Skiing at Snowmass - I came up to Snowmass last early march for the Colorado Freeride Championships. I hadn't skied there in eight years and I found the improvements to be TREMENDOUS. John Brennan had spent a summer with a chainsaw and managed to open up an entire hundred acres of new terrain that was previously unskiable, which did well to ease the flow on the mountain's other popular expert runs and opened up many of the groomed trails quite a bit, too. Both the size and the views possessed by this mountain are enough to make even a seasoned European skier's heart palpitate. After finishing in the top fifteen and getting thoroughly thrashed by the mountain that taught me how to ski extreme in the first place, I left with even more respect for the mountain than I had upon arrival. Try AMF or the Hanging Valley on a powder day if you really want to get your panties in a krinkle! Joey Smallwood (January 06)

Snowmass Ski Area - Snowmass Ski Area is the largest of Aspen/Snowmass' four mountains, with an abundance of wide-open, groomed runs just right for intermediate skiing or boarding. There are three terrain parks to choose from, and The Cirque (accessed by T-bar) is a good spot to find fresh pow after big storms. Because it's located 15 miles from Aspen, Snowmass is considered a separate destination resort, with an abundance of shops and restaurants of its own along the outdoor mall adjacent to the ski slopes. The Base Village development in the works promises to be a major upgrade, rumored to include a gondola that will ferry visitors to the top of the mountain, a la Aspen Mountain's premier service. Cory (January 06)