I used to ride that train when I was a kid. It, and Winter Park, were the best.

Just about 21 years ago to this day, I stayed overnight in a non-AYH hostel in Boulder. I was George Washington's Birthday weekend, IIRC. I walked to a Safeway and bought a discount lift ticket to Eldora. The next morning, I walked down to the bus depot and boarded the bus to Eldora, along with dozens of kids. I think a lot of Boulder's parents were taking a day off from their kids. After spending the day at Eldora, I got back on the bus and went back to my stately hostel.

No car, no muss, no fuss. The weekend before, I had done the same thing in Salt Lake City. I wish I could do that here (DC).

When I see the stories about parents being arrested / threatened / harassed for their free-range kids it blows my mind. I used to walk 8 blocks to kindergarten by myself, rode the train to Winter Park, rode that bus to Eldora, rode my bike all over the countryside, played unsupervised down by the creek....

otoh they were early pioneers in snow-making (had to be) so I wonder how much of that is Mother Nature's.

$89 is nutty though. I remember when Vail was $7. Those were the days.