Snowmass: How to Ski Hanging Valley
SNOWMASS
The biggest of the four mountains, Snowmass boasts impressive stats: 4,406 feet of vertical (among the most of any ski resort in North America), more than 3,300 acres of terrain, and 98 designated trails. It has a well-deserved rep for miles of corduroyed groomers but also holds some of the Aspen area’s best expert runs, as well as three terrain parks and even an Alpine coaster and tubing. Snowmass really has it all, yet on many non-holiday weekdays throughout the season, it can be remarkably uncrowded. This winter, the Coney Express high-speed quad debuts, replacing the longtime Coney Glade lift. It loads lower down the mountain, across from the Snowmass Mall, to alleviate morning traffic at the Village Express lift.
Some Aspen skiers (including this writer) believe that nothing beats a powder day in Hanging Valley. Regardless of new snow or not, this experts-only area, commonly referred to as The Wall, invites exploration; the mix of narrow chutes, treed pitches, and wide-open powder fields holds an infinite number of lines. It all begins with a 10-minute hike from the top of the High Alpine lift (or a long traverse from the top of the Cirque poma).
• First visit: Descend the precipitous but open slope of Headwall. (If snow coverage is thin, you’ll be navigating rocks that poke up, so stay alert.) Next, ski ahead to come out atop Wall One or Wall Two, more open steeps. Or angle hard right to reach Lower Ladders, a mix of technical terrain and tree stashes. Once you hit the rolling tracks through widely spaced trees near the bottom, trend left to hit the traverse to Turkey Trot.
• Rinse and repeat: Lapping the Wall requires riding two lifts, Alpine Springs and High Alpine. This time down, ski Roberto’s, a steep, rock-lined gully on skier’s left. Then pick your line through Frog Pond Glades as you head to Cassidy’s or Willy’s, two gladed runs that are more suggestions than clearly defined trails, as you ski among powder stashes in the trees.
• Extra credit: See if you can find the X, Y, and Z Chutes. Not on the trail map but signed with small plaques on trees, this trio of vertiginous runs sits below Frog Pond Glades.
• More, please: The Wall closes daily at 2:30 p.m., but you can still ski similar terrain in the Hanging Valley Glades, which usually stay open for a bit longer. Look for the entrance gate about halfway down the Edge run off High Alpine lift.
Powder stashes can be found all over the mountain, even a day or two after a big storm, but a good bet is the lightly skied Campground area, where runs spill off the southwest side of Sam’s Knob. Black trails like Bearclaw, Campground, and Slot are thigh-burningly long (and moguls build up between storms); when you reach the unassuming base at the Campground lift, you may think you wound up at another ski area, it feels so remote. Perhaps that’s why this part of the mountain doesn’t see as much skier traffic. Regardless, you’ll be happy to set up camp in this part of the woods.
Almost half of Snowmass’s trails are rated intermediate, and frequent grooming on many of them ensures smooth sailing. Spend a morning ripping up pristine corduroy on a handful of moderately pitched runs off the Elk Camp chair: Bull Run, Grey Wolf, Bear Bottom, Gunner’s View, and Sandy Park. When you need a break, take in the view of the Maroon Bells from the top of Elk Camp, or stop in the wildlife center there to learn some facts about local flora and fauna.
Gold Standard: Snowmass has a trio of cushy sit-down spots for lunch: Sam’s (a restaurant atop the Village Express Lift), The Cabin (located mid-station off the Coney Express lift and formerly the Lynn Britt Cabin, revamped for this winter, and Alpin Room at High Alpine. If you have to choose one venue over the rest, try the centrally located Alpin Room, which serves Euro-inflected dishes like Wagyu beef rouladen ($31 ) and chicken cordon bleu with mustard beurre blanc ($27 ). Start off with tartiflett (potato and caramelized onion fondue; $27 ), and if you’ve saved room for something sweet, go for the tableside flambeed crepes Suzette ($14 ), a classic French dessert not often seen on menus.
Wallet Friendlier: Duck into the cozy confines of Up4Pizza atop the Big Burn lift for a slice and a freshly baked chocolate-chip cookie.
In 2010, a bulldozer operator working to expand Snowmass Village’s Ziegler Reservoir unexpectedly dug up a mammoth tusk. Ultimately, a team of scientists and volunteers unearthed more than 6,000 prehistoric mammal bones, one of the most significant ice age discoveries ever. The town recently installed several murals and other artwork to commemorate the find; pick up an Ice Age Passport at Snowmass Guest Services on the Mall for locations. On the mountain, ski the green Dawdler run to the signed Ice Age Discovery Trail through the woods to learn more about the historic find.
High Rollers: Ski right up to Nest, the Viceroy Snowmass’s poolside bar alongside Assay Hill. Sink into a lounge chair and toast your day with a Maroon Bells paloma ($20 ) and an Assay Hill smash burger with bacon, avocado, herb aioli, and Jack on a brioche bun ($30 ).
Low Rollers: Slopeside at the end of the Snowmass Mall, the New Belgium Ranger Station features $7 draft pints from its namesake Colorado brewery (Voodoo Ranger IPA and Colorado Native Mountain Pass pils are local faves) as well as inventively named cocktails (such as the Fancy Ryan: vodka, prosecco, and blood orange Pellegrino). Pair one with warm baked pretzel rolls with beer mustard and fondue dipping sauces ($14 ).
Ever ridden a poma (a.k.a. platter) surface lift? You slip a small disk on a pole between your legs, then let it pull you uphill. Simple enough, except it seems to regularly confound some of the people, especially snowboarders, who try to ride the one that accesses the Cirque’s above-tree-line terrain. Some days are straight out of an old Warren Miller film blooper reel. The generous lifties give those who fall off additional chances. But if you can’t get it in a couple of tries, do your fellow skiers a solid and go to the back of the line before another attempt.
By: Cindy HirshfeldI Aspen Sojourner I December 16, 2024