Denver in early December

[rms492]

I have a trip booked on the Zephyr going to Denver the second week of December. Is the weather hit and miss? I'm not too concerned about some snow or extreme cold, but if someone can give an idea of what to expect. Likewise, what are the chances of a major-blizzard type event where the city shuts down, can that happen in early December?

Also, I will not have a car, I was hoping to visit some of the outlying railroad excursions (Georgetown Loop, Royal Gorge, Pikes Peak), but I see they are quite a ways away, any bus lines and/or public transit available? I don't want to rent a car nor use Uber/Lyft, as those are super expensive right now, but it also depends on the weather, and I don't even know if these are open during this time of year.
So I may just stay local and use the RTD and explore local things.
Tips and advice appreciated, cheers.

 

[BoulderCO]

Can't guarantee that there will be no blizzards, etc., but Denver weather is usually less severe than in the mountains. We get over 300 sunny days a year and temps are usually on the mild side for winter - 30s and 40s rather than 10s or 20s.

RTD is certainly a good option. For example, nice bus to Boulder about every hour right from Union Station where you get off of Amtrak. And certainly many things to see in Denver if you get a hotel there. RTD light rail and busses will get you anywhere in the Denver Metro area.

It will help us if you indicate how long your stay will be and what kinds of things you want to see and activities you are interested in.

 

[Saddleshoes]

The Colorado Dept. of Transportation runs a state wide bus service called Bustang that can get you from Union Station to very close to Georgetown Loop, Royal Gorge and Pikes Peak. Check it out. Bustang | Intercity Bus Service | Colorado Department of Transportation

 

[MARC Rider]

The Colorado Dept. of Transportation runs a state wide bus service called Bustang that can get you from Union Station to very close to Georgetown Loop, Royal Gorge and Pikes Peak. Check it out. Bustang | Intercity Bus Service | Colorado Department of Transportation

True, but it's not clear whether the schedule or the locations of the stops will allow one to actually see these sights. I wonder if somebody runs group tours out of Denver. However, I'm pretty impressed with the coverage provided by Bustang. I wish they would do something similar in my state.