Skipping the hike means missing out on the pick of the crop of steep, double-black diamond ungroomed runs at Highlands – there are six G-Zone runs (G-2, 3, 4,5, 6 and 8) plus other corkers such as Ozone, White Kitchen and Steep ‘n Deep.
Snowmass, by North American standards, is huge (3,242 acres), and it also has the USA’s biggest continuous vertical drop (1,343m). Legend has it that so-called grudge fires, started during the conflict between white and native Americans, left great swathes of the mountain treeless, which proved the ideal configuration for the planning of an almost entirely intermediate mountain.
Several trails run parallel through the Big Burn area, which is effectively a single trail almost a mile wide. Although Snowmass is the furthest ski area from the town of Aspen, it’s less than 20km away, and really should not be missed. It may not be as fashionable as Aspen Mountain or Highlands, but it has a wonderful variety of intermediate terrain, as well as plenty for beginners and experts.
