Winter
One of the most popular ski destinations in the west, winter in Aspen boasts outdoor concerts, World Cup ski races, signature events like the unforgettable ESPN Winter X Games and Bud Light Spring Jam, an ice skating rink, Nordic ski trails, and access to a system of backcountry huts called the 10th Mountain Hut Division and Braun Huts.
Experience alpine skiing and The Power of Four. Four mountains under one lift ticket. Aspen Mountain, a.k.a. Ajax, rises above town and offers 3,276 vertical feet/ 996m from the top of the gondola to the bottom.. The mountain offers a 50/50 mix of intermediate and expert terrain. From the cruisers on Ajax Express, Ruthies and Gents Ridge Lifts to the long tree and bump runs on Bell Mountain and Shadow Mountain, this hill offers up a great experience. Don’t miss the apple strudel at Bonnie’s, they grow their own apples! Aspen Highlands: This is the mountain for great views and steep untamed skiing. From both sides the 14,000 foot peaks of the West Elk Mountains tower around you. While there is some great crusing on intermediate runs at mid and lower mountain, the upper areas of Steeplechase, Olympic Bowl and Highlands Bowl offer up steep and off piste skiing with long runs.
Snowmass, always the great cruiser and family mountain it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Expert areas like The Cirque and Hanging Valley Wall offer plenty of off piste chutes, gullys and steeps. Snowmass now boasts the longest vertical rise in the country at 4,406 ft/ 1343 m., with it’s longest run being 5.3 miles/8.5 k. The Big Burn and Elk Camp lifts offer up miles of great groomed open intermediate cruisers.
A free shuttle will ferry you between the various ski areas, so you can enjoy the mountain of your choice regardless of where you stay in the valley.
