Travel and Leisure

Aspen Mountain has long been known as the playpen
of the rich and famous – and it is. But it is also a
great place to take a family ski vacation. Christmas
in Aspen is especially wonderful! Aspen Mountain
rises above the town of Aspen, with a top elevation
of 11215 feet and a vertical drop of 3269 feet. There
are 76 trails suitable for beginners, intermediates,
and experts, accessible by eight lifts, including
seven chair lifts and one cable car line.

While Aspen has much to offer skiers, as well as
those who enjoy the night life in a ski town, you
should expect lots of crowds and lift lines on the
slopes. Again, this is the playpen of the rich and
famous, and many people choose this ski vacation
spot simply for that reason – as well as for the great
runs and nightlife.

There are numerous places to stay in and around
Aspen, with more than 100 restaurants to choose
from as well. Ski instructions and equipment rental
are abundant in the area, and snowboarders are
welcome.

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If you are in or near Washington State, you should
definitely check out Crystal Mountain. With an
elevation of 7004 feet and a vertical drop of 3102 feet,
Crystal Mountain actually sits below Mount Rainier,
which has a top elevation of 14,408 feet. Between
the months of November and April, several feet of
fresh powder falls on Crystal Mountain, due to the
cold Cascade storms common to the area.

This is rough terrain, and there is little offered to
beginners as far as the ease of the trails go. But
lessons are available, as well as rentals for ski´s and
other equipment. At Crystal Mountain, there are more
than 2300 acres and fifty trails, making this the largest
ski area in the state of Washington. There are ten lifts
available: 2 high speed six passenger lifts, 2 high
speed quads, 2 triple chairs, 3 double chairs, and 1
children´s surface lift.

The season runs from the middle of November to the
middle of April, when the most snow fall is
experienced. There are several places to choose for
lodging, meals, and nightly entertainment, but the
biggest attraction is the skiing, of course.

The Crystal Mountain Express Buss service runs on
weekends from the middle of December to the middle
of March. You will be picked up from your lodge and
dropped off at the base plaza – where you can begin
a full day of fun on the slopes. After a day of skiing,
you should definitely head over to East Peak
Massage & Fitness to take advantage of the hot tub,
sauna, showers, and even the game room. Massages
are also available, with a reservation.

If your kids aren´t quite ready for the black diamond
trails – but you are – you can register them in the
Kid´s Club. The Kid´s Club is open from 8am to 4pm
each day for children aged four to eleven years old.
The kid´s aged 4 – 11 will be supervised while they
ski on a ‘kid appropriate´ slope, and snowboarding
is also available for children aged 7 – 11 years old.
Your child will have fun, while being supervised and
taught. The cost of the care includes a four hour
lesson, a lift ticket, lunch, and supervision. Rental
equipment is available for the kids for an additional fee.

Everyone has fun at Crystal Mountain. It is a great
place for a family vacation, but again, the slopes are
more for intermediate skiers and expert skiers –
although beginners will have fun as well. Just use
good sense, and avoid trails that you don´t feel like
your ready for.

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There are many different types of clubs throughout
the world. In fact, there is a club or organization for
just about everything that you can imagine! Skiing is
no exception. Ski clubs are a great way to learn new
things, and to go on ski vacations with other
members. In fact, ski club members often get
discounted rates on ski vacation packages.

No matter where you live, there is a ski club near
you. This is true even if you live in a place that does
not ever get snowfall! These clubs regularly get
together for trips to various mountains, ski areas,
and ski resorts. Some are local clubs, meaning that
the slopes that they ski on are within driving
distance, while others are more national or global,
which means that they not only ski locally, if
possible, but they also plan ski trips.

Again, members of ski clubs often receive deep
discounts on ski vacation packages. Arrangements
are usually made through the club, so that everyone
is eligible for the discounts. The money that is
required from each member for the trip is usually
paid to the club, and the club passes the funds on
to pay for lodging, airfare, meals, lift tickets, and
other perks that are included in the trip. Because
arrangements are being made for a group of people
– which is usually fairly large – discounts are given.
This benefits all members of the club.

The discounts aren´t the only thing to be excited
about. These clubs get together regularly – even if
they aren´t getting together to ski. They join together
for other activities as well, such as cookouts and
fundraisers. Many ski clubs do annual fundraisers to
help less fortunate families and children at Christmas
time. Others do annual fundraisers to help preserve
the environment – which is usually a topic of great
importance to skiers who love being out in the wide
open spaces and fresh air.

While skiing is what brings these groups together in
the first place, it is not necessarily what keeps them
together. Their love of a common sport, and their
common interests and feeling of community is what
keeps them together – and it keeps them skiing
together for years and years. If you are a skier, you
should definitely consider joining a club. It doesn´t
matter – in most cases – what level you are at.
Beginners are usually welcomed, and this is a great
way for beginners to quickly improve their skills and
techniques out on the slopes.

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