Aspen, Colorado
With breathtaking 360-degree views of the Maroon Bells and an abundance of expert terrain as well as groomed cruisers, it’s no wonder Aspen Highlands has been the locals’ favorite for over 50 years. Hike the 12,392 feet to the summit of Highland Bowl for the ultimate inbounds backcountry rush. Or take the Deep Temerity lift to access the recently-added 237 skiable acres. It all adds up to some of the most challenging big-mountain terrain in North America.
Season dates: December 8, 2012 - April 21, 2013
Location: Within White River National Forest, 3 miles from Aspen, 6 miles from Snowmass
Base elevation: 8,040 ft./2,451 m.
Summit elevation: 11,675 ft./3,559 m. (top of Highland Bowl 12,392 ft.)
Vertical rise: 3,635 ft./1,108 m.
Terrain: 1,028 acres/416 hectares
Number of trails: 118
Number of lifts: 5
Miles/km of trails: 84 miles/135 km
Longest run: 3.5 miles/5.6 km
Types of trails: easiest: 18%, more difficult: 30%, most difficult: 16%, expert: 36%
Lifts: 5: 3 high-speed quads, 2 triples
Lift hours: All lifts open at 9 am and close at 3:30 pm
Rental/Retail: Four-Mountain Sports at the base of the mountain
On-Mountain Restaurants: 2 total: Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro and Merry-Go-Round
Average temps: summer (highs between 70-75 degrees, lows 30-40) winter
(30 degrees, lows around 0) humidity is low.
Average snowfall: 300 inches (762 meters)
HOW TO GET THERE:
Planes:
Aspen/Snowmass is accessible by two of the most convenient airports
in the mountains – Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) (5 kilometers from Aspen)
and Eagle County Airport (EGE) eaglecounty.us/airport) is about an hour and a
half north of Aspen (112 kilometers from Aspen).
The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (aspenairport.com) is Aspen's regional airport,
just five minutes from the resort area. Take a morning flight and be skiing by
afternoon. Two airlines service the airport: United Express and American Airlines.
United Express has direct flights to and from Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Houston and Chicago. American Airlines offers direct flights to and from Dallas/Ft.
Worth, Los Angeles and Denver.
Private Jets:
Aspen is one of America's wealthiest towns and the epitome of American ski
luxury. As such, many Aspen businesses cater to wealthy clientele. When it
comes to travel, the town has several jet charter operations that can outfit
you with private jets for your ski trip.
Transportation:
The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (rfta.com) provides free, daily
transportation to Aspen and Snowmass from the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport.
During the morning, afternoon and evening, the bus stops at the airport every
15 or 30 minutes. The RFTA also provides a ski bus that services all four
Aspen-area resorts (Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass).
Many Aspen hotels and resorts also offer free shuttles to and from the airport;
inquire when making reservations.
Trains:
Amtrak Station in Glenwood Springs (45 miles, 72.4 kilometers from Aspen)