Introduction and basics
By Gabriella Le Breton
There's more to Aspen that just A-list celebrities and Chanel earmuffs
The Aspen Snowmass ski pass is one of the most expensive in the world
Top five ski runs
Top five hotels
Restaurants and nightlife
Overview
Aspen is all too often misunderstood. It may be the winter playground of A-list Hollywood celebrities, complete with heated pavements and Chanel earmuffs, but there’s much more to it than that. Thanks to its simple mining heritage and down-to-earth local community, the small village is a surprisingly good social leveller, welcoming both wildly rich holiday makers and humble skiing families. Family-friendly Snowmass, located 10km away, is rapidly becoming a resort in its own right following major expansion.
The slopes
Aspen Snowmass boasts some of America’s most varied and challenging skiing. The area is made up of four very distinct mountains: Aspen mountain (good for moguls and best suited to experts), Highlands (famous for the Highlands Bowl), Buttermilk (good for beginners and snowboarders) and Snowmass (a colossal ski area for all levels).
Ski schools
The Aspen Ski & Snowboard School (http://www.aspensnowmass.com/schools//schools/) has over 1,300 instructors teaching on all four mountains. Classes are generally small and you can select specific courses from off-piste specialist clinics to women-only groups. Sign up with the ski school to bag a place in the daily “Fresh Tracks” groups on Snowmass and Aspen Mountain the following morning. This is a free service that enables you to take an 8am lift with instructors to catch fresh tracks before the lifts open to everyone else.
Equipment hire
Four-Mountain Sports has six outlets across the four mountains. It offers a free ski and snowboard overnight transfer and storage service – drop your kit at a shop at the end of the day, ask them to deliver it to the mountain you want to ski on the next day and you’ll find it there in the morning.
00 1 970 923 1227www.aspensnowmass.com/onmountain/rentals/$30 (£15) for boots and skis
Ski pass
The Aspen Snowmass ski pass is one of the most expensive in the world. However, the varied terrain of four mountains, beautifully manicured pistes, efficient lift and bus system, complimentary suncream, biscuits, drinks and mountain guiding come as standard. Furthermore, book in advance through a tour operator and you’ll get a hefty reduction (www.aspensnowmass.com/international).
Cost of a one-day ski pass (in 2007/08): $82 (£44) Cost of a six-day ski pass (2008/09): $588 (£319)
Asspen (An episode of South Park set in Aspen)
Road to Rupert (An episode of Family Guy set in Aspen)
Pitkin County, Colorado
State of Colorado
Colorado municipalities
Other famous ski towns in North America:
Banff, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Jackson, Wyoming
Park City, Utah
Snowbird, Utah
Sun Valley, Idaho
Vail, Colorado
Whistler, British Columbia
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu
Copyright © Demetrios the Traveler
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