So I'm getting excited to use my Mountain Collective Pass (again - I used it at Valle Nevado and it was amazing!) at Aspen this coming season.
I think I'm going to go out during the week between Christmas and New Year's. The pass is only good for two days. Where should I go if I only have two days to ski? What would be a good introduction to the "Aspen Extreme"? I'm an aggressive skiier who is comfortable anywhere on the mountain.
Also, where should I stay? I don't think I could afford downtown Aspen. Is VRBO/AirBnB the way to go (do I include Carbondale or Glenwood Springs in the search) or should I just find a roadside motel? I'm not looking for luxury, just a hot tub to soothe the aching muscles at the end of the day.
It's never too early. Anticipation is free:-)
Aspen is great and the first thing you might reconsider is staying more than two days. Doesn't that pass give you additional days at half price? All three areas, Ajax/Highlands/Snowmass, have wonderful stuff for advanced skiers. I think Highlands is most spectacular in that regard though. Unless you plan to visit other Colorado ski areas on the same trip, I'd say at a minimum ski all three. Then, if possible, I'd go back to the favorite for a fourth day.
Here’s a report I wrote (for another website) that answers some more of your questions.
No advice but would be interested to hear where you end up staying. I've got the MCP too. My non-skiing husband has a conference in Denver in March. I'll stay afterwards and head to Aspen with a ski buddy.
Given the effort it takes to get out there, seems like skiing for an extra day at half-price makes a lot of sense. My impression is that even during the holidays, the harder terrain won't be all that crowded.
If you had asked the question three months ago, the answer would have been "yes." Right now the answer is "you are almost too late."
You're going at the busiest time of the year. I'd guess that at least half of the lodging has already been booked. Probably most of the reasonably priced lodging is gone.
I agree with the other comments about straying more than two days. If you can stand the pain (and it will be significant) of the lodgiing prices, another day or two of lift ticket prices should certainly be bearable.
I'd encourage you to push back the trip to the week of January 5 or later. Then again, I hate skiing with big crowds and avoid Colorado like the plague during the holidays, but that's just me.
JimK wrote:
It's never too early. Anticipation is free:-)
Aspen is great and the first thing you might reconsider is staying more than two days. Doesn't that pass give you additional days at half price? ... Unless you plan to visit other Colorado ski areas on the same trip, I'd say at a minimum ski all three. Then, if possible, I'd go back to the favorite for a fourth day.
Thanks for the report!
Girlfriend is joining me and she can only take time off between Christmas and New Year's. And I have to be back on the East Coast for my grandma's surprise 80th birthday party on January 2nd. So that will limit our time.
I have grad school buddies who've decided to build roots down in Breckenridge. So we'll also be skiing Breck as well. As an aside, I went to grad school in Denver and had the Epic Pass and skiied my butt off at Breck. Girlfriend hasn't so I'll be showing her my old haunts.
I think with quality lodging in Breck, we just may try and find a cheap motel or something in Glenwood Springs for the Aspen part. Maybe splurge one night for a nice dinner in Aspen somewhere...
nakedskier wrote:
Thanks for the report!
Girlfriend is joining me and she can only take time off between Christmas and New Year's. And I have to be back on the East Coast for my grandma's surprise 80th birthday party on January 2nd. So that will limit our time.
I have grad school buddies who've decided to build roots down in Breckenridge. So we'll also be skiing Breck as well. As an aside, I went to grad school in Denver and had the Epic Pass and skiied my butt off at Breck. Girlfriend hasn't so I'll be showing her my old haunts.
I think with quality lodging in Breck, we just may try and find a cheap motel or something in Glenwood Springs for the Aspen part. Maybe splurge one night for a nice dinner in Aspen somewhere...
OK, with that info, just two days at Aspen makes sense since you're also spending time in Summit County. Definitely plan on one day, preferably a clear one, to go to Highlands and do the cat trip and climb up The Bowl. The altitude/climb was a bit much for me, but it was still very fun to ski the bottom half of Highlands Bowl after taking the free cat ride. Attempt that fairly early in the day in case there is a line and you decide to go back later or if there is a chance the weather may turn sour. Deep Temerity chair and Olympic Bowl are other good double black diamond areas at Aspen Highlands. Choosing between Aspen Mtn and Snowmass is a hard call that you'll have to make based on person preferences. There is plenty of black diamonds at Aspen Mtn to keep you busy for one day and you can rack up tremendous vertical making laps with the gondola (~3200' vertical). And at the end of the day you are walking distance to one of the best apres-ski towns in America. Snowmass is huge and could keep you entertained for multiple days. It has two renowned black diamond areas, The Cirque and Hanging Valley.
My two cents - since you are headed to Aspen because you want to "experience Aspen" - just ski Ajax one day and Highlands the other and skip Snowmass. Snowmass is gigantic, you won't get a real sense of the mountain in a day, plus holiday week traffic to/from Snowmass can be a mess (Snowmass has incredible terrain, especially above 10,000 feet, so just put it on your future bucket list) . At Highlands, like everyone has mentioned: knock of the Bowl if they have the coverage. At Ajax: kill it for a day and enjoy the incredible panaroma when you come down Little Nell, then soak up the apres at whatever suits your style (and budget). Nothing quite like Aspen the town in North America.
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