You could say Buttermilk ski area is a bit of a dichotomy, perhaps most famous for being home to the ESPN Winter X Games for over 10 years running, but what most Aspen locals know if for is where they taught their kids to ski.
There are a number of things that make Buttermilk a perfect mountain to learn on, first is has a mellow pitch at the base with a magic carpet and dedicated ski school lift to give first timers a place to be comfortable learning without having to go up on the main part of the mountain. The main front side of the mountain is all blue groomed cruisers, the ideal place to work on linking turns and laying out carves. West Buttermilk has a great collection of green runs with some easier blue runs when someone is ready to test their skills. The Tiehack side of the mountain is home to some introductory expert skiing and even some nicely spaced glades. This separation of terrain allows people to learn to ski in the comfort of their equals on skis and without having to worry about getting on terrain over their head. Also because all the expert skiers are on Aspen and Aspen Highlands a new skier does need to worry about being run over by someone going extremely fast.
In addition Buttermilk is home to Powder Pandas, a great ski school for kids that teaches them not only how to ski but how to be comfortable on the ski hill and play well with others. But don’t worry Buttermilk has full certified PSIA (Profesional Ski Instructors of America) to teach adults as well, and these instructors can move with you to the other mountains as you progress.
Buttermilk is also known for hosting the X Games for over a decade running and being voted #1 by Transworld Snowboarding Magazine Reader’s Poll for best pipe. The 22-foot superpipe in the legendary terrain park does not disappoint, as many X Games winners, Olympians and up-and-comers can attest including Aspen local and Americas Olympic sweetheart Gretchen Bleiler.
The same Slopestyle course that is laid out and built for the pros for the X Games is also in place all season, even the big air kicker at the end, this means you can come out and go as big as you like at anytime during the season!
During the X Games themselves things really go nuts with the Snowmobile X course and Snowmobile Big Air jump right in the base area, from one location you can see the halfpipe, the big air and all the Snowmobile action, and the Jumbo-tron, so you don’t miss a moment of the action.
So whether you want a confortable place to learn to ski with terrain just for you, or if you want to go big on the same jumps and kickers the pros are on, Buttermilk has what you are looking for.