The Best Places to Skibike in Colorado

Whether you ride a snow bike, a skibike, a snow cycle, or a ski bob, you're always looking for fun on the slopes. Skibikes aka snow bikes, have been popular in Europe since 1949 but until recently have only enjoyed intermittent success in North America. Due to recent technical advances, ski bikes are now enjoying a resurgence in the USA.

Some ski resorts have been slow to catch onto this trend and ban this potential source of revenue. Progressive ski areas have embraced them and are expanding into new frontiers. In Colorado, more resorts are taking notice. So what are the best places to skibike in Colorado?

Winter Park Resort
All of Winter Park's slopes are now unrestricted for skibikes. Winter Park started offering ski bike programs four years ago. They have recently expanded their program to the largest of its kind in the state. Winter Park offers night-time snowcycle tours, daytime skibike lessons, and full and half-day ski bike rentals to licensed skibikers. It's rental & lesson fleet includes Brenter snowbikes, K2 snowcycles, and Lenz Sport Alpine Brawlers, and Launches.

Once you've taken a lesson, earned your skibike license, and ready for more action, show your pass at the Winter Park Resort Rentals West Portal location. Depending upon your type of license you can rent either a ski bob or one of the full-suspension peg skibikes. If you are looking for some extreme action, earn your peg license. Skibikes are not allowed in terrain parks at Winter Park. For more information on Winter Park's program call them at 970.726.1554. http://www.winterparkresort.com/todo/resortactivities/winteractivities/ski_bikes.htm

Keystone Resort
Until recently, Keystone had the largest skibike program in Colorado. Once you have taken a lesson and earned your license, you have open access to Keystone's slopes and terrain parks. Keystone offers lesson and rentals for skibikes and slopecycles. The slopecycle rentals are only open to intermediate to advanced skiers and riders. Call 800-354-4386 for more information and make reservations.

Durango Mountain Resort
Durango Mountain Resort is the powerhouse of skibiking in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. They offer skibike lessons, rentals, and open access to their slopes once you have earned your skibike license. The license must be shown to board a ski lift. They sponsor ski bike festivals and invite ski bike manufacturers to have demo days at their resort.

Copper Mountain Resort
Ski bobs have unrestricted open access to all of Copper's bountiful runs. Copper does not offer lessons or rentals but you can rent bikes or have guided tours through Front Range Snowbikes. Hit the half pipe, go drop some cornices, get ready for extreme fun. The terrain park is fair game at Copper Mountain. Don't miss the upper alpine bowls.

EDIT: Copper Mountain now BANS peg ski bikes as of the 2010-11 ski season.

Arapahoe Basin
Skibikes have unrestricted open access to all of laid-back A-Basin's runs. A-Basin does not offer lessons or rentals but the entire mountain and its terrain parks are open for your riding pleasure. Warm up on runs on the front face and then get ready for some fun. You can see the skibiking in action at A-Basin at Lenz Sport's website You can rent Brenter ski bikes through Front Range Snowbikes.

Other Colorado places that allow ski biking in various forms are:

• Snowmass - pegs and bobs have open access, ski bikes not allowed inside ski shuttle buses
• Telluride - open access, lessons, rentals, permit required.
• Steamboat Ski Resort - open access, no terrain park or half-pipe access. Skibobs & peg skibikes starting in the 2012-13 ski season.
• Buttermilk - restricted access.
• Eldora Mountain Resort - Ski bobs and peg ski bikes are permitted as of the 2011-12 season. Leash required on the lift.
  
• Vail - guided night ski bike tours only. Adaptive with permit.
  

Skibiking is banned at:
Sol Vista at Granby Ranch
Breckenridge Ski Resort - adaptive permitted
Monarch Mountain - adaptive permitted
Loveland Ski Area - adaptive permitted
Echo Mountain

More on information on skibikes:

An Introduction to Ski Bikes and Board Bikes

Buyer's Guide to Ski Bikes: What's Important?

How to Ride a Traditional "foot ski" Ski Bike

Sources:

http://www.lenzsport.com/
http://daysailer1.com/
http://americanski-bike.org/
http://www.winterparkresort.com/todo/resortactivities/winteractivities/ski_bikes.htm
http://www.koskisnowsports.net /
Steamboat Ski Area - personal communication
Monarch Mountain - personal communication
A-Basin - personal experience
Copper Mountain - personal knowledge & experience
Winter Park Resort - personal knowledge & experience
Loveland Ski Area - personal communication
Echo Mountain - personal communication