Colorado, United States

Aspen

Aspen has four ski mountains (Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, Snowmass) and a reputation for being exclusively for the ultra-wealthy that is both accurate and slightly misleading. The skiing on Aspen Highlands is some of the best in the country — Highland Bowl at the top is a hike-to backcountry experience above 12,000 feet — and Snowmass is a complete mountain resort in itself. The town of Aspen (Victorian mining-era architecture, population 7,700, median home price $6 million) has excellent restaurants, good art galleries, and a bar scene that functions at 2am on a Tuesday in January. The downside is that staying in Aspen is expensive in ways that require advance mental preparation — $500/night for a modest hotel room, $30 for a cocktail. The upside is that once you've paid for accommodation, skiing four mountains on one pass makes the daily value proposition quite good.

Best time to visitPeak: December, January, February, March

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2 Itineraries

4-Day Aspen Snowmass: Four Mountains, One Valley

Firsthand

4 daysAdventure$$$$28 blocks

skiingOutdoor & NatureAdventure+3 more

3-Day Aspen First Visit

Firsthand

3 daysAdventure$$$$20 blocks

skiingOutdoor & NatureAdventure+3 more

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Getting there & around

Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) receives direct flights from major hubs (Denver, Dallas, LA, Chicago, NYC) in ski season — this is the correct way to arrive. The airport runway is short and altitude-affected; flights cancel in weather more than most airports. Denver (DEN) is the backup — 210 miles (4 hours) via I-70 and Highway 82; Glenwood Canyon is beautiful and closes in rockfall events. The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) runs the Bustang bus from Glenwood Springs (Amtrak station) into Aspen. Once in Aspen, the free Roaring Fork Transit bus system connects Aspen, Snowmass, Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs. The four mountains are all accessible on one Ikon Pass or Aspen Snowmass lift ticket ($189–239/day at window; pass significantly cheaper).