Even on a budget, you can enjoy gorgeous, first-class skiing and dabble into the posh side of Aspen in only three days.
The seats on my connecting flight to Aspen were filled with every rich ski bunny stereotype imaginable: lithe young blondes in fur coats and huge sunglasses; older women with huge gray pompadours, fire engine red lipstick, and faces covered with enough powder so that they resembled ski runs covered in pow-pow; 30-something brunettes with perfectly coiffed bobs tapping away on jewel-encrusted iPhone while disheveled nannies watch their children.
Despite the hype, you don’t need a Gucci passport holder to gain access. But I was also on that flight, an unabashed Jersey girl with a t-shirt proclaiming, “I ❤ Poland” with a bedazzled heart. When I disembarked, I was only half-surprised there wasn’t a passport control quizzing, “Who are you wearing?”
Aspen is a wonderfully ridiculous, breath-taking beautiful, and pretentious fairytale land. You could easily blow through a month’s rent in one night, or you could be so frugal you eat PB&J sandwiches in your room every night.
Like Goldilocks, you need to find a compromise between decadence and frugality. You need a semi-decadent, three-day ski vacation in Aspen. I did it. Here’s how.
Aspen 101
“Aspen” refers to one specific city (Aspen) and the ski area (officially known as Aspen-Snowmass). The city is where the paparazzi snap of celebrities very expensive ski outfits shopping. The ski area consists of four mountains: Ajax, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Buttermilk. Buttermilk is a great mountain for beginners, while Ajax is only for intermediates and above. Experts are happiest on Ajax, the Highlands, and the glades of Snowmass.
Save money by ordering lift tickets in advance, either directly from Aspen-Snowmass online or Ski Trip Advisors. They are a bit pricey, but Aspen is one of the best ski resorts for on-mountain customer service, especially getting on/off lifts and gondolas. Europeans in Aspen told me that while the lift tickets in the French Alps are much cheaper, it’s basically a free-for-all getting onto the lifts, with pushing, elbowing, and long lines. So uncouth. So not semi-decadent.
Getting there and around
The first step to a semi-decadent trip is to fly into Aspen-Pitkin County Airport. The drive from Denver is four-hours on mountain roads, which are beautiful in good weather but harrowing in bad. Shuttles are expensive ($100+ per person each way). While it is cheaper to fly to Denver and ski in nearby Vail, that convenience comes with a cost: the trails and lifts are much more crowded.
Balance the decadent flight by using public transit during your stay. Thanks to the terrific, free RFTA bus system, you won’t need a car. For ski transit between mountains, the buses have ski and snowboard racks on the outside. Most importantly, buses also mean you can properly apres ski without worrying about driving drunk. Warning: Uber cars are scarce, and you need to call ahead for taxis.
Where to stay
Aspen City is the center of shopping, restaurants, and nightlife, but it is also the most expensive place to stay. For a bit of poshness without the snotty attitude, stay at the Westin Snowmass.
The Westin Snowmass and the famed Little Nell in Aspen are the only two hotels with ski-in/out luxury. You’ll also enjoy a heated pool, hot tubs, and ski valet services at half the cost. The Westin is also conveniently in the heart of the Snowmass Village, which puts ski stores, restaurants, and the RFTA bus at your doorstep.
Day One: Snowmass
Start the day with a protein-packed breakfast from Fuel in Snowmass Village. Call ahead and order the breakfast burrito with eggs, cheese, potatoes, and chorizo to keep you going all day.
Before you hit the slopes, have a plan because Snowmass is so wide you could spend a whole day just on one side of the mountain. Stick to the upper lifts and tree-lined runs for the fewest crowds and fluffiest snow. Snowmass is an intermediate skiers paradise with its immense variety of grooomed, ungroomed, and off-piste trails. Long Shot, on the far left of the mountain, requires a tiny hike, but rewards you with a mix of gorgeous, ungroomed runs you can enjoy in solitude.
If you have buddy and are trained in back-country skiing, head to the top of the Cirque lift to tackle the Cirque Headwall. Heed the warnings and don’t go without the proper training — no one is there to save you. Then ski down through the Hanging Valley Wall, a double black diamond area with a mix of glades, moguls, and steep ungroomed trails that will keep your blood pumping.
When you need a break, visit Up for Pizza, a little shack at the top of the Sheer Bliss and Big Burn lifts. You’ll get an appreciative nod and a heavy handed-pour when you ask for a shot of Jameson in your mid-day coffee.
When the light starts to get flat, ski down for a casual apres ski at the always-crowded Venga Venga by well-regarded Mexican Chef Richard Sandoval. Sit outside under heat lamps and order the spicy guacamole (prepared table side) and imbibe a happy hour sangria, margarita, beer, or wine. Kids (and adults) can gather around one of the fire pits and roast s’mores.
Leave your gear with the Westin ski valet (semi-decadent). Strip off your your ski gear and slip into a bathing suit to enjoy a sacred apres ski tradition: the outdoor hot tub. The lobby bartenders won’t stare when you walk up like a boss in the hotel-provided bathrobe and slippers and ask for your beer or wine in a plastic cup.
Fight the urge to collapse in bed and get dressed in time for your dinner reservation for Il Poggio, an Italian restaurant in Snowmass with an impressive but very affordable wine list, house-cured bresaola, and crispy, inventive pizzas, like the PLP with pancetta, garlic butter, and truffle oil. If you forget to get a reservation, try walking in after 8:30 pm.
Day Two: Ajax
Today’s a day for your finest ski gear: You’re heading to Ajax Mountain (also known as Aspen Mountain) today. If you have jewel-encrusted ski goggles, wear them. If you don’t, a store near Ajax sells them. Seriously.
Set a decadent tone by ordering a cappuccino and the breakfast sandwich on a toasted, buttery croissant from Fuel. Your sandwich will be wrapped in foil and still warm when you disembark the bus in Aspen 30 minutes later. Croissant + bus = semi-decadent morning.
The bus drops you at the Ruby Park Transit Center, which is just two blocks from the base of the mountain. Ajax has fewer runs than Snowmass and is very popular, so it can get crowded in the afternoon. But you’ll have the top-to-bottom trails like Copper Run and the Silver Queen Gondola to yourself if you get there at 9:00 am while most of Aspen is still sleeping off their hangovers.
Ski nonstop in the morning and then take a lunch break at the Sun Deck, a casual restaurant at the top of the Silver Queen Gondola. You’ll spot perfectly groomed ladies with pristine hair and flawless make-up donning very chic ski wear. Then you’ll look at yourself in the mirror — frizzy hair coming out of your ponytail, wind burnt face, nose dripping — and for a moment feel badly that you’re not as put together as them. But then you’ll realize these ladies bought a non-skier ticket up the gondola, and feel badly badly that they’re missing out on the best part of being in Aspen.
After lunch, spend the afternoon on the other side of Ajax; there isn’t a gondola and thus there are fewer crowds around International and Ruthie’s Run.The aptly named Shadow Mountain lift is a harbinger of the flat light in the afternoon, so you may need to ditch your goggles.
Despite its reputation as a party town, there’s oddly only one apres ski option directly at the base of Ajax, but it’s a classic: Ajax Tavern. It has one of the best happy hour deals in town, but whatever time of day you go, order their famous double cheeseburger (an adult version of a Big Mac) and their heaping truffle fries.If you need something warm, the French onion soup is rich, savory, and gooey.
Jump back on the bus and head directly into the hot tub. Your stomach may still be bursting from that burger and fries, so rather than a big dinner, pop into The New Belgium Ranger Station and wash down their buffalo chili in a bread bowl, grilled cheese, or Bavarian pretzel rolls with one of their beers on tap. If you’re really too tired to move, Taster’s will deliver an acceptable pizza to your hotel room.
Day Three: Aspen Highlands
Force yourself out of bed early one more day to tackle the Highlands, famous for its Olympic and Highland Bowls. The friendly Mountain Patrol told me the most accidents happen on the green and blue runs in the afternoon when the shadows fall and people get tired.
Grab breakfast to go and jump on the direct bus to the Highlands from Snowmass, which runs daily at 9:00 and 10:00 am and takes 20 minutes.
Experts will want to conquer the famous Highland Bowl. The bowl is patrolled and avalanche controlled. If you don’t have a strap to tie your skis/board to your back, you can buy one at patrol booth before you start the 45 minute hike to the top. The Snowcat can save you a little bit of time (about 10 minutes). It closes at 2:30 and plan for one hour trip to the top from the other parts of the mountain. It’s an exhausting ride, but a right of passage for expert skiers.
That thumping you hear mid-mountain at 3:00 pm isn’t your imagination — it’s raucous apres ski scene at Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro.You took the bus, so now splurge on a glass of bubbly ($25) from the famous outdoors Veuve Cliquot ice bar and join everyone dancing on the tables. If the high altitude is making you crazy, you can order the what Cloud Nine calls the “Baller Bottle,” a six litter Armand de Brignac Brut Gold, Ace of Spades. It retails for $6,500 but at Cloud Nine you’ll pay $17,500 for the rights to show-off to your lady friends. The food gets average reviews, but truffle fries are always a good idea…until they aren’t. If you get there early, you can probably grab a seat by a fire pit, put on your sunglasses, and sip your champagne while gazing at one of the most stunning vistas in Aspen. Warning: You may need some help getting back down the mountain.
For a more casual apres ski, head to the Highlands Alehouse at the base for beer, pizza, and yes, more truffle fries. Aspen restaurants must buy 90 percent of all truffle cheese topping sold worldwide.
Jump on a direct busses to Snowmass (3:30 and 4:30) and decompress in the hot tub until it’s time to head into Aspen for your final night.
Before dinner, visit the iconic Living Room at the Hotel Jerome. The Hotel Jerome is an historic Aspen institution, built during the boom years, famous for a secret spiked drink during prohibition, and beloved by Gary Cooper and John Wayne after WWII. Skip the J-Bar and swagger back to the Living Room where you’ll be transported to a bygone era. Don a wide-brimmed winter hat and snag a spot under a huge Bison head or against the dark wood paneled walls. Warm up with the Old Man Winter Cider ($15), with Sailor Jerry spiced rum, hot apple cider, and a cinnamon sugar butter ball you swirl in to make a decadent drink. Or sip the smooth Colorado Toddy ($17), with Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey, Colorado honey, Colorado chamomile tea, and freshly juiced lemon. Either way, you’ll feel fabulously warm, happy, and hip. If you’re hungry, you can order some American tapas and snacks.
End your day the way the Alpine gods of skiing intended: with fondue. The Creperie du Village is a tiny, dark, French restaurant with limited seating. Start with the French onion soup and share cheese fondue (available with, you guessed it: truffles). Eventually, ditch the bread cubes and perfect the skill of creating a cheese on cheese nugget on your fondue fork. It can be done.
End the night at Belly Up, a tiny mountain club that draws big names across all genres, such as Skllirex, The Flaming Lips, The Roots, and Jimmy Buffet. Order your ticket because the intimate spaces sells out. Belly Up is conveniently located across from the bus stop.
Crash into bed — tomorrow is finally a day to sleep-in before you catch your flight home.
Transit and Lodging
- Aspen-Pitkin County Airport
- RFTA busses
- Westin Snowmass
- Trail Maps and Lift Tickets
- Aspen-Snowmass online
- Ski Trip Advisors
Snowmass
Aspen
Highlands
Travels with Cheese 