GOOD point, HARDPOORSKIER87, ALL NEGATIVE SKIERS HANG OUT WITH HARDPOOR87 at those other resorts. Aspen is a special place for people, save it for those who desrve it! Maybe the woman who tripped was laughing too, and the staff wanted her to feel like it was no big DEAL.

LOVE,
The REAL hardcore ASPENITES

TOO MANY PEOPLE> TOO CROWDED!! WHO GOES TO THE MOUNTAINS TO SIT IN TRAFFIC!?? Bring a lot of money!!! 1 hour from snowmass to aspen? Can take 40 minutes to go from airport to town....only a few miles!!! ASPEN IS OVER! Go to Telluride. Better snow, better trails, down to earth town and people!

Arrowhead's assessment of Aspen Mountain IMHO is blinded by the glitz that everybody knows Aspen is. But once you are on the mountain one needs to leave the $will behind and open your eyes. The runs only seem short because the over all terrain is compacted into smaller area than most resorts that boast a gagillion acres of skiable terrain. But if you take a tape to any of the bigger lines on the hill you would find them comparable , except for the fact that the pitches are sustained and steeper , to anywhere else in Colorado. Yeah sure A-basin has Pallavachinni (sp?), but thats it. Further more the Aspen core skier does not just ski the lower mountain or the upper mountain for that matter. You ski the whole mountain by linking these so called 'short lines' together into one 3200' vertical top-2-bottom' no-stop line. Put the gondola into the equation and a decently fit ' by aspen standards' skier can get in 10 top-2-bottoms in a day....thats 32000 vertical feet of which a large percentage is over 30 in pitch

This Aussie mum and two daughters visted Aspen for first time in Late March through to April. I was speaking at an Innovation Conference hosted at the Mounatin Chalet in Aspen while my kids, 9 + 12 went skiing and snowboarding at Buttermilk and Snowmass using the shuttle bus service.

The snowboarder had the best time of her life attending the Chris Klug snowboarding camp, and then put her new-found expertise into practice in rehearsal for Aussie State Championships this coming July when its winter Downunder. The 9 year old skier also improved her skills drastically thanks to expert tuition and comfortable conditions on the mountain- ie mild weather, good powder in the mornings, etc

As a single parent and first-time visitor, I would like to compliment every single member of the great team that made the entire experience memorable, from the efficient and friendly shuttle bus services to the mountain information ambassadors dishing out free coffee to the ski-school staff. (The only service in 12 days that could do with improvement was the equipment hire shop at Buttermilk)

The 9 year old got lost at the top of the mountain when skiing alone after ski-school finished and a ski-patrol person was onto her straightaway rescuing her in a snowmobile which turned into a treat (and a lecture from mum about NOT skiing alone!)

The vacation could be expensive if you want it to be, but we stayed in the most fantastic family-run hotel at incredible rates including every facility imaginable including a huge breakfast, the kids were fed lunch at ski-school, and we really had to buy only one dinner a day and could generally get away with about $40-$50 for the 3 of us. We splashed once or twice which was nice.

As a non-skier, non-spa bunny and non-shopper....I was a bit worried what I would do post-conference, but again, the area is culturally and intellectually so rich, I could hardly fit everything in. High on my list of recommended visits is the Rocky Mountain Institute - a global icon of forward thinking on environmental matters, the Aspen Institute and the Anderson Ranch of Creative Arts....a place where creative people go to deepen their learning and creative exploration.

I thought it was quite funny how the Thrift Shop was in the same street and opposite the road from Dior, Gucci, Bulgari etc....but in a way, that sums up Aspen....from the richest to the most ordinary folks, and every colour of the rainbow inbetween....and such diversity is truly interesting. This town may be super wealthy, but it has a soul.
http://msmaverick.blogspot.com

There really isn't a ski town that compares to Aspen. If the town is important to you, this is definitely worthy of a trip, just be prepared for high prices!

Aspen mountain is challenging, definitely not for beginners. Snowmass is a great mountain, and many prefer it.

Overall, a great ski vacation. Great skiing, great restaurants, great night life.