High alpine bowl-riding in Colorado remains one of the best parts of the skiing and riding experience. Several ski areas and resorts offer some version of bowl skiing in the state, excluding Silverton’s experience.

Whether the bowl is thousands of vertical feet or a few hundred, sliding down snow in these zones is second-to-none.

From slopes facing any of one of four directions, bowl skiing has a different feel, experience and flavor at these ski areas and resorts:

Worth the hike:

Highland Bowl – Aspen Highlands

If you want backcountry-style skiing and riding in-bounds in this northeast facing bowl, it is worth every step of the 0.75-mile, 782-foot hike to the top. Topping out at 12,392 feet of elevation, Highland Bowl holds larger amounts of snow due to its elevation and its aspect. Being on a leeward face slope allows snow to accumulate larger totals.

Aspen Highlands’ location in the Elk Range in central Colorado has one benefit of being farther west. The wind doesn’t generally affect the snow as much as ski areas and resorts farther east, allowing the snow to lay more evenly and giving skiers and riders better powder snow conditions while in the bowl.

Recommend run(s): Boxcar or G-8 

Black Iron Bowl – Telluride

On the lower northern flanks of Palmyra Peak lays Black Iron Bowl, dumping skiers and riders into a northeast facing bowl of San Juan mountains powder snow. Topping out at 12,250 feet of elevation, Black Iron Bowl, similar to Highland Bowl, is hike-to, holds leeward facing snow, and can be much deeper than terrain lower than it at Telluride Resort.

This bowl is shorter in vertical drop than some, but offers rocks outcroppings, steep chutes and powder stashes before exiting into the easier terrain of Prospect Bowl

Recommend run(s): Dihedral Chute

Largest amount of terrain:

Back Bowls – Vail

Where does one begin when you have nearly half of Vail Mountain set up in bowl form in front of you? Topping out at 11,455 feet of elevation, Vail’s Back Bowls are exactly as the resort claims, “Legendary.” But some aspects and trails are better than others, particularly since they all face south in some fashion.

The two original bowls, Sun Up and Sun Down, hold good snow in the southeast facing slopes generally more than the southwest facing slopes. The sun can melt the southwest facing slopes more during sunny days, then refreeze harder overnight making trails a bit more icy. However, during good storm cycles, each bowl loads up nicely and will ski or ride with fluffy snow into mid-March before snows become wetter and denser, creating a new bowl skiing experience all into itself. 

Recommended run(s): Aprés Vous (Sun Up Bowl), Sweet N’ Sour (China Bowl), Bolshoi Ballroom (Siberia Bowl)

Most playful terrain:

Copper and Spauldlng Bowls – Copper Mountain

Two different bowls, one same feeling — BLISS. Topping out at 12,441 feet of elevation, Copper Mountain is the starting point for Spaulding Bowl, which was added in 1985. This mostly-east-facing bowl fills in with leeward blowing snow and is the higher of the two. Although shorter runs exist on its slopes, Spaulding is very playful with the rock bands of the south-side trails and slightly scary steep with the north-side trails. 

Copper Bowl opened in 1994 and offers south facing, longer trails leading into Copper Creek and either the Blackjack or Mountain Chief chairs for return to the saddles between Union Peak and Copper Mountain. What makes Copper Bowl playful and unique is you can enter its trails right off the chairlifts or skate/hike out along the ridge toward Jacque Peak and drop in. The trails are a constant steepness from ridge to chairlift, with smatterings of rock bands, chutes, mini-golf lines (short runs) and moguls to enhance the playfulness with each line session.

Recommended run(s): Pacific Cornice (Spaulding Bowl), Schaefer’s (Copper Bowl)

Alpine Bowls – Keystone

Spanning across the highest reaches of Keystone’s three peaks — Independence Mountain, Keystone Peak and Wapiti Peak — are the resorts five bowls. Topping out at 12,614 feet of elevation, Keystone’s bowls face mostly west and are more than meets the eye, especially now that one of them has a high-speed chairlift accessing its terrain below. 

Independence Bowl is the highest bowl in elevation and is terrain that is hike-back-to-the-top, but can hold good snow days after storms due to the lower amounts of traffic in it.

The Bergman Express chairlift was added for the 2023-24 winter and gives access to some really nice tree skiing and riding in Bergman Bowl along with access to Independence and Erickson (a short hike to the entrance) bowls. 

Lastly, North and South Bowls — accessed via hiking between 1 to 2.25 miles at the top of the Outback zone — are hike-to specific bowls and hold even better snow, particularly North Bowl, making these two bowls very playful up top and even better in the trees lower on the trail. 

Recommended run(s): Liberty Trees (Independence Bowl), Ptarmigan (Bergman Bowl), Christmas Tree (North Bowl)

Parsenn Bowl – Winter Park

The view from the top of Parsenn Bowl at Winter Park Resort is second to Highland Bowl at Aspen Highlands, but offers up less steep terrain yet ample snow for playful laps. Topping out at 12,060 feet of elevation, Parsenn Bowl faces north and northeast, has open snow fields to skiers right and some of the most playful tree skiing and riding of any bowls in Colorado.

Winter Park can be windy above treeline due to its location near the Continental Divide, but with snow fences and ample snow, Parsenn Bowl has dry snow routinely and fills in well, making for skiing and riding bliss with views of Middle Park and Rocky Mountain National Park while you descend back into Parsenn Creek.

Recommended run(s): Juniper (open snow), Willy’s Way (trees)

Highest lift accessed terrain:

Imperial Bowl – Breckenridge

Standing atop the highest lift-accessed bowl — with a little hiking to the summit of Peak 8 — creates a euphoria only skiers, riders and mountain goats know. Topping out at 12,998 feet of elevation, Imperial Bowl holds great snow due to its east facing slopes which load in extra snow after westerly winds blow storms across Colorado.

Imperial has a straight down south face underneath the lift or hike-to terrain facing east that is steep, rowdy and creates feelings of wanting to show off for Warren Miller cameras.

Recommended run(s): Wacky’s Chute

Chair 9, 8 and 4 Bowls – Loveland

Similar to Breckenridge in elevation, the high alpine bowls at Loveland Ski Area face east and accumulate extra snow from westerly storms, making for great skiing and riding. Topping out at 12,700 feet of elevation, you can ski or ride from the Continental Divide back toward the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnels in sometimes wind effected snow, but often times some of the best snow along the Front Range.

Tree sections off Chair 8 (Zip Basin) point more southeast, but hold snow well too due to Loveland’s high elevation. Moguls will form as these bowls aren’t immensely long, however, skiing and riding the alpine here is top notch.

Recommended run(s): Castle Rock (Chair 9), Sunburst Bowl (Chair 4)

Montezuma Bowl – Arapahoe Basin

Zuma, Zuma, Zuma! Topping out at 12,472 feet of elevation, Montezuma Bowl is a west and southwest facing bowl at Arapahoe Basin and before the ski area acquired access to the terrain it was a backcountry skier’s and rider’s delight. It still is, however, and has probably the best south and southwest facing snow at Colorado’s resorts. 

Skiing and riding underneath the Montezuma chairlift is fast and kept groomed while the hike-to/hike-out terrain on the north side is riddled with rock bands and steeps, giving a challenge to all who venture out. Trees can be had on the south slopes and the coldest snow can be found there.

Recommended run(s): Jump