The drive from Denver to Steamboat

You’ll be fine as long as you’re not driving in a storm. Roads will be clear, maybe even dry, even if snow is piled up on the side of the road.

Nonetheless, just to be safe, an AWD with snow tires will set you up.

I've never had my butt so puckered up as I did on that drive.

It started snowing hard about 1 hour from the resort. About when we got to lake Catamount, and it never stopped. No way to see any part of the road. I was so lucky to eventually get behind what had to be a local in an old pickup truck, and followed him all the way to the resort. I dont know if I could have made it otherwise. 1 hour away became about 2 hours and change. The drive back to the airport was fine, in a normal snow shower. But the drive there was very harrowing.

We had great powder that trip though!

Rent a shuttle ride.
Steamboat drive is not for the novice mountain/snow driver.

Fly into Steamboat. Not sure about Mardi Gras but I know for late January, the flight from NO to Steamboat isn’t much different than to Denver.

just made that drive this summer. its a long drive with no weather conditions, would suck really bad if it was snowing hard. you basically drive all the way to breckenridge, then turn north for another hour and a half or so and go over another pass.

that being said, I made the drive to crested butte from Denver in white out conditions over monarch pass driving a ford 500 and came out okay, just drive slow.

My flight from MLU to HDN last year was $270 and from JAN to HDN this year was $240. Considering where I’m flying from/to, I don’t consider that to bad.

Southwest is flying dirt cheap into Steamboat. We are flying R/T from Dallas to Steamboat (via Denver on the way and non-stop on the return) for $150 per person in late January. Way better than driving. Where are you driving from?

If you've never driven on a snow-packed road before, Rabbit Ears Pass is not the place to learn. You can check road conditions at www.cotrip.org prior to leaving for your trip to CO.

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It was so cold at the summit of rabbit ears one time that my -20 de icer fluid frozen when trying to spray it on my window

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I think that's a good thing to point out for anyone who will be driving in winter conditions for the first time. You will use way more wiper fluid than you would at home and running out can make a drive in bad weather pretty sketch. I always kept a gallon of the lowest rated stuff I could find in the back of my truck. If you're driving up from somewhere not cold, be sure to put in fluid made for winter before you leave or as soon as you start seeing it in the gas stations on the way. If I were to fly up and rent a car, I'd probably buy a gallon as soon as I could to top off and know I had extra.

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You’ll be fine as long as you’re not driving in a storm. Roads will be clear, maybe even dry, even if snow is piled up on the side of the road.

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But realize that a storm could hit while you are there. Roads may become blocked and you may spend an extra day or 2 at Steamboat. This happened to a few folks I know. But it could just as easily happen in Denver and your flight be delayed. Snowy places in the winter always provide the risk of delays.