Ski and Snowboard Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen

Memorable Winter Fun for Beginners, Families, and X-Gamers

Aug 26, 2009

Known as the home of the Winter EXPN X Games, Buttermilk is a gentle mountain, with wide-open trails that are perfect for beginner skiers and families.

Buttermilk Mountain is one of the four mountains in the Aspen Snowmass Resort. In many ways, Buttermilk is the antithesis of the Aspen experience. While the resort itself is known for its steep and deep terrain, glitzy nightlife, and pricey real estate, Buttermilk Mountain caters to families, first-time skiers and snowboarders, back-country skiers, and uphillers. Locals love Buttermilk because of its uncrowded slopes, access to the back-country, and easy accessibility at all time during the winter.

Buttermilk caters to snowboarders. In fact, Snowmass and Buttermilk are the only mountains in the resort complex of Aspen/Snowmass with terrain parks and half pipes. The world's longest terrain park is at Buttermilk, with two full miles of features including a superpipe, more than 30 rails, and beginner sections. New this year is an Olympic-size, 22-foot half-pipe, complete with walls towering 18 feet overhead and measuring 22 feet from the center of the pipe.

Buttermilk also focuses on beginner skiers and boarders. In fact, the mountain was developed with that mission in mind. It is a great place to learn to ski, with runs ranging in difficulty from beginner slopes to expert downhill runs.

Panda PeakA visit to Panda Peak is a must for every beginning skier or boarder. Complete with a double chairlift and a tiny half-pipe, Panda Peak is located on the lower slopes of Buttermilk Mountain, away from the main runs and day lodge area. Children and adults can learn to ski or snowboard on a gentle slope, learn how to get on and off a chairlift, and test their balance on variable snow conditions. One day at Panda Peak, and a beginner is ready to tackle the top of the mountain.

West ButtermilkWest Buttermilk is defined by gently sloping open terrain, punctuated by tree trails made just for kids. The area is accessible from the main Buttermilk lift. It is also accessible via the West Buttermilk road. Picnic tables and a small day lodge form the base area at West Buttermilk. Many locals meet here on weekends with their children, planning picnics and fun apres ski activities. Uphillers take off from this area, either skinning up to the top of the mountain, or using this area to access the Government Trail and other backcountry destinations around Snowmass.

Tiehack

Tiehack, located on the east side of Buttermilk Mountain, contains the expert terrain. Long and steep, Racer's Edge follows the east edge of the mountain, forming a perfect race course for the junior olympians who congregate here every spring. Tiehack is a great alternative to Aspen Highlands or Aspen Mountain on a powder day because there are very few other skiers. Uphillers find Tiehack to be a particularly rewarding aerobic uphill experience.

Statistics (according to the Aspen Skiing Company)Opening day: December 12, 2009

Terrain: 470 acres (easiest: 35%, more difficult: 39%, most difficult: 26%, expert: 0%)

Lifts: There are 9 lifts total: 2 high-speed quads, 3 doubles, 2 handle tows, 2 ski/snowboard school lifts

The copyright of the article Ski and Snowboard Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen in Skiing is owned by Sarah Shaw. Permission to republish Ski and Snowboard Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.