill levels.
SKI BUMS anticipates what you'll need to know, and when you'll need to know it. We email valuable pre-trip information to all our participants, in numbered Info Packs. You'll need to receive them and read them closely, so it's crucial that you've provided an email address to us that you check regularly. Gmail users: you need to take extra steps to see our emails.

Click here to view instructions >

The vast majority of our important trip info is located right here on this page.
Bookmark it!
Who's coming on the trip? Find out by joining our special SKI BUMS Vail & Beaver Creek Facebook Group. Whether you're simply curious about signing up or you're already on board, everyone's welcome to join this Facebook group. Feel free to invite friends, too -- it's a cool way to begin learning names of the skiers and boarders who you'll meet when we're in Italy! if you decide not to join us, we'll remove you from the group before the trip begins.

In advance of the trip, the BUMS use this group to share travel plans and coordinate meet ups for ground transfers. During and after the trip, they share pics and messages with one another. You'll see posts like "who's on the 1 PM flight into Vail Eagle?” and "who's up for fresh tracks tomorrow?"

Request to join the Vail & Beaver Creek Facebook group >
Of course, weather is impossible to predict, but SKI BUMS plans our trips with an eye on weather history. Traditionally, mid-January serves up ideal conditions at Vail and Beaver Creek. Big snowfalls are common. When Vail’s famous back bowls fill up with dry Colorado powder, there are few greater ski experiences in North America.

View the historic snowfall patterns at Vail >
Our rooms are guaranteed after 4 PM on Sunday, January 14th. If you arrive earlier, the hotel can store your bags until your room is ready.

After checking in, you'll want to explore the village, get some grub, get acquainted and pick up any rental ski / snowboard equipment. There's a convenient ski and snowboard valet inside the hotel.
Our trip officially begins with a 8 PM meet & greet welcome reception at our hotel. You won't want to miss this; you'll get your lift passes, information about the week and meet your fellow Colorado BUMS!
This trip has a minimum of 20 participants and a maximum of 45 participants. If we fail to meet our minimum number of registered participants by 60 days before the trip, the trip may be cancelled.
+ Four-day adult lift tickets for Vail Resorts (you may remove our lift tickets)
+ Five night stay at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek
+ Complimentary access to the hotel spa and dedicated ski valet
+ Two multi-course dinners
+ Welcome reception
+ Complimentary exclusive official trip t-shirt
+ Complimentary hotel shuttle transportation to / from Beaver Creek and Vail villages

+ A daily itinerary of guided activities, terrain recommendations and and hosted events
+ Up-to-the-minute trip updates, delivered to your mobile phone
+ Trip organization, guidance and assistance from two SKI BUMS professional trip leaders

+ Air transportation
+ Ground transfers to / from the airport
+ Ski and snowboard equipment rental
+ Most meals, alcoholic drinks

+ Travel insurance (very highly recommended)
+ Sunday, January 14: Arrive at our hotel and check-in

+ Monday through Thursday: Ski & ride Vail and Beaver Creek resorts

+ Friday, January 19: Check out and depart for home (or your next destination)
Our trip leaders design an itinerary that gives you the best way to explore the terrain and get to know your fellow BUMS. We send out a daily itinerary, with additional up-to-the-minute text-message announcements for all participants.

The on-mountain adventure begins bright and early on Monday. We divide into skill level groups that help you identify the other skiers and snowboarders who enjoy the same terrain that you do, and then we divide and conquer the mountain! Learn about our skill level groups. >

Each day, the itinerary will name a meet up time and place each morning to get things started. We expect to ski and ride at Beaver Creek on Tuesday and Vail on Wednesday; we’ll adapt for Thursday and Friday based on weather / conditions. We always gather as a big group for lunch, and toast to the end of each day with après-ski... before hitting the hotel's hot tubs! 

In general, you'll spend most of the day in a smallish group of four or five skiers or boarders. You and your group will set your own pace, and it's common to mix it up with a few different groups throughout the week. This is your vacation, so you're always free to break away and do your own thing.

For three of our evenings, we'll dine together at some of the areas best restaurants (see "Meals," above). Two of those dinners are prepaid. The BUMS who take our trips to Vail and Beaver Creek are here to ski and board, first and foremost -- and after a hard-charging day on the mountain, you'll sink into our plush hotel beds for a very good night's sleep!

Thursday night is our night to stay out and celebrate and toast the end of a fantastic vacation!

Learn more about how SKI BUMS trips work >
You must have a cell phone that will work while we are in Colorado. It will need to be able to receive domestic SMS text messages, even when you are not on Wi-Fi.

Trip leaders send up-to-the-minute text message alerts with itinerary information, transportation pickup times, lunch locations, weather advisories, and more. Additionally, the other trip participants text one another to coordinate their plans on the mountain.

View our communications guide for important information >
On the mountain: you should arrive in Colorado with all your skiing & snowboarding apparel. SKI BUMS requires our trip participants to wear helmets while skiing & riding. See our helpful guide, How to Dress for the Mountain, for suggestions. The Vail valley has many, many gear & apparel shops, but prices will be a bit elevated, so pack wisely.

Off the mountain: all our events are casual dress. As you can pretty easily see, the BUMS are a casual, laid-back crowd; we aren't flashy. Be yourself, and be comfortable -- just as you would on any skiing / snowboarding trip.

A few vital packing tips:

+
Pack your skiing and snowboarding apparel in your carry on bag. Delayed luggage can arrive three days late; you won't want to have to buy all new stuff to make it onto the mountain.
+ Be sure to pack
winter wear shoes with a good tread; expect snowy, icy streets.
+ Don't forget
sunscreen for the high-altitude UV exposure, and a swimsuit for the pool.

Read our helpful tips on how to pack your gear for a skiing / snowboarding trip >
SKI BUMS detailed trip itineraries are designed to be viewed on any smart phone. Additionally, our trip leaders send up-to-the-minute alerts that you'll receive on your phone via SMS text messaging. It allows us to keep you in the loop and make smart adjustments based on the weather. View one of the daily itineraries from our 2015 trip >

For this reason, you MUST have a cell phone that will work while we're in Colorado.

IMPORTANT INFO
: View our communications guide >
We limit the number of participants for all SKI BUMS trips. This trip will sell out.

Signing up is simple. You'll simply provide your information, then proceed to payment.

After we've received your signup & payment, you'll receive an
confirmation via email that you're registered for the trip.

GMAIL users: please be sure to check your Promotions Tab for our emails, and learn how to adjust Gmail's filters >
Our trip includes two multi-course gourmet dinners at stylish, delicious restaurants, including the award-winning Maya Restaurant within our hotel. The cost of food is included; you’ll simply pay for whatever you drink. Breakfasts are not included; our hotel offers casual “grab & go” or sit-down dining each morning.

For our lunches, we'll have suggested restaurants for you to connect with the other BUMS each day. The on-mountain food is tasty here, but chances are good that you’ll remember the views more than whatever you had for lunch!

No trip to Beaver Creek is complete without their famous afternoon treat: the resort serves up homemade
chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa slope-side.


We are happy to arrange roommates for you. Typically, half of our participants ask us to match them up with a roommate. We'll ask a few easy questions and accommodate your preferences.

If you prefer your own room, you may select a single occupancy. We collect the single occupancy supplement when you sign up (View "Pricing & Payment" below). Please note: there are only a small number of single occupancy slots available. Single occupancies tend to sell out very quickly.
Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa at Beaver Creek

We've got an excellent hotel for our adventure in Colorado. Named the top ski resort hotel in North America by Conde Nast Traveler, this luxurious resort hotel has its own gondola to the slopes of Beaver Creek, and a complimentary shuttle to Vail Village. It’s a sprawling complex with an award-winning spa, a delicious on-site restaurant with a celebrity chef, pool, hot tubs, fitness center / gym, and the supremely comfortable Westin Heavenly Bed in our well-appointed rooms.

This is a
fantastic hotel, as you’ll see from the raves on Trip Advisor. if you’d like to bring a friend or travel partner who doesn’t ski or snowboard, the creature comforts of our lodging would make a wonderful escape of its own. (We can easily remove the lift tickets from the package).

Learn more about the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa >
Cars aren't necessary while we're in Colorado. Our hotel offers complimentary shuttles to Vail and Beaver Creek village, and there's an excellent system of public buses which serves the entire Vail Valley. If you'd prefer to drive, the hotel offers paid parking.
Vail is so big that it stretches across multiple maps — the Front Side, the Back Bowls, and Blue Sky Basin. Beaver Creek is smaller, but no less fun! Here’s the Beaver Creek trail map.
Vail and Beaver Creek are excellent resorts for instruction, with top-notch ski and snowboard schools at both areas. If you'd like to take a private lesson, you’d be wise to book at least two weeks in advance. If you’d like to take a group lesson, we recommend waiting until we arrive in Colorado to coordinate potential groups with other participants at your same skill level.

For lesson planning, see the
daily itinerary plan below.

About half of our participants will rent skis or snowboards. We do NOT recommend reserving equipment in advance; despite the chance to save some money, it often locks you into a particular rental shop that may not have the specific gear you'd prefer to use.

Instead, we'll encourage you to arrive at our hotel with enough time to shop around and pick up gear that suits you. We’ll highlight a few gear shops that are among the best in the area.
If you're new to the group or haven't joined us in a long time, click here to see how things work >
Want to see the SKI BUMS around the world who love the mountains as much as you do? When you post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, use the hashtag #skibums!
We've got lots of inside advice for those who are taking their first SKI BUMS trip. Click here >
IMPORTANT NOTE: we do not permit skiers and snowboarders to arrange their own lodging and join our events without setting up a Custom Trip and pre-paying for our guided events and group meals. Custom Trip spaces are very limited. Contact us here to set up a Custom Trip >