Australian Way November 2013 - Snowbiz

Powder rush: Aspen
Mountain, Colorado
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PHOTOGRAPHY: SCOTT MARKEWITZ
Some come for the champagne lifestyle, but the real
magnet for skiers and boarders is Aspen’s champagne
powder, with four mountains offering something for
every skill level, as Katie Stokes discovers.
A skier launches
from the doubleblack terrain of The
Wall at Snowmass
PHOTOGRAPHY: JEREMY SWANSON
Aspen,
Colorado has a reputation for being the home of
moneyed celebrities, snow bunnies and powder
hounds, but it wasn’t always this way. Before Kurt
Russell, Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith
moved into the neighbourhood, the Roaring Fork
Valley was home to the Ute Indians. In 1879,
prospectors rushed to dig one-sixth of America’s
silver from its hills, and in 1945, the industrialist
Walter Paepcke arrived to introduce the “Aspen
Idea”, a philosophy encouraging a balance of
mind, body and spirit. It was only in 1946 that the
town opened its first ski lift, which it billed as the
world’s longest chairlift.
Today, the resort known as Aspen/Snowmass comprises four
mountains, 42 lifts and 2239ha of skiable terrain with 332 trails.
These stats alone would be enough to pull the punters, but Aspen
Skiing Company and the town’s hospitality industry have been
investing money – lots of money – to ensure that when skiers and
boarders think about their next snow holiday, Aspen comes to mind.
When Aspen and Snowmass mountains open this season on
November 28, and Buttermilk and Highlands follow on December
14, visitors will notice a few changes on the hill. Snowmass’ Burnt
Mountain has been developed over the past two years, opening an
extra 93ha of black-run terrain. The Tiehack express lift at Buttermilk
replaced two old lifts in 2011, cutting the ride from 18 minutes to
seven. And everything from ski hire and snowboard lessons to
beanies and beer can be purchased from any Four-Mountain outlet
with a lift pass and charged to a nominated credit card.
There’s also a new way to tap into Aspen’s untracked champagne
powder: First Tracks Breakfast on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
For $US25 ($30), eager skiers can ride the gondola to the top of Aspen
Mountain, enjoy pancakes and breakfast burritos at the Sundeck
restaurant, then take their pick of the slopes before the gondola opens
to the general public.
When it comes to on-mountain dining, the long-time favourites
continue to thrive: Bonnie’s on Aspen Mountain still dishes up the
best and most generous portions of apple strudel and white-bean
chilli this side of the Mississippi; Cloud Nine Bistro on Highlands
is still the place for fondue, afternoon tabletop dancing and Thursday
evening snowcat dinners; and Venga Venga (105 Daly Lane) in
Snowmass Village still pulls the crowd with its 75 different tequilas
and mezcals, and outdoor fire pits.
Now there’s a new spot to rendezvous with family for lunch. Elk,
Snowmass’ $US13m ($14.2m) restaurant at the top of Elk Camp ❯
NOV E M BE R 201 3 Q A N TA S 5 5
gondola, opened last winter and is
attracting a following for its rotisserie
chicken and wild mushroom pizza.
The restaurant also hosts Ullr Nights,
a Friday evening event dedicated to
the Norse snow god, with live music,
tobogganing, ice-skating and bonfires
($US10 for adults/$US5 for children).
If bubbles and adults-only spaces are more tempting, check The
Little Nell’s Twitter and Facebook pages for directions to The Oasis,
the hotel’s roving Champagne bar, which will return to the slopes
for a second season this winter. Find the bar’s location, flop onto one
of its lounge chairs, order a glass of Veuve Clicquot and a serving of
caviar, and enjoy the tunes from the solar-powered sound system.
DOWN IN TOWN, the site next to the historic Wheeler
Opera House reopened last year as Justice Snow’s (328 East Hyman
Avenue, justicesnows.com) a cocktail den with 300-year-old oak
flooring, wine-bottle chandeliers and wall peepholes screening
vintage films. Behind the antique copper bar are 22 house-made
syrups and tinctures – and “cocktail mechanic” Joshua-Peter Smith,
who will happily mix a Good Morning Manhattan – bone-marrowinfused bourbon, Nux Alpina walnut liqueur, maple extract, coffee
bitters and a candied bacon strip. Chef Jonathan Leichliter ensures
guests linger over pork-belly sliders, fois gras torchon and flat-iron
steak with Maytag blue cheese butter.
There are many tried-and-tested favourites. Main Street’s Hickory
House Ribs (hickoryhouseribs.com) does a roaring trade with barbecue chicken, smoked brisket, pork ribs, baked beans and coleslaw.
Gooey caramel apples from The Rocky Mountain Chocolate
Factory (401 East Cooper Avenue), dipped in Oreo cookies, pecans
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or cinnamon and sugar, could tempt
the most strong-willed of dieters. And
Shawn Lawrence’s tuna tartare and
avocado wonton tacos at 39 Degrees
at the Sky Hotel (709 East Durant
Avenue, theskyhotel.com) is still the
best après bite in town, especially with
a Sweet & Spicy Herradura silver tequila and jalapeño cocktail.
Built in 1889, the Hotel Jerome (330 East Main Street, hoteljerome.
aubergeresorts.com) J-Bar, is a dip of the hat to old Aspen. The wokcharred edamame may not have been part of its original offering,
but you can still order an Aspen Crud – a bourbon-spiked milkshake
said to have been invented when the bar became a soda fountain
during Prohibition. While the J-Bar retains much of its original decor,
the rest of the Jerome underwent a $US20m ($21.8m) renovation in
2012. The original fireplace, front desk and encaustic floor tiles have
been retained in the hotel’s lobby and atrium, but its 93 guestrooms
have been refitted with cashmere curtains, burnished-leather bed
frames, rain showers, plasma TVs and iPads.
But perhaps the most impressive areas of the redesign are those
non-guests are also encouraged to enjoy: the new Auberge Spa,
which uses plant extracts and minerals local to the Roaring Fork
Valley; and, better still, the lobby’s new Living Room. The dark
timber, animal-hide rugs and tartan cushions are reminiscent of
Rodd & Gunn, but patrons in ski or suit jackets are equally welcome.
On the other side of town, there’s also been a change of scene at
the St Regis Aspen Resort (315 East Dean Street, stregisaspen.com).
In December 2011, the hotel reopened following a $US40m ($43.5m)
redesign by celebrated interior architect Lauren Rottet, who has
incorporated Ralph Lauren furnishings into guestrooms. The
restaurants also received an overhaul. The Trecento Quindici ❯
ELEMENT 47 PHOTOGRAPHY: GIBEON PHOTOGRAPHY
Clockwise from left:
Hotel Jerome lobby; beet
salad at The Little Nell’s;
Element 47
Elk on Snowmass
Decano – a family-friendly Italian bistro – opened in June this year,
while last year saw the much-anticipated opening of the Chefs Club,
a restaurant with menus designed by previous recipients of FOOD
& WINE magazine’s Best New Chef award. This winter guests will
be spoilt with signature dishes by Jason Franey, Viet Pham, Bryant
Ng and Missy Robbins, prepared by executive chef Didier Elena.
The Little Nell’s Montagna restaurant (The Little Nell, 675 East
Durant Avenue, thelittlenell.com) was given a facelift last year and
rebranded Element 47. Chef Robert McCormick swapped the prix
fixe menu for a more casual à la carte style offering duck fat fries,
steak frites and Alaskan halibut with rhubarb, green strawberries
and sorrel. Award-winning designers Bentel & Bentel introduced
large art works and u-shaped lounge seating to the space.
Designer Holly Hunt, who gave the hotel a $US18m spruce in 2009,
is giving The Little Nell’s six VIP suites the same executive treatment. Two of the suites will be open in time for this year’s first
snowfall, with the remaining completed by mid-2014. To sweeten
the deal this season, those who stay in one of the VIP suites for three
or more nights will receive a free private ski or snowboard lesson, or
a guide (for up to five people).
IF A DAY OF SKIING and snowboarding isn’t enough
entertainment, head into town. Prada (312 South Galena Street),
Burberry (501 East Hyman Avenue) and Louis Vuitton (205 South
Mill Street) are all here, as is Dennis Basso (The Little Nell, 631 East
Durant Avenue) – the celebrity choice for over-the-top fur coats. But
Souchi (205 South Mill Street) is the new boutique for Aspen ladies
in the know. Owner and designer Suzi Johnson creates hand-loomed
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dresses, cardigans, ponchos and singlets from cashmere, cotton and
merino wool. Kemo Sabe (434 East Cooper Avenue) remains the
place to pick up a pair of Lucchese Classics handmade cowboy boots,
an alligator-skin card holder and deerskin gloves, while O2 Aspen
(500 West Main Street) stocks a range of Lululemon, Nicole Miller
and Ion active-wear, perfect for Aspen Mountain’s free Sundeck yoga
classes, four mornings a week.
Locals will happily guide those who still have energy to burn in
snowmobiling, paragliding and cross-country skiing all over the
valley, but the most Aspen of Aspen adventures is to be had touring
Highland Bowl. It’s a rite of passage where fears are sized up, skiing
abilities tested and memories made – and the reason many make
the trip to Aspen in the first place. The off-piste skiing area is only
accessible by foot and every line of descent is double-black and often
deep in untouched powder. It’s an area of the mountain many visitors
are timid to tackle alone, so every Wednesday, a free tour is offered
with a guest services ambassador and ski patroller guide.
This is just one example of Aspen playing the generous host, and
why it’s still considered one of the world’s leading ski resorts. There
are free shuttles between all four ski mountains; buy a 14-day ski
pass and only pay for eight; and mountain ambassadors (local
volunteers) give directions, help guests into their ski boots and hand
out complimentary sunscreen and hot cider.
Some people come to Aspen for its 6.7m super pipe, others for its
five-star spa treatments or laid-back eclectic vibe. It’s a town that
embodies its history, yet continues to reinvent itself.
For airfares to Aspen call Qantas on 13 13 13 or visit qantas.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: JEREMY SWANSON
More information at
aspensnowmass.com
SKI HOT SPOTS
For more powder than you can poke a ski stock at, and plenty
of après-ski action, Tony Magnusson finds it is hard to beat
Niseko on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.
POWDER
MONKEYS T he promise of powder might be what lures skiers and
snowboarders to Niseko, some 100km south-west of
Sapporo on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido. But
it’s the quantity and quality of white stuff at the country’s most
popular ski resort for Australians, which keeps them coming back.
Lined up against the likes of Chamonix (France), Aspen (US)
and Whistler (Canada), Niseko gazumps them all with annual
snowfall averaging 14m. In terms of skiable area, Niseko’s 356ha
is a little larger than Chamonix (308ha), but much smaller than
Whistler (3307ha) and Aspen/Snowmass (2239ha). That said,
Niseko United’s eight-hour adult lift pass is, at ¥5300 ($58), a bargain compared to Chamonix’s €56.50 ($81), Whistler’s $CA109
($114), or Aspen’s $US198 ($214) for two days.
More favourable prices mean more time can be spent on the
pristine slopes of Mount Niseko An’nupuri (1308m) and its 69
interconnected runs, serviced by 28 lifts including three gondolas
and seven high-speed chairs. Niseko has a vertical drop of 900m
and its longest run is a respectable 5.6km. Ski terrain is skewed
slightly towards the intermediate skier (40 per cent), with beginner
and advanced 30 per cent each.
Dotted around the base of the mountain are Niseko’s four main
resort villages – An’nupuri, Niseko Village, Grand Hirafu and ❯
Green Leaf Niseko Village,
Mount Yo-tei in the background
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Outdoor onsen and
Tomioko Bar (right)
at The Green Leaf
ONLINE
Hanazono – with runs all skiable on one pass. All except Hanazono
offer night skiing with lifts open until 8.30pm and an extensive area
under lights to cater for all levels of skier. Other resorts in the area
include Moiwa (it is not part of Niseko United, but Moiwa lift pass
holders can purchase discounted An’nupuri passes), Chisenupuri
(separate lift pass required) and Weiss, which offers back-country
cat skiing and boarding. Shuttle buses operate between all villages.
Powder is the cashmere of snow – it is silky soft, breath-light and
bone-dry. In Niseko, powder is easily accessible from the gondolas
and chairlifts. And for those wanting to go off-piste, Niseko is a rarity
in Japan. Back-country skiing is permitted as long as the gates are
open, rules are followed, common sense is applied and skiers are
equipped with beacons, shovels and food.
Beginners may find it easier to navigate powder than they
expected, partly because high-friction powder slows skis and boards.
Falling over in light cover is like tumbling onto a feather mattress,
but crashing in deep powder is another matter entirely. “I can vouch
for the fact that getting one’s legs buried in deep powder hurts a lot,”
says skier James Hatherly. (In such conditions, powder leashes are
recommended.) Negotiating powder requires better balance and a
lower centre of gravity than with other types of snow.
NISEKO’S TOWN CENTRE, Grand Hirafu, is home to
a lively après-ski scene that runs from funky cocktail lounges to
world-class restaurants. Hidden behind an old vending machine
door, Bar Gyu+ (gyubar.com), aka The Fridge Door Bar, is a cosy
wooden drinking den that serves yuzu mojitos and Japanese singlemalt whiskies to a jazz soundtrack. Down the road, the traditional
Japanese izakaya Ebisutei is well known for its oden, an odd-looking,
but delicately flavoured winter stew best enjoyed with warm sake.
For high-end dining in Hirafu, locals recommend Kamimura
(kamimura-niseko.com), a Michelin-starred French restaurant run
by Hokkaido local Yuichi Kamimura, who trained under Sydney’s
Tetsuya Wakuda. He serves a ¥13,000 ($139) degustation menu (think
duck and veal consommé with foie gras ravioli) in a sleek dining room
with spectacular views of Mount Yōtei, the area’s other mighty peak.
Maccarina, a local-produce-driven eatery in the nearby village
of Makkari, offers six-course dinner menus at ¥7350 and ¥9450
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THE
WHITE
STUFF
For more skiing and
boarding adventures around
the globe, visit qantas.com/
travelinsider
More information at nisekovillage.com or niseko.ne.jp/en
($79/$101) and has also nabbed
a Michelin star.
Niseko has a wide range of accommodation from budget to prestige. For ski-in, ski-out convenience, it’s
hard to go past Niseko Village, a quieter option than lively Hirafu.
The Hilton Niseko Village (hilton.com) has 500 rooms, an awardwinning spa and five restaurants including Sisam, which serves
refined fare such as grilled Hokkaido scallops with truffle sauce and
snow crab with potato royal. A gondola and a chairlift are located
right at the hotel entrance, along with a ski school and hire facilities.
Green Leaf Niseko Village (thegreenleafhotel.com) is more
affordable and has a funkier feel than its upmarket neighbour, thanks
to a recent makeover, an outdoor rooftop bar (with wood-burning
fire pit) and a capacious dining room with vaulted ceilings and floorto-ceiling windows. It’s a short ski to the nearest chairlift and a
shorter tramp through the snow to The Crab Shack, which has
charcoal-grilled crab legs and shabu-shabu on the menu.
And while both hotels have onsens, The Green Leaf’s outdoor hot
springs (rotenburo) win in the aesthetic stakes thanks to a border of
landscaped boulders and overhanging evergreens intermittently
depositing snow on bathers’ heads. There is something deeply
reviving about being immersed in 42 degree mineral-enriched
spring water while snowflakes turn to droplets in the rising steam.
There’s much to be said for choosing a more sedate base. Go easy
on the après-ski and you’re more likely to be the one making first
tracks on fresh powder in the morning. Gazing across the quiet
valley to Mount Yōtei before gliding down a blanket-smooth slope
with just the swish of skis for company, it’s easy to imagine being a
prince (or princess) of powder, if only for a moment.
For airfares to Japan call Qantas on 13 13 13 or visit qantas.com