Aspen Insider Tips: Best Ski Runs on Snowmass for December

Aspen’s Power of Four Ski Resorts host incredible terrain that is diverse and plentiful! Snowmass is on our radar today for the best ski runs. Snowmass Ski Resort is a wide sprawling resort that can entertain all levels and abilities from the expert Big Burn Cliffs to the awesome soft rolling runs on Elk Run.

Here are our recommendations for the best ski runs right now on Snowmass.

• Beginner (Green): Scooper is a fun green run accessible from the midway station point. This easy gentle sloping run also goes by the kids ski racing area.



• Intermediate (Blue): Naked Lady run is an infamously fun rolling ski run that allows for lots of turns and rolling terrain that swoops around to meet up with the Alpine Springs lift.



• Advanced (Black): Though its only December the base is quite nice and runs like the Slot on Sam’s Knob provide the steep fun terrain the is not littered with any rocks or bare spots!

So get out there and enjoy the Best Ski Runs of December and when you book your stay at the Inn at Aspen you’ll have ski in ski out access to Buttermilk Ski Resort opening Dec. 11, 2010- save money and have one of the best ski in ski out set ups in town! See lodging deals.

Celebrity Lance Armstrong in Aspen for 2011 Quiznos Pro Challenge

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, world champion Thor Hushovd and former world champion Cadel Evans, as well as legendary team directors Johan Bruyneel and Bob Stapleton are among the world renowned cyclists that will compete in the Quiznos Pro Challenge, August 22-28, 2011.

Today the organizers announced the first five teams to join the Quiznos Pro Challenge, including Team Radio Shack whom Lance Armstrong rides for. The tour is being described as the greatest bike race ever to be held on American soil from - and we're so excited to hear that the greatest cyclist of our times, Lance Armstrong will be riding through Aspen!

About the Quiznos Pro Challenge

The Quiznos Pro Challenge is most demanding professional bike race ever held in America, with racers experiencing breathless altitudes and nearly 600 mountain miles, for seven-straight days. The inaugural 2011 Quiznos Pro Challenge will take place August 22-28, traveling through some of the world’s most famous and beautiful destinations, including Colorado Springs, Salida, Crested Butte, Gunnison, Aspen, Vail, Avon,Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge, Golden and Denver. 128 of the world’s best professional cyclists from 16 teams, including Team RadioShack, HTC-Highroad, Slipstream Sports/Garmin-Cervelo and Liquigas-Cannondale, will be put to the test like never before.

To keep in touch with the latest news and updates on the Quiznos Pro Challenge, visit http://www.quiznosprochallenge.com/.

Where to Stay for the Quiznos Pro Challenge
ResortQuest has lodging in 3 of the of start/finish locations for the Quizno's Pro Challenge: Steamboat, Breckenridge & Aspen.

Aspeninfo@ResortQuest.com

Tour Schedule and Route

• August 22 – Stage 1, Prologue time trial, Colorado Springs

• August 23 – Stage 2, Salida to Crested Butte, mountain-top finish
  
• August 24 – Stage 3, Gunnison to Aspen, mountain stage


• August 25 – Stage 4, Vail, time trail, former Coors Classic stage


• August 26 – Stage 5, Avon to Steamboat Springs


• August 27 – Stage 6, Steamboat Springs to Breckenridge


• August 28 – Stage 7, Golden to Denver

About the 5 Teams

Team RadioShack (USA)

Team RadioShack is led by Sports Team Manager Johan Bruyneel, the most winning sports director in history with nine Tour de France victories, including seven with pro-cycling legend Lance Armstrong. The 2010 team was comprised of riders hailing from 16 countries, including Grand Tour leaders, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Andres Kloden, Jani Brajkovic (Slovenia) and Tiago Machado (Portugal).

Liquigas-Cannondale (Italy)

Liquigas-Cannondale is an Italian professional cycling team ranked second in the UCI ProTour for the third consecutive year. Sport team manager Roberto Amadio has many returning stars including Vincenzo Nibali, who took the overall victory at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana, and Ivan Basso, who earned his second career Giro d'Italia win in May.

HTC-Highroad (USA)

Led by Bob Stapleton, the HTC-Highroad team has the most victories in professional cycling with 389 wins since 2008, nine national titles and six world champions on its 2011 roster. HTC-Highroad is comprised of top young talent with 19 riders under the age of 26 making it one of the youngest teams in professional cycling. The team represents national champions of Germany, USA, Sweden, Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy and Slovakia.

BMC Racing Team (USA)

BMC Racing Team finished as one of the top 10 teams in the UCI world rankings, helping them earn ProTeam status for 2011. Competing in its fifth season overall, the team is managed by Directeur Sportif John Lelangue and includes former world road race champions Cadel Evans (Australia) and Alessandro Ballan (Italy), and U.S. national road champion George Hincapie. In addition to many 2010 wins, BMC Racing Team led both the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia in its first participation in both events. As a recent addition, Colorado native and multi-time world and U.S. national champion Taylor Phinney will join the team’s roster in 2011.

Slipstream Sports/Team Garmin-Cervelo (USA)

Headquartered in Boulder, Colo., Slipstream Sports and Team Garmin-Cervelo are managed by CEO and Director Sportif Jonathan Vaughters, a Denver resident who had a 10-year career as a professional cyclist. The 2011 team – a powerhouse in the peloton – includes Ryder Hesjedal, who earned seventh place overall at the 2010 Tour de France; sprint sensation Tyler Farrar; world champion Thor Hushovd and Christian Vande Velde.

We look forward to seeing you in ASPEN for the Quiznos Pro Challenge!

Aspen Skiing Co. Ranks in Top Green Ski Resorts 2010

Ski Area Citizen’s Coalition issued their annual report card for ski resorts throughout the West and 3 out of Aspen’s 4 Ski Resorts received an “A” for their environmental practices!

Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk all earned the highest grade and were ranked
four, five and six, respectively, among the resorts in the 11 states in the Rocky Mountain West and Pacific West. The three resorts were the top three among 20 ranked in Colorado.

Snowmass earned a “B” and didn't crack the top 10 resorts in the West. It ranked seventh among 20 ski areas ranked in Colorado. Each ski area was given a grade in four environmental categories as well as an overall grade. Snowmass got an “A” for environmental policies and practices such as its waste stream management and purchasing. It received a “B” in the categories of habitat protection and addressing global climate change but it only received a “C” for protecting watersheds.

The Ski Area Citizen’s Coalition is an environmental group that encourages people to ski and ride at the most “environmentally sensitive” resorts in an effort to improve practices in the industry as a whole. Learn more about them! Learn more about Aspen Snowmass’s Commitment to the Environment

Stay at the Inn at Aspen and receive a free vacation! - Check out this awesome deal!