Aspen/Snowmass lodging properties are increasingly trying to create unique, authentic, and—par for the course for this adrenaline-fueled mountain playground—adventurous experiences for their guests. 

Expanding on its theme of nontraditional mountain experiences, the Little Nell has added Snowcat Academy to its growing lineup of winter adventures. Overachieving types not content simply to ride in a snowcat during a nighttime grooming run (an opportunity first offered last season) can learn to actually command one. The three-hour class, also open to Residences at the Little Nell and Limelight Hotel guests, includes training and hands-on practice on Buttermilk’s Panda Peak, plus the possibility of grooming a trail of one’s own.

No heli-skiing in Aspen/Snowmass? That’s no problem for guests of the Hotel Jerome, who can take advantage of a new package that whisks them to Silverton Mountain for a day of heli laps, use of the latest powder skis and backcountry gear, and a post-ski sports massage at the Jerome’s Auberge Spa.

Guests who book a four-day stay in the St. Regis Aspen’s recently remodeled Presidential Suites get quite the perk in addition to lift tickets and free après-ski cocktails: a pair of custom skis. Aspen-based High Society Freeride Company created the limited-edition St. Regis Aspen skis; for an additional fee, guests can set up a private, in-suite binding fitting.

It’s a good thing Viceroy Snowmass executive chef Will Nolan is an avid snowboarder. Nolan shares his outdoor and indoor passions with guests on a tour of Snowmass’s on-mountain shrines, followed by an après-ski cooking and cocktail lesson in the Viceroy kitchen.