Travel to Aspen Mountain with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Popular with the world’s rich and famous, Aspen Mountain is among America’s priciest ski resorts, but its fabulous steeps, bumps and powder fields are well worth the expenditure.

At the foot of the mountain, Aspen is a plush, stylish holiday destination characterised by leafy streets, fabulous views of snow-capped mountains, and jet set visitors. The city exudes charm and elegance, and features a plethora of entertainment opportunities, including first class restaurants and a thriving nightlife.

The ski area at Aspen Mountain resort is defined by 272 hectares and 76 trails of intermediate (35 per cent), advanced (35 per cent) and expert terrain, with a longest run of five kilometres. There are absolutely no beginner runs at Ajax at all, and snowboarding is restricted to the terrain park at the ski resort. Eight high-tech lifts connect the ski slopes, with the ability to transport up to 10,755 skiers per hour.

The ski season at Aspen Mountain runs from mid-November to mid-April. Aspen is located approximately 350kms from Denver, via I-70 and highway 82 south, or by flying into either Aspen Pitkin or Eagle County airports.

Skiing in Aspen Mountain

Dubbed Ajax by locals, Aspen’s trademark mountain towers over the city, drawing droves of visitors to its venerable slopes each year. There is no room for beginners here – Aspen Mountain is a strictly intermediate/advanced ski area - but those with the required expertise will be in their element on the thickly powdered slopes, peppered with steeps and bumps for which the resort is famous.

Skiing in Aspen Mountain is a spectacular experience, with exquisite scenery, fluffy powder fields and endless steeps and bumps to be enjoyed. The resort’s 76 slopes are exclusively reserved for experienced skiers, with no beginner trails available at Ajax. Intermediates have the run of 35 per cent of ski trails, while advanced and expert skiers have 35 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

A five-kilometre run is Aspen Mountain’s longest, and eight modern lifts connect the trails. Aspen Mountain is one of the few resorts that does not allow snowboarding – with the result that skiing here is a far more pleasurable experience.

Non-skiing activities at Aspen Mountain include ice-fishing, ice-skating, indoor tennis, mountaineering, sleigh riding, snowcat powder skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoe tours. Ajax is a haven for fine dining, with two on-mountain and two base area restaurants. Additionally, the town itself offers unlimited options for shopping, dining, nightlife and cultural outings.

Aspen Mountain is open for skiing between mid-November and mid-December. The resort is located directly above Aspen town, approximately 350kms from Denver and can be accessed via I-70 and highway 82 south, or by flying into either Aspen Pitkin or Eagle County airports.

Après-ski in Aspen Mountain

Aspen Mountain resort, in addition to its ski opportunities, offers a range of winter activities that include ice-fishing, ice-skating, indoor tennis, mountaineering, sleigh riding, snowcat powder skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoe tours. In town, a profusion of enticing shops provide opportunities for retail therapy; while for culture vultures, Aspen Art Museum offers changing exhibitions, lectures and special events. Numerous childcare facilities ensure peace-of-mind for parents visiting Aspen Mountain ski resort.

There is no shortage of lodging facilities at Aspen Mountain, with 8,000 beds located at the base of the mountain and 6,000 more within easy reach of the ski station. Although beginner skiing is not featured at Aspen Mountain, children are well catered for, with a multitude of childcare centres located in town.

In the dining department, there are several on-mountain restaurants and over 100 eateries in Aspen central, offering a vast range of international cuisine. Nightlife is one of Aspen’s greatest attractions, with fun-filled nights to be had at numerous venues across town.

Ajax’s neighbouring mountains of Snowmass, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands offer a diverse selection of slopes, should you tire of skiing just one resort. In a slightly different vein, the nearby mining ghost towns of Ashcroft and Independence provide fascinating day excursions.

Transportation to Aspen Mountain

Aspen Mountain (Ajax) ski resort is situated directly above the town of Aspen, approximately 350kms from Denver and five kilometres from Aspen central. Transportation options to the resort include driving, or flying into nearby Aspen Pitkin Airport, or Eagle County Airport, located approximately 1 hour, 20 minutes away by car.

If you are driving to Aspen Mountain from Denver, allow for the journey to take about four hours in good weather, more in bad weather. Take I-70 to Glenwood Springs, and connect with highway 82 south which leads to the centre of Aspen city.

Aspen Pitkin County Airport is located just over six kilometres from town, and receives flights from United Express, America West and Northwest Airlines. Local buses offer transportation from Aspen Pitkin to the ski resort. Alternatively, you can reach Aspen from Eagle County Airport, situated approximately 110kms east of the town. For visitors arriving from outside the United States, the nearest international airport to Aspen Mountain is located in Denver.

Bus transportation from Denver to Aspen is provided by Supershuttle and Colorado Mountain Express services. Colorado Mountain Express also offers transportation from Eagle County Airport.

Black Tie Ski Rentals

Black Tie Ski Rentals is the premier ski rental delivery service in Aspen, Colorado. Skiers visiting Aspen no longer have to wait in rental shops to receive their ski equipment. Our web site explains this exciting new service and enables customers to make an online reservation where they specify their lodging and delivery time. We offer a 10% discount to all online reservations and then simply arrive at their door and fit them with rental equipment at the time and date they specify.
Black Tie Ski Rentals

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