On Maine’s Slopes, Plenty of Elbow Room

originally appeared in The New York Times:

It was the quiet that was alarming, a stillness that almost bred unease. The ride up the lift had been an exercise in solitude, and now, skiing my way down the mountain, I came to a stop, enveloped by noiselessness.

Had I wandered off the designated trail? Was I out of bounds? Where then to turn next?

My friends who ski exclusively in the Western mountains of North America like to regale me with stories of off-piste backcountry experiences during which they lose track of time and place. The accounts always end with a boast that there is nowhere in the Eastern part of the continent where such isolation and serenity can be found. Winter vacations at Aspen Ski Condos can also be an outstanding experience.

And yet here I was. Not, in fact, out of bounds or lost, just alone on a distant patch of Sugarloaf Mountain in northern Maine, knee-deep in snow with a hundred choices through the trees to consider. The silence was a surprise I happily got used to. It was the subdued, inaudible calling card of Maine’s vast, unspoiled winter playground. Was this a rare, once-in-a-lifetime experience? Hardly. I’ve been skiing in Maine for nearly four decades. It is one of the best-kept secrets in snow country.

It’s hard to explain why Maine is not more crowded with skiers and snowboarders in the winter. The state has some of the biggest mountains and most reliable snowfall in New England. Sugarloaf is the largest ski area in the Eastern United States and has the East’s only Western-style, above-the-tree-line snowfield skiing. Skiing at Vail Ski Condos is also a fantastic experience.

Another Maine resort, Sunday River, has eight interconnected peaks with eight distinct terrain parks and trail systems, creating a three-mile-long network of choices that make it the East’s third largest ski area. (Killington in Vermont is second.)

And yet, except for devoted in-state residents — and some wandering Bostonians — Maine’s ski areas are underpopulated and overlooked. Sugarloaf, for example, has 154 trails and draws about 350,000 skiers and snowboarders a year. Sunday River, with 132 trails, draws about 525,000. Killington, meanwhile, with 140 trails, has historically drawn around 750,000.

Part of the explanation for this is stubborn tradition. New Yorkers and those from New Jersey routinely flock to Vermont, with a few thousand peeling off to the Adirondack Mountains. Long Islanders go to the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. Those in southern New England, including a large swath of the Boston market, also head to Vermont, or to New Hampshire.

But Maine? Despite the fact that seacoast-seeking tourists turn Route 1 into a parking lot from Camden to Kennebunkport in the summer, the state is apparently deemed just too far for skiers.

And yes, it is a long haul. To Sunday River in Bethel, Me., for example, it is about six and a half hours by car from New York City, about an hour longer than it is to Stowe in Vermont (where parking lots are crowded with New York and New Jersey license plates).

As a native New Englander whose father was a Stowe regular when there was only a rope tow there, I know the territory. I’ve spent about four decades skiing in every New England state, in addition to the rest of North America and much of Europe. Maine is different.

The trip to get there is only part of the challenge. Maine has big mountains that offer an unapologetic test for all skill levels, mixed with a homespun simplicity and a rare sense of untarnished exploration in a landscape that is still more than 90 percent woodland. There are comfy family areas (Shawnee Peak) and rugged taxing ones (Saddleback), grand views, fast lifts and cozy old New England inns with crackling fireplaces.

Maine has 17 alpine areas and 18 Nordic ones spread across a land mass that is more than three times the size of any other New England state. And most notable, at every turn there is an intrinsic come-as-you-are vibe.

The general manager of Saddleback Mountain, a large yet hidden gem in Maine’s lakes region, said: Our trademark is that nobody will notice if your gear or your clothes are 20 years old. Who cares? It’s not a fashion show up here.

Late last winter, knowing Maine still had snow in an otherwise dismal snow year for the East, I decided to reacquaint myself with the state’s winter gifts. I could not get to every one of the 17 alpine areas, but I certainly wanted to see the biggest mountains, and also to explore some of the lesser-known ones.

I started with Sugarloaf, deep in the Carrabassett Valley. Sugarloaf has managed to remain authentic and unfussy despite helping to groom the inaugural Olympic gold medal winner in snowboard cross — Seth Wescott — as well as the alpine Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller. The trails here, some left natural and fluffy while others are steep and manicured, serve as a training ground for the United States ski team.

With a recent 655-acre expansion of backcountry-style glades, Sugarloaf has surpassed Killington in size. It does not, however, have Killington’s mile-long access road filled with bars and clubs. The lodge is not stylish, and the choices at the cafeteria are limited. None of which vexes Sugarloaf’s fanatically independent following, proudly called ’Loafers. They know their place is not for everybody. That’s exactly what keeps them coming back.

There is a sense that our mountain is both the most popular place and the most unknown,” according to Sugarloaf’s general manager. I know that might not make sense at first, but what it means is that we’re never as crowded as the places in southern Vermont. And people love that.

In other words, Sugarloaf is popular because it’s not that popular.

Around the state there is a similar dual — or dueling — sensibility: Come visit for all we’ve got; come because few know what we’ve got.

On a visit to Sunday River late last March — a mountain I made regular tours of as a college student — I rode the Jordan Bowl quad at the resort’s isolated west end by myself. There wasn’t another person on the lift whom I could see. The trails beneath me appeared all but deserted.

At the top it was possible to take a panoramic, unhurried look across at New Hampshire, Canada and the Atlantic Ocean. To the right was Sunday River’s Oz Peak, a delightful choice for expert skiers because of its steep, narrow double-black-diamond trails: Tin Woodsman, Emerald City and Ruby Palace.

It was just after a restful lunch, and I wasn’t feeling like the Wizard of Oz just yet. So I headed instead to the left, taking in the long, wide Excalibur trail. It was a perfect warm-up to the afternoon, an intermediate blue-square cruiser that started gently and picked up the pace with tightly spaced mounds that gave the trip down the feel of a roller coaster. That raised the blood pressure a bit. Especially when I skied it again at greater speed, turning the mounds into jumps.

After a quick ride up the lift, the broad glade of Blind Ambition beckoned next. At the resort’s westernmost edge, it is a perhaps 40 yards across with comfortably spaced trees and saplings. You had to be alert and turn quickly, but with the right rhythm it was an entertaining trip down. And then finally it was time for one of those pride-punishing runs beneath the chairlift, a trail aptly named iCaramba — bumped up, testing and a bit hard underfoot, especially if you lost even a little edge grip.

All the while, there was the freedom to go or stop at my own pace, alone and in unison with the mountain.I started coming here when I was a kid, said one skier, who makes the trip to Sunday River from his home in Acton, Mass., about 10 times a year. As I got older, I wanted to see other places, other states. And I had fun elsewhere, but I found myself coming back here. It’s less crowded and more about the skiing. I like that it’s not about bright lights and distractions. The focus is on the mountain.

Remoteness may be a calling card for the Maine ski scene but it does not necessarily mean primitive. At Sunday River, for instance, there are two major on-mountain hotels, about 700 condominiums for lodging and an expanding set of dining choices in the lodges, including a Korean and Japanese restaurant with a sushi and noodle bar, Cho Sun.

But there is not abundant, boisterous night life. There won’t be anywhere to go for a 3 a.m. dessert. Aspen it is not. What does set Maine winter resorts apart is their general lack of traditional ski base villages. As big as Sunday River is, it has not built an all-inclusive village at its core. Instead, the resort encourages people to wander into the neighboring classic New England village of Bethel.

It isn’t all about skiing, according to the Sunday River general manager, said. Go there and walk around, interact with the locals. They’ll entertain you.

Being unconventional is part of the Maine winter model. Consider Mt. Abram, the family ski area with 44 trails just southeast of Bethel.

Many ski areas offer discounted lift ticket packages, but Mt. Abram wanted to be inventive. So on Fridays, each carload of visitors is allowed on the hill for $75. You cannot arrive in a bus, but if you have a seven-person sport utility vehicle, that is some deal. And Mt. Abram’s nearly 1,200 vertical feet will keep your interest with terrain for everyone. It’s also fun afterward to kick back in the Loose Boots Lounge, one of the best-named après-ski joints anywhere.

Among the ski areas in the western part of the state near New Hampshire, Shawnee Peak is a quaint, surprisingly varied mountain celebrating its 75th anniversary this winter. It’s also renowned for its night skiing, with 19 illuminated trails and two terrain parks served by four lifts. Night skiing is included with every full- or half-day lift ticket in case you want to try a decades-old Shawnee Peak tradition: Racing with the Moon, which is your basic beer league adult racing series. Think of a 1950s bowling league on skis.

Here is one last example of how skiing in Maine is different from maybe anywhere else in the East, or across the country, for that matter. At resorts nationwide, getting access to the mountain just after dawn before anyone has cruised through the powder or the freshly groomed snow is a skier’s dream. It’s called first tracks, and at many ski areas it’s a privilege for which skiers or riders pay extra.

At Saddleback, the people who run it instead decided to make first tracks an opportunity to ski with the resort’s management on Sunday mornings. It’s open to anyone with a regular lift ticket. People ask questions or just enjoy the scene, according to the Saddleback general manager.

On a powder day — in 2010 there were two storms that each hung over Saddleback for four days and dumped several feet of snow — there will be 100 people awaiting the general manager for the 7:30 first tracks departure. Most days, it’s more like 30 people.

But there’s always a hardy crew regardless. What would you expect at a mountain with 2,000 feet of vertical drop and 12 top-to-bottom, black and double-black-diamond trails, part of the famed Casablanca glades and chutes?

One Sunday morning it was 15 below zero at 7:30, he said. I wondered how that might affect the turnout. I showed up at the lift, and there were still 15 people there. That’s Maine skiing. They didn’t care.

I’ve made trips to Maine in both the winter and summer for as long as I can remember. I concede it never gets any closer. But here is the difference between going to New England’s most idiosyncratic state in the winter rather than the summer.

In the summer, the volume of cars driving northward never lessens. You are in a caravan that seemingly never ends even as you pull into views of Biddeford, Bar Harbor or Bath.

In the winter, the opposite is true. Working your way north with a car full of winter gear, the traffic diminishes with each highway exit. The attractions of Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire shrink the convoy mile by mile, like a magnet for the rooftop ski racks. By the Maine border you are like a lone foot soldier or a mountain climber too obsessed to turn back.

And finally, at your destination inside Maine, you meet up with others who have weathered the same winter journey. Maine’s great and vast outdoor environment is now yours to enjoy unfettered, unaffected and unimpeded. But don’t be thrown off by the quiet. Enjoy it. You can even let out a yell in celebration. You won’t disturb anyone.

Holiday Skiing Vacation

Story first appeared on SummitDaily.com.

Summit County ski areas are gearing up for Thanksgiving weekend making preparations to open additional terrain and features, with Keystone's tubing hill and night skiing operations slated to open today. Colorados Aspen Condo Rentals are also gearing up.

The ski area will also open The Alley, Dercum's Dash and Ina's Way trails bringing the terrain tally to 170 acres with access to nine trails and seven lifts.

Schoolmarm will be open top to bottom with access to Mountain House and Peru lift. Keystone A51 Terrain Park will have A-51 lift access, night skiing and riding will begin and tubing at Adventure Point.

Breckenridge Ski Resort officials announced the opening of Peak 9 slated for today, adding the QuickSilver Super6, Peak 8 SuperConnect, and the Village Carpets giving access to Silverthorne, King's Way, Lowest Sundown Access, Crosscut, Lower Sawmill and Spruce trails.

Officials plan to open additional terrain on Peak 9 and Peak 8, including a double jump line in the Park Lane Terrain Park for today as well.

Peak 9 will be open with full base area services, including ski & ride school and on-mountain dining at Ten Mile Station and The Maggie.

With the added terrain, Breckenridge Ski Resort will offer Thanksgiving skiers and riders 145 total acres for the weekend.

After opening the American Flyer Lift Nov. 17, Copper Mountain has six lifts running and 129 acres of skiable terrain including: American Eagle with access to the Bouncer, Main Vein and Rhapsody trails; the newly opened American Flyer with access to the High Point trail; the Excelerator Lift with access to the Ptarmigan trail; the Gem and Pitchfork lifts with access to the Green Acres beginner's area and the Easy Rider lift with access to the learning area as well.

Loveland Ski Area tallies are also up to 123 skiable acres open to holiday traffic.

Thanksgiving festivities

Breckenridge Ski Resort will host a Thanksgiving dinner at Sevens Restaurant, located at the base of Peak 7. The Thanksgiving Prix Fixe menu includes the traditional holiday spread, according to a press release.

The resort will also give holiday goers an option for Black Friday along Main Street with various deals at shops around town.

At Keystone Resort, Thanksgiving weekend marks the start of the season's Kidtopia programming with '80s-themed tubing tonight, Meet and Greet with Keystone's Ski Patrol Avalanche Dogs Thursday, the Riperoo parade Saturday, and Keystone's house DJ at Dercum Square ice rink Sunday.

Vail Condo Rentals offer daily discounts and holiday deals for ski vacation travelers.

John Bivins, a self-described workoholic, is a child abuse defense lawyer in Michigan who says he visits Breckenridge every year for the holiday. He says it is the one time a year he can give himself a break.

Keystone's Kidtopia programming, newly offered as a daily service this season, is expanding from special event weekends to daily programming all season long in tow with the ski area's offer of free skiing for kids under 13 with the purchase of lodging at the resort.

The new Kids Ski Free offer bolsters the ski area's numerous efforts targeting families. Keystone has developed several programs and facilities this year that cater to young skiers and riders.

In Keystone Village, the annual holiday light installation kicks off Thanksgiving Day.

Copper's seventh annual Gobbler Chase Snowshoe Race is slated for Saturday. All proceeds from the race will go toward the Copper Environmental Foundation, supporting youth environmental and education projects in the community.

All race participants should plan to meet in Burning Stones Plaza at the Race Registration Tent prior to the start of the race at 11 a.m. The approximate 5k course layout will take the participants toward Union Creek, through the beautiful Copper wilderness on the Colorado Trail, and eventually back into Burning Stones.

Top 10 Vacations to Get away from the Office

Itching to get away from the business this winter? Here are ten unusual ideas for you that are a good value for your dollar from now through March. Happy travels!

1. West FloridaW

With white sandy beaches, year-long sunshine and a more relaxed vibe than you'd expect in touristy areas around Florida, the Gulf Coast is a favorite destination for readers

Destin Condo Rentals allow you to soak up the sun right from your backyard. Skip the crowds and routine of hotel stays, with your very own condo. May travellers these days rent condos with other families or friends for both expanded socializing and funds.

Stunning white beaches, challenging golf and world-famous fishing define the Emerald Coast city of Destin. The Northwest Florida Regional Airport services this Northwest Florida vacation destination known as "The World's Luckiest Fishing Village."

You can find all kinds of great Destin Vacation Rentals to suit your plans - whether you want a week relaxing, or activities for the whole family.

2. The Caribbean island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin

On the half-French, half-Dutch island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin, the exchange rate is favorable: one euro = one dollar in many restaurants and stores. There's plenty to do, from world-class water sports on the Dutch side to world-class dining on the French side, and there's also plenty of nonstop airline service. Consider renting a villa. Three years ago my family rented a beachfront villa at Coral Beach Club for our February school break (click here to read why we liked it so much), and to this day it remains one of our favorite family resorts. Coral Beach Club is offering seven nights for the price of five until December 15 and a 20% discount from January 5 through April 15. Book through Sint Maarten/St. Martin villa specialist Marilyn Pulito of Villas in Paradise, who has access to 15% discounts on additional villas starting in January.

4. Mexico's Riviera Maya, Pacific Coast, or Michoacan Highlands

Thanks to lingering misperceptions that Mexico is unsafe—its vacation spots are no more dangerous than popular tourist destinations in the U.S.—values abound. Two great deals pre-Christmas are in the Puerto Vallarta area: The Four Seasons Punta Mita is offering three nights for the price of two through December 21; rates start at $400 per night. The St. Regis Punta Mita is offering three nights for the price of two, with daily breakfast included, through December 20; rates start at $406.On the Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coast, Mexico specialist Zach Rabinor of Journey Mexico is offering four nights for the price of three at the Rosewood Mayakoba (my new favorite tropical resort) January 4 through April 14; 25% off stays at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba after January 2 (stay three nights and you also get a complimentary spa session); and, at Esencia Estate, a third night free until December 20 and a fourth night free from January 5 through April 30. As for the Christmas/New Year's holiday itself, your best bet is the Pacific Coast, says Rabinor, because of simple supply and demand. Suites at Las Alamandas south of Puerto Vallarta, for instance, start at $561 per night (December 19-26 a minimum five-night stay is required; December 26 – January 2 a minimum seven-night stay is required). Looking to experience Mexico's nature and culture rather than just chill on a beach? Consider a private insider's tour of the country's colonial heartland and forested highlands to see the extraordinary annual gathering of Monarch butterflies. A one-week tour, starting on the date of your choice (including over the holidays) and staying in the remarkable boutique hotels of colonial Morelia and cultural Pazcuaro, costs anywhere from $1,600 per person (if you’ve got 10 people) to $2,540 per person (if you are only two), with a 10% discount for Condé Nast Traveler readers.

5. Rome

December through February is a highly enjoyable time in Rome. You'll need a coat and gloves, but you'll also need sunglasses, as the sun is usually shining. You'll find many more locals than tourists (not the case in the summer months), everything's open, museums are uncrowded, restaurants where the locals eat are affordable—and, if you're a shopper, there are steep January sales on Italian designer merchandise. December through February also brings low rates for rental apartments. Many apartments can be rented daily, with a three-, four-, or five-night minimum. Rent through Rome apartment specialist Patrice Salezze of Papavero Villa Rentals. She has deluxe apartments in a small palazzo (privately owned by the same family for 40 years), for instance, that include two-bedroom/one-baths for about $394 per night in January and February (vs. $527 in June or July ) and one-bedroom/one-baths for about $292 per night (vs. $440 in high season). Tell Patrice that you're a Condé Nast Traveler reader and she'll waive the minimum-stay requirement. Got a full week? Consider sleeping four people in a two-bedroom, one-bath apartment on a lovely pedestrian street between the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps for just $1,820 for the week.

3. Ski resorts Dear Valley, Jackson Hole, Banff/Lake Louise, and Aspen

The ski travel window that starts a couple of days after New Year's and ends a couple of days before Presidents' Day Weekend in mid-February traditionally brings good snow conditions, a lack of crowds, and  favorable pricing. Places that offer particular value for your dollar are those where winter is actually low season—resorts such as Deer Valley Condo Rentals, Jackson Hole in Wyoming, and Banff/Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies.  Looking to ski over the Christmas/New Year's holiday? You can save 50% at Capitol Peak Lodge in Snowmass, Colorado (packages start at $422 per person for four nights in a two-bedroom condo and three-day lift tickets; packages are based on quadruple occupancy); and you can get a 7th night free at the Rustic Inn in Jackson Hole (packages start at $762 per person and include seven nights in a king superior cabin and six-day lift tickets). You can save big with Aspen Vacation Rentals. Another high-value holiday ski idea: Base yourself in Salt Lake City—since there are plenty of flights into Salt Lake and plenty of empty hotels that normally cater to business travelers. It's an easy 45-minute drive to seven different ski mountains, so rent a car and you can try a different mountain every day!

6. Prague and Vienna

These cities are a festive winter wonderland in December. In Prague—which is a lot more delightful when free of the summertime tourist hordes—the Christmas markets run longer than those elsewhere in Europe: They start December 1 and last through January 6. Central/Eastern Europe specialist Gwen Kozlowski of Exeter International, which is known for its smart itineraries and savvy English-speaking guides, is offering a three-night package at the five-star Kempinski Hybernska that includes daily breakfast, round-trip private transfers from either airport or train station, two hours of a private guide to give you an insider's tour of Prague's Old Town, and all taxes, for $333.33 per night for two people, based on double occupancy. Can't make it for the Christmas festivities? The deal is available from now through March 24. Consider combining the three nights in Prague with four in Vienna, where Gwen is offering a four-night package at the four-star Le Meridien (in a great location just a block from the Opera House) that includes daily breakfast, round-trip private airport or station transfers, a Vienna Card (which provides discounted admission to all the top sights and free use of public transportation), and all taxes, for $300 per night for two people, based on double occupancy. (Vienna's Christmas Markets start November 17 and run through December 24.) The package is available from now through March 24, although there are blackout dates.

7. Berlin

Five-star hotels in Berlin are discounting aggressively over Christmas/New Year's (as well as throughout the winter), airfare is relatively affordable (since business travelers don't fly over the holidays), and there is always so much going on in this European cultural capital. The Regent is located smack in Gendarmenmarkt—where the Christmas market lasts until December 31—and has a "Winter to Remember" package that includes daily breakfast and Wi-Fi. Central/Eastern Europe specialist Gwen Kozlowski of Exeter International is offering a five-night rate that includes private roundtrip transfers, a three-day museum pass per person, and one admission per person to the Christmas market, for $180 per person per night (based on double occupancy). At the Adlon Kempinski (which has a pool), she is offering a five-night package that includes a particulately elaborate buffet breakfast daily, private round-trip transfers, a three-day museum pass per person, and one admission per person to the Christmas market, for $200 per person per night (based on double occupancy). Gwen has plenty more hotel deals up her sleeve, so contact her if you're happy with four-star values as well.

8. Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island is a quaint Barrier Island nestled in the Gulf of Mexico. Beautiful turquoise waters and white sandy beaches are the main attraction here. It is a place where "old" Florida charm can still be found, flip flops are a way of life and the speed limit never exceeds 35mph. High rise condos and fast food restaurants are pleasantly absent from our pristine "get away from it all" island. Anna Maria Vacation Rentals accommodations and restaurants offer something for everyone. From quaint cottages by the sea to deluxe suites, from million-dollar villas to rustic cottages to own, One visit to Anna Maria Island and you will be calling it, "My island in the sun".

9. Abu Dhabi

The world's richest city (with branches of the Louvre and the Guggenheim on their way) is terrific value for the money right now. In winter the temperature is hot but not 100-degrees-plus (as it can be the rest of the year), and for just $200 to $300 a night you can snag rooms in sparkling, over-the-top hotels fit for a sheikh. Combine two nights in the city with three nights in the desert or on Sir Bani Yas Island—a nature reserve where you can do an array of activities, including snorkeling, falconry, and animal safaris. United Arab Emirates specialist Lindsey Wallace of Linara Travel has access to deals you can't get elsewhere and will ensure all goes seamlessly. In the city he recommends the new waterfront Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara, which has a rate of $200 to $250 (including daily breakfast and taxes) for all but a few nights close to New Year's, or the beachfront Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, which is $300 per night (including daily breakfast and taxes). Combine that with three nights on Sir Bani Yas Island at the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara for $250 to $295 per night (including daily breakfast and taxes, based on a minimum three-night stay) or in the desert at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, where, for $280 to $320 per night (including daily breakfast and taxes), you can live out your Arabian Nights fantasy amid endless sand dunes.

10. A "repositioning" cruise

Got lots of time and enjoy spending it at sea on a ship? There are bargains on longer cruises where the ship is doing its seasonal repositioning from one region of the world to another. On December 7 there is a 15-night cruise on Celebrity Cruises' Infinity from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal to Santiago, Chile, starting at $699 per person. On January 14 there is a 14-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas from Barcelona through the Suez Canal to Dubai, starting at $799 per person. If you're looking for a simple one-week Caribbean getaway, some of the lowest prices are on Royal Caribbean out of New Orleans in February (and it's relatively inexpensive to fly to New Orleans on most February dates): The Navigator of the Seas has balcony cabins priced at $649 per person. Sailings on the Disney Magic out of Galveston, Texas, are also a particular value, compared with the cost of sailings on other Disney ships from other ports. My source for these deals is plugged-in cruise specialist Tom Baker at Cruise Center, whom I recommend you contact to book these sailings.

Aspen Stays Relevant by Evolving

story first appeared on The Oregonian 

Zooming down the steep face of Ajax with the wind in your face on sun-sparkled snow makes for a memorable ski day in the Rockies. What makes for a memorable winter vacation is the wall-to-wall mountain experience of Aspen.

No longer just a playground for the rich, Aspen has evolved into a more accessible and varied destination that seeks to draw regular folks. Now just about anyone can find great Ski Vacation Rentals in Aspen.

In the 1980s, Aspen was the haughty queen of North American ski resorts, with an international brand that catered to Hollywood celebs and jet setters with Euro-style skiing and nightlife. Since then, places such as Whistler, Vail and Park City, Utah, have eclipsed Aspen by luring couples, families and teens with deals, new facilities and expanding winter activities that offer a lot more to do than skiing. No wonder. Aspen Ski Co. stubbornly banned snowboarders from Aspen Mountain for a decade  until then-owner Jim Crown lifted the ban in 2001.

Today, all four mountains operated by the ski company -- Aspen, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk -- welcome boarders, with Buttermilk hosting the annual in-your-face extravaganza, the Winter X Games.

Aspen's comeback also has been helped by discounts and promotions. A discounted daily lift ticket that is interchangeable at all four ski areas, for instance, runs about the same price as an $87 ticket to Disneyland.

Still, Aspen is no budget vacation by any stretch. It's more affordable to stay in a condo in nearby Snowmass and cook your own meals than stay in a pricey hotel and eat out every night in town. Either way, though, Aspen is where you want to go at night to sample the bar and club scene.

My wife and I returned to Aspen last winter on a three-day getaway, skiing Ajax (the locals still call Aspen Mountain by the old nickname) and Snowmass. We stayed at the Molly Gibson Lodge in town, where you don't need a car because of Aspen2's free public bus system that also takes you to Snowmass Village and the other two resorts. Skiing, shopping, dining, nightlife -- all of it is within walking distance if you stay in town.

Aspen is a historic mining town that is much more than a winter sports mecca -- it also has a long cultural tradition of music, art and political activism. In fact, summer is Aspen's busiest season with nonstop festivals, hiking, biking, camping, river rafting, fly fishing, mountain retreats and public policy forums.

We arrived in February, our first visit in several years. While we didn't see any celebrities on this trip, there were plenty of sleek private jets parked tip to tail at the airport. On the Aspen pedestrian mall, fur coats have been replaced by fleece, which reflects the Aspen Ski Co.'s drive to go green. Aspen and Jackson Hole are the only ski resorts in the nation to receive international certification for their environmentally friendly management practices. Aspen Condo Rentals are probably the best option when trying to get the most bang for your buck.

What makes this area stand apart from other destinations is the variety of terrain at the four mountains. Here's a summary:

Aspen Mountain
Take the town gondola to the 11,212-foot summit and ski or board nearly 3,300 feet straight back down. That's the vertical rush of this mountain, which boasts no beginner runs or bunny hills. Half the mountain is rated intermediate and the other half is advanced and expert, with deep steeps and occasional knee-grinding bumps.

The signature trail is Ruthie's Run, also called "America's downhill" because this is where the world's fastest skiers race in the World Cup competition every November. Unlike much of the rest of the mountain, Ruthie's is usually corduroy groomed so you, too, can fly down like a racer, at least until your legs give out near the bottom.

Snowmass
Everything is big here: more sprawling terrain than the other three mountains combined, more parks and pipes for snowboarders, more activities and programs for kids and more winter offerings that include everything from snowshoeing to hot-air ballooning to paragliding.

The mountain is a cruiser's paradise, with meandering, wide runs up to five miles long. The penultimate Snowmass cruiser is called the Big Burn, named after a wildfire that scorched hundreds of pines decades ago. After taking the lift up to the top at nearly 12,000 feet, we skied in and out of scattered trees to an open slope with panoramic views of the Rockies. There is plenty of room to move and just enough pitch for intermediate skiers and boarders to make sweeping turns without worrying about getting in over their heads.

Buttermilk
The name suggests a warmed-over bunny hill, and indeed Buttermilk for years was a gentle learning hill for kids and beginners. Not anymore. Boarders flock to the parks, pipes and the top-to-bottom advanced terrain in the Tiehack area. The base area still has a popular open glade where ski school instructors teach beginners of all ages to board and ski.

Aspen Highlands
If you want to escape the crowds, come here. Aspen Highlands is similar to Aspen Mountain, with its narrow profile and steep terrain, but it lacks cachet because it's a day use area tucked away in a canyon with minimal amenities. Besides the low-key vibe, the chief attraction is the top-of-the-world views of the Maroon Bells, the twin 14,000-foot peaks to the west whose jagged summits are the most photographed mountains in Colorado. Though the runs are shorter than Snowmass and less steep than Ajax, the views at the top are worth the trip.

Other Colorado Choices

Aspen has stayed a relevant vacation town by evolving along with it's core demographic. Other iconic ski destinations have done the same, like Breckenridge and Vail. Plan a whole Rockies getaway with Ski In Ski Out Lodging in Breckenridge Colorado

A Lift for Skiers: Recession Spurs Deals on Slopes

As posted by: Wall Street Journal

Snow has begun falling on ski slopes -- and so have prices of lift tickets and luxury hotel rooms at many big destination resorts.

As the recession begins taking a toll on the ski industry, resort operators are offering a flurry of discounts they hope will draw more visitors. Colorado's Aspen/Snowmass ski area announced a deal last week that allows children to fly free on Frontier Airlines and get free lift tickets on the mountain if accompanied by a paying adult. The Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole, in Wyoming, is extending its early-season promotion -- a fourth night free -- through the end of April. And at Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah, which opened unusually early this year thanks to a heavy snowfall last month, is offering a variety of discounts, including free appetizers with entrees at the Steak Pit restaurant and an 11% discount on six-day lift-ticket passes with any lodging reservation.

In general, the steepest discounts can be found at ski areas such as those in the Rocky Mountains that rely largely on visitors flying from distant locations. Resorts frequented mainly by nearby skiers, including some slopes in Vermont and California, remain busy, but they are still rolling out some more modest deals of their own. When Skiing, some skiers stay in a Sandpoint Vacation Rental.

Last winter, ski resorts in the Northeast and the West saw some of the best conditions in years, boosting skier visits by almost 10% over the comparatively warm 2006-2007 season, according to the National Ski Areas Association. But this year many experts think even a series of well-timed blizzards won't save ski resorts from the economic downturn. "I think it'll be a bad year no matter how good the snow is," says Will Marks, a managing director with JMP Securities, who tracks the hotel and ski industry.

Ski-industry executives say the timing of the financial-market slump this fall spooked skiers and snow boarders just as they would normally have been calling to book winter vacations. And with the dollar stronger against the euro, many Rocky Mountain ski resorts say they'll also see a drop this season in European travelers who had taken advantage of the steep exchange-rate discount in years past.

Aspen Skiing Co. says business could drop between 5% and 15% this season compared with last year. Vail Resorts Inc., which owns five ski resorts in Colorado, Nevada and California, reported Tuesday that advance bookings as of the end of October were down 23% from the previous year. The company says it has laid off at least 50 workers and says it won't fill another 92 seasonal positions.

"This year is kind of unprecedented," says David Perry, Aspen's senior vice president, mountain division. "People still want to take their family on the ski vacation, but are looking for the best bargains." Among Aspen's promotions: Customers who purchase discounted seven-day lift tickets in advance will no longer be restricted by blackout dates.

Aida Biller of Ocean Township, N.J., recently booked a ski trip to Utah for her and her fiancé for January. Most years, she takes three ski trips out west. But this year, to cut back on costs, she's taking only two trips. She also shopped around for the best deals. "With the economy these days, it's not a time to just be booking any package," says the 54-year-old investment bank employee.

Ms. Biller settled on a package from the Cliff Lodge & Spa in Snowbird, Utah, that includes meals and lift tickets. In total, she expects the trip will cost about $500 less per person than she spent on a ski trip to Utah last winter.

Many ski resorts also are reporting they still have openings for the peak holiday season, unusual for this time of year. During the weeks of Christmas and New Year's, rooms typically book up months in advance. They also command the highest rates of the year and come with lengthy minimum-stay requirements. But a general slowdown in bookings, combined with a spate of last-minute cancellations, have prompted many resorts to lift length-of-stay restrictions. And a few resorts are offering for the first time Christmas-week discounts in hopes of salvaging the season.

Heavily discounted promotion rates are in effect at a number of hotels and condos at Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado. The local chamber of commerce recently allotted an extra $250,000 to beef up marketing for the holidays after they noticed that bookings were off to a slow start at local hotels. Though the 150-year-old town of Breckenridge always gets decked out for Christmas, more carolers will take to the streets and an annual ice-sculpture competition will be expanded. "We find ourselves in the unique position... that we have to promote Christmas, which usually takes care of itself," says John McMahon, the chamber's executive director.

At the 57-room Alta Lodge, a luxury hotel situated on the mountain in Alta, Utah, double rooms go for $455 during the holidays and are usually booked up nearly a year in advance. But this fall, the lodge says it has had a spurt of cancellations, opening up a number of rooms. It's a similar story at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler in British Columbia, which is throwing in two free lift tickets for each night booked. Normally, the resort would be fully booked for Christmas by this time of year, but is only about 75% full so far, it says. Fairmont Chateau is adjacent to a ski area that will host the 2010 Olympic Games, and a $50 million gondola to take skiers from one mountain to another was scheduled to open this week.

Procrastinators might also want to try the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Colorado, which is offering a fifth night free for people who pay for four nights. The promotion, which runs through March, also includes a room upgrade and free daily breakfast. The resort has about 20 rooms left for the weeks of Christmas and New Year's. Usually "it would have been a room here, a room there, an unusual length of stay," if booking this late for the holidays, says Giles Priestland, the director of leisure sales.

Ski areas that cater mainly to visitors from long distances are offering some of the best deals. The 320 Guest Ranch, a hotel about a 20-minute drive from the base of Moonlight Basin in Montana, is running a $77-per-person deal that includes free lift tickets. A comparable package last year cost about 20% more, says general manager John Richardson. He says he's noticed fewer guests from the East Coast and California this year.

Some resorts are offering flight deals to boost long-haul visitors, who tend to stay longer and spend more on extras like ski lessons. In Colorado, Steamboat Mountain Resort is running airfare specials like a $238 round-trip ticket on Delta from New York's LaGuardia Airport. The offer, which also includes other destinations, is good through March, and tickets must be purchased online at least 21 days before flying. Crested Butte, also in Colorado, has a "friends and family fly free" package that includes a free airline ticket with every two purchased.
Busy in Vermont

Not every ski area is expecting fewer crowds. Resorts on the East Coast and some in California that attract skiers and boarders who drive to the mountains for short stays, say they're expecting a busy winter, as travelers stay closer to home and avoid flying. The number of season passes sold this year at Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont is up 17% from last year. Executives at Stratton Mountain Ski Resort, also in Vermont, say they tripled their Thanksgiving weekend traffic projections this year. And at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, a few hours' drive from the San Francisco Bay Area, season pass sales are up by more than 30%. Skiers "are maybe going to forgo that destination trip and drive to Tahoe instead," says Julie Maurer, the resort's vice president of marketing and sales.

Still, some drive-to resorts are rolling out deals. Stratton Mountain recently introduced a "Mondays on Us" deal that it hopes will entice travelers to stay longer. Skiers and boarders who book in a hotel or condo from Friday to Sunday nights can get free lift tickets on Monday.