Take the “Ski Train” to the Colorado Rockies – and experience three different excursions for the price of one

Three vacations for the price of one: This is what Colorado has to offer, where you can enjoy a ski vacation, a train adventure and a city break all in one trip.

After flying in and staying at Denver’s elegant Crawford Hotel in historic Union Station, embark on one of the most scenic train rides in the world, the Winter Park Express in the Rocky Mountains.

With a whoosh, hiss and jingle of bells on your first morning, you’re on your way quickly, rattling west into the snow-capped peaks on a train full of skiers and snowboarders eager to make the most of America’s best slopes.

It’s a 56-mile journey that climbs 4,000 feet to a peak of 30,000 feet, along freight roads and through sleepy suburbs and dramatic red rock canyons.

What a brilliant way to get to the Rockies – although the service has a rocky past.

Since the 1940s, Winter Park Resort has been a popular ski destination thanks to its excellent “Ski Train,” which runs from January to March and carries about 300 passengers on the two-hour ride.

But in the 1960s, sheriffs had to be called in to calm rowdy youths, and in the decades that followed, heavy snowstorms caused high-profile delays.

The situation reached its peak in 2009, when trains broke down due to rising maintenance costs.

Since the 1940s, Winter Park Resort has been a popular hangout for skiers thanks to its excellent “ski train” (pictured), Tom writes, adding that it’s open from January to March.

But the legendary locomotive is back, many on board are already dressed for the slopes and plan to go straight from the wagons to the ski lifts.

It’s an uplifting, wonderfully relaxing and completely peaceful experience with lots of winter sports camaraderie.

The slopes at Winter Park are excellent and suitable for all skill levels, although those who don’t enjoy whizzing down the mountains will find plenty of ways to relax at this most laid-back of resorts.

Tom notes that the slopes in Winter Park (pictured) are “excellent and suitable for all skill levels.”

“What strikes you immediately is the down-to-earth nature of the whole thing,” says Tom of Winter Park

GOLD FASTEST CITIES – BECOME CELEBRITY MAGNETS

Rich choice: historic center of Aspen

• BRECKENRIDGE: A lively resort with excellent skiing for all levels. A free gondola connects the slopes to the bustling town with its famous Gold Pan Saloon, which pays homage to the town’s 19th-century gold rush heritage (breckenridge.com).
• esp: Aspen is home to Gucci, Prada and Rolex stores and a magnet for celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Kendall Jenner and Jack Nicholson. The main slopes span four mountains (aspensnowmass.com).
• Telluride: The city is tucked away in southwest Colorado. Expect old-fashioned bars, independent fashion shops, great ski slopes and free mountain-to-town gondolas (telluride.com)

What’s immediately striking is the down-to-earth nature of the whole thing, without the glitz and glamor (or the exorbitant prices) of St. Moritz, Courchevel 1850 or Gstaad in the Alps.

Dolly Parton plays over loudspeakers in town, restaurants serve pizza, hamburgers and bowls of hot chili, and skiers drink beer at Doc’s Roadhouse Bar, where live sports are broadcast constantly on multiple screens.

Every now and then the sound of locomotives heading for San Francisco reverberates through the valley – a strangely soothing sound reminiscent of the old days of the American West, when settlers took the railroad to a new life beyond the Rocky Mountains to start.

Before heading to Winter Park, a few nights in Denver will help you acclimate to the altitude—Denver is the Mile High City, after all.

The Crawford Hotel is perfect for exploring the vibrant, renovated LoDo (Lower Downtown) district, home to cheerful craft beer bars, chic restaurants and the world-famous Rockmount cowboy accessories store, a favorite over the years with the likes of Elvis and Bob Dylan wash. and Eric Clapton.

For sale are beaver fur hats, decorative button-down shirts and cowboy boots.

Before hitting the slopes, Tom explores Denver (pictured) and its revitalized LoDo district

Tom checks into the Crawford Hotel, located in Denver’s historic Union Station

Colorado, with its many former gold and silver mining towns, has retained the flavor of its Wild West past – with its rich association with cowboys, people still wear traditional clothing when going about their normal activities. And with three trips for the price of one, Denver is a real USA bargain.