Ski Aspen! Colorado's Best Ski Resort

Colorado winters offer prime ski opportunities for those in search of outdoors adventure and the best in scenic splendor. Not up to skiing? Then spend part of your winter vacation at any of a number of excellent winter ski resorts in two of Colorado's prime winter tourist attractions. Vail and Aspen, both nestled within the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado, offer world-class winter sports and entertainment venues for domestic and world travelers.

Starting off as a mining town, Aspen has grown in notoriety throughout the globe as a world-class ski resort and town, offering world famous restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and shops. Still, nothing compares to her surroundings. Aspen boasts four ski areas on four area mountains, complete with groomed cross-country ski trails and a multitude of ski runs designed for different ski levels. If you're not up to that, Aspen offers snowshoe trails as well, and, if you want to sit while you're exercising, a dog-sled tour of the area.

Aspen receives an average of 300" of snow each year. At an elevation of over 11,000 feet, Aspen slopes offer 8 lifts to various altitudes. Be forewarned however; if you're a beginning skier, Aspen slopes are not for you. They have no absolute beginner slopes, but 35% for intermediate, 35% for advanced and 30% for expert skiers.

Four mountains incorporate Aspen's ski slopes; locals know them as the 'Power of Four'.

Buttermilk Mountain:

Buttermilk Mountain is home to the Winter X games through 2010, and a perfect location for beginners. With a vertical rise of over 2,000 feet, Buttermilk offers 44 trails that span 21 miles over 400 acres of snow packed terrain. The longest run on Buttermilk is 3 miles, with 35% of her trails designated easy, 39% more difficult, 26% most difficult. Buttermilk is not crowded, with an average of 4 skiers per acre.

Nine lifts: high-speed quads, doubles and tows plus 2 for Ski/snowboard School lifts access that range between 8-10,000 foot slopes. If you get hungry, there are two restaurants to choose from on Buttermilk, the Bumps and The Cliffhouse.

Aspen Highlands Mountain:

With a rise of almost 4,000 feet, Aspen Highlands offers 131 trails reaching over 70 miles for moderate-skill skiers. The longest run on Aspen Highlands is about 3.5 miles long, it's steepest is Go-Go Gully. Highland Bowl has a slope angle of 48°. Utilizing five lifts, Aspen Highlands offers nearly 20% easy/moderate, 30% more difficult, 16% most difficult and 36% expert slopes.

New trails have opened on Aspen Highlands, including expert and extreme terrain runs called Sodbuster, Kessler Bowl, Highland Bowl Runout, and South Castle.

Aspen Highlands remains uncrowded with an average of 2 skiers per acre and is best known for its steep skiing in Highland Bowl, Olympic Bowl and the Steeplechase. Multiple restaurants feed hungry skiers here, so take your pick of Merry-Go-Round, Alpine Bistro, Soup Bowl at Cloud Nine and others.

Aspen Mountain:

The first lift on Aspen Mountain opened in January of 1947. Celebrate with Aspen as it enjoys its 60^th year of offering prime ski runs to world-class skiers! With a summit elevation of nearly 12,000 feet, Aspen Mountain offers 76 trail runs extending over 60 miles on slopes enjoying a vertical rise of over 3,000 feet! Their longest run is about 3 miles, its steepest the Elevator Shaft section of the Silver Queen run with a slope angle of 42°. Six lifts take skiers to slopes that cater to more experienced skiers, with 48% of the slopes on Aspen Mountain rated for difficulty, 26% most difficult and 26% expert. The runs on Aspen Mountain are popular for taking skiers right into downtown Aspen.

Hungry after those difficult runs? Visit Bonnie's or the Sundeck, among other offerings on this prime skiing location.

Snowmass Mountain:

Snowmass is a sight to behold. With a summit elevation of over 12,000 feet, Snowmass offers delighted visitors over 3,000 acres of snowy playground. With 90 trails extending almost 150 miles, it takes days to explore all that Snowmass has to offer. Their longest run is a little over 5 miles, their steepest known as Gowdy's and AMF with slope angles of about 40°. Nearly two-dozen lifts take skiers to multiple drop-off points and yet the slopes on Snowmass aren't crowded, with an average of 2 skiers per acre. Snowmass has been rated as one of the best family skiing areas in the United States for many years.

Snowmass is home to several terrain parks and pipes, ensuring enjoyment for every family member of differing skills. When you get hungry, stop in at Lynn Britt Cabin (they offer Snowcat dinner rides) or Two Creeks Mexican Café, among others.

Buttermilk Mountain is geared for younger, inexperienced and intermediate skiers. A mere twenty minutes away, Snowmass Mountain offers slopes that cater to all skier levels. For the more experienced, skiers will definitely want to ski Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands, with slopes geared toward expert skiers.

Snowboarders are also welcome in Aspen, with multiple runs and mogul fields designed to delight and challenge snowboarders. Dog sledding and guided snowshoe tours are also available and if you really want to get away, try hot-air ballooning.

Nighttime in Aspen offers boundless entertainment possibilities beyond great food. Winter concert series keep residents and visitors alike entertained, as does the variety of late-night entertainment available for night owls.

Lodging in Aspen in surprisingly affordable when compared to other world-class resorts, both domestic and foreign, and if you shop around, deals can be found. Reserving rooms in some of the best places to stay in Aspen will require advance notification; so don't wait until the last minute. Some deals running from January through April '07. Several hotels also offer online booking deals, so make sure to check ahead of time.

The Durant - From 1/4/07-2/8/07 -Buy 4 nights, get 1 free! Close to the gondola with ski-in access, snow permitting. Units include kitchen, TV and phone. Floor to ceiling windows offer superlative views of surrounding mountains and forest. $757-804

(5 nights, price per person).

Hotel Jerome - From 1/3/07-2/8/07 -Early booking special rates of $1,636 for 5 nights, double occupancy, price per person. Built in 1889, this Victorian hotel has been restored to her former glory and offers lodgers all the amenities and services of a deluxe hotel.

Chateau Roaring Fork - 3/16/07-4/15/07 - Buy 4 nights, get 1 free! These condominiums are located a few short blocks from historical downtown Aspen and Aspen Mountain on the banks of the Roaring Fork River, both condo units, the Chateau Roaring Fork and the Chateau Eau Claire are nestled in quiet woods. $818 for 5 nights, quad occupancy - price per person.)

The St. Regis - This hotel is running two deals this winter. The first, the January Blowout Special, offers a $1,689, 4 night, double occupancy, price per person special for the 19^th through 24^th of January /07. The St. Regis Resort is located in downtown, historical Aspen and offers world-class services to lodgers. Two other specials are slated for winter, one an online deal. A March Special Week, from 3/18/07-3/24/07, offers online booking at $1,404 for 4 nights, double occupancy, per person rated. The other, a Luxury Mid-Season Special, offers $1,772 for 5 nights, double occupancy, price per person from 3/18/07-3/24/07.

And don't forget the Ritz Carlton Club located in Aspen Highlands. Nestled at the base of Aspen Highlands Ski Area, this hotel offers ski-in and ski-out access. Luxury knows no bounds in this full service location. Buy 6 nights, get 1 free at $1,560-$2,005 from 1/6/07-3/24/07, 7 nights, 6 occupancy, price per person).

Check road conditions before driving to Aspen, as chains may be required.