Approaches into Denver

[None of the above]

I've flown into KDEN (as SLF I hasten to add) on a handful of occasions in the last few years and I would be grateful to learn about approach procedures there.
My most recent visit was a couple of weeks ago and the aircraft was positioned R/H downwind for one of the 35s. As we seemed very close to the field on the downwind leg and the turn onto final didn't really include much of a base leg I assume that a visual approach was made. Would this be likely and is it a common procedure there? I was seated on the RHS of the a/c and having lost sight of the field on the turn to final approach, I'm not sure if we landed on 35L or 35R. Not quite as daft as it sounds as the ground contours made it difficult to see if there was another runway to the right of us after landing.
If anyone who can shed any light on this for me has a few moments to spare, I'd be grateful for your answers.
Thanks in anticipation.

[McD]

None of the above,

It's been a few months since I was at Denver, but I'll try to help answer your question.

There are 3 northerly runways at KDEN -- 35L, 35R, and 34R -- with a 4th (34L) under construction. Here's a link to a relatively recent airport diagram (with the usual disclaimer that it's not to be used for real-world navigation, etc.) http://www.naco.faa.gov/content/naco/online/airportdiagrams/09077AD.pdf

There are instrument approaches available to all three of these northerly runways, as well as the other runways there too, I'm pretty sure -- (sorry, my approach plates are not at home for me to reference directly).

If I remember correctly, arrivals are often made on 35L and 35R, with departures on 34R. This is just a technique, though, and can be modified as necessary, so it would be difficult to say which runway your aircraft used for landing.

However, if the weather is good, you don't necessarily need an instrument approach. At most airports (not just KDEN), visual approaches can be helpful to both pilots and controllers, so they may be used to any open runway, any time weather and traffic conditions permit.

In case you want to know more about visual approaches, here's some additional info:
Visual approaches can vary greatly in their appearance -- for example, sometimes it's a downwind leg with a 180 turn to final; sometimes a simple base- or dog-leg to final -- the whole point is that when the pilots have the airport in sight and are cleared for a visual approach, they are given the freedom (within reasonable limits, of course) to visually align themselves for the landing. Because it's not as "defined" of a flight path, it gives the pilots and controllers much more flexibility. It's a great tool, and it makes a lot of sense when the weather is good.

Hope this helps.

[None of the above]

Many thanks, McD!
That's shed some light on it for me and thanks for the link to the airport diagram.

From the point of view of SLF, I like DIA as it seems very well planned (Oh, the advantages of starting with a blank canvas!) and from landing to driving out of the Alamo Car Rental lot was probably accomplished in little more than an hour.

Thanks again.