Ski Resorts in Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

For advanced and expert skiers, Aspen Highlands is the place to be. It has the gnarliest terrain out of all the Aspen ski resorts and is known for having Colorado’s best steep, big mountain, in-bounds skiing. Naturally the difficulty of this mountain means beginners and intermediates won’t be making an appearance here, allowing it to be the least crowded of all four resorts.

With the party town of Aspen sitting at its base, Aspen Mountain or “Ajax” was the first of the four ski resorts to open. Known as a “skier’s mountain”, almost half of the trails here are graded for intermediates although the steep terrain and mogul-filled runs make it quite exciting for experts.

Very much the beginner’s mountain of the four, Buttermilk’s mellow-pitched slopes makes it a perfect learning ground for never-evers. It’s also the smallest of the four and though it might seem harmless, it is home to some incredible terrain parks and even hosts the infamous X Games annually.

The family-friendly resort of Snowmass is the largest of all four resorts and while it’s only a 9 mi drive from downtown Aspen, the base village at Snowmass has everything you’d need. This all-rounder resort has slopes for everyone from beginners to advanced skiers and snowboarders.