Aspen / Snowmass Report

Hi, I posted here in September with a few questions re Aspen - my buddy & I
(both Brits) were planning our first ski trip to Colorado & a few folks here
gave us some good advice & we returned this weekend from a terrific 2 week
trip.

We flew from London to Denver and then on to Aspen. Flying Denver / Aspen
was definitely the right decision (compared with ground transportation) & we
had no delays in either direction. On the advice of this newsgroup we ended
up staying in Snowmass (a condo, not exactly ski in / ski out but only a
short walk to the slope).

For us Snowmass was the right place to stay though the town is VERY quiet in
the evening & there was a shortage of good bars - the only independent (not
attached to a hotel or restaurant) bar we found (Zane's) has to be one of
the worst bars in N America.

The skiing at Snowmass was perfect for us (confident intermediates,
primarily sticking to the groomed stuff) and we had loads of fresh snow & a
few sunny days. The powder / ungroomed stuff was noticieably easier to ski
in than the stuff we're used to in Europe and we spent a great deal more
time off-piste than we would in Europe. Hopefully our skills have improved
as a result.
Of the 13 ski days we spent one day at Aspen (Ajax) - I thought it was a
great mountain for an intermediate but I guess one would run out of stuff to
explore after a couple of days if one stuck to the groomed / intermediate
terrain. We also spent one day at Aspen Highlands, unfortunately it was a
whiteout that day so we didn't get to see the mountain properly and we had
been hoping to do the bowl.

All in all a great trip though we found the apres a little dull (even in
Aspen). Could be due to the time of year.

A couple of observations:
- lift lines were negligible & the pistes very quiet compared with Europe
(usually ski in Austria).
- less (no) out of control skiers compared with Europe. Even the boarders
were better behaved
- generally people way more polite in the lines and on the slopes
- ungroomed snow easier to ski on compared with Europe (champagne powder is
all it's cracked up to be)
- all round things were very pricey
- apres doesn't compare with that in Austria
- chair lifts in windy positions (primarily thinking of the Big Burn lift)
could do with the bubbles that have been installed on alot of the chair
lifts you find in Austria these days.
- first ski trip i've been on where I've put on weight

All in all a great trip, thanks for all the earlier advice.

"phm" wrote in message
...
- apres doesn't compare with that in Austria
Any plans to visit the Mooserwirt & Krazy Kangaruh bars in St. Anton soon ?

could do with the bubbles that have been installed on alot of the chair
lifts you find in Austria these days.
It really makes a huge difference on cold and windy days. And the best part
of their newest chair lifts are heated seats.

"dizzy" wrote in message -
could do with the bubbles that have been installed on alot of the chair
lifts you find in Austria these days.
It really makes a huge difference on cold and windy days. And the best
part of their newest chair lifts are heated seats.
I can just see the lift ticket prices going through the roof (again) In the
old days we used to dress for the weather.

Norm wrote:

"dizzy" wrote in message -
could do with the bubbles that have been installed on alot of the chair

lifts you find in Austria these days.

It really makes a huge difference on cold and windy days. And the best
part of their newest chair lifts are heated seats.

I can just see the lift ticket prices going through the roof (again) In the
old days we used to dress for the weather.

Those "bubbles" are pretty rare in the USA, so I guess we're still
dressing for the winter, old-timer ;-)

dizzy wrote:
"phm" wrote in message
...



Hi dizzy: you're one of the people I have to thank for the earlier advice re
Aspen/Snowmass.

- apres doesn't compare with that in Austria
Any plans to visit the Mooserwirt & Krazy Kangaruh bars in St. Anton
soon ?

Hah: the Mooserwirt has to be my favourite bar on the entire planet. I dunno
if I'll get to make it this year after the huge expense of Colorado but if
the season in Austria continues as it has, who knows? Que sera sera (disco
version)

could do with the bubbles that have been installed on alot of the
chair lifts you find in Austria these days.
It really makes a huge difference on cold and windy days. And the
best part of their newest chair lifts are heated seats.

I've not yet sampled heated seats but the bubbles do make a HUGE difference.
Technologically, both the lift & ticketing systems in Aspen/Snowmass seemed
to be about 10 years behind places such as St Anton & Ischgl..

"phm" wrote in message
...
Hah: the Mooserwirt has to be my favourite bar on the entire planet. I
dunno
if I'll get to make it this year after the huge expense of Colorado but if
the season in Austria continues as it has, who knows? Que sera sera (disco
version)
I was there ten days ago. Still crazy as ever. Cheerful people dancing on
tables, some of them completely naked (not bare though - ski boots must be
on!). Willy, Heisse Witwe & beer continue to flow in streams. And of course
there's still the always enjoyable after-party experience of skiing in
complete darkness with other drunken people down to St. Anton.

I've not yet sampled heated seats but the bubbles do make a HUGE
difference.
They have installed first heated seats last year on a couple chair lifts in
Lech but this year also on the Valfagehrbahn in St. Anton.

Technologically, both the lift & ticketing systems in Aspen/Snowmass
seemed
to be about 10 years behind places such as St Anton & Ischgl..
Yes, very much so.

dizzy wrote:

"phm" wrote in message
...

Hah: the Mooserwirt has to be my favourite bar on the entire planet. I
dunno
if I'll get to make it this year after the huge expense of Colorado but if
the season in Austria continues as it has, who knows? Que sera sera (disco
version)

I was there ten days ago. Still crazy as ever. Cheerful people dancing on
tables, some of them completely naked (not bare though - ski boots must be
on!). Willy, Heisse Witwe & beer continue to flow in streams. And of course
there's still the always enjoyable after-party experience of skiing in
complete darkness with other drunken people down to St. Anton.

Why...why, that's highly irresponsible! You should all have to make
public apologies for skiing while drunk!

dizzy wrote:
"phm" wrote in message
...
- apres doesn't compare with that in Austria
Any plans to visit the Mooserwirt & Krazy Kangaruh bars in St. Anton soon ?

could do with the bubbles that have been installed on alot of the chair
lifts you find in Austria these days.
It really makes a huge difference on cold and windy days. And the best part
of their newest chair lifts are heated seats.

Ohmygosh! Possibly everyone should spend a season walking up and skiing
down in a -10 deg f 70mph gust blinding blizzard before they're allowed
to buy lift passes?

We've got it good just getting hoisted to the top mechanically. And now
you're complaining about it? Heated seats? I understand heated toilet
seats are the latest rage - is there a relation?

"lal_truckee" wrote in message
et...
It really makes a huge difference on cold and windy days. And the best
part of their newest chair lifts are heated seats.

Ohmygosh! Possibly everyone should spend a season walking up and skiing
down in a -10 deg f 70mph gust blinding blizzard before they're allowed to
buy lift passes?
Lol. A nice idea for the next survivor series.

We've got it good just getting hoisted to the top mechanically. And now
you're complaining about it? Heated seats? I understand heated toilet
seats are the latest rage - is there a relation?
Possible link is the impressive CWS Cleanseat toilet seat technology
introduced in some of top-of-the-line Austrian resorts.
http://consumer.press-world.com/v/37943.html

"Mary Malmros" wrote in message
news:9Z4Gf.7$Sb.4@trndny06...
Why...why, that's highly irresponsible! You should all have to make
public apologies for skiing while drunk!
Relax, it's all part of the fun package. Nobody I know of ever got hurt.
It's actually not real skiing, more like crawling down the hill. Most people
love such fun stuff and look forward to coming back again and again.