How is the drive out to the ski slopes in winter? Monarch is probably the closest to Pueblo and Springs, so that looks like home base. I got in the habit of taking Fridays off in the winter to beat the weekend rush, and do that two or three times a month. Is the drive up through Salida decent? I have a rear-wheel-drive pickup with cable chains and the usual assortment of shovel, blankets, water, etc. in the backseat.

Is there a way around Denver to get to Loveland / Breckenridge and the big boys of Vale and Aspen? I-25/-70 is the obvious route, but is CO-50/-9 cleared and maintained? Bigger trip like that would probably be once or twice a season, and hopefully stay for a long weekend.