It’s All About That Base
Snowmass elevates its entry
I have had two of the greatest ski days in my life at Snowmass. Lots of powder, very few people on the mountain and plenty of room in the trees.
The Pitkin County locals I know mostly ski Aspen Mountain or the Highlands, but I do adore the long runs off the Poma (could you please speed that sucker up?!) and the fun terrain off High Alpine. So even before Snowmass had a full-on, brand-spankin’ new base village, I loved it. True, entering along the mall was not the most fitting foyer for such a place.
Photo by Matt Hobbs
Happily, that is no longer the case. Can you hear me twisting and shouting with joy on my new Wagner skis? Well, I am.
Snowmass Base Village is the lovely starting point that its 3,332 acres of terrain deserves. This $600 million still-in-the-making base now has 10 restaurants and bars, ski shops, a homey ice rink, a s’mores truck, a few sexy hotels (the Viceroy and the newly opened Limelight) and a community events center called The Collective.
Photo by Jeremy Swanson
Photo by Jeremy Swanson
My daughter Emmy and I were in town for the Limelight’s grand opening in December and enjoyed our tasteful, cozy, mountain modern room (the orange retro fridge is a sweet touch). We were too busy eating wood-fired prosciutto crudo pizza in The Lounge to make good use our room’s smart eating and seating area, but it made me think that you could easily bring your own oatmeal and charcuterie and do breakfast and lunch in the room. We did spend a few minutes drinking coffee on our little balcony and appreciated the in-room vintage copy of The Catcher in the Rye.
Photo by Shawn O'Connor
Photo by Shawn O'Connor
The hotel amenities include a spa, hot tubs and a five-story climbing wall that’s open to all. It also houses a members-only Snowmass Club with year-round access, service and just general spoiling. A few weeks after the opening, my husband and I brought our Aussie friends to ski Snowmass. We shared the underground-parking fee, which amortized to a little more than five bucks a person—so worth it, because the elevator put us a 30-second walk from the gondola.
Photo by Matt Hobbs
After a delightful day for all three levels of skiers, we sat at the Limelight’s outdoor lounge, warmed ourselves by the fire and watched the fading afternoon light with beers well-earned. The Aussies, who come to ski with us every January, were so into the whole scene that we have all vowed to save our shekels for a full-on Snowmass vacation next year.
