By air: Denver International Airport is a hub for several major airlines. Home James vans take skiers from the airport to Winter Park. The fare each way is about $41. Reserve through central reservations, or contact the van lines directly. Home James: (970) 726-5060 in Colorado; or (800) 729-5813.

By car: Winter Park is 85 miles northwest of Denver International Airport on Hwy. 40. Take I-70 west to Exit 232, then head toward Winter Park and Fraser on Hwy. 40. Warning: beware speed traps when driving through Empire on Route 40, the first town just after and/or before the I-70 exit. Obey the 35-mph speed limit.

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By train: Amtrak's California Zephyr, which runs between Chicago and San Francisco, makes a stop in Fraser, only a few miles from the ski area. Check with Amtrak on current schedules. Skiers from Chicago board the train in the afternoon and arrive in Winter Park the next morning. West Coast skiers board in the morning and arrive by the next afternoon. Sleeper cars are available, but sleeping in the coaches is not as bad as one might think. There's lots of leg room, and the seats recline nearly all the way. Special packages make the trains very affordable. Call Winter Park Central Reservations for details at (800) 729-5813. Call Amtrak for information and train-only reservations: (800) 872-7245.

The Ski Train is an unusual treat. This special train leaves Denver's Union Station every Saturday and Sunday from mid-December to April, and adds a Friday departure from mid-February to early April. It also adds special trips on a holiday schedule. Operating for more than 60 years, it brings 750 passengers from Denver directly to the Winter Park base area, chugging along 56 miles and climbing 4,000 feet. The train snakes through 28 tunnels and across canyons, ravines, and ice-crusted rivers. The scenery is as gripping as any we have seen in the Swiss and Austrian Alps. The train leaves Denver at 7:15 a.m. and departs Winter Park at 4:15 p.m. Paid parking is available in surrounding lots for about $4, but it varies. Two classes of train service are available; club car includes a continental buffet. Round-trip rates are about $65 club and $40 coach. For Ski Train information and reservations, call (303) 296-4754.

Getting around: Rent a car for any extensive restaurant or bar hopping. If you plan to stick close to your lodging at night and your lodge transports you to the slopes, you won't need a car. Taxi service is offered by Valley Taxi 726-4940) for $2 per pick-up, $2 per person and $2 per mile.

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