Winter Activities
asalt’s winter activities are great, even without a ski mountain. There are plenty of places to bring out the cross country skis, or snowshoes. If you have access to a snowmobile the Frying Pan River valley just outside of Basalt can quickly become your new playground for the winter months. With the many hills easily accessible in Basalt the kids can get plenty of use out of their sleds on those nice sunny days. And of course, located just 15 miles away from Aspen four ski areas, Basalt is close enough to make a day of skiing a great choice as well. |
Featured Aspen Skiing Company Aspen www.aspensnowmass.com This mountain looms out of downtown Aspen. Locals call it Ajax and this is the Aspen areas true performance ski mountain. Don’t bring you’re game here if you are a beginner; there’s nothing for you here. But there are plenty of intermediate trails and challenging black diamonds. The longest run is 3 miles. There is Snowcat skiing on the back side. Little Nell’s is still the place to gather at the base. New gondola arrives this winter. |
Winter Activities
| Aspen Skicing Company
Aspen www.aspensnowmass.com This mountain looms out of downtown Aspen. Locals call it Ajax and this is the Aspen areas true performance ski mountain. Don’t bring you’re game here if you are a beginner; there’s nothing for you here. But there are plenty of intermediate trails and challenging black diamonds. The longest run is 3 miles. There is Snowcat skiing on the back side. Little Nell’s is still the place to gather at the base. New gondola arrives this winter. Aspen Highlands The locals favor this mountain. The Highlands bowl is one of the great ski experiences if you’re a strong skiier and like a bit of a workout. Great intermediate and beginner terrain as well. Buttermilk The most family friendly of the Big 4 ski resorts. They have mostly beginner and intermediate terrain. Superb classes for younger kids and also a popular for snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. Snowmass Consistently rated as one of the top ski areas in North America, if not the world. They are undergoing an expansion of the Base Village which should provide even more great services to an already splendid mountain. Snowmass also has one of the most comprehensive ski schools in the country. Great instructors and frees up Mom and Dad to get in a few turns with each other. All four ski areas have an almost daily set of activities for all ages. They also host some of the great winter events in the country. Visit their website for info. Hut System 0024 Tumbledown Ln (970) 925-6618 One of the great treasures in Colorado. The 10th mountain division huts were originally used as outposts for soldiers training for winter travel and combat during WWII. Now there are over30 huts in the 10th mountain system and over 50 in the entire state. A few of these huts are accessible to the whole family, but most require moderate to rigorous travel to access. Make sure to go through a guide if its your first time out or if you are inexperienced in backcountry travel. www.huts.org Aspen Alpine Guides These guides have been offering classes and trips for over a decade. All instructors are certified in Avalanche Rescue, Wilderness Medicine and Backcountry Winter travel. They offer a number of classes on everything from building a snow shelter to assessing avalanche danger. They also are also provide guided trips into the Hut System. Aspen & Snowmass X-Country Centers 39551 Hwy 82, Aspen (970) 925-2145 0239 Snowmass Circle (970) 923-5700 The Aspen Center is on the Aspen Golf Course and actually connects to Snowmass Center also on the golf course. Both have excellent mixed terrain with first rate instructors. |
Sunlight Mountain Resort Sunlight Ski Area Ski Area 10901 County Rd 117 (970) 945-7491 Ski Shop 309 9th St (970) 945-9425 www.sunlightmtn.com Sunlight Mountain Resort is a mountain of fun with priceless flavor and hundreds of acres of terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. The diversity of terrain features everything from cruising corduroy to heart stopping steeps all at family-friendly prices. Steep and deep Sunlight Mountain’s Extreme challenges skiers and boarders. With a pitch of 52°, the Heathen is one of the steepest trails in the state. Sunlight is also home to one of the longest trails. Ute, a cruising beginning slope, winds more than two-and-one-half miles from the summit to the base.  Skiing & Snowboarding Sunlight Mountain offers hundreds of acres of mild green cruisers, intermediate slopes and black diamond extremes to satisfy skiers and boarders of all ability levels. Sunlight Mountain Resort features one of the steepest runs in the state (The Heathen, 52°) and one of the longest (Ute Trail, 2.5 miles). Rip through the ever-expanding terrain parks or take in stunning vistas on 29 kilometers of groomed cross-country/snowshoe trails. X-country & Snowshoeing The cross country center offers 29 kilometers of groomed cross country and snowshoe trails. Beginning, intermediate and advanced trails wind there way through a gorgeous high valley, flanked by Sunlight Mountain and the 10,300 foot Williams Peak. Cross Country and Snowshoe rentals are available at the Sunlight Mountain Ski and Bike shop as well as on the mountain. Snowmobiling (970)945-7491 Enjoy the beauty and thrill of riding through the White River National Forest. Take in magnificent 360-degree views of Mt. Sopris, the West Elk Mountains and the Flattops. see Ad on back page Events & Music Sunlight Mountain Resort is heating up the winter season with big on-mountain events and the best in local music après ski all winter long. Acoustic solo and duos perform at the Last Turn Lounge in our day lodge on Friday afternoons. Full bands perform at the tavern in Sunlight Inn on Saturday afternoons. Free. Krabloonik Dogsledding 4250 Divide Rd., Snowmass (970) 923-4342 www.krabloonik.com Experience of a lifetime. And great for the whole family. They have a beautiful area to take folks sledding. Trips range in time and book fast, so call ahead. T Lazy 7 3129 Maroon Cr (970) 925-4614 www.tlazy7.com Ranch Great horsepacking and sliegh rides for the whole family. They offer short trips and also dinner trips. The dinner trips are especially fun as you are taken to a hut where you are fed and listen to live music. A throwback to the Old West. Redstone Inn 82 Redstone Blvd (970) 963-2526 www.redstoneinn.com The classic Christmas afternoon. This sleigh ride takes you by the old Redstone Manor and alongside the Crystal River. An excellent choice for families with young kids |
