Travelers heading to Colorado ski resorts Vail, Beaver Creek, Bachelor’s Gulch and Arrowhead face a choice of airports. The choice has inspired many a debate among frequent visitors to the area. Fly into Denver, and you skip the hassle of a connecting flight into Eagle County/Vail Regional Airport, but you’ve got to drive about two hours to reach any of the resorts. Fly into Eagle County/Vail directly, and you’ll only have to drive 30-45 minutes depending on your destination resort, but you risk becoming ensnared in the smaller airport’s more primitive customer service. Here’s my take:

When to choose Denver International Airport: If you’re heading to Vail for a brief trip from a city that doesn’t offer direct flights into Eagle County/Vail Regional, you’ll want to fly into Denver and either rent a car or contact a shuttle like Colorado Mountain Express ($73/person each way) to transport you to your final destination. Even if you have to throw down for the shuttle, flying into Denver makes sense for several reasons. First, you won’t risk missing your connecting flight, nor will you risk losing your luggage along the way. If you’re just going to be in Vail for a weekend trip, lost luggage could completely screw up your plans to hit the mountain. Weather and close connection times make it all too easy for luggage and flight mishaps to occur, and once you’ve been separated from your bags, it can take a while to get them back from the smaller regional airport (Trust me, I know this from personal experience. The folks at Eagle County/Vail Regional are not in a hurry to deliver your bags, and there is often just one delivery guy in charge of ferrying lost bags to different resorts all over the area). If lower tech airport amenities really bug you, you’ll also want to avoid Eagle County, which tends to have slower check-in service, luggage delivery and poorer food and beverage amenities than Denver.

When to choose Eagle County/Vail Regional Airport: If you’re staying in Beaver Creek or Bachelor’s Gulch, both of which are a good 15 minutes closer to the regional airport than Vail, and your trip is more than three days, flying into Eagle can make sense - but it really depends on how good a deal you get and whether you have to connect through Denver first. If you can fly directly to Eagle County/Vail Regional without having to connect through Denver, then you’re lucky, especially if the ticket is close to what you’d pay just to get to Denver. Shuttle transport to and from the airport on Colorado Mountain Express is $46/person each way to resorts in the Vail/Beaver Creek area, so you’ll want to take the added expense into account. For folks who have to connect through Denver, it probably only makes sense for you to fly into Eagle County/Vail Regional if you can find a ticket that costs less than what you’d pay just to fly to Denver and you aren’t planning on renting a car once you arrive. And keep in mind that flying into the closer airport won’t necessarily save you time in the long run. It will save you driving time, but you will have to leave your resort earlier to make a flight leaving Eagle County/Vail Regional and connecting through Denver than you would if you just drove or caught a shuttle to Denver.

The most famous coed grotto may be at Heff’s mansion, but the grotto at the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Avon, CO is just as much of a treat (minus the bunnies, of course). Located inside the luxury hotel’s gorgeous spa facility (which is well-worth a lengthy visit just for all the amenities in the private men’s and women’s locker rooms), the grotto is romantically lit rock-walled room whose piece de resistence is a swimming pool sized hot tub. A rushing flume of water tumbles from the wall into the pool at one end. Sitting underneath it feels almost as good as a back and shoulder massage from a pro. Almost. Rolled face towels packed with ice cubes and cucumber slices make for a refreshing break from the steaming water. It’s a divine way to unwind after carving turns on the mountain all morning. Oh, if only every day could be like this…

Whether you reach them by backcountry skiing in winter or hiking in summer, Vail’s network of mountain huts offer rustic, relatively inexpensive accommodations that get you away from the hubbub of the ritzy resort town below. And while rustic does mean rustic, some of the huts are equipped with self-service saunas (i.e. you build the fire), bunk beds, kitchens and wood-burning stoves. Some huts sleep as many as 20, while others are ideal for smaller groups or families with as few as three adventurers. Rates range from $18.75/person to $276 for an entire cabin.

I’m heading out to Vail today (yes! yes!), so I’ve got snow sports on the brain. When I saw CNN’s 5 Rookie Ski Trip Mistakes this morning, I knew I had to post it - and come up with a few suggestions of my own. If you’re new to skiing or snowboarding, here are five tips from the TravelPost.com Insider to ensure a good time is had by all:

1. Rent before you go. If you’re visiting a ski resort within driving distance of your home town, consider renting equipment before you leave instead of waiting to do it at the mountain. You’ll usually save a decent amount on rentals, and you won’t have to schlep through crowded rental lines on your first morning out. That can really kill momentum.

2. Wear a helmet. Too many people choose cute snow hats over protective helmets. When you’re learning to ski or snowboard, you will fall and, trust me, it hurts. Nothing quite botches up the learning process like a nice concussion.

3. Strike a balance with your gear. Try to find a happy medium between spending boatloads of cash on fancy gear you may never use again and taking the ultra stingy route, which can leave you shivering and hating the very sports you set out to learn. Any kind of waterproof shell pants over ample long underwear will work on your first day out - no need to spend $200 on hot looking pants. But do shell out for waterproof gloves, the right socks and a pair of long underwear.

4. Pace yourself. Many first-timers think they have to go nuts on the first day. It’s much, much easier to injure yourself when you start getting tired. Don’t feel bad about cutting out early and heading for the lodge. You can always hit the slopes another day - unless, of course, you’ve got a broken wrist.

5. Be independent. Tell your hotshot pals they can take their black diamond runs and shove them. At least until you gain more skill and confidence. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a new skiier or boarder swear off a just-burgeoning relationship with snow sports after being pushed into trying a run that was just too plain scary and difficult.

If there’s one accessory I’d suggest for any winter sports or outdoor enthusiast, it’s a set of two-way rechargeable radios like Motorola’s T6500R handhelds. Even if you only hit the mountain with one other person, they can be really useful if you ski/ride at different paces or prefer different terrain. If you need to take a sudden pee or beer break, no problem. If someone falls, help is just a Roger Dogder away. Having a set of these onhand also guarantees you’ll be able to reach the people you’re with when cell phones fail. And who really wants to be fumbling with a tiny cell phone on wet snow anyway?

Here’s a little accessory for those winter trips to visit Grandma in North Dakota: Spiky’s ice cleats are simple and easy to put on, but do a serious job of keeping you walking (instead of falling, slipping and sliding) across icy sidewalks, driveways and other such surfaces. They’re a nice option for travelers who need to conserve space in their suitcases. They may not provide the warmth of bulky snow boots, but they’ll take up a fraction of the space inside your luggage.

Aspen’s Sky Hotel is offering a Winter Ski Package that includes a daily lift ticket for two and overnight accommodations in one of the hotel’s posh rooms starting at $319/night (three night minimum, four night maximum stay required). The 90-room hotel offers ski in, ski out access, as well as an outdoor heated pool, spa services, free wi-fi throughout the property, complimentary evening wine receptions in the lobby, a fitness center and onsite ski rentals.

To see the deal’s value, consider the fact that an all-day adult lift ticket for Aspen Snowmass will cost you $82/day. This package comes with two lift tickets for each day of your stay, meaning you’re getting your accommodations for $125/night (or at least that’s how I like to think of it). Not too shabby for Aspen.

Have you stayed at the Sky Hotel? Review it for us!

The story below offers some decent tips on getting that ski or snowboarding vacation for less. Avid skiers and snowboarders will probably already know most of them, but the suggestions - like planning ahead to find lift ticket package deals and being willing to ski out West at the end of the season instead of in the middle - are good reminders for those who visit ski resorts less often.

While we’re at it, I’ve got a snowboarding tip of my own for you. When purchasing snowboarding clothing, consider getting pants that are a size larger than you normally would. While many snowboarding pants are made to be baggy, sometimes that extra room gets lost when you pile on long underwear, etc. When you’re on the slopes, few things are worse than having snowboarding pants that are too tight (trust me, I know this from experience). It’s not only uncomfortable, but it restricts your range of motion and overall mobility.

When you try pants on, ask yourself - can I reasonably fit long underwear or fleece liner pants underneath these in cold weather? Can I sit down and hug my knees to my chest comfortably in these?

If the answer is yes, you’re good to go. If you feel the pants riding up in the store, you better believe they are going to do the same thing on the mountain.

How to Save Big on Your Winter Ski Trip

The Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa in Santa Fe is offering a Ski Resort Package that includes two nights accommodations, two adult lift tickets and a full breakfast for two each day of your stay. Package rates start at $289 and go up depending on the room (i.e. an oversized king room with balcony, fireplace and great view is going to cost more than a traditional king room). That’s not bad when you consider that an all day adult lift ticket at Ski Santa Fe costs $51. The catch? Ski Santa Fe is about 15 miles from Bishop’s Ranch Resort, so you’re getting a deal for the inconvenience of driving to and from the slopes each day.

Those of you lucky enough to be heading to warmer climes this winter can ditch those bulky beach towels. The Lightload Towel is ultra light, ultra absorbent and completely biodegradable. Towels arrive in a compact size no larger than the palm of your hand, but reach a full size of 12″ x 24″ once expanded. You can reuse towels and throw them in the wash, or you can chuck them after you’re done. A great solution for camping, beach trips, messy outdoor activities (mountain biking on muddy trails, anyone?), mopping up the family dog, you name it. And they’re cheap. A 3-pack is $6. You can also buy 100 for $100.