Snowmass (ski area) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snowmass Ski Area |
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The base of Snowmass Mountain, including a view of Snowmass Village
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 Snowmass Ski Area
Location in Colorado
Snowmass Ski Area
Location in the United States
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| Location | Within the White River National Forest, adjacent to Snowmass Village and 9 miles (14 km) from downtown Aspen |
| Coordinates | 39°11′44″N 106°57′05″W / 39.1956°N 106.9513°W |
| Vertical | 4,406 ft (1,343 m) |
| Top elevation | 12,510 ft (3,810 m) |
| Base elevation | 8,104 ft (2,470 m) |
| Skiable area | 3,362 acres (13.61 km2) |
| Runs | 94 total - 6% beginner - 47% intermediate - 17% advanced - 30% expert |
| Longest run | Longshot - 5.3 mi (8.5 km) |
| Best Known For | Wide-open, groomed cruising and family-friendly activities. Snowmass has long been rated one of the best family ski areas in North America |
| Terrain Parks and Half Pipes | 3 terrain parks (Snowmass Park and Superpipe, Little Makaha and Lowdown Park), 1 superpipe and 1 minipipe |
| Restaurants | Base Camp Bar & Grille, Elk Camp, Gwyn"s High Alpine, Krabloonik, Lynn Britt Cabin (snowcat dinner rides), Burlingame Cabin (snowcat dinner rides), Two Creeks Mexican Café, Ullrhof, Up 4 Pizza, Sam's Smokehouse, Sneaky's Tavern. |
Snowmass is a popular ski resort located in the town of Snowmass Village, near Aspen, Colorado. It is part of the larger Aspen/Snowmass complex. The Aspen Skiing Company owns and operates this fun ski area. Snowmass first opened its slopes on December 17, 1967.
Snowmass is the biggest of the four mountains in the Aspen/Snowmass area. It covers about 3,362 acres of land. It is well-known for its wide, smooth ski runs, which are great for cruising. Many families love Snowmass because it has a very welcoming atmosphere. You can also find many places to stay right on the slopes, which is called ski-in/ski-out lodging.
What Makes Snowmass Special?
Even though Snowmass is known as a family-friendly place, it offers lots of exciting terrain. You can find several terrain parks where you can practice jumps and tricks. There are also challenging areas for extreme skiing, bumpy mogul runs, and fun areas with trees, known as gladed terrain.
Recent Changes and Improvements
Snowmass has been updated a lot in recent years. A new gondola was added, and the Base Village area was rebuilt. A new restaurant was also built near Elk Camp, replacing an older one. Snowmass continues to improve its facilities on the mountain and keep its ski lifts in great shape.
Skiing and Lifts
Snowmass has the most vertical feet of skiing in the United States. This means you can ski down a very long distance from top to bottom. This is especially true when the Cirque poma lift is running.
There are 17 different lifts at Snowmass to take skiers and snowboarders up the mountain. These include:
- 7 high-speed quad chairs (like Two Creeks and Elk Camp)
- 2 high-speed six-person chairs (Village Express and Big Burn)
- 2 gondolas (the Sky Cab, also called "Skittles," and Elk Camp Gondola)
- 2 regular quad chairs (Meadows and Assay Hill)
- 1 double chair (Campground)
- 2 pull lifts (Scooper and The Cirque)
