Snowmass

By far the largest of the four mountains, Snowmass offers the greatest options for terrain, winter activities and on-mountain dining. You could spend days skiing and riding here and not see it all. With kid-friendly trails and a multitude of lodging options, Snowmass has always appealed to families. But the advanced skiers and riders up on Burnt Mountain Glades and Hanging Valley Wall wouldn’t know it.

Aspen Mountain

Rising from the heart of downtown Aspen, this is where it all began in the 1940s. In fact, at times it seems like the personality of the mountain and the town are one. Without a single beginner’s run, Aspen Mountain presents a host of challenges, and some of the most awe-inspiring blue groomers in North America.

Aspen Highlands

Local’s call the vibe at Aspen Highlands “duct tape to diamonds.” The duct tape part is the do-it-yourself character of its terrain (e.g. Want to ski Highland Bowl? You’ll have to hike in). The diamonds part is easy to spot at Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro in the afternoon, when the Champagne bottles on offer equal the number of skis left out front.

Buttermilk

Spacious groomers, scenic views and a mellow, chilled-out vibe: there may not be a better mountain to learn to ski and ride than Buttermilk. But here’s the secret part: it’s blue and black terrain is choice as well, often overshadowed by its neighboring mountains. And did we mention that it has hosted the Winter X Games since 2002? As far as parks and pipes go, it’s top-notch.