• I took the Amtrak Winter Park Express, also called the "Ski Train," from Denver to Winter Park.
• The affordable two-hour train ride was pleasant and had wonderful views.
• I loved dodging traffic and not having to drive — plus, the train tracks were steps from the resort.

Those who want to visit the mountains in Colorado without the hassle of driving may want to try the Amtrak Winter Park Express.

Affectionately nicknamed the "Ski Train," it is a fantastic option for going from Denver to Winter Park ski resort for a day in the snow. Its service typically begins in late December and runs through the end of March.

Fares for the two-hour ride start at $19, depending on the date you book tickets. My round-trip ticket from Friday, December 20, to Saturday, December 21, cost $58.

Here's what my "Ski Train" ride was like.

The trains felt perfectly scheduled for maximum skiing time in Winter Park.

My train was scheduled to leave Denver Union Station around 7 a.m. to arrive in Winter Park around 9 a.m. — right as its ski lifts open for the day.

I live just outside downtown Denver, so I woke up at 6 a.m. to drive to the parking garage adjacent to Union Station, where I'd booked an overnight parking spot. I arrived at the tracks around 6:20 for my 6:30 boarding time.

My return trip would depart Winter Park at 4:35 p.m. (right after the ski lifts close) and arrive in Denver around 7 p.m.

Boarding was pretty easy.

The train allows riders to take their skis or snowboards as a single carry-on item.

Since passengers can bring two carry-on items and one personal item on board, I was able to travel with my skis, overnight bag, and a small backpack.

While boarding the train, I passed my equipment to a volunteer, who placed it in a special storage area.

I had no problem finding a seat on the train.

All seats on this train are coach — there are no business or first-class options. As the train filled up, I had no trouble finding a seat.

Seats were arranged in pairs (or clusters of four), and I felt quite comfortable. They can recline slightly and most have pull-down tray tables, similar to what you'd find on a plane.

The energy on the train was excellent.

Many of my fellow passengers seemed excited and buzzing with energy — you'd never know it was barely 7 a.m. As the train exited the station, some of them started cheering.

The vibes on the train ride were excellent overall. Even our lively conductor made sure to stop and chat with each passenger while checking tickets.

I tried to get work done but ended up looking out the window for most of the trip.

I and many other passengers had our laptops out to use during the ride. Unfortunately, we lost cellphone service about 30 minutes into the trip, and I wasn't able to use my hot spot or do much on my computer after that.

Fortunately, I was able to spend most of the trip looking out the window at the stunning mountain scenery.

I spent most of my trip in the lounge car because I loved its windows.

My favorite spot on the train was the lounge car, which had domed windows on top and large ones on either side. It had the best views.

This car also had snacks and drinks for sale, so I bought myself a hot coffee.

After almost two hours, we began to approach our final stop.

The highly relaxing trip took roughly two hours in total.

When we went through Moffat Tunnel on the final stretch of the journey, an Amtrak employee told us it was time to put on our ski gear because we were just minutes away from Winter Park Resort.

Our train stop was wildly close to the Winter Park slopes.

We pulled into the train platform shortly after 9 a.m., and I could see the ski runs right out the train windows.

Amtrak employees unloaded our skis and snowboards for us, and we stepped off the train platform and right onto Winter Park grounds.

Seriously, I couldn't believe how close the train tracks were to the ski hill.

We were less than 50 steps from Winter Park's base ski lift and village area, where we could grab a bite to eat, rent a ski locker or equipment for the day, and buy a lift pass.

Overall, the train could be an excellent alternative to driving to Winter Park.

The Amtrak journey to Winter Park wasn't overly expensive and felt highly efficient. It was a great alternative to driving to the mountain.

Although I've been told driving from downtown Denver can be a slightly shorter trip at around 90 minutes, that doesn't factor in traffic.

Winter Park can get really congested during peak ski seasons, so I was happy to not be stuck in a car. Plus, since I wasn't driving, I was able to fully embrace the stunning mountain views around me.

The only real downside for me was that I couldn't bring my dog as the train is not pet-friendly.

• Some United Airlines employees at Denver International Airport fell ill after a holiday meal.
• The Association of Flight Attendants reported there were 24 cases of food poisoning symptoms.
• United Airlines is monitoring the situation and coordinating with health authorities.

Dozens of United Airlines employees at Denver International Airport fell ill after eating a meal provided by the airline on Christmas Day.

According to a letter from the Association of Flight Attendants, representing United workers in Denver and Phoenix, a total of 492 meals were served to flight attendants. Of those, there were 24 reports of symptoms connected to food poisoning.

Denver7 spoke with one flight attendant who said he felt sick and started to experience nausea and diarrhea shortly after eating the holiday plate of food. The employee said many of his colleagues who ate the meal were also ill afterward.

He told Denver7 that United Airlines has a strict policy requiring staff to submit a doctor's note within 48 hours when they call in sick during the holiday period.

A spokesperson from United Airlines told Business Insider: "United is monitoring reports from some employees about gastrointestinal symptoms following holiday meals served to Denver employees last Wednesday, and we are in contact with health authorities. There has been no impact on our operation."

The AFA initially reported that around 200 employees had been sick after eating the meal on Christmas Day, however, it said in its later letter that the actual number of reports was substantially lower.

"We recognize that there may be some who decided to "power through" or who may have been apprehensive about calling in sick over the holiday period, or who may have been on their way home and therefore did not miss work.

The union wrote that if staff had to call in sick and believe it was because of the meal, they should email their supervisor explaining they are among those with symptoms and that any points associated with the absence should be removed.

Although the letter said "there is no way to know for sure" if these were cases of food poisoning as there are viruses circulating that produce similar symptoms, management at the airport would keep monitoring the issue.

• Since moving from DC to Denver two-and-a-half years ago, I've experienced many culture shocks.
• I've found people like to discuss their hobbies in Denver, but many focus on their careers in DC.
• I've also noticed that people in Denver seem more laid-back compared to those in DC.

When I boarded my flight from Washington, DC, to Denver in May 2022, I ruminated in my window seat for hours, wondering what my new home would be like.

I was leaving behind the nation's capital — the place where I'd spent almost three years launching my career and growing through my 20s.

Hopping from city to city wasn't new to me. I was born in Seattle and raised outside New Orleans before pursuing my master's degree in Phoenix.

However, every region has its own distinct culture, and I suspected the transition from the East Coast to the Rocky Mountains would be a little bumpy. Still, I didn't expect just how different the two parts of the country would be.

Here are a few of the biggest culture shocks I experienced when I headed west.

Many seem enamored with their hobbies in Denver, but careers typically come first in DC

Your choice of ski pass isn't just a question Denver residents will pose to you as an icebreaker. In my experience, it's a constant topic of conversation among friends and colleagues.

In fact, I've found that skiing, snowboarding, camping, hiking, rock climbing, and white-water rafting are topics that constantly come up in conversation.

I've met plenty of Denver residents with impressive careers, but their hearts often belong to their hobbies.

Meanwhile, many people I met in DC lived to work. I'd inevitably be asked what I did for a living at almost every house party I attended. Young professionals primarily move to DC for their education and careers, so networking is a way of life.

The city is packed with journalists, lobbyists, and government employees, so it's not uncommon to see someone toting a work laptop to happy hour.

The cities' definitions of style don't align

In DC, my favorite activity was ticking restaurants and bars off my list, taking in the cosmopolitan city in seasonal dresses and heels.

However, since moving to Denver, what's left of my collection of cocktail dresses is gathering dust on hangers. Here, athleisure, flannels, and denim are the norm.

The climates in Denver and DC are completely different beasts

I was adept at handling DC winters. When snow occasionally fell over the city, I bundled up in a coat and gloves to build snowmen on the National Mall or braced myself for the chill in the air when I exited a Metrorail subway station.

Preparing for my inaugural Colorado winter, however, was much more intense. I bought my first pair of snow boots at age 27, and learned that Halloween usually brings a snowstorm, and the flurries continue through April.

For context, according to the National Weather Service's data from 1882-2015, Denver averages about 57.1 inches of snow per season. DC's average snowfall, which is based on data from 1991-2020, is roughly 13.8 inches.

Local attitudes couldn't be more different

Colorado straddles two prominent regional personality traits — the Midwest's kindness and the West Coast's easygoingness. Residents of the Centennial State get the best of both worlds with their friendly attitudes and sense of ease.

Despite Denver's urban sprawl, niceties from its cow-town days persist. Walking down a neighborhood sidewalk, I can usually count on smiles or greetings from passersby.

However, while living on the East Coast, I found many DC residents exuded the region's no-nonsense air, buzzing from place to place as efficiently as possible.

I got used to avoiding small talk in elevators and found the standard attitude in DC was both a little guarded and direct. It's not that locals were unkind — they're just booked and busy.

Yet, both places have one thing in common: hometown pride. I'm excited to embrace that attitude in Denver like I did in DC.

Colorado Republicans are sounding off on "out-of-touch" Democrats after Denver Mayor Mike Johnston vowed to station police to block ICE agents from carrying out deportations and a report showed that the city has spent over $356 million in taxpayer dollars on services for migrants.  

The sum, which amounts to $7,900 per foreign national in the city and equates to 8% of the city’s total 2025 budget, was revealed by an updated analysis last week by the Common Sense Institute.

Rose Pugliese, leader of the Republican caucus in the Colorado State Assembly, told Fox News Digital that the massive influx of migrants in the state has resulted in heavier burdens on both local and state resources.

She said the Democrat-controlled legislature has spent an estimated $563 million on illegal immigrants since 2021, with $352 million of that on education spending alone.

"Without question, illegal immigration in Colorado has cost the state a significant amount of money that could have been spent supporting our constituents, roads, public safety, and other state services," she said.

CNN HOST VISIBLY STUNNED BY INCOMING BORDER CZAR SAYING HE'LL ‘JAIL’ DENVER MAYOR FOR REFUSING DEPORTATIONS

Pugliese called Mayor Johnston "out of touch on this issue," saying that the results of the 2024 election "mandated illegal immigration as a top concern throughout America."

"Removing and deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes against our citizens is a reasonable position," she said. "Unfortunately, there is no public estimate by the state regarding illegal immigrants in Colorado. This is due to policy decisions by the majority in the state legislature over the last ten years."

"Preventing an accurate accounting only aggravates the issue for local and state budgets when planning," she continued, adding that "if you don’t know the numbers, you can never be right."

DENVER MIGRANT ADVOCATES SAY SIX MONTHS OF FREE RENT, FOOD NOT ENOUGH: ‘A SLAP IN THE FACE’ AND ‘OFFENSIVE’ 

Meanwhile, Roger Hudson, a city councilman for Castle Pines, a small town just south of Denver, told Fox News Digital that "there's nothing kind, there's nothing hopeful" about what Democrats have done to the city.  

According to Hudson, Denver has accepted over 45,000 migrants since 2022. He said that these migrants have taken up much of the funding meant for important services in the city, including public schools and parks. 

"Now they're not mowing the grass in parks, the fountains are down, rec centers are closed, the homeless problem is completely out of control," he said. "What they’ve done to Denver is horrific." 

He also called out Democrats for shipping migrants to communities around the city, such as Aurora, where members of the Venezuelan gang "Tren de Aragua" terrorized an entire apartment building.

VENEZUELAN MIGRANT GANG TREN DE ARAGUA NOW OPERATING IN 16 STATES: REPORT

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"These migrants are preying on each other, they are abusing women, elderly women, elderly individuals, people who are disabled, they are robbing, they are causing a drug problem that wasn't here before in our state."

"What the Democrats and what our liberals and progressives have done in our state is obscene, and it shows, and our residents are tired of it," he went on. "In the past, it had been filled with hope. I mean, you have the Rocky Mountains in the background where there's nothing but hope and aspiration. Now, when you look down, and you look at the streets, they are filled with people begging not for food, but for their next fix or for a bottle of alcohol, and their souls are crushed."

A representative for the Denver City Council declined to comment on the $356 million spent on migrant services. Instead, the representative told Fox News Digital: "The Denver City Council is the legislative branch of the city government and isn’t involved in the day to day operations of these services."

Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was scolded by his hometown newspaper for "amping up violent rhetoric" with his vow to resist President-elect Trump’s deportation of illegal immigrants.

The editorial board at the Denver Post on Monday published an editorial with the headline, "Denver’s mayor was wrong to threaten armed conflict to protect immigrants," referring to Johnston’s recent suggestion of using the Denver Police to resist federal immigration officials attempting to carry out their job.

"We are not surprised Johnston recklessly elevated the rhetoric around protecting Coloradans without legal immigration status. But that doesn’t make it OK," the editorial said.

The newspaper said the mayor "must choose his words carefully" rather than joining "Trump’s arms race of amping up violent rhetoric around illegal immigration."

MD MAYOR UNDER FIRE FOR PUSHING IMMIGRANT ‘LEGAL ADVOCACY FUND’ TO REBUFF TRUMP-HOMAN AGENDA

"Johnston should keep his remarks far away from violent conflict and focus on peaceful resistance," the editorial said.

Johnston said during a recent interview with Denverite that he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is "illegal or immoral or un-American" in the city – predicting the use of city police against federal officers and a "Tiananmen Square moment."

The mayor was then asked if he was prepared to go to jail for standing in the way of policies enacted by the administration.

NYC HOME TO NEARLY 60K ‘CRIMINAL’ MIGRANTS: REPORT

"Yeah, I'm not afraid of that, and I'm also not seeking that," Johnston said. "I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people [on] how to solve hard problems."

Tom Homan, Trump's "border czar" designate, told Fox News' Sean Hannity last week that he would jail Johnston if he broke the law in shielding illegal migrants. 

"All he has to do is look at Arizona v. U.S., and he would see he's breaking the law. But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail."

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Hanna Panreck contributed to this report. 

As Democratic Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says he would be willing to go to jail over his opposition to the Trump mass-deportation plan, a new study claims the mayor’s Blue city has spent a whopping $356 million of taxpayers' hard-earned money on migrants.

The eye-popping sum, which amounts to $7,900 per foreign national in the city, was revealed by an updated analysis last week by the Common Sense Institut (CSI), a non-partisan research organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the U.S. economy. 

The group says it used city data to land on the stunning sum, which equates to 8% of the city’s 2025 budget of $4.4 billion. The figures combine the city’s budget as well as regional education and healthcare organizations.

DENVER MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON SAYS TRUMP'S MASS MIGRANT DEPORTATIONS WILL CREATE ‘TIANANMEN SQUARE MOMENT’

Denver has seen an unprecedented influx of migrants arrive in the city under the Biden-Harris administration and Johnston has already slashed city services to house and feed those migrants. Cuts included reducing services at recreation centers and stopping the planting of spring flower beds, while the city tapped into a contingency fund to pay for the spiraling costs. 

The CSI claims that the bulk of the $356 million spent on migrants was through education, with the city also splashing out on healthcare, hotels, transportation and childcare. Denver is a sanctuary city, meaning it does not enforce immigration law, nor does the city cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

The group says that about 45,000 migrants have arrived in the Denver metro area since December 2022, with 16,197 migrant students enrolling in Denver metro schools.

DENVER MIGRANT ADVOCATES SAY SIX MONTHS OF FREE RENT, FOOD NOT ENOUGH: 'A SLAP IN THE FACE' AND 'OFFENSIVE'

"The total cost to Denver metro schools related to new migrant students is $228 million annually, which would equate to 1-2% of the total state K-12 education budget for the 2024-25 academic year," the group writes.

"Previous CSI reporting estimated the per-student cost of instruction and support in the Denver metro to be $14,100 per year. Assuming this cost across all recent migrant students totals $228 million.

Meanwhile, Denver doctors earlier this year said that the migrant crisis had pushed the state’s hospital system to its breaking point and was causing a humanitarian crisis. 

The CSI study estimates that emergency departments in the Denver metro area have delivered an estimated $49 million in uncompensated care to migrants. 

"With 16,760 [migrant] visits to Denver metro emergency departments from December 2022 to the present, providers would have delivered $49,124,029 of uncompensated care to migrants.

The study reports that at the height of the migrant influx in January 2024, officials estimated Denver was going to spend $180 million through 2024. Actual expenditures tracked by the city now show it will spend about $79 million.

"Of the total, 34.5% has been spent on facilities including hotels, 29.4% on personnel, 14% on services, and 11% on food," the report finds. 

Johnston said during a recent interview that he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is "illegal or immoral or un-American" in the city – including the use of military force – and was then asked if he was prepared to go to jail for standing in the way of policies enacted by the administration.

"Yeah, I'm not afraid of that, and I'm also not seeking that," Johnston said. "I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people [on] how to solve hard problems."

Tom Homan, Trump's "border czar" designate, told Fox News' Sean Hannity this week that he would jail Johnston if he broke the law in shielding illegal migrants. 

 "All he has to do is look at Arizona v. U.S., and he would see he's breaking the law. But, look, me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He’s willing to go to jail, I’m willing to put him in jail."

Fox News’ Hanna Panreck contributed to this report. 

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says that he is prepared to go to jail over his opposition to President-elect Trump’s mass deportation plan – even as he walked backed comments predicting a "Tiananmen Square moment."

Johnston had been asked last week about his opposition to the Trump plan to significantly ramp up deportations of illegal immigrants when he enters office next year. Johnston predicted police deployment and a "Tiananmen Square moment" if federal immigration officials attempted to do their job.

"More than us having DPD stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there," Johnston said. "It’s like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You’d have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants.

DENVER MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON SAYS TRUMP'S MASS MIGRANT DEPORTATIONS WILL CREATE ‘TIANANMEN SQUARE MOMENT’

"And you do not want to mess with them."

But in a subsequent interview on Friday with 9News, he walked back those comments.

"Would I have taken it back if I could? Yes, I probably wouldn't have used that image," Johnston said. "That's the image I hope we can avoid. What I was trying to say is this is an outcome I hope we can avoid in this country. I think none of us want that."

But he said he was prepared to protest against anything he believes is "illegal or immoral or un-American" in the city – including the use of military force – and was then asked if he was prepared to go to jail for standing in the way of policies enacted by the administration.

"Yeah, I'm not afraid of that, and I'm also not seeking that," Johnston said. "I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people how to solve hard problems."

He expressed support for limited deportations of those convicted of "serious crimes." He also said they would be a "ready partner" if the plan was only to focus on violent criminals.

TRUMP'S ICE NOMINEE DECISION COULD BE IMMINENT AS DEPORTATION PLAN TAKES SPOTLIGHT 

"I think our line is clear," Johnston said. "We think if you are a violent criminal that is committing serious crimes like murder or rape in Denver, you should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and you should be deported. We support that, we have always supported that, we'll continue supporting that. We've worked with previous administrations on that; we will do it going forward."

The incoming administration’s plan to ramp up deportations has already brought opposition from Democratic officials in a number of states.

The governors of Illinois, Arizona and Massachusetts have said they won’t assist the administration in the operation. Arizona's Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs said her state will not be helping in what she called a "misguided" plan.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

"What I will unequivocally say is that, as governor, I will not tolerate efforts that are part of misguided policies that harm our communities, that threaten our communities, that terrorize our communities, and Arizona will not take part in those," Hobbs said.

But some Republican states have offered support, with Texas offering more than 1,400 acres of land to stage mass deportations near the border.

 "I am 100% on board with the Trump administration's pledge to get these criminals out of our country, and we are more than happy to offer our resources to facilitate those deportations of these violent criminals," Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham told Fox News Digital last week.

Democrat Denver Mayor Mike Johnston pledged to resist President-elect Trump's proposed immigration policies, invoking China's infamous Tiananmen Square incident by saying residents would rise up against federal agents.

Johnston emphasized Denver's commitment to protecting illegal migrants and maintaining its sanctuary city status, saying it would not be "bullied" by the incoming Trump administration.

"We're not going to sell out those values to anyone," Johnston told the Denverite in an interview. "We're not going to be bullied into changing them."

‘SANCTUARY’ CITY MAYOR VOWS SHE WILL DEFY TRUMP'S MASS DEPORTATION PUSH: ‘CAUSING WIDESPREAD FEAR’ 

Johnston predicted a "Tiananmen Square moment" if federal immigration officials attempted to do their job.

"More than us having DPD stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there," Johnston told the local outlet. "It’s like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You’d have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants.

"And you do not want to mess with them."

WATCH:

The Democratic mayor's remarks came after Trump campaigned, in part, on enforcing stringent immigration laws and deporting migrants and reflect a trend by state and local officials saying they'll reject the president-elect's policies.

In Illinois, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker promised to uphold sanctuary status, boldly declaring, "If you come for my people, you come through me."

TRUMP CONFIRMS SUPPORT FOR MAJOR STEP IN MASS DEPORTATION PUSH TO ‘REVERSE THE BIDEN INVASION’

In Los Angeles, Democratic Mayor Karen Bass was instrumental in passing a local ordinance limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. 

"Especially in the face of growing threats to the immigrant communities here in Los Angeles, I stand with the people of this city," Bass said. "This moment demands urgency. Immigrant protections make our communities stronger and our city better."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

Trump has vowed to initiate deportation efforts on his first day back in office, recently saying he would be open to declaring a national emergency and using the military to make it happen.

Trump's commitment to closing the border was cemented by his pick of "border czar," Tom Homan. 

"If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way. We’re going to do it,’ Homan recently said.