Aspen Ski Resort: background
Aspen has been synonymous with "cool" for decades, and offers beautiful Victorian buildings, top shops and eats, and four distinct mountain areas.
The old buildings date from the Colorado silver boom; the "being cool" part dates from the fifties when an industrialist named Walter Paepcke founded the Aspen Institute think-tank, the Aspen Music Festival and more, drawing thinkers and artists to the place.
Aspen is 162 miles (260 km) from Denver; a shuttle runs from the Denver airport year-round. The local airport -- Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field) -- gets flights from several major airlines.
The name of the town refers to the many aspen trees, which dazzle as fall foliage.
Aspen: the Mountains
Aspen ski resort is now called Aspen/Snowmass, bonding together two of the four ski mountains.
- Aspen Mountain: rises out of "downtown" Aspen; known for double-blacks and tree runs; tall and steep, rather than wide; more for intermediate and advanced types.
- Snowmass: 4406 vertical feet, and that's a lot; good kids' programs, but terrain is mainly intermediate and up, so kids should be skiing blues before you choose this mountain. New in 2007/2008: new beginners area; new 25,000 sq. foot child care center - see below.
- Aspen Highlands: "Where the locals go to get humbled"; best for experts, but does have beginner and intermediate runs.
- Buttermilk: finally Goldilocks finds the one that's just right. Buttermilk is the smallest of the Aspen ski resort mountains, great for families, with smooth wide runs and good kids' programs. Stronger skiers/boarders can try the superpipe and terrain park.
Kids programs
Reserve in advance, to avoid snafus! Aspen's ski and snowboard schools have offered daycare for ages 8 weeks to 3 1/2 years, kids programs and kids camps, and "Too Cool for School" programs for teens.
A 25,000 sq. feet Treehouse Kids Adventure Center at the Snowmass base village, for kids 2 months to 18 years, has climbing structures, "reading caves", and lots more, indoors; outdoors, a private ski learning area with Magic Carpets; teen night-time events.
Find out more about Aspen/ Snowmass Ski Resort
- Aspen / Snowmass site
- overview of all four mountains at Kidznsnow
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*Always check the ski resort web sites for updates!
This brief profile is meant to introduce this ski resort to family vacationers; please note that the writer has not visited in person.
