Aspen Mountain rises straight out of town and has told much of the story of North American skiing for over seventy five years. The Silver Queen gondola runs from the main street to the summit at 3419 metres, which means the distance between coffee and the top of the mountain is about fifteen minutes.

The skiing is steep and sustained, with quad burning groomers and gladed runs that all funnel back into the middle of Aspen. There is no beginner terrain here at all. Families and first timers use Buttermilk and Snowmass nearby, which are covered by the same ticket with a free bus between them.

The town below is a former silver mining settlement that became one of the most fashionable addresses in America without losing its brick main streets and Victorian storefronts. Galleries, restaurants and serious shopping sit at the bottom of the gondola.

Bonnie's halfway up is known for its pancakes, and the Sundeck at the summit serves lunch at 3417 metres. Aspen also runs a real cultural calendar of music, film and ideas festivals, which is unusual for a ski town and worth checking before you pick your week.