Buttermilk

Closed
Marshall Wolf
SnowPak Local Insider
Marshall Wolf
Pros
  • Family-friendly atmosphere and terrain
  • Mellow slopes perfect for beginners
  • Some of Aspen's best terrain parks
  • Less crowded than neighboring Aspen ski resorts
  • Just 10 minutes drive to the city of Aspen; famous for its nightlife
Cons
  • Slopes aren't very steep
  • Smallest of the Aspen ski resorts and receives the least snowfall
  • Lack of après ski
  • Very limited accommodation

Overall

3.3

Often considered the easiest mountain of the four in Aspen, Buttermilk’s laid-back atmosphere, mellow slopes, wide open groomers, and breathtaking scenery make it the best in Aspen to learn on and a true haven for beginners and families. But don’t let that side of the story fool you, Buttermilk’s legendary terrain parks is also home to some of Aspen’s best. Don’t believe us? It hosts high profile freestyle events like the ESPN Winter X Games and the Red Bull Double Pipe event! 

Best month to go

Early to mid-December and January

Buttermilk’s proximity to the three more advanced mountains of Aspen Snowmass makes for fewer crowds, short wait times and ideal conditions. That being said, Buttermilk does not receive as much snow in comparison, making for a slightly delayed opening date to build up a solid base. Its snow making facilities are impressive and do a great job to make up for the lack of natural snowfall, however, they’re only allowed to make snow until January. Christmas time attracts hoards of visitors to the Aspen area, which can often lead to busier runs and longer waits since the mountain only features three main lifts. The Winter X-Games, President’s Day, and Valentines also attract large crowds, so early to mid December and January visits are a sweet spot for optimal conditions and short lift lines. Spring skiing at Buttermilk is great, but is heavily dependent on the weather, as the relatively shallow base depletes quickly in absence of snow making facilities.

FLY TO

Aspen Pitkin County Airport

DRIVE / BUS TO

Buttermilk (5 minutes)

Base of Buttermilk (Walk)

  • Very limited accommodation
  • Only one ski-in/ski hotel
  • Limited dining and après ski

Find accommodations around here

Aspen (2-3 mi)

  • Tons of lodging, dining, and nightlife
  • 10 minutes drive from Buttermilk
  • Expensive lodging but some reasonably priced options available

Find accommodations around here

For beginners

Buttermilk is a beginner's mountain with plenty of gentle slopes and wide open groomers. Never-evers can start off on the beginner Panda ski hill while those with a bit more experience can check out the West Buttermilk area for easy greens and cruisey blues. Our pick for beginners with a bit more stamina is Westward Ho, the longest trail at Buttermilk!

More beginners tips

For intermediates

The Main Buttermilk area is best suited for intermediates though they're not the most challenging of runs. That's not to say the blues here are no fun, just check out Savio and Camp Bird, two of our favorites here! If you're looking for more variety, head on over to Aspen Mountain.

More intermediates tips

For experts

Buttermilk lacks advanced terrain, so head on over to Aspen Highlands if you're looking for a real challenge! But if you must ski or ride here, the Timber Doodle Glade is fantastic for off-piste tree skiing, plus it's hardly tracked out since Buttermilk is mostly made up of a less experienced clientele.

More experts tips

Find freshies

The trees in the Tiehack area and in particularly the Timber Doodle Glade holds fresh snow weeks after a storm. Plus it doesn't get tracked out quickly since most skiers at Buttermilk are less experienced.

Ditch the crowds

Buttermilk doesn't see many crowds as they're usually at the other larger Aspen ski resorts nearby. If you do see crowds here, it'll be during holidays and the Winter X-Games in January.

Non skiers

Being a family-friendly resort, Buttermilk lacks in the après ski department. Luckily, the vibrant city of Aspen is just a short 10 minutes drive away!

Families

Buttermilk is renowned for it's family-friendly atmosphere and its mellow terrain make it ideal for families, especially for those with beginners or little ones.

Save up to 31% when you book a Buttermilk package!

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Buttermilk Reviews

Good 3.9 / 5
based on 9 reviews

How well the resort caters for beginner skiers / boarders

Beginners

How well the resort caters for intermediate skiers / boarders?

Intermediates

How well the resort caters for advanced skiers / boarders

Advanced

How accessible and convenient it is to get to this resort from a major destination

Accessibility

Quality of the off-piste terrain

Side/Backcountry

Overall value for money of the resort

Value for money

Quality of lifts, lift speed and lift layout in the resort

Lifts

Quantity and quality of the snow

Snow

How uncrowded is the resort

Uncrowded

Après ski and dining options

Town

Services and facilities e.g. child care, tubing, health care, equipment hire

Facilities

How family friendly is this resort?

Family Friendliness
Good!3.8 / 5Oct 15, 2021
YLYash L.
beginner skier
Great for beginners and very helpful ski instructors which are so worth if you have never ski before. Parking is hard to find sometimes but the bus systems in the Aspen area is super convenient.... More
Very Good!4.1 / 5Jul 01, 2019
Buttermilk ReviewsMark W.
expert skier
Great for beginners and intermediates! Not crowded, at least when I was there. Pretty awesome views of the Elk range. If you can, try to make it out for the X-games!... More
Superb!4.6 / 5Mar 22, 2019
Buttermilk ReviewsIan S.
beginner snowboarder
This is a great mountain to snowboard on for beginners. It was my first time on a snowboard so I spent the entire day on Panda's Peak. This little bunny slope was fun to ride down. I even had a run where I didn't fall down the entire way! There's a lot of kids on this slope, but there are adults too. Overall I had a blast. I can't wait to go... More
Superb!4.5 / 5Nov 24, 2017
CJCollin J.
advanced snowboarder
This is an excellent resort. However when I was there it was very crowded and the snow had been quite tracked out. Really had to hunt for powder caches, and the price of a lift ticket is outrageous... More
Good!3.7 / 5Nov 09, 2017
NSNickolas S.
intermediate snowboarder
Great for first timers to Aspen. Easy access and friendly staff.free shuttle from Aspen is a life saver. If you are new to snow this is the place to start near Aspen. ... More
Superb!5 / 5Oct 30, 2017
RCRobert C.
Buttermilk is by far my favorite mountain I have ever snowboarded on. I love the freestyle burton park they have and the tree runs are great. Would recommend for anyone to go there. It's also super pretty.
Poor!2 / 5Oct 27, 2017
BMBrandon M.
Buttermilk is a small, family friendly ski hill. Only has one lift and limited runs, and like I said it's quite small. A good hill for beginners or young children just starting out. It does feature a small terrain park, which is still fun to mess around on. You can get lots of runs in as it's not too busy a hill.
Very Good!4 / 5Oct 20, 2017
EWEvan W.
Buttermilk is for the kids and the tourists. Super mellow runs and lots of park. X games is held here, so that's neat! Good for later in the season pow laps, but when it's deep, don't come here!
Average!3 / 5Oct 07, 2017
JJason
Buttermilk is one of the best mountains to learn on. They have extensive beginner to rain for first timers, and for people who want to learn park or other technical disciplines. It's the site of the X games, so there's also some extreme stuff there, but mostly a beginners learning center.