In Today’s Aspen, Powder to the People

This season, Aspen is reaching out to the little people. Take it from me. I’m one of them.

After decades of catering to the upper echelons of society, Aspen promoters are rolling out the red carpet to those of us lower in status and stature by offering less expensive vacation options.

As a Colorado native who grew up about four hours from Aspen, I’ve been taking trips to the state’s shining star all my life. More accurately, I’ve been visiting the shining star but staying on a distant moon--Glenwood Springs, 40 miles north and several income tax brackets south of Aspen, where the median home price is $2.3 million.

I’ve always come up a zero or two short of Aspen’s target demographic. My family was in the can-afford-to-ski-but-just-barely category. So we would stay on the affordable outskirts of town, get up early and drive in, usually with a sandwich in our pocket for lunch. Since I started paying for my own ski trips, I’ve been staying even farther away.

That all has changed in the past year. And I’m not just talking about lower lodging prices, although that certainly helps. During my visit last month, the place felt different. So different that for the first time in the 20-plus years I’ve been visiting, I felt oddly at home in Aspen.

“We’re trying to change the perception that Aspen is just glitzy and star-studded,” said Patti Hecht, spokeswoman for the Aspen Chamber Resort Assn. “That perception makes some people uncomfortable coming here. Our challenge is to overcome that stereotype and make people feel welcome in Aspen.”

I’ll admit, I had been one of the uncomfortable ones in town, but I’ve always felt at ease in Aspen’s four ski resorts--Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. Though I’m lucky to have Vail, Winter Park and Copper Mountain closer to home, Aspen’s beauty and challenging terrain have always made it worth the trip.

This season, visitors can enjoy that beauty without fretting so much about how they’re going to pay for it. The resorts’ “Get In to Aspen” packages--which include air fare, lodging and lift tickets--offer savings of up to 55% off standard prices. From Feb. 9 to March 29, the peak of peak season, a four-day, five-night package for a family of four staying in a condo starts at $900 per person--not cheap, but not bad by Aspen standards, considering air fare alone from L.A. has been running around $550 and adult lift tickets start around $49 a day. (Packages that include air fare, two days of skiing and three nights’ economy lodging start at under $600 per person, double occupancy.)

With some out-of-state skiers reluctant to fly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and other visitors curbing spending because of the recession, prices for lift tickets and hotels purchased separately may drop. Although lift ticket tabs are hard to compare with years past because of complicated pricing structures and all the package deals, early season prices seemed to be the same as last year, bucking the trend of annual increases. And some innkeepers said they expected to lower peak-season rates by as much as 30% compared with last year to fill their rooms.

I’ve spent most of my time at Snowmass, a sprawling mountain (3,010 skiable acres) about 10 miles from Aspen. From the easy green runs on Fanny Hill to the blue (more difficult) cruisers on the mountain’s face to the expert-level diamonds of Hanging Valley Wall, Snowmass has nearly every ability level covered.

Snowmass has 4,406 feet of vertical drop, the most of any resort in the nation. When skiing off the Campground Lift, you drop more than half that distance (about 2,400 feet) in one long, heart-pounding run. On the northern edge of the resort, Campground is so quiet you can hear that heartbeat. I’ve taken several runs when I didn’t encounter anyone else, making me feel as if I were alone on a wilderness expedition.

Last month, after working my skills on Campground and the walls of Snowmass, I was ready to face the masters: Aspen Mountain and Highlands. These two mountains, which rise more than 3,200 feet above town, are all about challenges. At Ajax (what locals call Aspen Mountain), 26% of the terrain is for experts only; at Highlands, the number is a whopping 30%.

Buttermilk, the fourth mountain, is known as an ideal place to learn. It’s also a local favorite for finding hidden powder stashes after most of the fresh snow has been skied down.

There weren’t any powder stashes during my visit in November. In an early season slight on snow, the resorts had less than 10% of their terrain open. (Tip: Wait until the second half of the season, after the snow has had a chance to stack up.)

By early last week, enough had fallen so that about 59% of Aspen Mountain’s and 21% of Snowmass’ beginner and intermediate terrain was skiable. (Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands are to open Saturday.)

With little snow during my visit, I decided to spend time in town--more than I ever had before. The prospect scared me. I would rather stare down the steepest face on the mountain than up toward the raised nose of a snob. In the past, the number of diamonds you skied meant nothing compared with the rocks on your necklace.

One year, on my way to a restroom in the gondola building at Aspen Mountain, I passed the powder room. A woman sat before the mirror touching up her lipstick in a thousand-dollar gold Bogner ski suit, her blond locks sprayed to immobility. I checked out my reflection: I had on a beloved ski jacket whose glimmer came from the duct tape that held it together. My face was covered with lime-green zinc sun block, and my windblown hair was accented with twigs from a trip through the trees. I couldn’t wait to get back to my powder room: the mountain.

But on my most recent trip, I didn’t feel like such an outsider. The sneers have softened, if not disappeared. Pedestrians on the outdoor mall were clad more in fleece than fur. And on the slopes, serious skiers outnumber those “skiing to be seen”--a phenomenon I started noticing a year ago, and one that continues, even during peak skiing season.

My room at the Limelite Lodge, on the edge of downtown Aspen, was $52. Considering what you can get for $52 in most towns, I was a little worried about what it would buy in Aspen. Should I have brought my own sheets and a can of insect repellent?

A friend described the Limelite as “rustic Aspen.” After checking in, I figured “rustic” in Aspen must mean the tub doesn’t have Jacuzzi jets. The room was bigger than my first studio apartment. The two double beds were outfitted with homey white comforters. There were cable TV and a refrigerator. Continental breakfast was served in the cozy lobby. A family played Battleship on the overstuffed couches in front of the fireplace.

I was also surprised to find comfort food at a fair price. One night I sat at a marble-topped bar by a cozy fire in Mezzaluna, where I had a nice plate of ziti with sun-dried tomato pesto, feta cheese and capers. With a glass of wine, the meal came to about $15. (If you’re solo, eat at the bar, where many Aspen restaurants charge about half price for entrees.) The next morning I filled up on eggs Benedict at a local favorite, Wienerstube Restaurant, an Austrian place where most items on the breakfast and lunch menu are under $9.

“Aspen is still suffering from a marketing campaign that targeted a very specific market: the older, wealthy skier,” Aspen Times columnist Jon Busch said. “The city carved itself too small a niche, and we’re still seeing the effects of that. And now even that small niche of people is shrinking.”

Not only is this group getting older and dropping out of the sport, but it, like many, has been feeling a financial pinch.

“Although it may not seem like people who come to Aspen would be sensitive to a shift in the economy, our numbers show they absolutely are,” said Rose Abello, spokeswoman for Aspen Skiing Co., which manages the area’s four ski resorts.

Skier visits did increase 11% last season. But most of those visits were made by local pass holders, not the destination skiers who bring money into the local economy. To attract more outside visitors, the town and its ski resorts are wooing those of us lower in income and age.

The most visible change: the arrival of snowboarders on Aspen Mountain this year. The boarding ban was lifted April 1, after which Ski magazine dubbed the resort “the New Aspen.” (Snowboarding has always been allowed at the three other mountains.)

Aspen Ski Co. has gone a step further to embrace the snowboarding crowd by hosting the ESPN Winter X-Games for the next two seasons. More than 350 athletes will compete in snowboarding, skiing and snowmobiling Jan. 17 to 20. It will bring a heavily pierced, MTV-generation crowd to a town known for its sophistication and cultured reserve.

Another group being courted more than in years past: families. Although Aspen isn’t particularly known for being kid-friendly, its neighbor Snowmass recently was named by Child magazine as the best place for family skiing. Ski and Skiing magazines continually put the resort near the top of their family lists too.

Free daily activities for kids include Sno-Cat rides to see how the slopes are groomed, wildlife tours, scavenger hunts and games. There’s even a teen-only night at the Cirque Bar & Grill.

But the biggest draw, of course, is skiing. Ninety percent of Snowmass lodging is ski-in-and-out, which means Mom and Dad can point the kids toward the ski school in the morning or drop them off on the way to the lifts.

All of this fun is more affordable thanks to a growing number of discounts available to travelers. This summer the Aspen Chamber Resort Assn. reservations Web site, www.stayaspensnowmass.com, included a “specials” section for the first time. It lists discounted rooms and packages. Even the area’s high-end hotels may offer accommodations for as little as one-third of their usual price.

Around the time of my visit, rooms at the posh Hotel Jerome that usually go for $500 or more a night were $125. Discounts won’t be as steep in winter, but an Aspen Chamber reservations spokesman said rates will probably remain lower than in years past.

Even those who don’t stay in elegant, antique-appointed rooms can still soak up the ambience. At the Hotel Jerome, anyone can order a hot toddy, settle in among the collection of 19th and 20th century American and European paintings and wait for celebrities to walk by.

Or you can do what I did last month: Put on your boots and head for the mountains that have always been Aspen’s true claim to fame. Just keep in mind there’s much to explore, so you might want to pack a sandwich.

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Guidebook: Skiing Aspen’s Heights

Getting there: From L.A. to Aspen, America West and United offer connecting service (change of planes). Restricted round-trip fares start at $552. Denver International Airport is about 220 miles northeast of Aspen. Restricted round-trip fares from Los Angeles begin at $398.

Where to stay: Toward the low end, Limelite Lodge, 228 E. Cooper St., Aspen, CO 81611; (800) 433-0832 or (970) 925-3025, fax (970) 925-5120, www.limelitelodge.com. A family-friendly lodge on the edge of downtown. This season, doubles start at $80 per night.

At the high end, Hotel Jerome, 330 E. Main St., Aspen, CO 81611; (800) 331-7213 or (970) 920-1000, fax (970) 925-2784, www.hoteljerome.com. Built in 1889 and restored to its original Victorian splendor. The 92 guest rooms and suites are spacious and appointed with antiques and marble baths. Double rooms start at $215 a night in low season, $550 Jan. 2-March 30.

In Snowmass Village, the Crestwood, 400 Wood Road, 81615; (800) 356-5949 or (970) 923-2450, fax (970) 923-5018, www.thecrestwood.com. Condominiums with kitchen, living room with fireplace (and sofa sleepers in most). In high season, one-bedroom condos start at about $400 a night.

Where to ski: The four ski areas--Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass and Buttermilk--are managed by Aspen Skiing Co., P.O. Box 1248, Aspen, CO 81612; (877) 687-1670 or (970) 925-1220, www.aspensnowmass.com. Lift tickets $49-$65 per day.

Where to eat: In Aspen, Wienerstube Restaurant, 633 E. Hyman Ave.; (970) 925-3357. A casual Austrian restaurant open all day. I stopped for breakfast, which runs about $3-$9.

Mezzaluna, 624 E. Cooper St.; (970) 925-5882. A local favorite for Italian American cuisine. Entrees run about $15-$25.

The Steak Pit, 305 E. Hopkins Ave.; (970) 925-3459. Fine steaks and seafood. Entrees run about $12-$34.

For a treat in Snowmass, La Provence, 315 Gateway Building (top level of Snowmass Village Mall); (970) 923-6804. Mediterranean cuisine. Entrees run about $20-$30.

For more information: Aspen Chamber Resort Assn., 425 Rio Grande Place, Aspen, CO 81611; (970) 925-1940, fax (970) 920- 1173, www.aspenchamber.org.

Aspen Central Reservations, (888) 649-5982, www.stayaspensnowmass.com. Click on “Specials” to find discounts.

Colorado Tourism Office, 1625 Broadway, Suite 1700, Denver, CO 80202; tel. (800) COLORADO (265-6723) or (303) 892-3885, www.colorado.com.

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Chryss Cada is a syndicated columnist and freelance journalist based in Fort Collins, Colo.