Winter Van Life: Granby Ranch
Time of Our Visit: Mid-December 2022
Granby Ranch is located in the Rocky Mountains, nestled between Winter Park and the Grand Lake entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s a planned community centered around not only winter activities like downhill and cross country skiing, but year-round recreation, including golfing, mountain biking, and fly fishing.
What We Loved About Granby Ranch
It’s difficult to write a fair assessment of Granby Ranch as we visited too early in the season. The more advanced area of the resort, West Mountain, was not yet open. And East Mountain for beginner and intermediate trails was only partially open. However, I’ll say this…
They’re customer service was outstanding. When I called to find out if they allow overnight RV parking (they don’t), the answer was not immediately known. However, of three people I talked to, all made sure I got to the best person and that I received calls back in a very timely manner until I got an answer. Also, everyone working in the base lodge from guest services to the sport shop was welcoming and helpful.
Plan Your RV/Van Life Road Trip to Granby Ranch
granbyranch.com
1000 Village Road, Granby, CO 80446
(888) 850-4615
Contact Form
Hours of operation: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily – more information
Pass affiliation: Indy Pass 2023/24
Mountain Stats
- Lift-served skiable terrain: 406 acres
- Vertical: 1,000 feet
- Snowfall: 85+ inches per year
Driving to Granby Ranch
If you’re coming from I-70, you have two options:
US-40 West over Berthoud Pass. I would not recommend this drive in the dark or during a winter storm. You gain and lose a significant amount of elevation and must navigate switch backs. Avalanche conditions may exist. However, it is a beautiful drive. If you stop at the top of the pass (11,307 feet), you can watch backcountry enthusiasts earning their turns.
CO-9 North to US-40 East through Kremmling. This route is relatively flat for Rocky Mountain driving with far less twists and turns. Just like Berthoud Pass, it also has beautiful scenery.
Parking at Granby Ranch
There are a couple of small parking lots directly in front of the Base Lodge and another larger parking lot across the street from the Base Lodge area. It was very easy to get a spot in close walking distance to the lifts at all times of the day. I’m unsure if this is the case throughout the year when they are one-hundred percent open.
Using Your 2022/23 Indy Pass at Granby Ranch
You must visit the ticket office inside the Base Lodge each day you intend to ski/ride using your Indy Pass. Be prepared to show a photo ID and pay $5 for a reloadable RFID card.
Tips on How to Ski/Ride Granby Ranch
For advanced runs, head to West Mountain. Lifts on this side spin daily from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. For beginner and intermediate trails, stick to East Mountain. Lifts spin one hour longer until 4:00 pm.
Working Remotely at Granby Ranch
AT&T service was not great in the parking lot closest to the Base Lodge at Granby Ranch. It was better in the parking lot across the street from the lodge, but probably not reliable enough for an online video call. I’d recommend a booster or Starlink.
AT&T service is great if you stay at Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains (more below).
Where to Sleep in Your Van/RV Overnight
Granby Ranch does not allow overnight RV camping.
I spoke to a local at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center at Rocky Mountain National Park that mentioned there are boondocking options on public lands, but I have not researched this further. Here are the options I can speak to:
Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains – 5.7 miles / 10 minutes in Granby – This is a luxury RV resort that offers RV camping and other lodging. As of winter 2022/23, the rates for an RV site start at $65 per night. Be prepared to pay upwards of $100 depending on the day of the week and if your stay is during a holiday period. In talking to the front desk staff, it doesn’t sound like they ever reach full occupancy during winter even with the majority of sites closed for the season. However, you can make reservations online if you want to be on the safe side.
There were two options for showers during our stay in mid-December 2022. You could either go to the Fitness Center in walking distance of the open RV sites.
Or, you could drive to a Comfort Station with private showers and a laundry room. I personally preferred driving to the Comfort Station because the private shower rooms also had their own toilet and sink, and I could do laundry while I showered. The washers and dryers take credit cards.
For those that keep water jugs in your rig, the Fitness Center had a filtered water station that we used to fill our Dometic GO Hydration Water Jugs (11L).
Red Mountain RV Park – 31.1 miles / 40 minutes in Kremmling – We have not stayed here, but we did drive by it on our way to spend a day in Breckenridge from Granby. This RV park gets positive reviews citing friendly owners and clean showers. It doesn’t have the amenities like Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains, but you’ll pay a fraction of the cost. They were advertising $39-$42 per night during winter 2022/23. Red Mountain also seems like a great option for avoiding I-70 traffic if you plan on visiting ski areas in Summit and Vail counties.
Grocery Stores
- City Market (Granby) – 2.6 miles / 5 minutes in Granby
- Safeway (County Rd 804) – 15 miles / 25 minutes in Fraser
RV/Van Service & Supplies
For those with Mercedes Sprinter vans, the closest Mercedes with a Sprinter tech are:
- Mercedes-Benz of Westminster – 93 miles / 2 hours in Westminster
- Mercedes-Benz of Littleton – 93.2 miles / 2 hours in Littleton
- Mercedes-Benz of Loveland – 132 miles / 2.5 hours in Loveland
Other Tips for Your Visit to Granby Ranch
Negative temperatures are not uncommon in Colorado, including in Granby. If you’re used to skiing the Pacific Northwest, Lake Tahoe, or Eastern Sierra, you’re going to discover a whole new level of cold in Colorado.
While staying in Granby, our van registered -8 degrees while our weather app said the area was as cold as -13. Our windshield froze and it took the defrost over an hour to make a dent in the ice. The water in our dog’s bowl was frozen.
Be prepared to make modifications to your van or RV to keep the interior as warm as possible. If you run diesel, it can gel up and make your vehicle inoperable. (This happened to our 2021 Mercedes Sprinter van in Wyoming.) Filling your tank with winterized diesel might be an option or look into an anti-gel additive for your fuel tank. Read your vehicle’s manual and talk to your vehicle’s manufacturer to make sure you don’t void your warranty or harm your vehicle by using these options.
Don’t forget to bundle up on the slopes too. I definitely had issues with freezing fingers and toes at Granby Ranch.
Other Ski Areas Nearby
- Winter Park Resort (Ikon Pass 2023/24) – 21.4 miles / 30 minutes in Winter Park
- Steamboat (Ikon Pass 2023/24) – 82.4 miles / 1.75 hours in Steamboat Springs
Side Trip Suggestion
Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake – It was our first time visiting in December 2022, and we went to RMNP with the intention of spotting moose. We got up early for the sunrise and parked ourselves in a spot that we thought might be good for moose viewing. (Check out Wildlife Viewing Tips from RMNP.) We were unsuccessful and only saw a single bird. That’s okay as I was still inspired for a future visit. Next time I will bring snowshoes or cross country skis as there were a few different areas for parking and venturing out into the park. Throughout the day, we saw a man with a truck camper and skis taking full advantage of every ungroomed trail.
We also stopped at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center to learn more about RMNP. I highly recommend it if you want to understand the park’s history, geography, wildlife, original inhabitants, and more. A park employee is there to answer questions and you can buy souvenirs if that’s your thing.
Note: You cannot drive through Rocky Mountain National Park on US-34 (Trail Ridge Road) from Grand Lake to Estes Park during the winter. It is closed at the Colorado River Trailhead on the west side and at Many Parks Curve on the east side. Please visit the NPS site for more information.
Grand Lake and the town of the same name sits outside the RMNP border. You’ll pass by them on your way to RMNP from Granby. There is a cute main street with shops and restaurants. While many businesses are closed for the winter season, there are still a few places open to make it a worthwhile trip.
