Snowmass Ski Resort Review & Information
Snowmass Ski Resort Review
Snowmass Ski Resort Website:https://www.aspensnowmass.com/
Snowmass Ski Resort Trail Map
Snowmass Ski Resort Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Summary: Snowmass Ski Resort is one of four mountains that compose Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort in Aspen, Colorado. Snowmass was founded in 1967 and was one of the three original mountains that composed Aspen. Today, Snowmass Ski Resort is a family friendly mountain that has beginner friendly groomers for beginner skiers/riders while also having some of the most gnarly lines for expert skiers/riders. Snowmass Ski Resort has something for everyone, which makes it one of my favorite places to ride in Colorado. Snowmass Ski Resort has the luxury of a high end resort while also offering terrain for those who actually want to challenge themselves.
Parking: Snowmass Ski Resort has four main areas to park: Base village parking garage, Two Creeks, Lot E and Town Park Station. Base Village is free for the first hour, $5 per hour after that and $30 per day. Lot E and Two Creeks are $15 on weekdays and $25 on weekends and holidays. For me, the best option for parking is Town Park Station which offers free parking and a free shuttle to the base of the mountain. The shuttle starts at 6:40am and runs until 6:20pm.
Season Pass: As of the 2018-2019 Season, Snowmass Ski Resort is on the Ikon Pass with limited days (5/7 days depending on your pass).
Strengths:
- Unlike Aspen Highlands, Snowmass Ski Resort offers much more beginner and intermediate terrain. Obviously, if you are new to skiing or snowboarding, this is a major plus. Most of the lower mountain is composed of groomed greens, while the midmountain is loaded with blues for those still getting into their sport.
- Similar to above, but for a different level of athlete – Snowmass Ski Resort offers gnarly cliffs, steep glades and wide open bowls for those of us who are looking for a challenge. Since some of these areas are hard(er) to access, it’s not out of the question to find loads of stashes on days after the storm.
- Snowmass Ski Resort is loaded with good tree runs. Unlike some mountains, Snowmass has a good variety of aspens and evergreen trees which present their own unique lines through a variety of terrain.
- If your eating and drinking options are important to you – Snowmass has you covered there as well. There are a variety of options to eat at base areas and on the top of most lifts.
- Obviously, my experience at Snowmass is not equivalent to a local who rides it weekly, but I got the feeling that the more you become familiar with Snowmass, the more options the mountain offers up to you. Even towards the end of my time at Snowmass, I was discovering more sections of the mountain that had fresh tracks on a day where there was no AM pow.
Weaknesses:
- While Snowmass has a ton of double black and extreme terrain, it can be somewhat annoying to access. Areas like Cirque and the East Wall require a somewhat long T bar ride, while Hanging Valley has a handful of catwalks to access some of its best terrain. Once you become acquainted with the mountain, you can figure out shortcuts, but it can be a pain.
- Snowmass has much more of a resort feel than Highlands (my other fav in the aspen group) does. Obviously, this will attract a crowd with a potentially smaller skill level. Am I being a hardo? Probably. Is this important to mention? Yes. Look, whether people want to admit it or not, when you have skiers/snowboarders at a lower level, they typically lack some mountain etiquette and can be more dangerous/unpredictable on the mountain. Want to avoid these types? Head to the Cirque/Hanging Valley areas.
- The free parking is awesome (I detest paying for parking while boarding), but it limits your options in terms of lunch breaks, having a dog in the car etc. Since the lot is a solid 10 minute shuttle away, a quick lunch break or checking in on your dog in the car is not really an option at Snowmass Ski Resort.
Mick’s Tip: When skiing or riding at Snowmass Ski Resort, try to work the edges of the inbounds terrain. I won’t give away specific runs, but I have found these areas to be some of the least crowded because of the funky layout the mountain has.
If you do plan on riding in the upper portion of Snowmass, be sure to know the terrain before you head down a trail. There are several sections that contain cliffs with big drops and are signed, but could be easy to miss. When the signs say extreme terrain, experts only, you really should obey them if you are not familiar with what lies ahead.
Best Views: Snowmass faces down into the northern valley for the most part, which offers okay views. For me, the best views at Snowmass Ski Resort are on the summit of Elk Camp off the Elk Camp lift. Here you can see Wiloughby Mountain and if you are lucky, even get a glimpse of the true Snowmass Mountain (14er).
Pictures From Snowmass
