Club Activities

The club’s upcoming annual trip to Avalanche Ranch in the Crystal River Valley near Carbondale is just around the corner. The dates are October 6 – 9. We check in on Sunday after three (four PM for the Ranch House), and regretfully pack up and roll out Wednesday morning by 10:00 AM. The trip is full and we are all looking forward to more fun filled times of hiking through the fall colors and then soaking in the wonderful onsite hot spring pools. One even has views of Mt. Sopris that is often freshly dusted with snow. There are also ample opportunities for biking – both road and mountain. The Rio Grande Trail is paved and runs from Aspen to Glenwood Springs and can be accessed from Carbondale (across from City Market).

There will be plenty of opportunity for socializing during our nightly happy hours and our shared dinners. Everyone needs to remember to bring a bathing suit and snacks and beverages to share for the happy hours. All participants should have received their cabin assignments. The Ranch requires everyone to fill out the waiver on their website. It’s always good to have rain gear and different layers of clothing (including wool caps and gloves!) as days can still be quite warm and evenings mountain cool. I am coordinating this successful and fun trip again this year because everyone steps up and helps make it a fun memorable event.

If you think geology is fascinating but too technical, this is the program for you. Boulder’s rocks tell wild stories that include dinosaurs, glaciers, vast swamps, oceans and ancient mountain ranges now vanished into the dust of time. Join naturalist Dave Sutherland for an easy hike and a journey into Boulder’s past. The hike is 2 miles, 300 feet elevation gain.
Location: Meetup at NCAR parking lot. The address is 1850 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, CO 80305
Registration will open October 1 and the hike is limited to 15 folks.
You must register with Dorothy Cohen, the organizer. Please email see email on roster.

DECISION TIME: a paid reservation is needed for the guided tour. NO REFUNDS. The standard guided walking tour of one hour is $20.
For mor details i.e. time of tour, carpool and lunch, please contact me by email.
It is helpful to read the information on the website:
www.wolfeducation.org
Reservation deadline: October 10, 2024

You can’t do better than Crested Butte this winter, whether you are looking to downhill or cross-country ski. Crested Butte is the place for you! CB is a cross-country skier’s dream, with miles of groomed trails in town and many others in the vicinity. Crested Butte Mountain Resort (Mount Crested Butte) is a premier downhill resort that specializes in intermediate terrain with plentiful expert and easy terrain. Please join us for a great time in a great ski town. We will be staying in Crested Butte town at the Cristiana Guesthaus for 3 midweek nights January 14, 15, & 16 (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) with check out on Friday the 17th, 2025.
The trip cost includes an ample daily continental breakfast with homemade breakfast breads, mixed fresh fruit, juices (including fresh squeezed orange juice), granola and yogurt, HB eggs and oatmeal each morning. Lunches and dinners are on your own. There are no cross-country trail passes or downhill lift tickets included in the trip cost. The Nordic Center day pass is free for those 70+ and reduced for those 65-69. Lift tickets at Mt. Crested Butte are on the Epic Pass for downhill skiers. If you do not have that pass, you can still come – there are online discounts through Mt. Crested Butte to avoid the full ticket window price and FSC members have shared buddy passes.
Cost: $352.00 per person double occupancy. Single people wishing to room with someone else must find her/his own roommate.
$468.00 single occupancy (Queen)
Payment/Deadline: Non-refundable $50 deposit per person due after the October membership ski trip meeting until October 11. Final payment is due December 4th either at the meeting or by mail to the Paris’.
Checks: Make deposit and final payment checks out to the Flatirons Ski Club. Please write 2025 Winter Crested Butte in the note line.
Please call or e-mail Linda or Chris Paris with questions.

This will be the third time the club gets to enjoy the comforts of the Homewood Suites by Hilton in Steamboat Springs. The club has reserved twenty rooms, each with two queens for the nights of January 20 – 23, 2025. That is check-in Monday and check- out on Thursday the 23rd. Each room has a small fridge, and microwave The cost is the same as last time – $475 per person!
This is the nicest and closest accommodation to any ski resort the club has for this ski season. The free city run shuttle stops out the front door and across the street from the hotel. It runs three times an hour and drops you off where all the buses stop and near the escalators.
Homewood Suites provides a free hot breakfast. They also have an indoor pool and hot tub and a fitness center. The club typically has a happy hour every evening and a potluck feast the first night.
Sign-ups start at the October meeting with a $150 deposit and the balance due December 1. Please remember to get your payments in on a timely basis, or you may lose your spot! Please consider your trip leaders. It is no fun chasing down tardy payments.
If you have any questions, you can contact the hotel directly or Tom Cannon, the trip leader.

Snowy Range Ski Area is beautifully nestled within the scenic Medicine Bow National Forest in southeast Wyoming. There is downhill skiing as well as many trails for cross country skiing. It’s an easy drive with no mountain passes or tunnels to navigate and it’s only about 2 1/2 hours from Boulder!
We will stay at the rustic and charming Old Corral Hotel which is in Centennial WY (2750 Hwy 130). The Old Corral Hotel is only 4 miles away from the ski area, which is really convenient. The trip fee of $135 per person is based on double occupancy, and it includes 2 queen size beds, with mini fridge (microwaves in common area). The hotel is within a 5-minute walk to Mountain View Café or Bear Bottom Bar & Grill, very handy for dinner or breakfast.
There are usually few people skiing mid-week at Snowy Range and it’s a nice change of pace. Another really great thing is the price of the midweek day ticket (18-69yrs) is only $54 (weekday online purchase) and everyone 70+ is free! So please join us as we ski Snowy Range Ski Area, Wyoming, 2025.
Cost: $135 per person
Payments: ($35 on 10/2/24 and $100 on 12/04/24)
Please make checks payable to Flatirons Ski Club, put Snowy Range in the memo line.
For additional information, please contact

Snow Mountain Ranch in Fraser is a wonderful location for cross country skiing with miles of groomed trails. Snow Mountain Ranch offers snowshoeing, swimming, roller skating, arts & crafts, cross country skiing, and many other activities. Downhill skiing is located nearby at Winter Park, Mary Jane, and Granby Ranch. Cross country skiing also is available at Devil’s Thumb and other sites nearby to Snow Mountain Ranch. The accommodations include two reunion cabins with seven bedrooms. The trip fee includes use of most of the YMCA facilities, meals, and lodging. Trip attendees prepare the group meals at the cabins, and food is available to take for lunch. The trip fee includes SMR trail pass, meals, and lodging. If the two cabins are full and additional members want to join this trip, it may be possible to reserve lodge rooms for the overflow.
Cost: $160 per person
Payments: ($40 on 10/2/24 and $120 on 12/04/24)
Please make checks payable to Flatirons Ski Club, put Snow Mountain Ranch in the memo line.
For additional information, please contact

A great opportunity to enjoy a huge choice of trails on your doorstep in Vail, Colorado’s largest ski area, and Beaver Creek. The base villages have a European vibe, with good cafes and restaurants.
The Club has ten double occupancy rooms reserved for three nights at the Comfort Suites in Avon. Shuttle outside right in front of the reception building to Beaver Creek and connection available to Vail from the stop at the base of Beaver Creek. Vail shuttle drops at Lion’s Head or main village. Also, extras include free parking, outdoor hot tub, microwave and refrigerator, hot breakfast in the lobby each morning as well as cookies and soup provided in the afternoon. Gathering room for club potluck reserved for Monday night. A Club group dinner is planned for Tuesday night.
Cost: $395 per person for 3 nights.
Payment: $100 deposit at general meeting 10/2/24 or by mail 10/11/24, with the balance of $295 due by 12/14/24. Please make checks payable to Flatirons Ski Club, put Vail/Beaver Creek in the memo line.
Send mailed checks and trip form to Sue Bolton (address in club roster).

Please join us for our fourth combined Flatirons Ski Club trip to Monarch and Wolf Creek from February18 to 21 2025! We will have a three-night stay at The Baymont by Wyndham in Salida. You can travel to the ski area of your choice, Monarch Mountain, or Wolf Creek. Salida has many lovely restaurants to choose from for our dining pleasure. The drive to Monarch is less than 30 minutes up Highway 50 on Monarch Pass. Wolf Creek Ski area is two hours, mostly on a flat stretch of Highway 285. You can opt for either area depending upon snow conditions, and your driving preferences.

Our stay at The Baymont hotel will include:
* Spacious rooms with two comfortable queen beds;
* Continental breakfast + (with scrambled eggs);
* Room amenities include big-screen TV, desk/chair, mini-fridge, micro-wave, coffee/tea maker, hair dryers, and ironing board;
* Indoor swimming pool and hot tub; and
* Business center and laundry facilities.
Total cost per person for all three nights (double room occupancy) is $175. Deposit is $40.
Please give deposit checks to Donna Cooper at the October 2023 FSC meeting, Wednesday, October 2nd. A balance of $135 is due at the December 6th FSC meeting. If you cannot attend the FSC meetings, you can mail checks to Louise Geil. Single occupancy is $375 for 3 nights.

Cross-Country Skiers Note: Ther are 7 cross-country ski areas on Monarch Pass: Fosses Creek; Middle Fork Creek to Lost Wonder Hut; Waterdog Lakes, etc. Also, Browns Creek (midway between Salida and Buena Vista) is a flat easy area to navigate. Contact cross-country ski shops in Salida for more information.
A social gathering with appetizers will be held each night (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). Please bring your favorite appetizer to share. Paper products and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. BYOB if desired.
Day price for skiing at Monarch:
Adults (18-61 yrs old): $69 Tues, Wed, Thurs; higher pricing Fri – Sun.
Seniors (62-68 yrs old): $59 Tues, Wed, Thurs; higher pricing Fri-Sun
Super seniors (69 and older): Free with ID
There is a $5 charge at Monarch unless you have your ID card from last year. So, bring your ID card, if you have it, and your license verifying age!
Day price for skiing at Wolf Creek:
Adults (18-64 yrs old): $91; Seniors (65-79 yrs old): $60
80 yrs old and older: Free with ID

For many years, the Ski Club has sponsored a trip to the Fraser House, which is located north of Tabernash. It’s a large home, able to accommodate 18 people. Some are bunk beds. It’s a beautiful setting in a subdivision.
Downhillers can easily reach Winter Park, Mary Jane or Granby Ranch. Those who prefer Nordic skiing or snowshoeing have many choices: Snow Mountain Ranch, Devil’s Thumb, Colorado Experimental Forest, or the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, among other options. No lift tickets or passes are included in the price.
Protein main dishes will be provided on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and breakfasts will be available on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Makings for a sandwich and fruit lunch will also be provided. Participants are expected to bring 3 side dishes, salads or dessert (one for each dinner).
The total cost is $120 per person! Such a deal!
$25 holds your spot, with the balance due 1/8/25.
Make checks payable to Flatirons Ski Club and send them to me.

This trip is back in 2025, offering great skiing at Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Buttermilk. We will be lodging at the same hotel in Carbondale as last year.
Lodging: Comfort Inn & Suites
920 Cowen Dr
Carbondale CO 81623
Phone: (970) 963-8880
Location: The hotel is in Carbondale, approximately 36 minutes (28 mi) from Aspen/Snowmass and 3 1/2 hours from Boulder.
Web: https://www.choicehotels.com/colorado/carbondale/comfort-inn-hotels/co116
Cost: $310 per person for 3 nights OR $410 per person for 4 nights
Payments: $100 deposit (3 or 4 nights) on 10/2/24 (or 10/11/24 by mail) and balance of $210 (3 nights) or $310 (4 nights) at the general meeting Wed 1/8/25 or mailing also by 1/8/25 latest.
Ski lift tickets are available online. The IKON Pass is good at all areas as follows: IKON Base Plus Pass for 5 days, IKON Pass (full) for 7 days. You must reserve your days in advance with IKON online – it’s free. The IKON Base Pass is not valid here, so you must buy the add-on before it goes off-sale in December.
Includes:
•3 nights OR 4 nights lodging (2 queen beds per room)
•Each room has a microwave and refrigerator
•Breakfast bar each morning
•Use of meeting room for club potluck on Monday night
•Drive/carpool to ski areas
•Outdoor fire pit, indoor hot tub & pool
•City Market, shops and restaurants nearby

Please make checks payable to Flatirons Ski Club and put Aspen/Snowmass and 3 or 4 nights in the memo line. Mail check and completed trip form to me (address in roster).

Welcome! Please join us on the year’s final “mid-week” ski trip during the snowiest month of the year. This year we will be staying at the Columbine Inn & Suites located at 2019 North Poplar in Leadville just before getting to Safeway. The town is on Hwy 91 a half hour past Copper Mountain ski area.
Clean double queen rooms with fridge, private bath. I have negotiated access to their breakfast room for our happy hour for both evenings starting at 4:30 pm. The breakfast room and lobby have a microwave. Breakfast is classic continental.
Ski Cooper is different, in all the right ways! Soft all-natural snow, terrain variety for everyone, laid-back atmosphere, family-friendly vibe, great food & drinks, and reasonable prices. The FSC club uses a few lifts: you can see, be seen or change FSC groups all day. Very social! We meet for lunch at the only lodge on picnic benches at 12:30. Powder days happen every year, we do fresh tracks till late afternoon. It is very different from “Mega areas” to which you have been.
Let’s go “Retro Areas”! Drive 9 miles, 12 minutes from lodge to slopes.
Lift Tickets: Cooper is not on EPIC pass or IKON pass. Free for 75+ age. Loveland pass belongs to Powder Alliance which includes 3 free days here. Last year it was $30 for a lift or equipment or group lesson on certain days. The window price was $90. Cooper office is not open till November for prices, so this may not repeat.
Location Connections: some members ski on arrival or departure days at the following areas: Copper, A-Basin, Keystone, Vail or Beaver Creek
Cost: $190 for 2 nights
Deposit: $ 50 is due November 6th. Balance: $145 is due January 8th
Please make checks payable to Flatirons Ski Club and mail to: