Aspen - Information

Aspen has got to be one of the best ski destinations in North America, and is renowned for its excellent skiing across four mountains of uncrowded pistes, it's lively varied nightlife and restaurants and the simple elegance of a town who's tradition is steeped in the old wild west. Aspen itself was a booming silver mining town in the 1890's and incredibly, produced a sixth of all the silver mined in the USA. The ski areas are separate, with only one (Aspen Mountain), accessible from the town via the six-seater Silver Queen gondola. The four mountains can be split according to skiing ability; Aspen Highlands for advanced, Buttermilk for beginners, and Aspen Mountain for strong intermediates. Snowmass, a short drive away, is the biggest of all the mountains and offers meandering blues, perfect for the intermediate. The resort is proud of its showbiz links and has even named one of its trails Rocky Mountain High, after the John Denver hit. Service is superb, with Ski Ambassadors always on the lookout for someone to assist on the slopes. And if you can’t be bothered to lug your skis back to your accommodation, you can have them looked after, and pick them up next day.