Snowmass Ski Resort 2023 Guide

The Resort

Snowmass is by far the most diverse mountain in the Aspen Snowmass complex. It has a skiable acreage footprint of 3,362 acres. This large area spreads its 98 runs over a large amount of highly varied terrain. The beauty of this is that all levels and styles of riders can find something that will suit them in this one resort. This is quite different from the other resorts in Aspen that have their niche neatly outlined.

Aspen Mountain appeals to strong intermediates, Aspen Highlands is great for experts and hardcore locals, and Buttermilk is generally a beginners’ area. While it’s true that one Aspen Snowmass ticket will get you access to all of these resorts, and there is shuttle access between resorts, it’s certainly a bonus to be able to find your stride at Snowmass and not have to move around mountains to find riding to suit you.

At Snowmass you can find everything from a mid-mountain bunny hill area and intermediate groomers, all the way to steep chutes and bowls.

Beginners will likely enjoy riding in areas like Elk Camp, Fanny Hill, or Assay Hill. In these areas of the mountain you’ll find enjoyable mellow riding that is great for learning and getting comfortable.

Intermediates will be pleased to find that off the 3000+ acres of skiable terrain at Snowmass, intermediate runs total nearly half of the available terrain. Intermediate riders can easily spend a week at Snowmass and still be finding new ways to get down the mountain.

Expert riders shouldn’t be deterred. There is still a huge portion of the mountain littered with advanced and expert terrain. Hike-to zones like the Cirque and Hanging Valley will provide expert riders with steep chutes, bowls, gulleys, and cliffs. These zones at Snowmass have been venues for extreme skiing competitions, so you’re sure to find a challenge.

Freestyle riders will also find three great terrain parks at Snowmass.

Lowdown Park is home to a great selection of beginner features. You’ll find multiple small features that will give you the confidence to safely learn everything from trying your first jump to attempting a small box or rail.

Makaha Park is a great option for those that are progressing beyond beginner features but don’t want to get in over their heads. You’ll have access to about 25 different features, including a progressive jump line made up of mid-sized jumps, and various shapes and sizes of boxes and rails.

Snowmass Park is where advanced freestyle riders can go to push their limits and find new and exciting features to help them progress as riders. There are over 40 features in this park, including boxes, rails, hip transitions, wallrides, and more. This also includes a jump line of mid to large-sized jumps. You’ll see some incredible riders in this park, and it’s not uncommon to see members of the U.S. Freeski team training here!

Pro tip: Snowmass is home to one of the only intermediate-rated hike-to runs in America: Long Shot. This run is a quick hike-to run, accessed from the Elk Camp chair. Once you make the short hike, you’ll be rewarded with over 5 miles of skiing through multiple different styles of terrain. It’s truly one of the best runs in the Southwest (despite how much your legs will burn after skiing it!), and not to be missed when you visit Snowmass!

Accommodations

If you’re planning to ski at Snowmass, you’ll be happy to know you don’t have to make the 20-minute drive from Aspen every day to get to and from the mountain. Snowmass has lodging of its own! In fact, 95% of the lodging options in Snowmass are slopeside and ski-in ski-out. This is great for visiting groups because it really cuts down on the planning and logistics of getting the group together when you can easily walk out of your slopeside condo and into the ski area!

You’ll be able to find hotels, condos, and even entire vacation rentals available to you!

Facilities

The ritzy atmosphere of Aspen is alive and well at Snowmass. With seven highly-rated restaurants on the mountain, and sit-down lodges (many of which have outdoor fire pit seating) at every zone of the mountain, visitors will want for very little.

There’s a massive variety of restaurants on the mountain at Snowmass. You can find everything that you might desire from high-end multicourse meals requiring a reservation, like at the Alpin Room or Sam’s, to grab-and-go ski area classics at spots like the Elk Camp Restaurant or High Alpine.

One more unique thing about Snowmass is that it has its own little ski town called Snowmass Village that neighbors Aspen, even though it’s only a 20-minute drive from downtown Aspen! This is great for those choosing to stay close to Snowmass in some of their ski-in ski-out lodging! You’ll have access to the Snowmass Village Mall. Here you’ll find things like outdoor gear shops, equipment rentals, restaurants, and shopping for items like clothing, jewelry, and home decor.

If you’re heading into Aspen, check out our guide to Aspen for more information on the luxurious amenities located in Aspen!

Apres-Ski

The Snowmass Village mall has a lot of great apres options. There are a variety of restaurants, shopping, and bars. In addition to this, there are 7 restaurants-bars on the mountain. However, the majority of the apres that Aspen is known for is going to be located more centrally in downtown Aspen. Thankfully this is easy enough to access via shuttle service and Snowmass is only 20 minutes from downtown Aspen.

That being said, if you’re staying in some of the lodgings at Snowmass and don’t want to go into Aspen proper, you can have a great time after a day on the slopes at Snowmass itself. Whether you want to get a little wild or sit back and enjoy a glass of wine on the patio, you’ll find your niche at some of the Snowmass apres options.

Sam’s is known for its $15 “shot and a beer” deal, whereas you can find a large and complex wine listing with an elegant dining room at the Lynn Britt Cabin.

Families and Kids

Snowmass is known for being a great family mountain. Whereas the other Aspen resorts seem to be either for beginners or experts, Snowmass has a good offering of everything. From the kids and adults who are needing their first lessons with the Aspen Snowmass ski school, all the way to the family expert who’s been skiing for 30 years, Snowmass can keep you occupied.

In addition to this, for visitors with children too young to ski, the Treehouse Kids Adventure Center is a world-class childcare facility that will delight your young ones.

For Snowboarders

Snowboarders are welcome at Snowmass! Both its terrain and terrain parks are great for snowboarding. There are several long, wide runs that are perfect for getting your board on its edge and carving down the slopes.

The Bottom Line

Snowmass is probably the best option for families, or groups of skiers that are varying in ability. There is such a wide variety of terrain at Snowmass that it’s hard to run out of options, or find yourself stuck above or below your skill level. The massive amount of skiable acreage makes it a great one-stop-shop for visitors to Aspen that aren’t sure where to invest their time.

The only downside is that Snowmass is further away from Aspen, and by further away we mean 20 minutes by shuttle, rather than being able to hop on a gondola from downtown Aspen. This of course is remedied by the fact that you can stay in the Snowmass village, 95% of its lodging is located slopeside.

Of course one cannot ignore the price tag, Snowmass is still a part of Aspen, and with that comes the exorbitant prices found in Aspen. This is certainly a factor worthy of consideration in visiting Snowmass, let alone any of the aspen resorts. However, if you can swing the prices, a trip to Snowmass should be on your list.