Aspen recommendations.

[theprogram4]

I know a few of you on here have had good experiences in Aspen.  What resorts do you recommend?  Also, drive from Denver or fly into somewhere else?  Thanks

[Shadows]

Fly to denver and switch planes. Fly directly in.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Or fly in from Chicago. Send Johnny Style a PM...he spends two months every winter in Aspen...I would spend time at Snowmass, Aspen mountain and Aspen Highlands.  There aren’t sustained steps at Aspen like at Jackson hole but also much smaller crowds.  It’s also not as rocky so most terrain is skiable with a 40” base.  I’d stay in the town of Aspen that way you can walk to restaurants and Aspen mountain and you can take a free bus to the other resorts. 

 

Atomic jeff has been to Aspen and so has Johnny law.  I was only there once in 2011 and tons of pow days in late March.  

Edited August 7, 2018 by GrilledSteezeSandwich

[theprogram4]

14 minutes ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Or fly in from Chicago. Send Johnny Style a PM...he spends two months every winter in Aspen...I would spend time at Snowmass, Aspen mountain and Aspen Highlands.  There aren’t sustained steps at Aspen like at Jackson hole but also much smaller crowds.  It’s also not as rocky so most terrain is skiable with a 40” base.  I’d stay in the town of Aspen that way you can walk to restaurants and Aspen mountain and you can take a free bus to the other resorts. 

 

Atomic jeff has been to Aspen and so has Johnny law.  I was only there once in 2011 and tons of pow days in late March.  

fly in to aspen airport im assuming?

 

and the only person Johnny Style hates more than me is you lol

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

18 minutes ago, theprogram4 said:

fly in to aspen airport im assuming?

 

and the only person Johnny Style hates more than me is you lol

Well Johnny style is just super passive aggressive and yes Aspen airport as Aspen is a four hour drive from Denver airport.  I assume VTMark is going since he’s made a ton on Crypto currency or is this a family trip?

[toast21602]

29 minutes ago, theprogram4 said:

fly in to aspen airport im assuming?

 

and the only person Johnny Style hates more than me is you lol

How has your recovery been? You need a redemption trip somewhere. 

[theprogram4]

13 minutes ago, toast21602 said:

How has your recovery been? You need a redemption trip somewhere. 

thanks for asking.  i finished PT probably 2 months ago.  ive played 6 hockey games so far and no problem, although it does get sore from time to time.  i wish i could try it out on a snowboard now in case there are still any issues, having Xanadu open would be clutch right now

[AtomicSkier]

100% fly into Aspen.  The next best thing is flying EWR direct to Vail which I've done once and it was pretty convenient.  It's about 1hr30m from EGE to Aspen.  If you're going to connect somewhere, you might as well fly direct into ASE.  DEN is 4.5+ hours away under decent conditions.  One Vail pass closure and it'll be a helluva lot longer.

Stay in Aspen if you can.  Tons of bars/food options.  I love walking around a "real" ski town with my skis over my shoulder.  Despite everyone thinking Aspen is all glitz and glamour, it is very authentic.  Similar to Telluride and nothing like Vail / Winter Park / etc.  As for resorts in Aspen, skip them.  They're all $$$.  VRBO/AirBnB something.  Jay has paid ~$2000 for a week for a 2 bedroom place about a 3 minute drive from the Gondola.  If you want a resort, stay in Snowmass, quite a few reasonable slope side options there, but you're more isolated from the fun.  Will be more like staying in Teton Village vs Town of Jackson.

My favorite place to grab something quick to eat in Aspen is the "Big Wrap".  Cash only.  I get the pesto wrapture burrito.  I could eat them every day.

As for skiing, I love all 4 resorts for different reasons.  For big pow days, Snowmass or Highlands.  I'd skip Highlands on a pow day unless it has snowed frequently recently because the south facing stuff (besides "the Bowl") will be firm.  Highlands is on a ridge that falls away on both sides.  Snowmass has tons of acreage and technically has more vertical footage than JH (4400ft ... the most in the US).  The hanging valley wall area and the cirque area will yield pow way longer than any run at JH, granted at lower angles.

If it's a sunny day, I love ripping turns at Ajax (Aspen Mountain) and soaking up the sun hitting some soft bumps, skiing the dumps, crushing turns down the best run of all time, america's downhill, Ruthies Run.  Nobody is in a rush and all the slow signs say "relax it's aspen" and you'll see some awesome outfits.  If it's been sunny a lot and I've skied Ajax a few days, I'll head over to Buttermilk and rip turns down the Tiehack area with the biggest smile on my face.

I've skied JH 77 times, but I've spent a combined 54 at the Aspen resorts.  If I had to pick a place to ski and live for the rest of my life, I'd pick Aspen in a heart beat.

[theprogram4]

12 minutes ago, AtomicSkier said:

100% fly into Aspen.  The next best thing is flying EWR direct to Vail which I've done once and it was pretty convenient.  It's about 1hr30m from EGE to Aspen.  If you're going to connect somewhere, you might as well fly direct into ASE.  DEN is 4.5+ hours away under decent conditions.  One Vail pass closure and it'll be a helluva lot longer.

Stay in Aspen if you can.  Tons of bars/food options.  I love walking around a "real" ski town with my skis over my shoulder.  Despite everyone thinking Aspen is all glitz and glamour, it is very authentic.  Similar to Telluride and nothing like Vail / Winter Park / etc.  As for resorts in Aspen, skip them.  They're all $$$.  VRBO/AirBnB something.  Jay has paid ~$2000 for a week for a 2 bedroom place about a 3 minute drive from the Gondola.  If you want a resort, stay in Snowmass, quite a few reasonable slope side options there, but you're more isolated from the fun.  Will be more like staying in Teton Village vs Town of Jackson.

My favorite place to grab something quick to eat in Aspen is the "Big Wrap".  Cash only.  I get the pesto wrapture burrito.  I could eat them every day.

As for skiing, I love all 4 resorts for different reasons.  For big pow days, Snowmass or Highlands.  I'd skip Highlands on a pow day unless it has snowed frequently recently because the south facing stuff (besides "the Bowl") will be firm.  Highlands is on a ridge that falls away on both sides.  Snowmass has tons of acreage and technically has more vertical footage than JH (4400ft ... the most in the US).  The hanging valley wall area and the cirque area will yield pow way longer than any run at JH, granted at lower angles.

If it's a sunny day, I love ripping turns at Ajax (Aspen Mountain) and soaking up the sun hitting some soft bumps, skiing the dumps, crushing turns down the best run of all time, america's downhill, Ruthies Run.  Nobody is in a rush and all the slow signs say "relax it's aspen" and you'll see some awesome outfits.  If it's been sunny a lot and I've skied Ajax a few days, I'll head over to Buttermilk and rip turns down the Tiehack area with the biggest smile on my face.

I've skied JH 77 times, but I've spent a combined 54 at the Aspen resorts.  If I had to pick a place to ski and live for the rest of my life, I'd pick Aspen in a heart beat.

thank you sir!