Aspen Snowmass Resort
Aspen Snowmass Resort
When Bill Clinton comes to Aspen, chances are good he can be found at Nobu’s Matsuhisa (www.matsuhisaaspen.com, 970-544-6628) restaurant on Main Street washing down Omakase, the chef’s signature sushi selection, with a bottle of hot sake. Chances are also good that half the town will know which table has been reserved for him before he does, just because some local who works there probably gave the heads-up to their friends who then booked the table next to his—as if the army of secret service men surrounding the place wasn’t obvious enough.
Aspen’s reputation for being the premier winter playground for the rich and famous, a place where locals rub elbows with the likes of former Presidents, is nothing new. But what people don’t know is that beneath the glitz and glamour is a small, liberal Colorado town with roots as deep as the gold mines that yielded its original riches. Its true wealth is in its quirky forward-thinking community, history, and culture. Aspen is the antithesis of the fabricated ski resort village, a real town with an Old West vibe that still lingers in its wide streets and candy-colored Victorians. Amidst the designer boutiques and fur coat-wearing tourists are long-time locals (both famous and infamous) and mining-era landmarks like the Wheeler Opera House (www.wheeleroperahouse.com/wheeler/) and the Hotel Jerome (www.hoteljerome.rockresorts.com/) that date back to the turn of the nineteenth century.
The real attraction of course, is the skiing. Aspen’s five-star quality caliber translates to its slopes with four distinct mountains offered on one lift ticket: Snowmass is known for its wide-open groomers and extensive intermediate terrain; Aspen Highlands is all about the steep and deep descending from the famed extremes of Highlands Bowl; Buttermilk is the kid’s choice, home to the X Games with its gentle beginner slopes and world-renowned halfpipe and park; and Aspen Mountain, with top-to-bottom gondola access located right in the center of downtown.
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THE FACTS: ASPEN
Summit: 11,212 ft.
Vertical Drop: 3,267 ft.
Terrain: 673 acres
Trails: 76
Lifts: (8 total) 1 gondola, 1 high-speed quad, 1 high-speed double, 2 quads, 3 doubles
THE FACTS: ASPEN HIGHLANDS
Summit: 11,675 ft. (top of hiking-only accessed Highland Bowl 12,392 ft.)
Vertical Drop: 3,635 ft.
Terrain: 1,028 ft.
Trails: 125
Lifts: (5 total) 3 high-speed quads, 2 triples
THE FACTS: BUTTERMILK
Summit: 9,900 ft.
Vertical Drop: 2,030 ft.
Terrain: 470 acres
Trails: 44
Lifts: (9 total) 2 high-speed quads, 3 doubles, 2 handle tows, 2 ski/snowboard school lifts
THE FACTS: SNOWMASS
Summit: 12,510 ft.
Vertical Drop: 4,406 ft.
Terrain: 3,132 acres
Trails: 91
Lifts: (24 total) 1 eight-passenger gondola, 1 high-speed six-passenger chair, 1 six-passenger pulse gondola, 6 high-speed quads, 2 quads, 3 doubles, 5 magic carpets, 2 ski/snowboard school lifts, 1 double, 2 platter pulls
Best Groomed Run: Snowboarders and skiers alike love the playful double-fall line on Sneaky’s where it’s just as easy to dump speed as it is to gain it cruising down this long, spacious run off the Big Burn Lift. Kids rave about Naked Lady (mostly because of the name), but also because of the fun rollers that are begging for a little air.
Best Bump Run: The Face of Bell is one of the most popular on Aspen Mountain for its sustained fall line and longest single-run vertical with a gentle ridgeline that empties out into several different fun double-fall line pitches. The main face is the best for moguls, with a nice pitch that gets consistently steeper as you get closer to the bottom.
The Inside Line: It’s always hard to convince people from L.A. that you’re better off without a car in Aspen, but the public bus system is excellent. A free skier shuttle makes getting from one mountain to the other a no-brainer and it’s also free to and from the Aspen Airport. Parking in town is metered (very expensive), limited and unnecessary since everything in the downtown core is within walking distance to the Aspen Mountain gondola (thus the reason parking is so expensive in Aspen). For more information and bus schedules visit the Roaring Fork Transit Authority web site at www.rfta.com.
For Kids: In 2007-2008, Aspen Skiing Company unveiled The Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center at the Snowmass base village. As the focal point for kids’ programming at Aspen/Snowmass, The Treehouse stands as the first of its kind in the snowsports industry, boasting teen activities, kids’ retail and a host of themed rooms for ages eight weeks and older. The Treehouse is easily accessible from anywhere in Snowmass with short-term and underground parking, free shuttle buses, ski-in/ski-out access on Fanny Hill and service to the upper slopes, lodges, and Snowmass Village Mall via the Sky Cab gondola. In addition, Ski & Snowboard Schools check-in, rental, retail, and family après entertainment are consolidated all under one roof (www.aspensnowmass.com/snowmass/treehouse.cfm, 970-925-1220).
On-Mountain Eats: Escape the cafeteria and enjoy a luxurious brunch with table service and fine dining atop a mountain at Gwyn’s High Alpine (www.hi-alpine.com/h_alpine.html, 970-923-3311). At Buttermilk, there’s a Mongolian barbeque at the summit lodge which also has the best views of the Maroon Bells of any of the four mountains. Over at Aspen Highlands, try Cloud 9 (www.aspensnowmass.com/onmountain/dining 970-923-8715), an authentic Austrian bistro that offers fine dining and a perch that lives up to its name.
Après-Ski: You can’t miss the deck at the Cirque, but once the sun drops behind the mountain, follow the locals to the Mountain Dragon (www.snowmassvillage.com/mountain-dragon, 970-923-3576), a Chinese restaurant better known for its tap beers and rear deck. In downtown Aspen, the party scene at 39 Degrees proves Aspen’s age-old party scene is still thriving and still scantily clad. Located in The Sky Hotel (www.theskyhotel.com, 970-925-6760) where it’s not unusual to see bikinis in the hot tub and heated pool even in the middle of winter.
In-Town Dining: With over 80 bars and restaurants in Aspen’s downtown core, choosing where you want to eat is almost as hard as deciding which of the four mountains you want to ski. Aspen is probably most famous for its sushi bars, though, each offering their own individual atmosphere and chef’s specialties in addition to all that raw fish that’s flown in daily. Try Takah Sushi (www.takahsushi.com, 970-925-9088) for their famous Atomic Shrimp appetizer and broiled cod. Tell Casey, the owner, we sent you.
Coolest Local Hangout: Get down with locals at Café Ink (970-544-0588), located downstairs in the D&E Snowboard Shop (www.aspensnowmass.com/onmountain/rentals/DandERetail.com, 970-920-2337) across from the gondola on Durant Street where there’s nothing like a little caffeine-infused shopping. Check out the new women’s store upstairs for a wide selection of ultra hip labels like Paul Frank, Hype, and Free People.
Nightlife: Aspen is famous for its hopping nightlife and it’s not unusual to see late-night partygoers still dressed in ski boots at last call. Some of the most popular haunts include Eric’s (970-920-6707), a confluence of four bars where you’re always bound to run into someone you know even if you’re a tourist and the Fly Lounge (www.flyloungeaspen.com), Aspen’s newest jet-airline themed dance club offering VIP tables and bottle service.
Best Off-Slope Activity: The less vertically inclined or those who just want to get a serious workout can explore over 80 kilometers of groomed cross-country slopes (www.utemountaineer.com/aspenxc.aspx, 970-925-2849). Otherwise it’s all about the shopping, with enough designer boutiques in downtown Aspen to rival Madison Avenue.
For That Special Night: Head up the Castle Creek Valley to Ashcroft and check out the Pine Creek Cookhouse, a local’s favorite for generations. The road isn’t plowed all the way in winter, so the restaurant can only be accessed via a quick cross-country ski, and the adventure is almost as good as the food (www.pinecreekcookhouse.com, 970-925-1044). In Snowmass, go for a moonlit dogsled ride to Krabloonik cabin with views of Capital Peak and Daly, and sample wild game items like caribou, elk, and buffalo (www.krabloonik.com/index2.html, 970-923-3953).
