Snowmass Village Ski Guide

Where does Snowmass Village sit and how is lift access?

Snowmass Village sits about nine miles west of Aspen in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley, built directly onto the lower slopes of Snowmass Mountain at roughly 8,200 feet. It was planned as a ski village from the start, so the lifts are not a bus ride away, they are at the bottom of the run you stay on.

This is the strongest argument for the village: the great majority of its lodging is true ski in ski out or only a short walk from a chair. Most visitors stay along the mid mountain Fanny Hill area or in the newer Base Village at the foot of the Elk Camp Gondola, and from either you can click in at your door. The Snowmass pass also covers Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, all reachable on the free valley bus, so a base here gives you four mountains on one ticket without ever moving hotel.

What is the village of Snowmass like in the evening?

Snowmass Village is calm and family first in the evening, which is the whole point and also the main trade off against staying in Aspen. The Base Village plaza has an ice rink, a handful of restaurants and bars, a small cluster of shops and an easy, walkable scale that works well with children, but it is not a late night scene and it never pretends to be.

If you want serious apres ski, cocktail bars, galleries and a wide choice of restaurants, that is in Aspen, ten to fifteen minutes away by the frequent free bus or a short cab. Many groups treat Snowmass as the quiet, convenient place to sleep and ski and dip into Aspen for one or two big nights out. People who want the buzz on their doorstep every night will find the village too sleepy and should base in Aspen instead.

Where should you stay in Snowmass Village?

Stay in Base Village if you want shops, restaurants and the gondola at your door, or along Fanny Hill and the mid mountain if you want the most direct ski in ski out and a quick run to the lifts each morning. Both put you on snow, so the choice is mostly about whether you want a little plaza life or pure convenience.

Lodging runs from large self contained condos that suit families and groups, which are the best value here, up to full service slopeside hotels. For a week, expect most comfortable condo and hotel trips to land in the $4,000 to $8,000 per person band once flights, lift passes and food are counted, with simpler condo stays closer to $2,000 to $4,000 and the marquee slopeside hotels well into $8,000 plus. Booking a kitchen equipped condo and cooking some nights is the single biggest saving in an expensive valley.

How do you get to Snowmass Village?

The easiest route is to fly into Aspen Pitkin County Airport, which sits only about six miles from the village, a ten to fifteen minute transfer by car, hotel shuttle or the free regional bus. That short hop is rare among major ski bases and a real reason to choose Snowmass with children or a lot of gear.

The airport is small and weather sensitive, so the common backup is to fly into Denver and drive the roughly three and a half to four hours west, or take a scheduled mountain shuttle. Many lodges run complimentary airport shuttles from Aspen, and once you arrive the free village and valley buses cover lifts, Base Village and the run into Aspen, so a rental car is genuinely optional for most stays. Arrange your transfer through #AFFILIATE_TRANSFER.

Is Snowmass Village right for your trip?

Skiing near Snowmass Village

These resorts are within reach of Snowmass Village, each with our full review:

• Aspen Snowmass. Your home mountain from the village, big and varied with terrain for every level and direct ski in ski out lodging.
• Aspen Highlands. On the same pass and a short bus away, home to the famous Highland Bowl for strong skiers wanting steeper challenge.

Common questions