Aspen Mountain - and its famous black-diamond terrain - has kept the town of Aspen on the map since 1947, serving up great groomers, glades, bumps and steeps for anyone who dares step off the lift. More than 60 years later, the only changes guests might notice are shiny new gondolas and great Sundeck cuisine at the summit. Insider tip: Keep your eyes peeled for the famous ‘shrines’ of Aspen.

 Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) will invest nearly $8 million in on-mountain improvements this year and has invested more than $130 million over the previous six seasons, giving guests the most seamless skiing/riding experience in the industry. This includes 11 new lifts with two new gondolas, the industry-leading Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center, three new restaurants, additional terrain plus the new Snowmass base village. In addition, the first phase of the $18 million room renovation at The Little Nell hotel (Aspen’s only five-star, five-diamond hotel) was completed in the fall.