8. Aspen Highlands
Where? Colorado
Out of the four Aspen resorts, Highlands is considered a local favorite. The ski resort is never overcrowded and has incredible views of the Maroon Bells. Aspen Highlands is notoriously challenging with its good mix of terrain: wide-open groomers, chutes, trees, steeps, bowls, and big mountain skiing. While the Highlands does include a fair amount of beginner and intermediate terrain, it’s best identified for its top-to-bottom steeps.
There are 118 trails to choose from, and every run down the Highlands Bowl is a double-black diamond, so be prepared to shred. There are two on-mountain restaurants, including Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro and Merry-Go-Round, and for rentals and retail shopping, you’ll find four stores at the base. The Highlands is located within a few miles of downtown Aspen, and as a bonus, your lift ticket to Aspen Highlands is good at all four Aspen/Snowmass resorts.
