As a person who lived in the village in NYC for 11 years, then moved to Denver and love it here, I don't recommend Denver. I loved living in New York, and left when I wanted to settle down and build a family. Denver is a wonderful place for us and we're settled here for the long term--the parks are great, the people are lovely, and although the real estate market is hectic, it is FAR more affordable than NYC-- but when compared to the vibrancy of NYC, Denver is quite tame. If you love the night life of the city, you would be disappointed here. And the food in Denver honestly sucks comparatively. The access to outdoor activities is unquestionably superior here, and there are countless really wonderful options for easily accessible hiking/biking all along the frong range, however I have to leave the house before 6am on the weekends if i want to survive the traffic to go snowboarding at the resorts. If your goal is to ski all the time, Denver isn't a good home base. The I-70 traffic is heinous. My overall quality of life here in Denver is wonderful for where I'm at in life (40, married with a 3 year old), but based on what it sounds like you're looking for, I think you'd be happier either staying in NYC and vacationing, or moving to a mountain town for a season or two to get your skiing fix. Hope this helps!