TOP 10 THINGS ABOUT BUTTERMILK

Aspen/Snowmass, Colo…Buttermilk, home to the ESPN Winter X Games is also known at the beginners' mountain in Aspen/Snowmass.  Buttermilk is literally across the street from Aspen/Pitkin County Airport and will celebrate its 50^th Anniversary this season.

 1.      NEW 22 ft. Olympic size Superpipe – At more than 500 feet long, with walls towering 18 ft. overhead and measuring 22 ft. high from the center of the pipe, the Superpipe at Buttermilk is truly super.  The Zaugg pipe cutter is the same machine that will be used for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  Buttermilk is officially home to one of only five 22 ft. pipes in America. 

2.      ESPN Winter X Games 13 – This is the eighth consecutive year Aspen/Snowmass has hosted the ESPN Winter X Games.  This year's games are January 22 – 25, 2009. And when the event packs up, the park stays behind for guests to ride the monster hits and rails that host the world's best jibbers.

3.      Carve the Corduroy – Buttermilk is known as the gentler mountain, but don't pass up the incredible groomed corduroy runs that it's known for- popular with those on carving boards and beginning telemarkers.

4.      Fort Frog children's center – This children's adventure center is a western-style fort where Ski & Snowboard School participants meet to explore kid's tree trails and participate in weekly races with an awards ceremony.

5.      The Cliffhouse – After enjoying make-your-own Mongolian BBQ at the Cliffhouse, guests can step outside on the huge deck for the beautiful views of the 14,018 foot Pyramid Peak, the Maroon Creek Valley and the serpentine trails on Aspen Highlands.  This is the perfect lookout for a family photo.   

6.      The beginner park on West Buttermilk – Not ready for the expert X Games pipe and park?  Then head to the beginner park on West Buttermilk.  Get started on the small boxes, rails and jumps in this rarely busy area. 

7.      Max the Moose Express – Starting on the second day of class, kids registered for Ski & Snowboard School can take the purple Max the Moose bus with a ski/snowboard pro from the gondola building in Aspen to Buttermilk every morning between 8:30 – 8:45 a.m.  Kids will be back in Aspen by 3:30 p.m.

8.      Tiehack – Tiehack,  the east side of the mountain, offers long, wide-open, rolling runs that tend to stay fairly untouched on a powder day.  Make sure to check out Javelin and Racer's Edge.

9.      West Buttermilk – Hop on the West Buttermilk high speed quad and cruise the long, mellow beginner terrain.

10.  NEW Energy Monitoring System at Bumps – Bumps restaurant at the base of Buttermilk will have an innovative real-time energy monitoring system where guests and employees can watch, and then hopefully curb, their energy consumption. 

Aspen Skiing Company operates the four mountains in the Aspen/Snowmass area - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - as well as the award-winning Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen/Snowmass. The area offers unparalleled nightlife and off-slope activities as well. Aspen/Snowmass is accessible by two of the most convenient airports in the mountains – Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) (3 miles from Aspen) and Eagle County Airport (EGE) (70 miles from Aspen). For more information on Aspen Skiing Company, please call 800-525-6200 or 970-925-1220, or visit the company's website at www.aspensnowmass.com.

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