As a ski area, Snowmass is the giant among the four Aspen options—and one of Colorado's biggest, with the nation's second-greatest vertical. It is huge, sprawling over a complex landscape of peaks, ridges, gullies, and open slopes that offer the greatest range of terrain, from the gentle precincts of Fanny Hill to the broad cruising expanse of the Big Burn to a wide variety of steeps. Innovative programs and on-slope facilities abound. As a resort, Snowmass offers a congenial slopeside village and some of the best accommodations for families. It's subdued compared with nearby Aspen, but the action is just a bus ride away.

With its slopes fully dialed in, the mountain has turned its attention to other amenity improvements, including the Treehouse Kids Adventure Center; new restaurants, apres spots, and lodges; a convention center; and complete package deals for novice skiers and boarders, with lessons, lift tickets, and equipment rental all included in one price.

Where: 12 miles from Aspen, off Colorado 82.

What's There: 4,406-foot vertical drop, 91 runs, 3,132 acres, an eight-passenger gondola, one high-speed six-passenger chair, one six-passenger gondola, nine quads, and four ski/snowboard school lifts (including magic carpets). The eight-person Elk Camp Gondola makes quick work of the distance from the base village to the top of Elk Camp Meadows (a mere 8.5 minutes). Since the 2008-09 season, the Snow Park Technologies-designed terrain park has included a 22-foot superpipe.