Ski Aspen Colorado

“The hike to up to 12,382-foot Highland Peak takes about 40 minutes with a few stops for photos. Looking out over the craggy skyline, we breathe deep, drinking in with our lungs the clean, crisp air and absorbing the majesty with reverent awe. I feel like the king of the mountain, at least partially responsible for stewarding this incredible alpine environment. The guide says the chutes range in pitch from 35 to 48 percent. We eye the White Kitchen, a natural direct line, straight down the maw of the giant avalanche funnel. We drop into the steep face and the snow heaps up in front of us like gopher furrows, then explodes in puffs of smoke over our shoulders. With plenty of vertical, I find a rhythm and settle in for a run with a real big-mountain feel.”

“I’ve done Aspen both ways now: the scrappy ski-bum hustle and the five-star, first-tracks dream. Both are unforgettable. But this trip, sipping Champagne at 11,000 feet with skis still cooling on the rack, I finally understood Aspen’s true allure. It isn’t just the mountains, or the après, or the endless parade of beautiful people. It’s the way it fuses grit and glamour into a single alpine experience—one that lingers long after the last run is done. We came for the mountains. We stayed for the moments.”