One Aspen local described how vacationers should play here: Enjoy air, earth and water. Aspen and Snowmass, linked because the Aspen Skiing Company owns both mountains (and two more in between), could not be more different. Staying in either opens activities on four mountains: skiing, hiking, mountain biking, ballooning and rafting. This itinerary for a summer weekend in Aspen and Snowmass offers a taste.

Aspen

Once a silver-ore rich mining town, Aspen turned white snow on Aspen Mountain (called Ajax by locals) into gold. While some streets are still lined with Victorian-era homes, others are filled with luxury hotels, shops and restaurants that attract the rich and famous. Cleverly, Aspens also lures a younger crowd during the annual ESPN Winter X Games. Summertime is for hiking, gold-medal fishing, mountain biking and more.

Snowmass

Snowmass, in contrast, was built to attract skiers. Lodges, restaurants and shops line a mountainside strung with ski lifts. If you are staying in a slopeside village property, it’s a three minute walk to the slopes, where you can buckle your skis or snowboard and cruise down to a chairlift. You won’t need a car in Snowmass if you’re willing to use the free village-wide shuttle system. There’s also free bus transportation between Snowmass and Aspen.

Kid-friendly Snowmass

Snowmass was designed to be family-friendly — from condos and kids menus to the Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center, the heart of Snowmass which houses a Children’s Ski School, afternoon activities, wintertime Snowmass S’mores, and hiking and mountain biking clinics.

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Winter in Snowmass

Take a few days to explore Snowmass slopes. Its 21 lifts cover 150 miles of trails spread over 3,332 acres of terrain. You’ll have a choice of cruising runs, glades, steeps, terrain parks and halfpipes. Head to the top of Elk Camp and ride on the resort’s new Breathtaker Alpine Coaster. Dog sledding, cross country skiing and fly fishing lure visitors off the slopes.

To honor Snowmass’ 50th anniversary during the winter of 2017-18 season, there are free (lift-ticket required), daily, guided mountain tours. Ambassador ski around to secret powder stashes and hidden trails.

Summertime in Snowmass

Filled with festivals, summertime promises as much fun as wintertime.

Explore Aspen and Snowmass Itineraries:

Aspen and Snowmass in a Weekend … Summertime hot air balloon rides, white water rafting, romantic sunset drinks
Snowmass Skiing and Snowboarding: Great Runs, Glades and Halfpipes … The best approach to thousands of acres of amazing terrain