Granby Ranch hosts thousands of guests during our winter season. Many of those guests are first-timers or newcomers to the sport, so understanding what you might need for a ski trip can be daunting.  

We’ve created this guide to help anyone who is planning their trip feel at ease when booking tickets, rentals, or lessons. Read on and feel confident in your choices! 

Step 1: Pick your dates and plan your arrival 

The Granby Ranch winter season is typically from Thanksgiving to the end of March or beginning of April. Early season conditions may exist if you visit earlier in the season, which means a more limited amount of trails open or some thinner coverage on trails.  

Visiting during holiday periods, like over Christmas break and New Years, President’s Day Weekend, and Spring Break are going to be our busiest times of the year.  

Getting to Granby Ranch is relatively easy! Fly into the Denver International Airport, and from there you have a few options. You can rent a car and drive to GR, take the Amtrak train to the Granby Station and then get the Granby Connect shuttle, or take the Bustang service which drops you off in town.  

Granby Ranch does not own or manage any lodging facilities. However, on our property are many condos, townhomes, and single family homes on 3rd party sites. You can check out some of the lodging here or use your preferred 3rd party site to search for lodging.  

Step 2: Evaluate skill level in your party 

Now that you know when you’re coming and where you’re staying, it’s time to start planning your skiing! If you have multiple people in your party, take time to think about or ask them what their skill level is. Are they skiing or riding for the first time in their life? They probably should take a lesson to understand the basic mechanics of the sport. Skiing and riding are sports that take time to learn and getting the fundamentals from a trained ski instructor will help you develop a love of skiing! 

Here are a few types of lessons we offer that might be good for people in your party: 

Skiing or Riding for the first time ever: Beginner Basics  

It’s been a while since they skied and want a refresher: AM Group Lesson 

A family that wants to learn all together: Friends and Family Private 

An intermediate skier that wants to hone their technique: Quick Tips 

If you are taking a lesson, know that rentals are included in your lesson! You will be sized for your rentals in person by Ski and Ride School. If you are taking a group lesson or certain types of private lessons, add the Lesson Lift Ticket Add On, which will be your ticket for the day. Beginner Basics and Quick Tips Lessons must purchase a full day ticket. 

Step 3: Add your lift tickets 

If you aren’t taking lessons, you’ll need to get your Day Tickets or Lift Packs, based on how many days you want to ski. If you have already bought a Season Pass, you can skip to the rentals section! 

If you are only skiing for one day, a Day Ticket will be the best option. Purchase the day ticket online ahead of your arrival for the best price. Day tickets include night skiing if you are visiting us on a Saturday or Sunday when night ski is held.  

Planning to ski for 2 or 3 days? A Lift Pack will be the best option. We offer an Unlimited Lift Pack which has no blackout dates or a Basic Lift Pack which does have blackout dates. Lift Packs do not have to be used for consecutive days!  

Step 4: Add your rentals 

Flying with gear can be hard, but Granby Ranch does offer rental packages for the day or for multiple days. Our ski rental packages include Skis, Boots, Poles, and a Helmet. Snowboard Rentals include Snowboard, Boots, and a Helmet. Simply select the first day you are skiing as the start of your rentals, select how many days you want to keep the rentals, and select how many packages you require by age category and discipline.  

For example, if two people are skiing, ages 8 and 35, for 2 days, you would select the following: 

Starting rentals on February 1, 2 days, 1 Ski Rental Package – Adult, and 1 Ski Rental Package – Junior.  

Remember – rentals must be used consecutively! If you have a two day rental, you must use them two days in a row. 

Step 5: Check if there are any events or other offerings you want to add 

We host lots of fun events throughout the season that you may want to participate in! We host Ski with a Patroller Day, Rail Jams, and Uphill Races, just to name a few!  

We also understand that not everyone wants to ski! We host Jewelry and Flower Workshops, as well as cross country Nordic lessons, snowshoe tours, and scenic snowcat tours.  

Don’t forget to add Easy Money Resort Credit to make it easy to use for purchases at retail and select food locations.  

Step 6: Checkout 

Now that you’ve added any lessons or rentals you might need, your tickets, and any add ons, you can checkout! Make sure you have added an RFID card for each person in your party if you don’t have one already. 

Finish the checkout process and finish the customer profiles for each person in your party. This includes adding a photograph and signing waivers.  

When you arrive to Granby Ranch, get your RFID card printed and you’ll be ready to ski and ride! 

Granby Ranch Ski Resort offers the perfect blend of adventure, family-friendly atmosphere, and stunning mountain views, making it an unbeatable destination for your next trip. Planning your trip can be daunting, but our independent and non-commercialized resort make it easy. Plus, our helpful team of Guest Services representatives are here, and they can be reached at (888) 850-4615 if you have any further questions. 

See you on the slopes soon!