Snowmass Village, Colo., (December 18, 2018) – Snowmass is known for its unparalleled skiing and snowboarding terrain, offering guests over 3,330 acres to explore – for 2019, Ski Magazine named Aspen Snowmass the #1 “resort of the year” in the West. However, Snowmass also offers non-skiers a wide array of off slope activities and adventures to choose from.

Outdoor Activities

Blazing Adventures – With 44 years of experience specializing in outdoor activities in Colorado, Blazing Adventures coordinates winter activities such as hot balloon rides, dog sledding tours, backcountry powder tours, scenic drive tours, winter fly-fishing in Gold Medal rivers, snowmobiling up to the Maroon Bells, backcountry snowshoe tours, and much more.

Breathtaker Alpine Coaster & Tubing – The Breathtaker Alpine Coaster at the top of the Elk Camp Gondola, part of The Lost Forest, is open all winter long. The coaster features individual cars that are controlled by the rider with a ride time of seven to nine minutes. The Breathtaker Alpine Coaster is available during the day as well as in the evenings during Ullr Nights (Friday nights starting December 21- April 5, and select Thursday nights throughout the season). During Ullr Nights, Elk Camp is transformed into a winter playground, offering family activities from tubing to snowbiking and fireside s’mores. Guests can purchase an Activities Pass, good for two hour sessions which includes unlimited rides on the Breathtaker Coaster and on the tubing hill.

Cross Country Skiing – Glide across snowy meadows and through silent pine forests and aspen groves on over 60 miles of groomed, all-level Nordic trails. Part of the Aspen Snowmass trail system, the largest free trail system in the US, trails can be accessed from the Snowmass  Cross Country Ski & Snowshoe Center on the Snowmass Club Golf Course. Trail access is free, lesson prices and equipment rentals vary.

Dog Sled Rides at Krabloonik – Enjoy the thrill of a lifetime with dog sled rides through the Snowmass backcountry. Krabloonik offers stunning views of the surrounding Snowmass wilderness morning, afternoon and at twilight. Experience energetic pups, as well as hearty, gourmet dinners in a 100-year-old, gas-lit log cabin restaurant.

Moonlit Trek Series – Spend the evening under the stars with a 1.2-mile snowshoe, walk, or cross-country ski around the Snowmass Club golf course, with a mid-way stop for cookies and hot chocolate at Anderson Ranch Art’s Center. End with a family-style pasta dinner at Black Saddle Bar & Grille with live music. Moonlit Treks feature a one hour guided tour with an ACES naturalist at 6:00pm. Moonlit Treks occur on the Saturday nearest the full moon each month. Dinner is $25 adults / $15 kids (12 & under). The trek around the golf course is free. Moonlit Treks occur Saturdays – December 22, January 19, February 16, and March 16 from 5:30-9:00pm.

Snowmass Base Village Ice Skating – Enjoy ice skating on the new rink in the Base Village plaza, with free skate rentals and rink access, all season long. Fire pits sprinkled around the plaza make for a family friendly gathering spot, ideal for s’mores roasting and après snacks.

Snowmass S’mores – Guests visiting Snowmass this winter can experience a sweet type of après. Back for its second year, guests of all ages can enjoy Snowmass S’mores, free s’mores from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. every day throughout the winter season, guests can find branded s’mores carts (which resemble oversized marshmallows and include step by step s’moring instructions) at the fire pits in Base Village and the Snowmass Village Mall. Every day through April 21, 2019 guests can enjoy a classic s’more and a rotating flavor of the day. New for the 2018/2019 winter season, Snowmass S’mores sees the addition of special flavors on holidays including Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras (March 5), St. Patrick’s Day, and Snowmass Closing Weekend (April 20-21).

Snowshoeing & Uphilling – Take a two-hour, guided snowshoe tour with an ACES naturalist, starting at the top of the Elk Camp Gondola, daily at 10:00am and 1:00pm. Visit the Snowmass Cross Country Ski & Snowshoe Center between 9:00am– 4:00pm. for a walk on the Snowmass cross country trails. Snowshoers can also explore Snowmass Ski Area on a wide variety of uphilling trails. Uphillers are welcome on designated uphill trails throughout the day in Snowmass. For a full list of open on-mountain trails, please visit  www.aspensnowmass.com/our-mountains/snowmass/uphill-policy.

V.I.K Snowmass – In Snowmass, every child is a Very Important Kid, both on and off the slopes. In honor of these younger guests, Snowmass has developed V.I.K. Snowmass, a hub for activities, events, and information to help ensure that the next generation has nothing but fun while visiting the iconic mountain village. Visit www.viksnowmass.com for more information.

Indoor Activities

Anderson Ranch Arts Center – Founded in 1966, Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a premier destination for art making and critical dialog in the contemporary art world, bringing together aspiring and internationally renowned artists to discuss and further their work in a stimulating environment. With a campus that’s free and open to the public, Anderson Ranch is a hub of creative energy and activity for adults and children alike, offering a host of interactive art workshops, lectures by today’s most influential artists and curators, weekend classes, children’s art workshops and more. For winter programming, please visit www.andersonranch.org.

The Collective Snowmass – Be sure to check out the new Collective Snowmass, a community hub and gathering place in the heart of Snowmass Base Village. The Collective includes pop-up retail outlets and ever-changing event programing such as yoga, Camp SMashbox, magic by Doc Eason, and much more.  

Colorado’s Tallest Rock-Realistic Indoor Climbing Wall at Limelight Snowmass

Snowmass is the home to Colorado’s largest indoor rock-realistic climbing wall, towering at 54 feet high and running directly up front of the new Limelight Hotel in Snowmass, part of the $600 million Snowmass Base Village project. The massive five-story climbing wall features a granite- like surface which mirrors featured climbs near Snowmass, including the popular Grotto area on Independence Pass. Colorado’s Boulder-based Eldorado Climbing Walls designed the striking structure that features an auto-belay system with three different lanes and six routes. Guests of all ages at can come and test their skills on the new wall during the winter season – a great alternate activity to skiing and other outdoor activities.

Shopping & Dining – With 40 restaurants and 40 shops in Snowmass Village, Snowmass offers something for every taste and style. For on-mountain dining experiences, the restaurant at Elk Camp and Sam’s Smokehouse may both be accessed without skis, via the Elk Camp Gondola and the Village Express Lift, respectively. On Tuesday and Thursday nights, ride a snowcat up the mountain for a four-course gourmet meal under the stars at the Lynn Britt Cabin. For a more family-friendly affair, Wednesday nights the Chuckwagon Dinners are a must.

Snowmass Ice Age Discovery Center – In 2010, a construction crew unearthed a single tusk of a young female mammoth while digging at Ziegler Reservoir. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science took over the site and went on to find 5,000 bones of 10 mammals and over 26,000 small bones from small vertebrate animals– 40 species in all. The 10-month project became a race to uncover and carefully extricate these bones. Mammoths, mastodons, camels, horses, sloths, and other species, as well as insects, plant life and more were found. The Snowmass paleontological site is the richest Ice Age ecosystem found at high altitude. The Snowmass Ice Age Discovery Center, located on the upper level of the Snowmass Mall, provides guests with photos from the find, to-scale cast replicas of bones found at the dig site, and a wide variety of ice age facts and figures. The Snowmass Ice Age Discovery Center is free and open daily throughout the winter season from 10:00am – 5:00pm.

Snowmass Village Recreation Center – This spectacular, 18,000-square-foot facility offers outdoor, heated saline pools, along with state-of-the-art cardio machines, a weight room, a gymnasium, a climbing wall, a basketball court, a bouldering cave, yoga and Pilates classes, and more.

Spa Time – The luxurious 7,000-square-foot Spa at the Viceroy Snowmass offers selection of holistic wellness experiences, from Ute Indian-inspired therapies to contemporary beauty rituals. The Snowmass Athletic Club & Spa offers a complete spa menu, and the club’s outdoor pools, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas are all complimentary with treatments. The Spa at The Westin Snowmass Resort offers a full menu of wellness-infused spa treatments and services, and there are special spa packages as well. Parents enjoying a 60-minute spa treatment at the Westin Spa, can drop off up to two kids (aged 4-12) in Kids Club for 2 hours – for free while they enjoy their treatment. The Snowmass Village Salon offers haircuts and coloring, manicures, pedicures, waxing, facials, massage, and more.

For more activities and off the slopes fun in Snowmass, please visit www.gosnowmass.com.

About Snowmass Village, Colorado – A renowned winter playground and vibrant summer community just 9 miles from Aspen, Snowmass consistently ranks as one of the best ski areas in the world. For 2019, Ski Magazine named Aspen Snowmass the #1 “resort of the year” in the West. Snowmass offers guests incredible views of mountain vistas, in addition to 2.8 million adjacent acres of wilderness, open for activities and exploration. Snowmass offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, 30+ restaurants, 95 percent slopeside lodging, shopping, unique special events and music – all year round. For more information and a complete calendar of events and activities, please visit: www.gosnowmass.com.

Snowmass Tourism Media Contact: Sara Stookey Sanchez, Public Relations Coordinator, Snowmass Tourism, 970-922-2285 or sstookey@gosnowmass.com.

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