THE Aspen/Snowmass / Greater Roaring Fork Valley 23-24 Thread

[grskier]

I think we’ll be on Aspen in the morning tomorrow… kid one starts AVSC there. Kid two tomorrow at Buttermilk.

Snowmass was hammered by the time I got there today but that first wave did well.


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[funkendrenchman]

Ajax was great today, still early but things are shaping up. I love winter


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I would guess they’ll be a lot of openings tomorrow.

[alpinevibes]

Might get the boys out to Buttermilk today. We’ve all been sick this week (RSV?) so pretty rough going. I’m questioning even trying to get some solo soft laps today…


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[MakersTeleMark]

Might get the boys out to Buttermilk today. We’ve all been sick this week (RSV?) so pretty rough going. I’m questioning even trying to get some solo soft laps today…


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I don't think you will be solo. Vibes, heal up.

[grskier]

Well, that was as much fun as I’m allowed to have without my wife.

Great vibe on the hill!



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[Shredhead]

Yeah, that was really good!
1st to the Knob chair and five laps in before it got tracked.

[alpinevibes]

Really really good. Glad I bucked up and got out the door and managed to run into GR and crew.

Great turns were had

[Wes Mantooth]

Highlands was absurdly good, like a top ski day of all time for me. Multiple laps down DT without a single other track in sight and same story in the bowl. And never waited in a lift line


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[grskier]

I heard it was good, that sounds great.
I’m happy to see some skier compaction before I go through there.


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[alpinevibes]

Highlands was absurdly good, like a top ski day of all time for me. Multiple laps down DT without a single other track in sight and same story in the bowl. And never waited in a lift line


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Awesome. I’ll eat crow to that!

[garuda]

I heard it was good, that sounds great.
I’m happy to see some skier compaction before I go through there.


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Yes, I helped "compact" plenty of things, mainly my bases and edges, haha, the last couple days up there. Lots of downed trees and rocks about in Steeplechase and Temerity. But lots are now uncovered and obvious, until the next storm... Great opening weekend for sure though!

[Wes Mantooth]

Yes, I helped "compact" plenty of things, mainly my bases and edges, haha, the last couple days up there. Lots of downed trees and rocks about in Steeplechase and Temerity. But lots are now uncovered and obvious, until the next storm... Great opening weekend for sure though!

I hardly hit anything on Saturday, but it did start to get bony in DT as it got skied out so we stuck to the frontside the rest of the afternoon. Those first few hours were some of the best ever though

Ajax was nice yesterday too. Looks like a long dry spell ahead…

[Leshphilling77]

did a last minute little trip to ajax monday and highlands yesterday. the skiing and coverage is a lot better than what we got going on in summit county so I was stoked on it. just felt great to do some actual skiing when a-basin is still mostly like 3 groomers and some random limited openings, copper is a little better terrain wise but still not great. deception has some real nice chalky snow right now, fairly smooth buff and very ripping.

[grskier]

Skiing is still pretty good on Aspen… buttermilk needs a bunch of snow to fill in the holes.


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[funkendrenchman]

Skiing is still pretty good on Aspen… buttermilk needs a bunch of snow to fill in the holes.


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Need some more soon or it’s going to be a rough holiday season.

[grskier]

I’m planning on being on Aspen for a thing in the morning….


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[alpinevibes]

I’m planning on being on Aspen for a thing in the morning….


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Yeah I hear the day has arrived!

[grskier]

The email I have seems to downplay what will be open


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[Wes Mantooth]

Gonna try to get up there for a few laps this afternoon. After seeing it in the summer it scares me early season though - people think DT has lots of logs and stumps…

[grskier]

Hero's was good, hallow but good on Friday. It'll be a great addition and will change most people's flow on a pow day.

The rest of the weekend was... FAST.

[Duffman]

Hero's was good, hallow but good on Friday. It'll be a great addition and will change most people's flow on a pow day.

The rest of the weekend was... FAST.

You guys think Heros will generally increase traffic to the Walshes and surrounding areas with more people hitting that side ? (one of my fave spots as a clueless touron in the past)

Also, coming out with the family on Friday ,looks like rip some groomers and get some core shots with you fine folk. Staying in the land of Shredhead at snowmass without a car most likely ,first time not in downtown Aspen so somewhat clueless.

The 6 year old is scheduled for lessons most of the time at snowmass ,still trying to figure out logistically the best way to handle things when we want to ski the other mountains, especially seeking how terrain at snowmass seems the most limited at the moment. Was hoping to get the boy into some of the hike to terrain but that seems like a longshot ( pun intended) at this point . I know there are no kids lessons at Ajax so we will probably ski with her and take turns hitting the fun stuff with the 10 yo boy. I saw that Highlands lessons are blue level and above only. Not sure if she would do that yet or not, at Jackson and Vermont she had no problems at all on easier blue runs and is a pretty strong skiier for a 6yo flatlander, but I guess we will give it a few days and see. Other option would be to change a lesson to buttermilk and take the resort shuttle over to Highlands? Is that feasible? Any ski school veterans have any advice here?

Also any can't miss Christmas stuff to check out? We will be there until the 28th as of now

[grskier]

You guys think Heros will generally increase traffic to the Walshes and surrounding areas with more people hitting that side ? (one of my fave spots as a clueless touron in the past)

Also, coming out with the family on Friday ,looks like rip some groomers and get some core shots with you fine folk. Staying in the land of Shredhead at snowmass without a car most likely ,first time not in downtown Aspen so somewhat clueless.

The 6 year old is scheduled for lessons most of the time at snowmass ,still trying to figure out logistically the best way to handle things when we want to ski the other mountains, especially seeking how terrain at snowmass seems the most limited at the moment. Was hoping to get the boy into some of the hike to terrain but that seems like a longshot ( pun intended) at this point . I know there are no kids lessons at Ajax so we will probably ski with her and take turns hitting the fun stuff with the 10 yo boy. I saw that Highlands lessons are blue level and above only. Not sure if she would do that yet or not, at Jackson and Vermont she had no problems at all on easier blue runs and is a pretty strong skiier for a 6yo flatlander, but I guess we will give it a few days and see. Other option would be to change a lesson to buttermilk and take the resort shuttle over to Highlands? Is that feasible? Any ski school veterans have any advice here?

Also any can't miss Christmas stuff to check out? We will be there until the 28th as of now

Snowmass is 40% open, which is more acreage than many other ski areas.... That said, Aspen skis the best on thinner coverage. We had good success at dropping off at Buttermilk and grabbing the shuttle, it's running every 30 minutes.

If they are a relatively solid blue skier (level 4-6) Highlands can work too, just know that the bottom pitch there is busy with people flying by.

Also, you can drop off at the tree house and go downstairs and grab the bus to Aspen pretty easy and get a few laps in, a lunch, then a few more and get back for pickup.

[Duffman]

Snowmass is 40% open, which is more acreage than many other ski areas.... That said, Aspen skis the best on thinner coverage. We had good success at dropping off at Buttermilk and grabbing the shuttle, it's running every 30 minutes.

If they are a relatively solid blue skier (level 4-6) Highlands can work too, just know that the bottom pitch there is busy with people flying by.

Also, you can drop off at the tree house and go downstairs and grab the bus to Aspen pretty easy and get a few laps in, a lunch, then a few more and get back for pickup.

Yeah, Aspen in general is in better shape than most anywhere outside of Utah, expectations were low in general for us, but it will be far better than the 3in of rain NE is picking up now. Ive avoided Christmas trips like the plague before, but gambled last year and hit the jackpot at Jackson so figured we would try again (our kids vacation times suck for the most part)

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated!



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[alpinevibes]

Agreed on giving Buttermilk or Highlands a try for lessons. Buttermilk is super easy to be a central point to access Highlands or Ajax from. Highlands is one more step to go/come from, but doable enough and I agree with GR that the terrain offerings there for a blue-level skier are pretty decent.

[funkendrenchman]

Your 6 year old will ski better terrain at Highlands than at Buttermilk. They rarely take 6 year olds on Tiehack. My experience is that the instructor will be better as well.

Level 4 - Buttermilk
Level 5 - either
Level 6 - Highlands