Vail or Aspen for Thanksgiving week this year
 

My family and I love skiing..... Realistically, we are intermediates.
We've been at Mammoth Mountain (maaaaany times), Yosemite and Park City (love it); but this year we would like to go to Colorado but can't decide if should go to Aspen or Vail.
Which one do you recommend and why???

At that time year I would recommend Vail. For obvious reason all resorts try to be "open" by Thanksgiving. However, while all are open, the skiing can be spotty depending on early snow conditions. Aspen is always late in opening because of the steep terrain. Vail has more extensive snow making equipment and can get their beginning/low immediate slopes open earlier. The back bowls at Vail most likely will not be open but most of the skiing around mid-Vail should be available.

Another option would be to stay in Aspen (if that is a high priority) and ski Snowmass or even stay at Snowmass. Snowmass is the immediate mountain of the Aspen complex and they are set up with good snow making equipment and try to open by first of Nov. The ski conditions at Snowmass and Vail would be about equal.

Thanksgiving is a tough time. Even with decent early snow, most areas will only be 50% or so open. However crowds are less at Thanksgiving than a month later.

Thanks!!! Good point. Great info.

Assuming skiing at Snowmass vs. Vail, and that ski conditions are similar, I'd choose a stay in Aspen proper.

Depending on your preference: Aspen is an original CO town, with history, located in a beautiful wide-open space; Vail is a created fake Swiss 'town' right at the side of I-70. We find Vail is much more 'snooty' than Aspen, as it attracts wannabe skiers. Aspen seems more for people who enjoy 'real' Colorado. IMHO, having spent lots of time at each of them.

I thought we were discussing skiing. I have no idea what 'snooty' or wannabe skiers or real Colorado means. Those are just perceptions. Valid only to the person making the perception. Everyone is a wannabe skier. The gitzyness of Aspen has been huge over the past 20 years. Most of the old watering holes (Little Nell, Red Onion,etc.), days of Hunter Thompson are long gone replaced with upscale restaurants and more mink coats per square block than any other place in the US. Of course that is only personal opinion but even the WSJ carried a story last year about the gitzification of Aspen. Fortunately you will miss most of that over Thanksgiving as the pretty people don't start showing up till Christmas.

Aspen is worth visiting but I still think the skiing experience would be better in Vail at that time of year.

I have to disagree.

"and more mink coats per square block than any other place in the US"

Yikes. Really? You have stats to back that up? My experience has been the opposite. I suppose you were just making your point with hyperbole?

"Most of the old watering holes (Little Nell, Red Onion,etc.), days of Hunter Thompson are long gone replaced with upscale restaurants"

There NEVER were old watering holes in Vail. There isn't an "old Vail".

In Aspen, the Red Onion is alive and well. So is the J Bar at the Jerome. We didn't look for Little Nell. There is still that BBQ place as you enter town, and lots of sandwich shops that you do not find in Vail. Even a small grocery in the middle of downtown Aspen. You have to,drive a ways to,find a market in Vail. Not many sandwich shops, either.

The area surrounding Aspen has lots of small town charm. I mean Basalt and Glenwood Springs, etc.

Our experience with phony glitz has been in Vail, not Aspen. Like the old distinction between 'nouveau riche' and 'old money'. Some folks show off, and others don't.

Skiing is impossible to predict. You never know which way the snow will come. If snow is bad, I'd find much more to do in Aspen than Vail.

If your truly had spent as much time in Aspen skiing as you claim, you would know where Little Nell was. It was an institution.

OMG.

Not sure why someone from Omaha is such a strident promoter for Aspen. I was just trying to suggest that Aspen has changed a lot over the years and I don't find as attractive today as I did 20,30 years ago. Didn't expect to get into an argument over which one is better. Neither is.

The Red Onion is there in name only, and not the bar that reserved a permanent table for Gonzo. At 52 years of age, there are a couple watering holes in Vail much older than some in Aspen even through the building itself may be older. And there is a grocery store in the middle of Vail but guess you must have missed that. Obviously you are not familiar with Little Nell. In 52 years Vail has matured lot and is one of the premier skiing spots in the world and the resort base isn't bad either.

You want some proof. The best I can do in five minutes.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...297928260.html

This is not the WSJ articles that I referenced in my earlier posting but it is discussing the changes to Aspen.

And this is from Wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspen._Colorado

......At the same time, in stark contrast to its historic character, the city has emerged into international fame as a glitzy playground of the wealthy and famous. Aspen has become a second and third home to many international jet setters.

The downtown has been largely transformed into an upscale shopping district that includes high-end restaurants, salons, and boutiques. Aspen boasts Ralph Lauren, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Bvlgari, Burberry, Brioni, theory and Ermenegildo Zegna boutiques.[7] .......

And this is consistent with my observations over the years and, I believe, anyone else who has spent time in Aspen during ski season. And with that kind of money floating around Aspen there are more mink and fur coats being worn on the street than anywhere else.

Omaha? Who is from Omaha?

I rest my case. OP, you get the gist.

My mistake. As I remembered you identified yourself as being from Omaha in one of your recent posting. Obviously someone else. I apologize to Omaha and yourself.

I guess my references stand. As you say, let the OP draw his/her own conclusions from what is important to her/his.

I think you need to think about your skiing ability. Aspen/Ajax is a demanding mountain. It is NOT blue. SO if you want comfortable skiing for several levels, maybe somewhere else is good. We started at Vail 30 years ago, and it has changed drastically.
Maybe Breckenridge or Copper would be even more fun over all for you.
BUT at T;giving, the snow cover is going to be iffy, and you may need to bring your rock skis--or especially RENT.
I don't know which areas have better snow making capabilities (and Yes, I do think CO does do snow making).

Oh, and stop the piffing contest, guys.

The OP asked Aspen vs Vail.
Maybe this isn't clear, but when locals speak of "Aspen", they are referring to all the ski areas there, not just Aspen (Ajax) mountain.
I thought that was understood.
Ski Snowmass and stay in Aspen, for example.

Actually, once you are off the base at Aspen some of the slopes on top are blue. It is just getting home is the problem. The face of Ajax is all black and then some. There is a skid road off to the right (facing the mountain) that winds down and will get you off the top but it is long, pain in the butt and can be very crowded. I have never been to Aspen over TGiving but would bet that they probably download the gondola at that time of year. There just isn't anyway to have enough snow to make the face of Ajax skiable. I have been down it in late January when it was pretty rocky. Reminds me a little of off the top at Jackson Hole. Snowmass is the big cruising mountain. If given one last run, it could well be Big Burn.

Haven't been to either over Thanksgiving. Have been to other CO ski resorts during that time. Frankly, if you want 10% of the mountain open and skiing on grass, then Thanksgiving might work out for you. There could be enough snow to have things going, but the 2 or 3 times we've been during that period there has been very very limited skiing.

That is ridiculous !! Get serious. With the snow making equipment available all resorts will be open with most of the green and some blue slopes available. Skiing conditions can vary greatly but it will not be on grass. It could be hard pack on an icy base but you can ski while dodging a few rocks. Conditions are not perfect but better than nothing.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/color...nksgiving.html

This is the first thing I pulled up on Google and it is what I've experienced.


Making snow is a lot easier when there is some natural snow to go with it. It does vary year to year, there is no doubt about that.

I know about 9 or 10 years ago Winter Park only had 4 or 5 of their lifts open during Thanksgiving week. I don't remember if we were there the weekend before or the weekend after. There was plenty of grass to be seen.

Thanksgiving skiing is always iffy in Colorado. The ski areas do their best to be open with decent snow, and it's always a race to see who has the best conditions.

Making snow requires cold enough temps at night, and hopefully no rainfall. It's a toss of the dice each year.

If you are coming primarily to ski, it's always better to come out later in the season.

Last year Vail, and other areas were open the week-end before T'giving with a good amount of skiing--since not everyone wants to go on that kind of snow conditions.