Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort has everything you could ever want from a ski resort – beautiful views from the lifts, luxury accommodations, amazing apres vibes, and world-class cuisine- making it one of the best ski resorts in all of America. Plus, Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is getting a new lift this year! Read on to find out the details.
What we love most about Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is its diverse terrain. From world-class slack-country terrain coming off The Cirque to top-notch tree glades from Sheer Bliss, swooping corduroy runs over at Elk Camp, and the fabled Snowmass terrain parks at Coney Express, you’re sure to find something you love at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort.
What is Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort?
Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is the largest of the 4 Aspen Snowmass Resorts, which include Buttermilk, Highlands, Ajax, and Snowmass.
With Buttermilk focusing on Terrain Parks and beginner contour, Highland focusing on backcountry terrain, and Aspen focusing on an old-school style feel, Snowmass aims for the “more is better’ approach.
What sets Snowmass apart from the other Aspen Snowmass resorts is its sheer size and amount of terrain.
Top-down image of the amazing Snowmass Ski Resort. Photo credit of TheSkiMonster
Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort Mountain Statistics
- Skiable Acres…5,700
- Average Snowfall per year…309 inches
- Average snowbase…34 inches at base. 70 inches at summit
- Number of Runs…98
- Top Elevation…12,510 feet
- Lowest Elevation…8,104 feet
- Max Run Length…5.3 Miles (Longshot run which requires a small hike uphill to get to)
- Vertical Drop… 4,406 feet
- Terrain Parks…3
- Lifts…16
- Longest Lift…Villiage Express (10,074 ft long + Climbs 2,173 feet of vertical)
- Lift Prices…$180 per day or 7 days with an Ikon Full Pass (Days shared with all of the Aspen-Snowmass Resorts)
All of the Aspen Resorts (Aspen, Highland, Buttermilk going left to right) excluding Snowmass. Photo credit of AspenSnowmass
Tips for traveling to Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort
Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is located 8 miles west of the town of Aspen. Here are some tips on traveling to Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort.
Map of Snowmass Mountain Resort.
- 1: There is only a one-way road to getting into the town of Aspen in winter. This road comes in from the west and goes east. Normally, in summer, you can drive over Independence Pass which comes in from the east, but because this is not open in winter it can make traveling from Denver or Eastern Colorado Areas long.
- 2: For full-time RVers like us, you’ll be disappointed that there are no campgrounds in Aspen.
- 3: Finding affordable accommodations in Aspen or Snowmass Villiage is difficult. Aspen is expensive. This is why we usually stay in Carbondale 30-40 minutes out of town. If you want an even cheaper option, you can stay in Glenwood Springs which has much more affordable lodging prices but keep in mind that you are an hour away from the mountain.
The best time to get powder days on Snowmass is in February. Photo Credit AspenSnowmass
Best Time to Visit Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort
January will be your best bet for uncrowded slopes and this month is also when the annual X-Games Freestyle competition goes on in the neighboring resort of Buttermilk. (Note: Any pass to an Aspen-Snowmass Resort gets you access to all four of the Aspen-Snowmass Resorts).
February will be the best month for powder days and deep snow, this also tends to be the coldest month for skiing in Aspen.
March is overall the best month to ski in all of the USA, but at the same time, this is the most crowded month where the slopes can get a bit more packed and the lodging prices can be a bit higher.
Amazing Villiage Express on Snowmass Mountain. Photo Credit of AspenSnowmass
3 Best Things about Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort
There are a ton of cool statistical aspects of Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort, but here are 3 personal details I really enjoyed about Snowmass.
- 1: There is always a place to get away from the crowds, typically for us, it was the Elk Camp Area. The Elk Camp Area is the farthest left part of the resort (Lookers left) and has big, open groomers.
- 2: The ease with which it is possible to jump between different parts of the mountain.
- 3: I loved the slope-side firepits and restaurants that are easy to get to.
Fanny Hill is the place to learn in Snowmass. Photo Credit AspenPublicRadio
Snowmass for Beginners
* 5/5
Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is a great learning mountain because of its gentle grade. The learning area, called Fanny Hill located right in front of you when exiting the bus stop. Plus, being right at the base of the village, makes it easy to take rests.
When you’re ready to explore more difficult terrain, I recommend taking the Coney Express or the Villiage Express lift to the Sam’s Knob area. Its gradual slope makes it an ideal learning area, plus, there are only 2 lifts to choose from which makes things simpler for beginner skiers.
If wanting to push yourself past the boundaries of Fanny Hill, try routes like Sunnyside to Bluegrouse on Sam’s Knob, or Funnel off of the Elk Camp Gondola which is another amazing place to learn the ropes.
Skiers making their way to Longshot above Elk Camp. Photo Credit AspenSojourner
Snowmass for Intermediates
* 5/5
If you are an intermediate skier, I recommend starting in the Elk Camp Area where you’ll find wide-open groomers, flowy runs, and fewer crowds.
Other great areas are the Alpine Springs, which is perfect if you want to try out your first glades, and the Big Burn area.
Also, if you want to try out an easier terrain park, take the Blue Grouse run to access the S/M-sized park.
Skier blasting through the advanced terrain of the Hanging Valley. Photo Credit DiabloMagazine
Snowmass for Advanced
* 4/5
If you are an advanced carver who likes to go fast, I would say try to get up early and try to be the first in line on the Villiage Express to get some gnarly burns on Sam’s Knob before the beginners show up.
Also the Village Express will give access top the amazing Snowmass terrain parks.
Freeskiers or those who like to have a go at backcountry, head to The Cirque, which is accessed by a T-bar coming off the Sheer Bliss lift. Sheer Bliss is also another good place for Off-Trail advanced skiers.
That being said, the Hanging Valley area is definitely the hardest terrain on Snowmass. These bands of orange granite cliffs and Slackountry powder stashes are located between High Alpine and Elk Camp Area. To get to Hanging Valley go up High Alpine or The Cirque and traverse using High Pass till you get to The Headwall, from there you have numerous ‘Big Mountain’ lines to choose from.
Snowmass Village also has a ton of nightlife. Photo credit StonebridgeCondominiums
Base Area
* 5/5
Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort has an idyllic base area feel, with fancy restaurants, great shopping, and cozy firepits to socialize at.
The base area at Snowmass Mountain Resort had a very clean and boujee aesthetic, and usually, I am one who is not into that stuff, however, I found myself eagerly wanting to go shopping at the many outfitters in this base area.
Also, the RFTA bus systems that you use to get to the resort will pick up and drop off right at the base area.
The Sam Knob area of Snowmass Ski Resort. Photo Credit AspenSnowmass
Vertical Drop
* 5/5
What is Vertical Drop? It’s how tall the ski resort is.
With a huge vertical drop of 4,406′ and 12 lifts, you can actually access all of the mountain at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort without having to Bootpack or take neverending Catwalks. Resorts that do have these issues of good vertical drop but not good access to every inch of it are resorts like Jackson Hole and Alta
The Vertical Drop here at 4,406 is also at a perfect height where you can do huge runs but runs not too long to get you overly tired.
Coming down Hanging Valley, Snowmass. Photo Credit AspenSnowmass.
Summit
* 4/5
This is the only thing that Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort may lack.
The pro of The Summit at Snowmass, or as it is named, The Cirque, is that it gives you access to huge top-down runs, where you can cover almost every type of terrain- from open-powder bowls to glades to terrain parks and then finishing off on smooth corduroy.
The con of The Cirque is that it’s not much of a summit, only a small bare hill that lacks the amount of big mountain terrain that resorts like Jackson Hole, Snowbird, or even Aspen Highlands deliver.
But that being said, The Cirque still offers some really cool double black diamonds in some really cool slack-country terrain.
To get harder ‘Big Mountain’ terrain, try the traverse of High Pass to get to the Hanging Valley area where you’ll find the toughest terrain on the mountain.
The amazing Powerline Glades at Snowmass. Photo Credit of Ski.Com
Off-Trail/Glades
* 5/5
The aspen glades here are world-renowned for a reason. You’ll find tons of tiny jibs and jumps as you navigate the beautiful aspen glades.
The best runs for glades are Powerline Glades and Garrett’s Gulch.
The glades at Snowmass are good for intermediate skiers who are new to off-trail skiing. They are not as tight as Steamboats glades which means some advanced skiers who love the heinous steeps at The Beavers in A-Basin or the cliffs at Jackson Hole might find the glades here a little boring.
Finding powder stashes in these glades is harder to come, but if you are trying to find some powder stashes hidden in the glades, look in places like High Alpine and Sheer Bliss.
Fresh corduroy coming off Sam’s Knob. Photo Credit Ski.Com
Grooming
* 5/5
Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort has some of the best grooming in the USA. In fact, Snowmass ranks in the top five of the best corduroy in America just behind Deer Valley, Sun Valley, and Beaver Creek.
Some of the best runs for such grooming are Bull Run, Banzai Ridge, and Whispering Jesse.
Remember Snowmass is a very popular resort (for a reason) which means these groomers get chopped up very quickly, so the earlier you get there the better. You will find that the Elk Camp area stays with corduroy a little longer than other areas since it is the farthest area from the base.
Picture of Matej Svancer ripping up Snowmass Terrain Parks. Photo Credit X-Games.
Terrain Parks
* 5/5
The Snowmass Mountain Terrain Parks are good enough that last year they were home to the SLVSH CUPS.
The SLVSH CUPS is a YouTube competition where Freestyle skiers will compete one-on-one with each other to spell out the word SLVSH.
The terrain park at Snowmass Mountain has everything you could ever want from a terrain park- classic features, creative rails and kinks, gargantuan-sized jumps, and also progression jumps to land your first 3’s and Backie’s off of.
Overall my family’s favorite lift is Elk Camp. Photo Credit AspenPublicRadio
Lifts
* 5/5
Best news ever! The Coney Express Lift at Snowmass has been upgraded this year to a high-speed quad, which will allow you to lap the terrain parks even faster.
There are a total of 16 lifts at Snowmass and my mom loves that 2 of these lifts are gondolas, which means she gets to warm up between runs.
Village Express and Coney Express allow you to lap gentle graded groomers and terrain parks, while Elk Camp Gondola, Elk Camp, and Two Creeks provide you with access to a less skied and less busy area of Snowmass.
Sheer Bliss and High Alpine give access to the best glades on the mountain and also give access to The Cirque. Alpine Springs is great with its sheltered runs, and the sun-exposed open groomers of the Big Burn area are stunning with its panoramic views.
The Capitol Lodge is your best option for slopeside lodging in Snowmass. Photo Credit AspenSnowmass
Lodging
* 3/5
Lodging at Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is hands down the best way to experience Snowmass mountains, however, it’s not cheap. Finding affordable lodging anywhere in Aspen is challenging. a few popular options include The Crestwood Condominiums, The Limelight Hotel, The Capitol Lodge, The Little Nell, or the Viceroy Snowmass.
We personally use Booking.com when we travel. If you book your hotels, airfare, and rental car through our link, we do receive a small commission so thank you in advance for helping to support us.
If you want to save a little money, you can stay in Basalt/Carbondale, which is about 30-45 minutes from Snowmass, or for even more affordable options, stay in Glenwood Springs which is about an hour’s drive. For full-time RVers looking for the nearest campground, check out River Dance in Eagle, Colorado but note that this is an hour and a half away from Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort.
The winter parking at the Town Park Station. Photo Credit SnowmassTransit
Parking
* 4/5
There are four parking options at Aspen’s Snowmass Ski Resort.
1: Paid parking at Snowmass – If you don’t mind the cost, the easiest parking is at the Snowmass Base Village Parking Garage. The first hour of parking is free, and each additional hour costs $8, with a daily maximum of $56.
2: Free Carpool Parking at Two Creeks Snowmass – You can park at the base of the Two Creeks lifts. It costs $25 on weekdays and $35 on weekends/holidays, however, parking is free if you have 4 or more people in your car. Note that this is a smaller parking lot and fills up fast. Pro Tip: The Two Creeks area is a hidden gem and way less crowded than the Village.
3: Town Park Station – You can park for free at the Town Park Station and wait for one of the RFTA buses to come along and bring you right to the doorsteps of Snowmass. These buses come every 10-15 minutes and parking is abundant here. But just in case you come on a super crowded weekend here is one more option…
4: Brush Creek Parking Lot – The Brush Creek Parking Lot is located on Highway 82 and is an overflow parking lot that the RFTA buses will still pick up from.
The amazing RFTA bus system makes our skiing days great. Don’t forget to be nice to the driver. Photo Credit AspenSnowmass
Bus System
* 5/5
The RFTA Bus System makes visiting Snowmass Mountain Resort super easy. They are clean buses that are made to make handling skis super easy. Best of all, they are FREE!
During one of Snowmass’s opening weekend celebrations. Photo Credit AspenSnowmass
Crowds
* 4/5
Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is known for being one of the best resorts in America so it does get crowded. Luckily though, it is a big huge mountain so you can always find plenty of skiable terrain. Try the Elk Camp Area or the Campground lift on the backside of Sam’s Knob for seclusion. Also typically the frontside of Sam’s Knob tends to be the most crowded.
It is hard to say what the best run in Snowmass is when they are all so good. Photo Credit AspenSnowmass
Best Runs at Aspen’s Snowmass Ski Resort
- Powerline Glades – Located via the Big Burn area.
- Longshot (longest continuous run in The Rockies at 5.3 miles long + Requires small boot pack) – Located via the Elk Camp Area
- Grey Wolf – Located via the Elk Camp area
Best Things about Snowmass Mountain Resort.
- 1: Diversity of terrain.
- 2: Easy to jump between areas and access the diversity of terrain.
- 3: One of the most gorgeous backdrops in the world.
- 4: Amazing groomer runs for families or speed lovers.
- 5: High-quality terrain parks.
One of the prettiest backdrops of all Colorado resorts. Photo Credit SkiWithKim
Should You Visit Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort?
Aspen’s Snowmass Ski Resort is one of the best resorts in all of America. In fact, it is because of Aspen Snowmass that we decided to buy a full Ikon Pass this year so that we could get more days here. And even better, getting a ticket to Aspen Snowmass means getting a ticket to the 3 other world-class resorts in Aspen.
I truly believe that a ski trip to Snowmass Mountain Resort will one hundred percent be worth it.
Whether you want a family vacation, an intense ski trip, or a relaxing winter getaway, Snowmass is the resort for you.
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