Snowmass

Colorado skiing means blue skies, fluffy powder and some of the best ski terrain in North America.

Aspen/Snowmass, with two towns, four mountains (Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk), 4,993 acres, 42 lifts, 335 trails and the steepest vertical drop in Colorado, offers the best terrain and greatest variety of Rocky Mountain skiing at a single resort.

Aspen's giant mountain, Snowmass is a massive mountain, offering incredible and varied terrain for skiing and snowboarding. It is said to be the open-glade cruising capital with good terrain for all skills, all ages, all passions -- and fast lifts and very long runs. If that's not enough, the mountain also supplies three terrain parks, one massive superpipe and an intense railyard.

"With 3,100 acres of cruisers, steeps, terrain parks and halfpipe, it's a virtual Mecca for families and skiing/snowboarding enthusiasts, and 95 percent of the lodging is ski-in/ski-out," says the website.

Long famous for the Big Burn, Snowmass has introduced even higher and vaster terrain for all abilities, thanks to the Cirque lift, which brings you the longest lift-served vertical in the United States. Satisfying a built-up appetite is no problem, Snowmass offers 12 different eating areas to choose from.

Accessible by free shuttle from anywhere in the Aspen/Snowmass area, Snowmass is located just 12 miles from downtown Aspen. The only true ski-in/ski-out resort in Colorado, Snowmass Village, rests at its base.