Celebs Hit Aspen Ski Runs

Aspen Colorado is one of the most popular ski destinations in the U.S. for a variety of reasons.

Resorts in Aspen have something to offer everyone from beginners to experienced skiers. They offer ski or snowboard lessons and equipment rentals for the convenience of its visitors who may be considering learning to ski. Skiing and snowboarding lessons include lessons in safety and skier responsibility. Trail maps, videos and photos are readily available. For your convenience, or just for laughs, they also offer on-mountain photos and live cams.

A slow start to winter caused some initial worry for Aspen as well as ski areas around the world. But December brought nearly 30 inches of snow in Aspen. Aspen's most skied mountains are Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. Each mountain has something new and exciting to offer its skiers. Most lifts are open daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Sky Cab opens at 8 a.m., Cirque lift opens at 10 a.m., the Village Express and Big Burn lifts open at 8:30 a.m.

Buttermilk is probably most famous for its role in the ESPN Winter X Games. Its 470 acres offer 21 miles of terrain with the longest run being 3 miles. It also offers forty-four gently rolling trails for beginners and family skiing. Buttermilk offers a lot of versatility and wide open slopes for its skiers. On average, there are only 4 people per acre at a time on Buttermilk's slopes and trails. This provides an excellent atmosphere for beginners and intermediate skiers who may not be ready for the more crowded slopes.

Buttermilk's base elevation is 7,870 feet above sea level with a summit elevation of 9,900 feet and vertical rise of 2,030 feet. When skiing Buttermilk you may see Winter X Games champions, Olympians or families just learning to ski. Buttermilk is open for skiing from December 8, 2007 through April 6, 2008.

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Aspen Mountain has been a favorite ski destination for skiers since 1947. More difficult than Buttermilk, Aspen Mountain has steep, bump runs that run directly into the town of Aspen, Colorado. The mountain offers many well-known, well-traveled trails as well as less populated trails. Some of Aspen Mountain's best kept secrets are its black and double-black-diamond tracks that venture off the beaten path into a much less traveled terrain. On average, Aspen Mountain isn't very crowded at only three skiers per acre.

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Aspen Mountain's base elevation is 7,945 feet with a staggering vertical rise of 3,267 feet and summit of 11,212 feet above sea level. Aspen Mountain's 673 acres are open for skiing from November 22, 2007 through April 13, 2008.

Aspen Highlands is a favorite among the local skiing populous. The highlands offer simply breathtaking views of the surrounding Maroon Bells. Of course, there is a lift that delivers passengers to the summit or you may choose to hike the 12,392 foot trail. Aspen Highlands is probably best known for its steep, big mountain ski areas like Steeplechase, Highland Bowl and Olympic Bowl. It also offers a test of stamina in the form of the newly extended Mushroom trail and Child's Play in the Highland Bowl. Aspen Highlands has added an additional stunning 220 acres over the last two seasons.

Aspen Highlands' base elevation is 8,040 feet with a summit elevation of 12,392 feet at the top of Highland Bowl. There are 125 exciting trails in the 1,010 acres that range in difficulty from easy to expert. Aspen Highlands is open from December 8, 2007 through April 6, 2008.

Snowmass is Aspen's largest ski mountain at 3,132 acres. It offers something for everyone from beginners to expert skiers and snowboarders. Best known for its wide open cruising paths and family friendly activities, Snowmass has been rated one of the best family ski areas in North America. The sheer size of Snowmass nearly guarantees fewer skiers per acre. On average there are only two people per acre skiing Snowmass.

Snowmass' base elevation is 8,104 feet with a summit elevation of a breathtaking 12,510 feet above sea level. It consists of 91 trails with the longest run being 5.3 miles and the steepest run with a slope of 40 degrees.

Author: Roger Munns

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Ski Resorts for the Rich & Famous - SocialiteTravel.com

Photographers follow celebrities every where they go, from the grocery store and the nail salon to a night club and even the doctor’s office. But where do celebrities go when they are looking to hit the slopes? With hundreds of ski resorts located all across the world, the rich and famous look to go to the most elite and fabulous resorts they can find. Here is a list of ski resorts that celebrities have either been spotted or call their home.

Aspen, Colorado
If you’re looking to share the slopes with a wide variety of celebrities, than look no further than a ski holiday in Aspen, Colorado. Located in the Rocky Mountains region, this ski resort town is the home to many celebrities. Because of its quaint atmosphere, celebrities levitate here to get away from the hustle and bustle associated with New York City and Los Angeles. John Denver once had a house in Starwood, which is within close proximity to Aspen. Singer Mariah Carey has also visited Aspen, spending the last few Christmas holidays there. Other actors and actresses that call Aspen their home are Kevin Costner, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Jack Nicholson, Felicity Huffman and Michael Douglas.

Sun Valley, Idaho
I small town with only approximately 1,400 residents, many celebrities flock to Sun Valley to get away from their hectic lives. Sun Valley utilizes Bald Mountain which has a 9150 feet incline and a 3400 feet vertical drop. Ernest Hemingway has been said to have stayed in suite 206 of the Lodge during the fall of 1939. During his stay, Hemingway finished one of his most famous novels, For Whom the Bell Tolls. He became a part-time resident of Sun Valley for approximately 20 years and in 1966 a Hemingway Memorial was constructed about a mile from the lodge. Other celebrities known to make their way to Sun Valley include Teresa Heinz Kerry, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher.

Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France
Across the Atlantic Ocean and nestled in the Alps is one of the most famous ski resorts in the world. The Chamonix Mont-Blanc in France is home of the world’s longest ski run, the Vallée Blanche, which is 13.7 miles in length. This resort features the highest peak in the Alps, as well as the second highest peak in Europe. Situated at the foot of Mont-Blanc, the resort became famous in 1924 when it hosted in the Winter Olympic games. Since then, the rich and famous have not been able to stay away.

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Popular Ski Resorts in USA - SocialiteTravel.com

For winter sports enthusiasts, there is nothing better than rushing down a mountain on freshly snow-covered slopes. To help you find the right ski holiday that will fulfill your craving for an outdoor adventure, here is a list of popular ski slopes in the United States:

Breckinridge, Colorado

One of the better known Ski resorts in Colorado, Breckinridge totals 2,358 acres and has 155 trails. Its longest trail, Four O’clock, reaches a length of 3.5 miles and the resort spans over more than 10 peaks. Of the 155 trails this resort hosts, 36-percent are expert slopes, the largest percentage of slope difficulty, and 13-percent of the slopes have the easiest designation.

Aspen, Colorado

Located in the midst of the Rocky Mountains, Aspen, Colorado, is the Aspen Mountain Ski Resort. Sitting on 673 acres, Aspen Mountain is one of the smallest ski resorts around. It utilizes Aspen Mountain and Bell Mountain which has an elevation of 11,212 feet.

Killington, Vermont

This ski resort is the largest resort in the eastern part of the United States. Utilizing Vermont’s second highest mountain, Killington Peak, this resort sports 200 trails and 33 ski lifts spanned over seven mountains. It is estimated that nearly 17,000 people will visit Killington Ski Resort on a good day.

Park City, Utah

This tourist destination is home to three different ski resorts, Park City Mountain Resort , the Canyons Resort and Deer Valley Resort. Park City Mountain Resort covers 3,300 acres and has 104 trails. Canyon Resort, the bigger of the three, runs on nine mountains, totaling 3,700 acres and 155 trails. Deer Valley Resort recently underwent a nine million dollars renovation to add 200 acres and nine new slopes

Lake Tahoe, Nevada/California

Lake Tahoe, located on the Nevada-California boarder is home to Heavenly Mountain Resort. It features 95 slopes over 4,800 acres. At an elevation of 10,067, this resort is host to Lake Tahoe’s highest peak. It is the largest ski resort in California, with a total of 33-percent of its land developed.

Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania

The Pocono Mountains is home to more than ten different ski resorts. The largest one, Camelback Ski Area, has 33 slopes and covers 139 acres. At an elevation of 2,133 feet, its steepest slope is 800 feet. Located in close proximity to Camelback Ski Area is Jack Frost Big Boulder Resort. This ski area is two resorts combined into one with nearly 30 different ski slopes.

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