Aspen Activities

Aspen has a plethora of things to do during winter. Apart from skiing and snowboarding at the Aspen ski resorts, other on-snow activities include snow shoeing, cross country skiing, and backcountry skiing. Off-slope activities on offer include ice skating, paragliding, hot air ballooning, and day spas. 

Aspen Backcountry Skiing Tours

Fresh powder tracks don’t last long at Aspen Mountain, so in order to get a good powder fix, powder hounds may want to head out to the backcountry to go snowcat skiing with Aspen Powder Tours. They operate on the backside of Aspen Mountain where a luxury snowcat takes you up to the goods. From there the guides take you down open meadows where fresh tracks are practically guaranteed. Aspen cat skiing is appropriate for strong intermediate skiers and boarders and above.

Or if you prefer to earn your turns you can head out with Aspen Alpine Guides. They offer guided backcountry day tours as well as multi-day backcountry skiing hut trips on the 10th Mountain Hut System. Alternatively they offer lift assisted slackcountry (ie side-country) trips in terrain that borders the Aspen Snowmass ski resorts.

Aspen Cross Country Skiing

The Aspen Snowmass area has 65 kilometres of groomed cross country trails. Rentals, lessons and tours are available at the Aspen Cross Country Center at the Aspen Golf Course, 1 mile west of Aspen.

Family Activities

Ice skating is a popular family activity. The Silver Circle outdoor ice rink is located on Durant Ave not far from the gondola, and skate rentals are available nearby.

Adventure Activities

You can enjoy an early morning hot air balloon ride over the beautiful mountains around Aspen, followed by a champagne brunch.

Or rev it up a notch with snowmobiling. Various snowmobile tours are available including a trip to the rustic Klondike cabin for lunch, or snowmobile out to the lake at the base of the Maroon Bells, the world famous and highly photographed mountains.

Other Aspen winter activities include snowshoe tours, tandem paragliding flights, and fly fishing.

Leisure Activities

The historic Wheeler Opera House has a variety of performances including opera, dance, pop concerts, and films.

Otherwise check out the Aspen art museum or stroll around Aspen to visit the many art galleries.

Relaxation

If you’ve tired your body out on the slopes, you may need a little R&R and pampering. Amazingly the Aspen Club and Spa has 34 treatment rooms and they offer a huge range of day spa services such as massage.

Alternatively head to the town of Glenwood Springs (about a 50 minute drive away) where there are a few establishments with hot springs. Glenwood Hot Springs is the main spot for a therapeutic soak in one of the pools to ease fatigued and sore muscles, and they also have day spa services for the ultimate in recovery.