Aspen airport in winter | FerrariChat

Aspen airport in winter

Discussion in 'Rocky Mountain' started by Ferrariguy2, Oct 1, 2015.

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  1. Ferrariguy2

    Ferrariguy2 F1 Rookie

    Apr 5, 2004
    3,092
    Naples, Florida
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    Chief
    Hi Guys,

    Sorry in advance for the non car related question, but I thought I could get some insight from some "locals".

    My wife and I take a week long ski trip every year, the one week with get without kiddos. This year we are looking at Aspen, but my only concern is the airport. From my understanding, it only takes smaller jets (ie. no airbus, boeing 767, etc) and can sometimes have a reputation for delays or closure during winter snow.

    Two years ago, we went to Beaver Creek and had the snowstorm of the decade while there. We flew in/out of Eagle Vail airport, which is larger than Aspen and can handle the larger planes. STILL, while there, they shut that airport down for 3 days straight because of storms. We got very lucky, in that those 3 days were while we were already there and before we flew home (GREAT luck). But, we saw a lot of people's holidays ruined by not being able to leave or arrive.

    Last year we went to Park City / Deer Valley, and it was nice to have a major airport (SLC) only 30 mins from the slopes.

    So my question is, are my fears of Aspen airport being fickle with weather on point or am I over reacting, and it's a rare occurrence?

    Thank you for any insight you can provide.
     
  2. absent

    absent F1 Veteran
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    Nov 2, 2003
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    mark k.
    Aspen is very weather/visibility sensitive and gets closed frequently, I would not risk flying in commercial.
    If you fly private you can divert to one that is open, even if Rifle and Eagle are closed, chances are very, very strong that G.Junction is not.
    Commercials just get cancelled and you are stuck.
    The storm you mentioned forced us just to drive West to G.J. and we were picked up by our charter unlike the unlucky folks who were stuck for 3 days.
     
  3. CornersWell

    CornersWell F1 Rookie

    Nov 24, 2004
    4,874
    It's very unusual for EGE to shut down. Your experience is really an outlier. EGE is well-prepared for inclement weather and heavy snowfalls. We have full instrument capabilities for the commercial airliners, and the big iron can come in (I think 767 is the largest, IIRC). There are direct, non-stop flights from numerous destinations (major airports). But, of course, EGE to Aspen is about a 1.5hr drive in good weather. So, there's always that to factor in.

    ASE is smaller. It's also more dangerous, as you land into a boxed canyon. I know that there are pilots who refuse to fly into ASE out of safety concerns. You're also flying either private or puddle jumper (from DEN). Smaller planes are more susceptible to weather conditions, and I don't think ASE has all the bells and whistles that EGE does. EGE's runway is also much longer.

    Weather and wind conditions in the mountains are highly variable. So, nothing's a certainty, but I think you have a higher likelihood of completing the flight to your final destination into EGE than ASE. And, if you get diverted to DEN, Vail/BC is ~2hrs by road, whereas Aspen is closer to 4hrs.

    CW
     
  4. bbs911

    bbs911 Formula Junior

    May 31, 2007
    590
    Dallas
    Getting "stuck" a few extra days in Aspen with just your wife is a problem because...??? Just kidding.

    I've flown into and out of ASE more times than I can remember during ski season and can only remember once when our flight was more than just delayed. In that case, they put all the passengers who chose to on a bus where we met the plane in Rifle and flew out from there.

    I think the odds are mostly in your favor of on time departure into ASE but if you're that crunched for time just fly in and out of EGE and drive to Aspen.
     
  5. PhilNotHill

    PhilNotHill Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 3, 2006
    27,855
    Aspen CO 81611
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    FelipeNotMassa
    #5 PhilNotHill, Oct 1, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
    I agree.

    We had a trip to Hawaii with a connection in Denver. We saw a storm coming and were able to get to the Denver airport in plenty of time...a 4 hr drive to DIA when the roads are clear. And yes our flight from Aspen was cancelled (all were cancelled) and would have missed our flight. If you have to connect in Denver make sure you have plenty of time to drive to Denver and make your flight. Make sure you have a rental reserved. Bad weather AWD cars get taken real fast.

    Great place to fly in and out in the summer. Very convenient. Winter is a crap shoot. I am not much of a risk taker.

    Grand Junction is a two hour drive and no passes to go over. You will probably have to make connections in Phoenix, Salt Lake or Vegas to get anywhere much. Florida could be an adventure especially with children.

    Eagle is about 1.5 hours from Aspen. Never flown in or out of there. But every time there its been pretty windy. My understanding is that people from Aspen do use that airport in winter. To save a half hour vs Grand Junction not worth the potential hassle for me. If I were flying into Eagle l would probably ski Vail-Beaver Creek.

    November and March are our two biggest snow months historically. But you can get a major storm Oct-May.

    Best
     
  6. Ferrariguy2

    Ferrariguy2 F1 Rookie

    Apr 5, 2004
    3,092
    Naples, Florida
    Full Name:
    Chief
    Thank you all for the insight and knowledge, much appreciated!! The research continues.
    I would love to ski aspen mountain, but also never skied Vail when I went to Beaver Creek (big regret, but thought it would be too crowded).
    I was really spoiled last year skiing deer valley - no crowds at all. Perhaps I shouldn't be worried about crowds since my wife and I usually go for the last week of January. ( no school breaks).
    I've heard aspen mountain and aspen highlands are less crowded than snowmass.
    I like the idea of a mountain with no green runs!! :)
     
  7. merstheman

    merstheman F1 Rookie

    Apr 13, 2007
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    São Paulo, Brazil
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    Mario
    Fly to Eagle, it's a lot easier. I've flown into Aspen from LA, commercial, and they closed the airport 30 mins after my plane arrived because of bad weather. I got lucky, because they usually send the jets to Grand Junction if there is a problem landing in Aspen. The trip from EGE is not that long and quite beautiful, anyway.
     
  8. PhilNotHill

    PhilNotHill Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 3, 2006
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    #8 PhilNotHill, Oct 1, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
    Aspen mountain is the most crowded of the four here. The blue runs are blue black at best. The runs are narrow. The gondola gives you the most ski time per hour.

    Buttermilk is basically green. Great place to learn how to ski or a beginner. Has the best snowboard stuff (X-Games).

    Highlands is many locals favorite. You have to hike some to get to the bowls but many just love it.

    Snowmass is the biggest and mostly blues. You have to know where to go and when but l never wait in line. And l only ski on nice warm sunny days with no wind and no crowds. I avoid skiing Xmas to New Years. I ski 3-4 days a week. From 10 AM till my legs get tired say 2:30-3:00 PM. No stopping for lunch as less crowds when others are eating. Where l ski there are no green runs.

    Yes there are huge advantages to living here. Vail, Breckenridge, Loveland, Keystone, Copper, Arapahoe and Winter Park get huge crowds from Denver Fri-Sun. Aspen not so much. Sat and Sun are travel days...many leaving and those arriving are usually too late to ski the first day.

    My suggestion would be to get a private lesson for the whole family on each mountain you want to ski and have them show you around. It will cost some money but maximize the experience. There are free buses between all four mountains. Your ticket is good for all of them. You can ski more than one mountain a day.

    Best
     
  9. Ferrariguy2

    Ferrariguy2 F1 Rookie

    Apr 5, 2004
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    Chief
    Thank you kindly for the suggestions and information. Much appreciated!
     
  10. CornersWell

    CornersWell F1 Rookie

    Nov 24, 2004
    4,874
    Vail has tons of terrain and enormous lift capacity. There are a few times of year when it's busy (Christmas to New Year's, Spring Break and Easter), but If you know how to move around the mountain, you don't hit many lines. Saturdays can be crowded due to the front range crowd, but I increasingly hear that many are tiring of the long drive and will be pulling off in Summit County in the future. We'll see, but just be aware. Also, Saturdays are the Devo (development) programs. So, LOTS of families dropping off kids and then hitting the slopes.

    Depending on your skill level, Vail's terrain can be less-than-challenging, though. We don't have many steeps, and the locals are the first to track out the best spots when we get fresh pow. Grooming has always been Vail's calling card, but due to several on-mountain collisions, on-mountain grooming stops at 8am (for the most part).

    That said, the bowls are worth a trip, and Blue Sky is, too. For me, front side and Chairs 10 and 11 offer the most fun, though.

    CW
     
  11. absent

    absent F1 Veteran
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    Nov 2, 2003
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    mark k.
    I agree about private lessons, no matter how experienced you are, there is still a room for improvement.
    Additional bonus is you have a knowledgeable guide and you don't wait in lines for the lift.
     
  12. Townshend

    Townshend F1 Veteran
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    Jul 20, 2005
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    I haven't had trouble flying into ASE during winter, but I could've been lucky. It is one of the trickiest airports to land at and can easily see it being especially sensitive to weather. PM me and I can put you in touch with one of the chief mechanics of ASE who will give you the run down and answer any questions.
     
  13. Townshend

    Townshend F1 Veteran
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    Jul 20, 2005
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    PhilNotHill, I'm usually in Aspen over NYE. Let me know if you're around, would love to grab a drink with a fellow Fchatter.
     
  14. PhilNotHill

    PhilNotHill Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 3, 2006
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    PM me when in town.
     

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