Skiing in Aspen is a skiers’ paradise for every skill level. From beginner to intermediate to pro…you’ll love skating here. Check out skiing on any of the four mountains depending on your skill level and adventurous spirit. Aspen offers a free shuttle to take you between the four mountains. You can also get ski transportation between the four mountains. You can pay your host to get your gear at the designated mountain the next day.
The Four Mountains are: Milk… Suitable for beginners. Aspen Heights… suitable for intermediate skiers. Pros (black diamond types) can enjoy great skiing on the Aspen Mountains or the Highlands. Snowmass is the fourth mountain.
Just a newbie? Buttermilk Mountain will give you what you need. Beginners can run on Red’s Rover, then progress to the Blue Grouse and other slopes to increase the difficulty. They can also experience certain stretches of height… like the fair and the red onion. Skiers who are better at beginners but not experts (intermediate), can take a cable car ride to the top of Aspen Mountain and can go down the soft slopes at areas like Dipsy Doodle and Pussy Foot.
Another alternative to where to ski in Aspen for the intermediate level is at Copper Bowl. This is a popular ski route and tends to get crowded. Curd also has some interesting twists and turns for the intermediate skilled skater. Good slopes here are the Cliff House and the Tiehack Chair. The Tiehack chair is not as easy as it looks and can give you a great workout on more difficult slopes.
The highland area also offers great skiing for intermediate skiers. Cloud Nine and Thunder Bowl are the best slopes in that area. The Highlands have challenging slopes for experts such as Loge Peak… where you can ski down a series of slopes on either side of the ridge. These areas require good balance and should only be attempted if you are a confident black diamond and ski level or higher.
So, this gives you an idea of the kind of slopes available in Aspen. But what about the company that runs skiing in Aspen? Actually…it’s the Aspen Ski Company. There are many ski resorts in the world but many people say that no one can beat the Aspen/Snowmass ski areas operated by the Aspen Ski Company. It’s not the great snow and ski experience and the accompanying nightlife and off-slope activities. No, it is the Aspen Skiing Company’s attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of its climate change policy that has brought this company into the limelight.
The main principle of this company is not so much the aspect of profitability as the concern for preserving the environment of the mountains of the Aspen region. The Aspen Skiing Company is guided by the desire to eliminate pollution and create a stable climate to ensure that people in the area stay healthy. These efforts have earned them a clean and environmentally friendly certification.
In line with its objective, this company has implemented energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes. Biodiesel is used. Also, as part of its electricity needs, much is met through renewable sources. Environmental protection is at the core of its business policy.
Energy efficient alternatives are provided by Aspen Skiing for all items that require electricity… such as refrigerators and computers. Fuel use is reduced by providing a free shuttle service to take people to ski locations. Using wind energy and recycling fluorescent lamps are some of the other measures that are being taken.
Global warming has affected ski resorts through melting of snow resulting in heavy losses in the industry. The Aspen Ski Company uses 45 million gallons of water to make snow. To reduce water consumption, they turned to better ice making systems. This is at a cost of over $10 million.