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ASPEN ... WORLD-CLASS SKIING AND OH-SO-MUCH MORE!

January 28, 2015
Although my family and I have lived in Colorado for almost 9 years, we've never made a trip to Aspen. Partly because I'm not a skier and partly because Summit County is closer. We were excited to receive an invitation to come stay in Aspen over the long MLK Day weekend. Oh, if only we had known what we we'd been missing, we'd have visited much sooner!

Aspen is more than a resort. It's a community-oriented town with a distinctive culture. There's a large international presence, both in the visitors (January tends to have lots of Australians and Brazilians "on holiday") and in the people who come from all over the world to live and work here. The locals are eager to share the Aspen culture with visitors, and we felt very welcomed everywhere we went.

The drive to Aspen from Douglas County takes about four hours, but don't let that deter you. The longer drive can mean fewer people (and shorter lines). And most of the drive is this pretty:


A special note if you've never been to Aspen before: Siri knew the shortest route to Aspen would be to take I-70 to Exit 195 through Leadville and over Independence Pass, but she didn't know that the Pass is closed in winter. Neither did we, so we followed her direction until we realized there were no other cars on the road with us. Not a good sign when you're headed to the mountains on a holiday weekend! After a brief argument with Siri, we re-routed and took Highway 24 back to I-70, which ended up adding about an hour and a half to our drive. So ... if you are traveling in the winter, or simply prefer not to drive over a winding mountain pass, take I-70 to Exit 116 and go through Glenwood Springs instead!

Aspen is best-known for its world-class skiing. One lift ticket gives you access to four different mountains, all within a few minutes' drive of each other. A free town shuttle will transport you from one to the other, and if you rent your equipment from Four Mountain Sports, they will transfer your skis and boards for free so you can even ski more than one mountain in a day. If you have a 5th or 6th Grader, you are especially lucky, as all four mountains participate in the 5th and 6th Grade Passport offered by Colorado Ski Country USA.
  • Aspen Highlands is the most extreme mountain. It's well-known for Highland Bowl (a double black) and for its incredible view of Maroon Bells.
  • Aspen Mountain is right in the heart of Aspen. It's not for beginners; it has no green runs but lots of expert terrain. It is smaller than Aspen Highlands.
  • Buttermilk is the best one for beginners, with lots of green and blue runs. New skiers and boarders can advance quickly and take advantage of the whole mountain. Buttermilk has hosted the X Games for 14 years in a row. Kids will especially love the new Hideout Children's Center.
  • Snowmass is the largest mountain. It hosts a lot of family-friendly activities in addition to skiing and has its own Village with shops and restaurants. Parents with young children can take advantage of the daycare (for ages 8 weeks to 4 years) at Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center while they hit the slopes. The Treehouse has activities for kids up to 12 years old, and equipment for kids and anything related to ski school happens here.
If your kids are new to skiing/boarding or just want to advance their skills, the Ski & Snowboard Schools are top-notch! My boys each took a full-day lesson at Buttermilk. This was only their second time ever on the slopes and they had such a positive experience. The Pro instructors gave them very personalized and attentive instruction and gave us very detailed information at the end of the day about the progress they made and suggested next steps for them. Both boys advanced enough that they were able to go down some blue runs, and they came out of the lessons feeling confident and very proud of what they had accomplished.

They'll be on black diamonds in no time!

In addition to skiing (or instead of, if like me, you aren't a skier), there are some other items that should be on your "Must-Do" list when you visit Aspen ...

Ullr Nights are every Friday night from 5:30-9:00 PM, now through April 3, 2015 at Elk Camp on Snowmass. Ullr is the Norse God of Snow, and this family-oriented night party celebrates all things winter! We enjoyed a hot dinner while listening to live music at the Elk Camp restaurant, and then headed over to the tubing hill. On our way, we passed little ones snowbiking on a slope designed just for them, and kids of all ages climbing into and on top of a giant snow fort while the parents stayed warm at the nearby fire pit. Other Ullr Night activities include ice skating with free rentals, guided snowshoe tours for ages 7 and up, and snowbike tours for ages 12 and up. Admission to Ullr Nights is $8 per person; some activities have an additional cost.

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Ullr Night activities. Photos courtesy Aspen Ski Company.

I highly recommend the tubing hill! An enclosed magic carpet takes you to the top of the hill where you can choose from three runs (#3 is the fastest). Only one person is allowed per tube, but we could tie our tubes together and go down in a train. No experience is necessary but all participants must be at least 3 feet tall. Daily tubing sessions begin at 1:00 PM, but I suggest you go on a Friday night when the cost of your tubing session ($32 per person per hour) also includes your admission to Ullr Nights. If you think tubing is fun, you've got to try night tubing! Our peals of laughter and squeals of delight could be heard across the mountain! No exaggeration ... one of the employees actually commented on it! Buy your tickets in advance as it does tend to sell out, especially during Ullr Nights.

Night tubing was the BEST way to start our long weekend!

Two-hour guided snow shoe tours for ages 7 and up take place twice daily on Snowmass and Aspen Mountain. This is my new favorite winter activity! Tour guides are knowledgeable naturalists from Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES). It is a slower-paced activity (although still a great workout) so we really had a chance to take in the beauty of our surroundings. Not only did we experience incredible views (as you can see in the very top photo of this article), but we also learned about some of Aspen Mountain's history and its inhabitants (past and present), identified animal tracks, and even discovered an abandoned bird's nest. Ticket prices vary depending on the participant's age and whether or not a lift ticket is needed. You can find a $5 off coupon from the ACES website.

The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies at Hallam Lake is a 25-acre nature preserve and learning center right in Aspen. They are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, and it is free to visit (although donations are gratefully accepted). They have indoor and outdoor animals (including a golden eagle that has lived there for more than 30 years), a short nature trail around the lake, and a variety of Kids Classes for ages 4-18 are offered year round.

My brave son holding a snake at ACES.

The Aspen Art Museum is in a brand-new 33,000 square foot facility. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, and admission is free. Keeping with the culture of the town, it features international contemporary art. They have a variety of programs and tours for kids and families, as well as special programming for teens.

White House Tavern is a great place to stop for lunch, with or without the kids (Hubby and I ate there while the boys were in ski school). Everything is made in small batches throughout the day. The most popular sandwiches are their Crispy Chicken Sandwich and the Gulf Coast Fish Sandwich (oh, how I love a good fried grouper sandwich!). We tried them both and I can see why they come so highly recommended. However, I was most intrigued by the Creamed Corn for the Table side dish. I don't think I've ever seen that on any menu before so we had to give it a try. All I have to say about it is ... you MUST go to White House Tavern and try their Creamed Corn. Seriously.

The Gulf Coast Fish Sandwich ... delicious!

Aspen's Ajax Tavern is located next to the Aspen Mountain Gondola, which makes it a very popular "apres ski" spot. It is fine dining in a casual atmosphere, offering menu items like Beef Tartare, Crab Louis, and Duck Confit as well as burgers and salads. The Ajax Truffle Fries can't be beat, and seems to be the favorite menu item among locals and tourists alike.

Spring Break is just around the corner, and Aspen is offering a special Kids Ski & Stay Free package in March and April! Kids ski free with the purchase of a 3-day (or longer) adult lift ticket. Kids also earn a free ski rental with a companion adult rental; equipment rentals include ski and snowboard packages and individual items. Book by February 19, 2015 for a March visit and by March 24 for an April stay. Call (888) 649-5982 or book your package online.

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For more information about what you can see, do, eat, and visit, go to visitaspencolorado.co or request an Aspen/Snowmass Vacation Planner from the Chamber of Commerce.

Disclosure: My family was provided lift tickets, ski lessons, tickets to tubing, and tickets to the snow shoe tours for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed are based on our personal experiences and are 100% my own.