Any other kiddos?

[Oceangirl]

Our daughter, who is 3 and 1/2, is coming with us. She will be skiing with one of us while the other one is off carving. I am trying to figure out a few things:

1) Please tell me that there are lifts or "magic carpet" and not rope tows in the beginner areas in Aspen! I hate rope tows and will only endure them because I love our daughter and want her to have a good time.

2) Is there a place where we can park our trailer close to the base of any of the ski areas so she can go back for a nap in the afternoons?

3) Are there any other kids coming??

Thanks.

Alisa

[tpalka]

Hey Alisa, I might not have the full picture, but here are a few:

1. I'm only aware of one magic carpet, and that's on Elk Camp at Snowmass. You can take the gondola up there, and the kid area has the carpet and a lift as well. It's pretty flat.

Buttermilk has a kid area on the west side towards the top of the mountain, so you have to take the main lift all the way up there. Last I was there it had a cool rope tow, with plastic handles for kids to grab on. Pretty fun. But then you have to ski all the way down to the base. There is another kid area at the bottom of Buttermilk too, with a mini half-pipe. But no carpets that I'm aware of.

2. Buttermilk is really the only place. Snowmass would work if you had a hotel there, otherwise parking is pretty limited. Snowmass has a very cool kids program called Kid's Treehouse -- the kids ski, nap, lunch. A bit spendy, but our son loved it. Ajax is right over Aspen so you might be able to score a street parking spot, not great for naps though. And Highlands has parking at the base, would be quiet, but not sure if you can park bigger vehicles there.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you'd like any more info,

tom.

[Pat Donnelly]

SkiCo offers: Child care http://www.aspensnowmass.com/schools/children/childcare.cfm and ski school for 2 to 4 year olds http://www.aspensnowmass.com/schools/children/default.cfm

Searched "Magic Carpet" and I believe this is part of SkiCo's program; there is also one at Buttermilk, part of and behind the Powder Pandas building: http://www.aspensnowmass.com/search_results.cfm?searchTerms=magic+carpet

The "beginner chair" is near the base of Buttermilk. This is soon to be converted into the snowmobile xcross or whatever they call it for the x-games. The area should be kid ready by Feb 4th.

Parking, best chance for close in with a trailer will be at the base of Buttermilk. Next option is not published and a local's secret, and that is near the base of Buttermilk West. It is on the skier's right and above the West lift base. No signage on how to get there, and is not published/promoted. It may prove difficult with a trailer? Come out of the Buttermilk's main lot and go left, I believe the road is aptly named "Buttermilk West". The road goes up the mtn and past some nice properties; the road ends after 4 miles or so at the West Buttermilk lot. You will know when you're close as there is a kind of a fork in the road - stay to your left. You will drive through a (simple, nothing fancy) gate; SkiCo also uses the area to store equipment and other stuff in this lot. There are commercial food delivery trucks that use this same road to deliver food at the base of West for transport by cat or snowmobile to the Cliff House restaurant. The road is narrow. One morning we met a delivery truck (head on) and had to back-up about 40 yards in order to allow the truck to pass and continue down the mountain. There are a few picnic tables + an outhouse at this location. My understanding they do not allow overnight camping at this site.

[Pat Donnelly]

Panoramic view from West Buttermilk LIMITED parking area http://www.aspenportrait.com/buttermilk/b-westpicnic.html