Buttermilk Ski Resort Review 2026

Scored honestly

Buttermilk is built for people learning to ski and for families, and at that job it is one of the best mountains in the United States. The terrain is gentle and beautifully groomed, the ski school is excellent, and the scale is small enough that a family never loses each other, with around 470 acres and a friendly, sunny feel. Cautious intermediates can ski the whole mountain with confidence, and the X Games venue gives kids a thrill in late January.

For the advanced skier, honesty matters. Buttermilk does not have the steep, sustained terrain of its siblings, and a strong skier will ski it out in a morning. The exception, and it is a real one, is a powder day. The Tiehack side carries pitchier tree runs and the West Buttermilk glades hold soft snow, and because the crowds head straight for Highlands Bowl and the Snowmass steeps, the untracked snow here lingers far longer than it should. As a stand alone experts' mountain it does not compete; as part of the four mountain Aspen ticket and as a sneaky powder morning, it earns its place.

Terrain by ability

The mountain spreads along a single ridge in three linked sections. West Buttermilk is the gentlest, a sweep of wide greens and easy blues ideal for first turns. The Main side, served from the base, holds the X Games superpipe and progression terrain. Tiehack, at the eastern end, is the steepest part, with blue and black pitches and tree skiing that gives the most accomplished skiers something to chew on. Everything is well groomed and forgiving, with a vertical of roughly 620 m.

For the off piste minded skier, the play here is the trees rather than any big open face. The Tiehack glades and the lightly skied timber across West Buttermilk hold powder well and stay quiet, since the serious crowds are elsewhere in the valley. This is mellow, low consequence tree skiing rather than steep or committing terrain, which makes it a fine place to build glade confidence in soft snow. Anyone wanting genuine steeps, couloirs or sustained off piste should ride the bus to Aspen Highlands for the Bowl or to Snowmass for the Hanging Valley and the steep Cirque terrain, all on the same pass. Treat Buttermilk as the learning and powder morning mountain in a four mountain trip and it makes complete sense.

Photos via Google. Contributed by Subramanian Vellaiyan, Victor, Robert Eaton, Buttermilk Ski Resort.

Charm, convenience and evenings

Buttermilk has only a small base area of its own, a couple of lodges and the ski school, since the real town is Aspen itself a few minutes away. That is the point: you ski Buttermilk by day and step into one of the most polished resort towns in the country by night, with its galleries, restaurants and famous nightlife. A free bus links Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain and downtown, so basing in Aspen and skiing all four mountains is easy.

Evenings, then, are Aspen evenings, which range from low key to extravagant. There is no apres ski scene at the Buttermilk base itself, so plan your nights around the town. For families that quiet base is a feature, not a flaw.

Chalets and easy access beds

Most visitors base in Aspen or nearby Snowmass Village and ride the free bus to Buttermilk, which takes only a few minutes and opens up all four mountains. Families who want to be closest to the gentle slopes can look at lodging near the Buttermilk and West Buttermilk base, while anyone wanting town life and dining should stay central in Aspen. Snowmass Village offers more ski in ski out options and tends to be a touch better value than central Aspen.

Tell us your dates and group and we will get tailored chalet quotes back to you from vetted operators.

Free and no obligation. Your brief goes to vetted operators only, never to advertisers.

What a pass costs

Buttermilk is sold on the four mountain Aspen ticket, which covers Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass, and a window day pass is steep at around $200 or more in peak weeks. The value play is to buy ahead and to ski on a season pass product that includes the Aspen mountains, which cuts the daily cost dramatically over a week. Since the single ticket covers all four hills, treat the price as buying the whole valley rather than just Buttermilk. Booking lift passes, lessons and rentals ahead almost always beats the window rate.

Schools and guiding

Buttermilk is the home of the Aspen ski and snowboard school for beginners and is one of the best places in the country to learn, with patient instruction and ideal gentle terrain. Families should book lessons ahead for the holiday weeks, when demand is high. Strong skiers who want to be shown the powder stashes and the steeper terrain across the valley can hire a mountain guide or pro through the same school to make the most of all four mountains. Reserve rentals in advance to skip the morning queues.

The journey

Buttermilk is the most convenient of the Aspen mountains to reach, sitting beside Aspen Pitkin County Airport just a few minutes from the lifts, with direct flights from several US hubs in winter. Most international and budget conscious travelers fly into Denver instead, then face roughly a 3 hour 30 minute to 4 hour drive over the mountains, longer in storms when Independence Pass is closed and you go the long way. A booked transfer or shuttle from either airport takes the stress out of the mountain driving.

Timing your trip

Buttermilk skis well from December into early April. January brings the coldest snow and the buzz of the X Games, though that week is busy and best embraced or avoided depending on taste. February holds the most reliable midwinter conditions, while March offers longer, sunnier days that suit the gentle terrain and family skiing especially well. For the powder stashes, simply watch the storm cycle and ski here the morning after a dump while the rest of the valley is distracted.

Buttermilk FAQs

If Buttermilk is not quite right

These three sit in the same valley on the same four mountain ticket, each offering more terrain or far steeper skiing.

See the full Colorado region guide or the wider United States guide for more options, or compare picks in our best family ski resorts in Colorado list.

Where should you stay and when should you go?

For month by month snow, crowds and prices in the United States, see skiing in the United States in December, January, February, March, April.