Skiing Aspen's Four Mountains

Few ski towns can say what Aspen can: four separate mountains, each with its own character, all on one lift ticket and all within a short drive of town. For a family or a group of friends with mixed abilities, that is the whole appeal of an Aspen ski vacation. Everyone gets the right terrain, and everyone comes home to the same fire at night.

Four mountains, one ticket

The four mountains of Aspen Snowmass are Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. A single lift ticket or season pass covers all of them, and free skier shuttles run between them through the season, so you can ski a different mountain every day without paying twice or moving the car.

The ski season typically runs from late November into April, with exact opening and closing dates set each year by the mountains themselves.

Aspen Mountain: skiing from downtown

Locals still call it Ajax. Aspen Mountain rises directly above downtown Aspen, and the Silver Queen Gondola leaves from the edge of town, so you can walk from a café to the lift. The terrain is aimed at confident intermediates and experts: long groomers, steep tree runs and mogul lines, and no dedicated beginner area. It is the mountain for a fast morning and a long lunch in town.

Aspen Highlands: the bowl and the views

Aspen Highlands is the local favourite for advanced skiers. Its signature is Highland Bowl, reached by a hike above the top of the lifts, with steep, open terrain and views toward the Maroon Bells. Below the bowl there is plenty of intermediate cruising, so not everyone in your group needs to make the climb.

Buttermilk: where beginners and families start

Buttermilk is the gentle mountain: wide, forgiving runs and a well-regarded ski school, which makes it the natural first stop for children and first-timers. It is also known for its terrain parks, which keeps older kids and freestylers busy while the rest of the group takes it easy.

Snowmass: the big one

Snowmass is by far the largest of the four, with long, rolling intermediate runs, beginner areas, steeper terrain at the top and its own village at the base. If your group spans every ability, Snowmass is where everyone can ski the same mountain and still meet for lunch.

Planning a ski week in Aspen

Matching mountains to your group

A simple pattern works well: start the week at Buttermilk or Snowmass while legs adjust to the altitude, give the strongest skiers a day at Aspen Highlands, and save Aspen Mountain for a bluebird day when the gondola ride and lunch in town feel like an event.

Altitude, rest and evenings in

Aspen sits at roughly 7,900 feet, and the mountains climb well above that. Drink more water than you think you need, take the first afternoon slowly, and plan a few evenings in. After a day on the snow, a hot tub and your own kitchen are worth more than another reservation.

Our guide to getting to Aspen covers flights, the drive from Denver and winter driving.