Snowmass Village

Snowmass feels like another world. Just a few days here, and your head reels with images.

The fox that crosses into the willows and cattails every morning while you sit at the window sipping your tea. The angle of the sun weaving through tall aspens. And that thrilling first glimpse of the mountain's ski trails from Brush Creek Road. Or the view of Mt. Daly, with its diagonal rock band dominating the skyline. Like Dorothy seeing the Emerald City for the first time.

The beauty and sheer vastness of Snowmass will stop you in your tracks. It's no wonder Ice Age mammoth fossils were found here. This kind of majesty contains all kinds of secrets.

Snowmass is about families. For people who treasure their privacy and don't want signs on their driveways or their names in lights, Snowmass was made for them. Quiet. Safe. Unpretentious. They say there's room for 10,000 guests here but, somehow, it never seems crowded.

Just a short drive from Aspen, Snowmass is full of both summer and winter distractions-mountain biking on more than 50 miles of trails, tennis and golf, workshops at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Thursday night concerts on Fanny Hill, a Labor Day open air, dance-oriented extravaganza music festival.

Wake up, open the door, grab your skis, your board, your bike, you're there. No hassles and cars and racks and backpacks. It's "Bye mom, see ya honey, slam, and Gone to Play!"

OUR TOWN

Locals' Tradition: Wednesday night rodeos, and Thursday night free concerts on Fanny Hill. Skinning up to High Alpine for lunch. Where to Meet Them: Cycling classes at Snowmass Village Recreation Center. Favorite Evening Diversion: Elk Camp Friday Ullr winter nights for the family. Free summertime lectures with artists-in-residence at Anderson Ranch. For Body and Soul: A hike up to Stark King's memorial labyrinth on the Rim Trail. Place to Walk Your Dog: Labrador Lane on the golf course in winter; the Ditch Trail from The Divide to East Snowmass Creek on summer/fall days. Surprise: The late night lounge scene. Snowmass mammoth exhibit.

Snowmass Village Details

Elevation: 8,223 ft. at the mall; 12,510 ft. at the top of Cirque.

Climate: Intense, high-altitude sun, 300 days a year. In winter (November to March), about 300 inches of annual snowfall. Daytime temperatures average 32-45°F; nighttime, 10-20°F. In summer (June to September), very low humidity and daytime temperatures average 68 to 80°F; cool nights (we sleep with blankets!).

Population: 3,096 residents (210 registered dogs!). Lodging for nearly 10,000 guests.

Schools: Aspen School District, with bus service for all grades.

Transportation: Free shuttle around the Village, with frequent bus service to Aspen (15 minutes), as well as to Basalt (20 minutes), Carbondale (30 minutes), or Glenwood Springs (45 minutes). Free skier shuttles to Aspen, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands. Limo/shuttle to the airport (10 minutes).

Recreation: Skiing, snowboarding, and uphilling on Snowmass Mountain-recently voted #1 ski resort in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards. Free cross-country trail network connecting all four mountains. At the top of Elk Camp Gondola, the Snowmass Bike Park features 25 miles of trails and the Lost Forest (fishing pond, alpine coaster, ziplines, ropes course, disc golf, paintball, and climbing wall). The Snowmass Recreation Center; pickleball, hiking, and horseback riding.