By Michael Kaplan, B&NC Magazine Publisher
I’m about to turn 65 years old and I’ve been skiing for 60+ years. I like it steep, but I gave up skiing the bumps years ago. I’ve skied some heavenly powder, but nowadays I pray for every day to be a bluebird day on Black Diamond groomers. I’m one of the better guys my age out on the mountain. …And I’ve figured out how to make skiing, and ski trips …nothing but luxurious!
For the last 6 years now, I’ve loaded up the Range Rover and motored West to ski the great mountains of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Idaho, and California - and I’ve skied about 50 days each year! My now 25-year old son has been with me for every mile, and we’re joined from time to time at the half-dozen or so resorts we get to each year, by my wife, daughter, kids’ significant others, and a bunch of my good friends. We’ve had some epic winters with record snowfalls, and though I’d already had extensive time skiing Tahoe, Aspen and Utah since being a teenager, exploring the West with my son has been one of the great adventures of my life!
Leaving Big Sky at dawn with temperatures at -10 Fahrenheit, we saw a family of Fox scampering across one of Yellowstone’s frozen rivers. On the drive from Steamboat to Aspen, while we were doing the prescribed 70 m.p.h down the wall of a miles-long canyon, a huge Golden Eagle, taking aim from a great distance, seemed to intentionally smash into our windshield - and then flew off, apparently unharmed. We’ve seen Moose, Elk, Mountain Lions, Mountain Goats, Bald Eagles, and Owls. And there are spectacular drives; like taking the ‘road less traveled’ on the trip from Aspen to Park City; turning North off I-70 in Rifle and taking Colorado 64 West from Meeker to Dinosaur, and then Utah 40 West through Vernal, Myton, and Fruitland.
I prefer to ski each area for a week or two in a visit, over getting lodging for the season at just one location. I recognize that owning or renting for the season means you can live like you’re at home or even better, and that you don’t have to move your stuff from one place to another. But I get bored skiing the same mountain day-after-day for more than a week or two, and get bored of ski towns - with the exception of Aspen - in about the same amount of time.
…And the must-buy-in-pre-season availability of Alterra Mountain Company’s IKON Pass and Vail Corp.’s EPIC Pass make the lift ticket part of the equation quite affordable. Using the IKON Pass for five of the last six years, which allows unlimited access to more than a dozen ski resorts, including their own Palisades Tahoe, and stipulated access to more than 50 other ski resorts around the world - all for a little more than a Thousand Dollars per person per year, we’ve enjoyed skiing at: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, Steamboat, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, Sun Valley, Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows), Deer Valley, Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and - by air - Whistler/Blackcomb in British Columbia. …And we chose Vail Corp.’s EPIC Pass one year…because we wanted to meet up with a large group of friends who were skiing Vail that year…and because we just couldn’t stay away from Telluride!
A lot of planning goes into getting it right each year. We sequence areas so the route makes sense, we travel between areas on weekends, we avoid Christmas and Washington’s Birthday Vacations (we’ve spent weeks en route in Las Vegas and in California instead), and we’re aware of the timing of things like the Sundance Film Festival week in Park City and the X Games week in Aspen. We prefer to rent houses at some resorts and hotels at some others, based primarily on having a great ski-on / ski-off location, and I have most accommodations booked by the end of September. …And it’s critical to note that lots of accommodations are called ski-on ski-off, but what I’m talking about is not having to carry my skis and walk with my boots on - at all! It makes it so everyone can ski when they want and for as long as they want, go in and out for breaks as they please…and so my wife enjoys the vacation!
In November, I make a trip to Darien Sport Shop to pick up a new pair of slacks or a blazer I’ll be sporting that winter as we’re out-and-about ‘eating the West’, and some ski wear from brands like Bogner and Helly Hansen, and a pair of the newest Hestra gloves - for everyone in the family. …And in December, I stop into Hickory & Tweed in Armonk to get our skis tuned-up, replace and upgrade gear, and pick-up a new parka or snow pants - like the Amundsen ski wear featured in these pages.
Once we hit the road…it’s our ‘endless winter’!Michael Kaplan
Aspen
Aspen is North America’s greatest ski town - and a rival to anyplace in the summer too!
Only eleven miles West of the Continental Divide as the crow flies, but a spectacular two-hour drive through Glenwood Canyon and then alongside the Roaring Fork River leading into town, Aspen is an alpine valley of less than four square miles. The immediate valley area is contained by Red Mountain to the North, Independence Pass to the East, and Aspen Mountain, or ‘Ajax’, with the Silver Queen Gondola rising right out of town off East Durant Avenue on the Southern side of the City’s downtown. The entire area is surrounded by 8 of America’s 14,000+ foot mountains. The place was well known to Native Americans, including the local Utes, and was developed as a silver mining town during the late 1800’s. The town had languished when the first runs on Aspen Mountain were cut in the 1930s, and really didn’t start to seem special until the late 1950s, when Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk were both developed on the edge of town, or even the late 1960s, when Snowmass, ten minutes out of town to the West, was added to the ski-topia. Things really started to swing in the 1970s, and in the half-century leading-up to Covid, Aspen experienced a boom as a resort destination, and a corresponding unparalleled increase in real estate values. By 2020, the median price of a home in Aspen was over $15M! …And the air at 8,000 feet above sea level has become even more rarified since Covid…Bloomberg News reports prices have tripled since the beginning of the pandemic!
There are 4 ski areas in Aspen: Aspen Mountain or ‘Ajax’ right in town, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk a couple of miles out of town, and Snowmass, a few more miles out of town, past the Airport. Combined, the ski offering is unparalleled!
Ajax is fun! It has mostly Intermediate and Expert terrain, and although most skiers spend the day on the relatively short upper half of the mountain, the top-to-bottom run is 3,267 vertical feet. The Sundeck at the summit has outstanding views and a constant party going, Bonnie’s Restaurant on Ruthie’s Run at middle-mountain has renowned Burgers, and Reuben sandwiches, and is even more famous for the rowdy lunch out on the deck, and there’s nothing better than skiing into Ajax Tavern right at the bottom of the mountain for some après ski…and their legendary French Fries!
Buttermilk, which hosts the X Games each winter, is: the bee’s knees for Beginners, with a mellow paradise called West Buttermilk; command central for cross-coursers, with a cross-course called Eagle Hill; the top of the pyramid for terrain parks, with Main Buttermilk Park, Teaser Park, Chucks Park, Jacobs Ladder Park, Spruce Park, and X Park, and; a hidden treasure for those who know there’s a trove of untracked Expert and Intermediate groomers off the Tiehack Express lift.
Aspen Highlands is where the locals ski. It has mostly Expert and Intermediate runs, including some of the most challenging Double Diamond trails in America in the Temerity, Steeplechase and Olympic Bowl and Highland Bowl areas, and one of America’s best bump runs, formerly called Flora Dora and now called Scarlett’s Run. Take in the view from the 11,675 foot top of the Loge Peak lift at the twin 14,000+ foot Maroon Bells, and then enjoy gravity on the 3,635 foot top-to-bottom straight down to the base. Or stop at the end of the day at the mid-mountain, world famous, Cloud 9 après ski cabin and deck, where skiers end the ski-day spraying bottles of champagne, eating cheese fondue, and dancing on tables to a popular DJ.
…And then there’s Snowmass, which has some great Double Diamond terrain off the Hanging Valley and Cirque Headwalls, but boasts in particular what may be the best array of High Intermediate / Low Expert skiing in North America, including most notably on the outstanding Big Burn. And Snowmass has an outstanding ski school and Beginner operation. Snowmass is the perfect choice for any family. It has 3,132 skiable acres, 91 trails, 21 lifts, and the longest ski trail in America, Longshot, at 5.3 miles from top to bottom.
The unusual thing about picking accommodations in Aspen is that, because the goal of any week is to ski two or three if not all four of the Aspen mountains, paying the premium for ski-on ski-off accommodations on any one mountain is not necessarily the best choice. …And, except at Snowmass - where 95% of the available lodging is ski-on ski-off! - there’s anyway a very limited number of ski-on ski-off accommodations on Ajax, Highlands or Buttermilk.
The coolest place to stay in town in Aspen is the Hotel Jerome in the Auberge Resorts Collection. It’s located in the heart of downtown Aspen and only a short shuttle or a few block walk to the Gondola at Ajax. The Jerome is in a red brick building that dates back to 1889, and is the ideal mix of modern luxury and old-ski-town charm. The rooms are sophisticated and the bar, Bad Harriet, and its adjacent living room, is one of the classiest places West of New York to have a drink and meet with friends. Its main restaurant, Prospect, is a warm and rustic setting for an elevated, yet approachable, American-fare dinner.
If a more residential arrangement is desired, book into one of the multi-bedroom suites at the Aspen Residences. It’s only one block from the Ajax Gondola, and the valet, or free buses right across the street, make a day trip to Aspen Highlands or Snowmass easy. The suites at the Aspen Residences are spacious and comfortable, and include a kitchen. And there’s a cute free breakfast offered every morning and a cup of hot chocolate waiting at the end of the ski day.
Downtown Aspen is chock full of high-end shopping and excellent cuisine. Matsuhisa is known for the best sushi in town. Betula is a chic place with great food and large tables, great for a group. The infamous Little Nell Hotel has a Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant, Element 47, where the food is as good as any fancy spot in New York, and even has live music on Thursday evenings. White House Tavern has the best chicken sandwich in the West, and is a great upscale-casual spot for lunch or dinner. And everyone’s favorite is Paradise Bakery… right in the heart of town, which is best-known for its delicious cookies, homemade gelato, and hot chocolate.
Over in Snowmass there’s an adorable village tucked into the side of the mountain that feels reminiscent of a European ski town. The Viewline Hotel, boasts one of the best ski-on ski-off setups anywhere, with direct access for the youngest and newest Beginners, and offers spacious and tasteful rooms right on the mountain. Hot chocolate and s’mores are served in the lobby daily, and the Viewline’s restaurant, Starks, has exactly the kind of comfort food you want to eat after a long day on the slopes.
Deer Valley
Deer Valley is America’s most luxurious ski area! Deer Valley is ideal for Beginners and Intermediates, and has a vibrant and really kid-friendly ski school program. While the truly Expert skiing is mostly limited to the terrain off the Mayflower and Empire Express lifts, the number of different Intermediate groomer routes down and around the mountain, scenic views like that of the Jordanelle Reservoir when skiing the Jordanelle Gondola…coupled with a tremendous lift capacity…and a daily limit on the number of skiers…combine to make a day at Deer Valley a true pleasure!
While Deer Valley is a relatively small ski area as Western mountains go, it has the advantages of being located less than an hour drive from the Salt Lake City airport and right up the road from Park City’s iconic Main Street - and the downtown’s dozens of good restaurants.
For the finest ski-on ski-off hotel experience, the St. Regis Deer Valley, located alongside the Deer Hollow run, stands out. The quality of all St. Regis accommodations is a given, but the St. Regis in Deer Valley exceeds all expectations when it comes to dining and enjoying time off the slopes. The hotel has an outstanding fitness facility, a full-service ultra-luxurious spa, a daily champagne sabering and free champagne and cider celebration on the Mountain Terrace, and a really fun, quite large, slopeside, outdoor, heated pool.
In the St. Regis, RIME has a warm and relaxing atmosphere for slope-side comfort food, La Stellina offers a classic Italian menu, and Brasserie 7452 has French favorites like French Onion Soup and Beef Bourguignon. …All great choices!
And in 2023 the St. Regis opened The Vintage Room, a unique, completely clear, après ski tent, located on the slope just outside the hotel, on what’s called Ski Beach, with heated seating and a roaring fire pit. In no time, The Vintage Room has become an après ski sensation!
The St. Regis is located higher-up the mountain than the Snow Park Lodge at the base of Deer Valley, where first-time Beginners access the Wide West bunny slopes, replete with ‘magic carpet’ lifts, and where other skiers can start their day. Any such Beginner staying at the St. Regis, can take the St. Regis’ really cool ‘Funicular’ from the hotel right to the Lodge. And anyone staying at the St. Regis might also take the short ride down to the Snow Park Lodge for a night at Cast & Cut, a steakhouse and seafood tavern with a lively atmosphere and great food.
Big Sky
With over 5,850 acres of skiable terrain and 4,350 vertical feet from the top of Lone Mountain to the Mountain Village base, Big Sky is unquestionably North America’s biggest & best ski area! Big Sky’s unbelievable array of couloirs, chutes, bowls, glades, and other hair-raising Expert terrain, especially in both directions off the top of Lone Mountain and over the entirety of the all-Double Diamond Southern Face of the mountain, is unrivaled. …But then there’s also an incredible array of endless Expert and Intermediate groomers. Despite its size, the mountain is easy to navigate. And the mountain is continually adding lift capacity, including the Jetson-like, bubbled and heated, ‘Ramcharger 8’ lift and ‘Swift Current 6’ lift - North America’s fastest lift, running at 1,200 feet per minute.
But the best part about a luxury stay in Big Sky, is the abundance of quality ski-on ski-off residences available for short-term stays. In 2023, we stayed in a comfortable private residence in one of the mountainside residential developments, ours called Cowboy Heaven, near the Moonlight Basin side of the mountain.
The ski-on ski-off was so good, my son actually opened the sliding-glass door so I could slide into the boot room with my skis on as we were all reveling in the extreme convenience! And the place was big enough to have some of my friends and some of my kids’ friends come join us. …We’ve already taken the same house for 2024!
Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole is a mecca for the expert skier! While Jackson Hole may not have as much variety or breadth of terrain as Big Sky, there’s no better mountain than Jackson Hole on a ‘per skiable acre’ basis. It’s steep and long, and there’s an outstanding selection of Black Diamond and Double Black Diamond in every direction. And the trail layout and lift system at Jackson Hole allows the skier to cross from one side of the mountain to another with ease. While there is a nice area for kids and ski school called Solitude Station near to the bottom of the mountain, and the mountain does have some Novice and easier Intermediate choices under the Sweetwater Gondola and the Casper Quad, there’s no mistaking that Jackson Hole is an Advanced skier’s mountain!
The day starts with a ride up the iconic Tram - and with the onboard loudspeaker announcement: “The Tram is recommended for people with Expert abilities only,” followed, with everyone joining in unison, “If you don’t know…don’t go!” Stop at the top at Corbet’s Cabin for one of their infamous waffle concoctions, then head out for a day of constantly steep and challenging terrain - in every direction - and over every one of the 4,139 vertical feet down! Jackson Hole’s 26 Double Blues, 52 Black Diamonds, and 27 Double Black Diamond trails are an ultimate challenge and an infinite treat!
And then, of course, for the ‘Triple-Black-Diamond-thrill-of-a-lifetime’, there’s Corbet’s Couloir! Made famous by the Kings & Queens of Corbet’s competition held each year, ‘skiing’ this extreme chute requires a leap of faith from the cornice, and a couple of immediately critical turns to avoid disaster. It’s not for the faint of heart…but once done, it’s a real badge of courage!
The ‘key to the Hole’ in terms of accommodations and overall vacation experience, is that the base of the ski area is actually in Teton Village, about 12 miles away from what’s known as Cowboy Town USA - downtown Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The road up to the mountain gets backed-up with ski traffic going up in the morning and coming down in the afternoon, there’s limited parking at the mountain and, absent having a driver to drop everyone who’s skiing at the mountain, it means ski-on ski-off convenience for anyone staying in Jackson Hole is nowhere involved. …And to make the choice of accommodations even more critical, there’s a relatively limited offering of hotel or house rental properties that are located adjacent to the ski area and which offer a truly ski-on ski-off experience… The Four Seasons, which has the truest ski-up location at the base of the mountain, is far and away the most luxurious choice. The hotel’s Westbank Grill is super, and by far the best dining available from the limited restaurant selection in the area immediately around the base of the mountain. And the hotel’s Ascent Lounge is a convenient spot for a tasty, Asian-inspired, and slightly more casual meal.
While being ensconced at The Four Seasons in Teton Village will make the ski day easy, visiting Jackson Hole is still a must. Tie-up your horse in front of the Cowboy Bar, where all of the bar stools are topped with western horse saddles, and go on in to listen to some country music and throw back a few with friends. Snake River Grill is a noteworthy steakhouse that serves up the area’s legendary Snake River Wagyu. And King Sushi, tucked away on the eponymous King Street, just a block from the main town square, is at least a legitimate contender for …wait for it…drumroll…best sushi in the Continental United States!
…And then there’s Teton Thai! Located in a very unassuming alleyway on the far side of the Teton Village parking area from the Four Seasons - too far to walk on a cold night, but worth freezing for - Teton Thai is easily my favorite Asian restaurant, bar none! It’s owned and run by Sam Johnson and his wife Sucahda, who cooks all the food! And the group that works there are a wholesome bunch of long-term Jackson Hole ski bums. Despite what can be a long wait in the not-warm waiting area in this first-come-first-served establishment, and the slightly crowded and certainly simple surroundings, my meals at Teton Thai stand out among the most memorably delicious dinners of my life! Don’t miss the traditional Pad Thai!
Planning the Next Ski Season
I could go on and on! And the route I’ve mapped out above, which is our planned route for 2024, could still be amended with a side-trip to… Taos, Telluride, Mammoth, Sun Valley in Idaho, Vail, or…?
Planning these trips out West is easy for me because I’ve been to all of these stops before, know exactly where I’m going, and have a second and third choice place to stay if the standout premier accommodations are unavailable. …But if I’m going somewhere new, or if I need help finding a great rental or booking into a particular hotel, I turn to Avant Ski for the planning.
I’m hoping to go on a ski and sightseeing trip to Europe or Japan this March - after we get back home from the 2024 Ski The West tour - and I’ve already got Avant Ski starting to map out the two alternatives. Planning a ski trip to Japan is virtually impossible without having an experienced travel agent who knows the ins and outs of getting around, where to stay, and the characteristics of each mountain. And if it’s Europe, I want to be in the best hotel and have reservations in the best restaurants, know if I should arrive by train for a more romantic route and have my cabin booked, and have the itinerary for my one-day round-trip ski from Zermatt, Switzerland to Cervinia, Italy - for lunch! - all planned-out.
“We have all kinds of local ‘ski boots on the ground’ and great contacts at ski resorts around the world,” Alli Widman of Avant Ski explains. “We take our fee from the resorts on hotel bookings, so there’s no cost to our clients, and for a typical fee of $500 per week of vacation, we provide more extensive itinerary planning and concierge services. We can hook you up with exclusive perks, discounts and upgrades, including through our partnership with Fora, and you never pay more than if you’d booked it on your own. Whether it’s getting you into the right hotel or a reservation at the hot restaurant, or providing insider tips on places to go and things to do, we have the kind of insider knowledge that will make your trip extra-special!”
Alli continues, “We can arrange the most luxurious rental on the mountain, give advice on what hotel will best suit your purposes, or let you in on the bargain in that area. Take Big Sky as an example. We have special knowledge and access to rental residences at Big Sky - and at the adjacent Yellowstone private mountain ski area! We would recommend the new Montage as the only Five Star hotel accommodations at Big Sky, but would also highly recommend The Wilson Hotel, which is actually a high-end Residence Inn by Marriott, located in the Big Sky Town Center about 6 miles down the road from the Big Sky base, as an outstanding and less expensive alternative. We can arrange safe and reliable ground transportation for rides from the airport to the ski area - like on the one hour trip from Bozeman to Big Sky. And we can enhance the ski trip with adventures and experiences available in the area. At Big Sky, for instance, we can arrange a day-trip into Yellowstone National Park, or a day snowmobiling, or Nordic skiing on Big Sky’s vast network of trails, or a couple of hours out fishing with a guide. We can even take care of catering - which is an especially good idea if you’re staying in a private residence in Big Sky, where the restaurants are limited.”
Gearing-Up for Next Season
Last year, it seemed like more than a few times, when I noticed a particularly good skier - and I don’t mean a racer, I mean anyone who looked really comfortable skiing down the mountain - when they pulled-up, their skis looked nothing like any of the brand name skis I’d ever seen!! These folks all had outrageous artwork and designs covering the tops of their skis!! Each pair unique!! …And when I would ask about the skis all these good skiers were skiing…the answer was ‘Wagner’! …And when it was a skier who I thought was particularly good, and asked about the ski itself, I would hear: ‘Best skis I’ve ever had!’, ‘Best there are!’, and ‘You need to try ‘em…but not my pair, bro!’!
When I did the research, I found out about how a guy named Peter Wagner runs the company out of Telluride, and makes the finest custom skis available - truly, the ‘Best there are’! …I was ready to get ‘on boards’!
Peter Wagner grew up in Dayton, Ohio - skiing on the local hill since he was 3. He went to the University of California in San Diego for Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, and was working as an Engineer of Design Manufacturing in the golf industry, with a focus on fitting analysis systems, and realized he could apply the same fitting and sizing technologies to designing and manufacturing skis. …And today, Wagner inputs a combination of over 2,500 data points in creating each pair of Wagner custom skis!
I got to do the telephonic ordering process with Peter - and he still does personally work on the team taking custom orders, but the small team Peter has assembled in Telluride each and all have an astounding level of expertise and a genuine interest in getting it right for each customer. As they do with each person ordering a pair of Wagner skis, we spent about a half-hour on the phone discussing: the type of skier I am; where and what conditions I ski; my hopes and expectations for my new Wagners; what I feel is right, and what’s not, with the skis I’ve been on - and Pete had my old skis up on their computer and responded with specifics such as, ‘well if we make the new skis 3cm’s longer, or give you a little more camber, or make it softer in the shovel, then…’, and ‘so here’s what we might suggest’! He really wanted to understand what I needed and we talked about specific trails I like to ski in specific locations, and even found that we have a mutual ski buddy, who I grew-up with and who now lives in Telluride - who’s on Wagners! After the call, they sent me a full report, summarizing my call with Pete, and giving me the stats, and the logic behind the stats, on the skis they would be building for me. Length: 175cm; Tip 132mm, Waist 90mm, Tail 114mm; Sidecut radius: 16.6m; Long-grain White Oak core wrapped in carbon box; etc. …And I got to customize the design of the ski tops! My new Wagners are already my favorite possession and I haven’t skied ‘em yet!
…Then, when Pete was asking me about what bindings and boots I’d be mounting on the Wagners - because even that determines a whole bunch of how the ski is designed - I told him that, knowingly sacrificing some performance for comfort, I’d been in a boot which incorporated the design of a skiboarding boot…and Pete said he understood the need for comfort, but that it was time for me to find one of the new boots that would give me the same comfort but better performance. He kind of made me promise!
First three Expert skier/ski equipment expert friends I called all said the same thing…Surefoot! The Company slogan is: Immediate Comfort. Immediate Performance. No Break-In Period. That sounds pretty good to me! The Surefoot Custom Liner comes inside the skier’s choice of name brand boot shell, and is injected with a gel that contours to the lower leg and foot. When I read-up, Surefoot checked-out. A pure fit, custom fit boot - with performance as desired. …And there’s a heating system available. …And Surefoot has stores at lots of ski areas, including in Aspen, Park City, Big Sky, and Jackson, for the added convenience of being able to stop-in anytime to have the fit tweaked in one way or another to address any particular issue.
No brainer…I’ve ordered Surefoots, in a shell with a particularly wide volume to accommodate my wide feet, and a moderate stiffness and forward lean, and intend to have Hickory & Tweed mount them on the Wagners for 2024!
See ya on the slopes!Michael Kaplan
The Ultimate Ski Guide to Style
As featured in the November/December 2023 issue of Bedford & New Canaan Magazine