If you want to have the kids just do a ski lesson, then you may want to consider Echo Mountain (
http://www.echomtnpark.com/ski-and-r.../youth-lessons). It doesn't have the charm of the resorts further into the mountains, but at least you won't have to deal with the awful traffic to/from the mountains--not to mention the risk of horrible weather (i.e., Vail Pass is closed) which would prevent you from making it back to Denver in time. For something even a little bit closer, there is Eldora Mountain (
http://www.eldora.com/lessons.first.html).
If you do go up into the mountains, I would also add caution and check your kids often for signs of altitude sickness, especially if they've never ventured into this part of the atmosphere before. Even skiing at 7,000 feet may be taxing on them.
I was going to get tickets to the game, as well, but it will be our last ski weekend before two weeks in the Caribbean over Christmas.
