Aspen, CO Ski Resorts

Aspen Highlands Ski Resort is a favorite with skiers seeking to develop their skills. With 700 acres of some of the best terrain in the region, chances are good you'll enjoy your own fresh pocket of powder. As Aspen Highlands tends to be less crowded, it's where the locals hang out.

The Highlands offers two high-speed quads that allow quick and easy access to the ski area’s summit, Loge Peak. From the top, be sure to enjoy the marvelous views of the entire Maroon Bells Wilderness and the Elk Mountain Range. Offering up 112 trails, Aspen Highlands is more of a spine than a mountain. 47 percent of the trails are expert-rated, with outstanding mogul runs. Beginners and intermediate skiers find trails to their liking on the lower half of the mountain, and the chairlift ride to the summit is well worth the time.

Contrary to popular belief, Aspen Highlands is not just a skiers' paradise. Aspen Highlands is well worth visiting during the summer season. Featuring a nine-week live music series, an outdoor movie theater, lawn bowling leagues, outdoor weekly market, and monthly street fairs, Aspen Highlands has something for everyone.

Aspen Highlands Resort Features:

• Emphasis on advanced & intermediate skill levels
• 47% of trails are expert
• Year-round activities and events
• Special 1-day advanced backcountry program
• 2 high-speed quads to the summit

Sitting atop the town of Aspen is Aspen Mountain, also known as Ajax. The views from Aspen summit are incredible, from the town to the surrounding White River National Forest. Getting to the ski resort is incredibly convenient for guests staying in town, although the high-priced lift tickets tend to funnel some visitors to the surrounding ski areas.

Skiers from around the globe come to enjoy an assortment of the region’s best moguls, jumps, and steeps. No other mountain in the country offers this level of world-class skiing. Seven lifts and one uniquely designed gondola take you to the summit. Snowboarders have been welcomed at Aspen Mountain since 2001, though Aspen Mountain is home to a skier-only terrain park.

Aspen Mountain boasts 673 skiable acres and a vertical drop of more than 3,000 feet. 30% of the runs have been designated as "expert." There are no beginner runs on this mountain. If you're an experienced skier, this is definitely the place to visit on your next ski vacation.

Aspen Mountain Resort features:

• Intermediate and advanced only—no beginner trails
• Skier emphasis (although snowboarders are welcome)
• 3,267 feet of vertical drop
• Easy access from downtown Aspen

Buttermilk Ski Resort is Colorado’s best resort for those still building their basic snow skills. Buttermilk has slopes for everyone. For 60 years, Buttermilk has built its legacy on wide-open, gently rolling trails that cater to beginners and families. That’s what makes this mountain a great family destination.

The beginner and intermediate skier can take a day of lessons, or spend the day in one of the terrain parks used by the ski and snowboard school. More advanced skiers can explore some of the most extensive terrain parks in Colorado, or seek out hidden stashes of powder on the more difficult runs. Home of ESPN Winter X Games through 2012, the Winter X Games park has over 40 jumps and 25 rails.

Buttermilk has been voted number one by Transworld Snowboarding Magazine reader’s poll for best pipe and park. With perfectly groomed slopes and gentle powder trails, a great ski/snowboard school, and a 22-foot superpipe, the legendary terrain in this park make Buttermilk a beloved gem. Just three miles from Aspen, Buttermilk Mountain is easily accessible by all visitors in the area.

Buttermilk Resort features:

• Ideal for beginners and intermediates
• Terrain park with 40+ jumps, 25 rails
• Easily accessible from downtown Aspen
• 113 projected open days annually

Snowmass Ski Resort is nestled in one of the most prestigious and beautiful communities in the West. Among the top ski resorts in the world, Snowmass hosts year-round fun, drawing visitors from all over the globe.

Snowmass is the second-largest ski resort in Colorado, boasting 3,128 acres of terrain, 23 lifts, and 90 ski trails. It has an average of 300 inches of snow each season. The terrain is 6% beginner, 50% intermediate, 12% advanced, and 32% expert. This resort is renowned for its wide, groomed, crowd-free runs.

After an exciting day of skiing on Snowmass Mountain, choose from dozens of first-class restaurants and shops to finish off the day. With so many options, there is something for every taste imaginable. You’ll find just what you want at Snowmass!

Snowmass Ski Resort is one of the most accessible resorts in the Rockies. It is conveniently located about nine miles from the airport, with close to 150 nonstop and connecting flights per week. Scheduled charter services are also available.

Aspen Snowmass features:

• Only 9 miles from the airport
• Second-largest ski resort in Colorado
• 94% intermediate or above terrain
• Dozens of restaurants and shops surrounding area