6 miles from Snowmass and on the same lift ticket, Buttermilk is heaven on earth for beginners, snowboarders and families who like to ski greens and blues. Although each mountain can make claim to having the best views, Buttermilk may just edge the others out. See for yourself.
Skiing Buttermilk...
Famous as the home of the ESPN Winter X Games, Buttermilk is actually best known for wide-open and gently rolling trails that cater to beginners and families. Keep an eye out for Olympians, Winter X Games champs and other park kids braving the giant features in the legendary terrain park.
This season Buttermilk will unveil a new Olympic-size, 22-foot halfpipe. At more than 500 feet long, with walls towering 18 feet overhead and measuring 22 feet from the center of the pipe, the Superpipe at Buttermilk will be truly super.
Season dates: December 12, 2008 - April 4, 2009
Lift hours: All lifts open at 9 a.m. and close at 3:30 p.m.
Base elevation: 7,870 ft./2,399 m
Summit elevation: 9,900 ft./3,018 m
Vertical rise: 2,030 ft./619 m
Terrain: 470 acres/190 hectares
Number of trails: 44
Miles/km of trails: 21 miles/34 km
Longest run: 3 miles/4.83 km
Types of trails: easiest: 35%, more difficult: 39%, most difficult: 26%, expert: 0%
Annual snowfall: 200 inches/508 cm
Snowmaking: 108 acres/44 hectares
Lifts: 9: 2 high-speed quads, 3 doubles, 2 handle tows, 2 ski/snowboard school lifts
Lift capacity: 7,500 riders/hour
Uncrowded slopes: On average, 4 people per acre/8 people per hectare
Best known for: ESPN Winter X Games, which will be held at Buttermilk through 2010; beginner terrain makes Buttermilk an excellent learning mountain for new skiers and snowboarders; unsurpassed grooming
Best-kept secret: Long, wide groomers at West Buttermilk and steeper rolling runs at Tiehack.
What's new: Buttermilk is now home to a 22-foot, Olympic-caliber superpipe!
Location: Within the White River National Forest, 3 miles from downtown Aspen, 6 miles from Snowmass
Parks and pipes: 5 terrain parks (Ski & Snowboard School, Teaser, Uncle Chuck's, Jacob's Ladder and X Park), 1 superpipe (X Games Superpipe) and 1 beginner pipe (Panda Pipe) – all within Buttermilk Terrain Park offering levels from freestyle beginners to experts. Don't be surprised to find yourself riding along side Olympic and X Games medalists on any given day.
Lodging: 14,303 pillows within a 10-mile radius. For more information, please call Stay Aspen Snowmass at 970-925-9000 or 888-649-5985.
Rental/Retail: Four-Mountain Sports at the base of the mountain
Restaurants: 2: Bumps and The Cliffhouse
FREE Parking: Free parking in all Buttermilk lots. No parking at all during X Games.
NO PARKING ON HIGHWAY 82. Vehicles will be towed.