Aspen Snowmass offers a wide array of ski school programs designed to cater to every age and skill level. With four unique mountains, each providing distinct learning opportunities, there's something for everyone, from toddlers taking their first steps on skis to expert skiers looking to refine their technique.
Unique Learning Opportunities on Four Mountains
All four of our mountains have a unique character to them, and because of this, they offer unique learning opportunities for our guests.
- Aspen Mountain: Its long blue groomers are perfect for honing your turns with a lesson, while advanced skiers relish the chance to learn how to elevate their skills to expert level on the mountain’s steeps, glades and bumps. Aspen Mountain’s terrain has hosted World Cup Championships and can be quite challenging in certain sections.
- Aspen Highlands: This variety of terrain makes it a perfect place to take your skiing and riding to the next level with a lesson. Aspen Highlands upper stretches offer big-mountain skiing and riding in an in-bounds environment, while its mid- and lower sections deliver long green and blue groomers, as well as some black bumps and steeps.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is ideally suited for a variety of lessons: easy groomers for beginners, steeper blues for advancing to intermediate level, exceptional terrain parks for shredders of all ages and abilities, and a handful of black-diamond runs, especially in the Tiehack section.
- Snowmass: Because of this, the terrain is ideally suited for all lesson types. Snowmass is a huge mountain with a huge variety of terrain. Here you will also find the Treehouse Kids Adventure Center located at the base, and dedicated beginner and child lesson areas at Assay Hill and Elk Camp Meadows (including a surface lift for easy loading).
Programs for Children
At Aspen Snowmass, kids ages 6 years old and under ski for free and all four mountains have something for toddlers, teens, and adults. Kids can learn to ski as early as age 2 or 3 years old-as long as they are potty trained. Their small stature and resilience makes the sport approachable at a young age. That is because a child’s center of gravity is in their head, so balancing on skis creates an equilibrium and pointing downwards is easier for a child.
Toddler Programs
Toddlers can learn at Buttermilk at The Hideout, complete with bunny slope and first-timer program for 2-and-a-half to 4-year-olds. Children will learn in their own private area right outside of the Treehouse at Snowmass or The Hideout at Buttermilk. Parents might be tempted to sneak peeks from secret lookouts watching as their kids progress from “pizza” to “French fry” (that’s ski school lingo for snowplowing to parallel skiing).
Snowmass Bears and Buttermilk Powder Pandas
Snowmass Bears and Buttermilk Powder Pandas are children ages 3 and 4 who are potty-trained and ready to spend most of their day outside. The specially trained instructors love working with younger kids while using games to encourage learning.
Read also: "Ski School" and its controversial scene: An in-depth look
Ages 5 and 6
Ages 5 and 6 is when your little one is apt to be more adventurous and go off and explore the mountain. A trip to the new Fort Frog is a must. The wooden, frontier-style fort was recently reconstructed in the woods off of No Problem trail on Buttermilk. This fantastically entertaining kid’s play structure includes lookout towers, a jail, a swinging bridge, a snowball launcher, and a turbo twister slide. Kids also love the Mongolian Stir Fry (or chicken fingers, or French fries, or pizza) at the Cliffhouse once it’s time for lunch out on the slopes.
Life with kids goes by so fast, so take advantage while the kids are under six and ski free! Ski School for kids six and under-where the hot chocolate flows like wine! Where chair lift rides offer thrills and laughter.
Between the ages of 7 and 12, lessons are dictated by age as well as ability. These full-day lessons offer kids and pre-teens a chance to continue building off of their current skillset and to master the fundamentals-plus lunch is included.
Aspen Highlands Program
At Aspen Highlands, there is a 7 to 14 program for more experienced young skiers and riders. This is a full-season program, for kids looking for a longer-term lesson option. Each week will focus on a new theme around skill building on our mountains.
Teen Programs
Meet your teens at their skill level and help them explore their areas of interest with full-day group lessons. From easy groomers to terrain park tricks to mastering glades and steeps, these lessons will allow your teen to express themselves.
Adult Programs
Whether you are ready to graduate from greens to blues, or you love to shred double black diamonds, we have an adult group lesson tailored just for you. Skill development may include: Learning the basics, skills for all-mountain skiing and riding, carving groomers, bump technique, exploring powder, progressing to steeps, racing, terrain park and pipe skills.
Experience your first day on skis in a stress-free, small group learning environment with our industry-leading instructors while on specialized beginner equipment and terrain. Learning takes time, so we recommend 3 days for any first-timer to get truly comfortable on snow. Lessons run from 10am - 3pm. Rate includes lesson, specialized beginner equipment and beginner-area lift ticket.
Private Lessons
Customize your experience with personalized instruction and a guided day on our slopes to find your inside edge and the inside scene. We accommodate up to 5 guests per lesson, and the guests set the agenda. From beginning turns to hitting the steeps and deeps or jibbing in the park & pipe, we teach it all, and guarantee it!
Additional Programs and Services
Adaptive Clinics
Challenge Aspen and Asendigo host adaptive clinics for participants with physical disabilities and cognitive challenges.
Childcare
Childcare is available at the Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center at Snowmass for infants and toddlers, ages 8 weeks to 4 years old. Safe and comfortable, with an on-site nurse, your child will have a blast in this interactive environment, while under the attentive care of experienced staff.
Advance Saving
At Aspen Snowmass, it pays to plan ahead. New Lift Ticket BundleSave when you book a child and teen group lesson.
The Aspen Snowmass Advantage
Only on a ski vacation do kids (and adults) dream about "school" days! Aspen Snowmass’s Ski School programs are led by 1,200 highly experienced instructors who can help take your skills to the next level. Lessons are capped at 5 participants, and these smaller group sizes mean more one-on-one attention and personalized experiences on the mountain. Our Ski & Snowboard Pros aren’t just instructors, they’re your guides, helping you hone your skills while showing you all that our four mountains have to offer.
Out on the slopes, multitasking as a parent can be a challenge-keeping runny noses dry and pairs of mittens intact. If you want to keep positive familial relations, leave the instructing to the trained ski and snowboard instructors, also known as Pros. There’s nothing like having your children come back from a vacation with wonderful stories to share, memories logged, as well as new skills and a sense of accomplishment. At the end of the day, their cheeks are rosy from the excitement, their spirits are high because they skied a new and harder trail, and their stories are grand with new ski buddies and experiences.
Every turn has a lesson. Every run tells a story. Our Pros know these mountains inside and out. From first bumps to big lines.Table: Aspen Snowmass Ski School Programs Overview
| Program Type | Age Group | Description | Inclusions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler Programs | 2.5 - 4 years | Introduction to skiing in a safe and fun environment. | Lesson, Lift Ticket (beginner area), Lunch |
| Snowmass Bears/Buttermilk Powder Pandas | 3 - 4 years | Specially trained instructors using games to encourage learning. | Lesson, Lift Ticket, Lunch |
| 5 & 6 Year Old Program | 5 - 6 years | Small group fun and safety on the slopes, snowboard lessons available. | Lesson, Lunch |
| Child Lessons (7-12) | 7 - 12 years | Building skills and mastering fundamentals in a supportive environment. | Lesson, Lunch (full day only) |
| Teen Program | 13 - 17 years | Accommodate the personalities of the individuals within the program. | Lesson, Beginner Lift Pass and Beginner Rental |
| Adult Group Lessons | Adult | Tailored for all levels, from beginners to advanced skiers and riders. | Lesson Only |
| Private Lessons | All ages | Personalized instruction with a flexible agenda. | Lesson |
Booking Your Lessons
RESERVE YOUR LESSONS WITH OUR CONCIERGE. Contact our concierge team as early as possible to purchase your lift tickets, lessons, and rental equipment. Please send us the following information:
- Type of ski/snowboard lesson (group or private)
- Dates for ski/snowboard lessons
- Names & ages of skiers/snowboarders who would like lessons
- General overview of ability of skiers/snowboarders who are taking lessons
(970) 429-2449 concierge (at) friasproperties (dot) com
Lessons may be cancelled with more than 48 hours’ notice to receive a full refund.
Meeting Locations & FAQs
Have a question about our meeting locations, your ability zone, or other lesson offerings?
At Aspen Snowmass, one run on the ski hill can change your day, your week-even your life!