The Edge

That's where he sends people looking for the "ultimate fine dining": the Ski Tip Lodge (Montezuma Rd. and Alpenrose, a half-mile east of the gondola). "It's a real old building that used to be a stage stop," he explains. "There's a real experienced chef, fancy sauces and killer wild game." On the other end of the dining spectrum, Carson recommends Mitch's Deli (in the Mountview Shopping Plaza Center) for "cheap, good sandwiches and pizza and the most awesome Philly cheesesteaks." Another good pizza, he adds, can be had at Antonia's (817 U.S. Hwy. 6 in Dillon), and one of the best burgers is at The Kickapoo Tavern (129 River Run Rd. in Keystone). "It's kind of an apres-ski spot at the base of the gondola," Carson says.

Dillon is also home to Carson's employer, the Snake River Saloon (23074 U.S. Hwy. 6). "I have to mention that," he says. "But it's really not just because I work there. I wanted to work there because I knew how great it was. And it's really a locals' hangout, 'cause it's pretty reasonable for what you get. They have live bands sometimes, and they do drink specials and cheap appetizers for the apres-ski scene." And Roberto's (269 Summit Place)--a "good Mexican in Silverthorne that's more authentic than Tex-Mex"--is on Carson's list of favorites, along with China Cafe (22954 U.S. Hwy. 6 in Keystone), which he likes for a quick, cheap lunch.

In the morning, though, he suggests the Alpenglow Lodge, up on A-Basin. "That's a very cheap skier's breakfast," he says. "Hash browns, eggs, toast and bacon, and decent coffee."

"There's going to be an espresso cart on A-Basin this year," he adds. "That'll be a good bonus for us diehards."

General Information: 1-970-468-0718.
Snow Report: 1-970-468-0718.
Location: 90 miles west of Denver via I-70 to exit 250 at Dillon, 12 miles east on U.S. Hwy. 6 through Keystone.

Opening and Closing Dates: Mid-November to early July.
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Terrain: 15% beginner, 40% intermediate, 25% advanced, 20% expert. 490 skiable acres with a 2,250' vertical drop. Base: 10,800'; top: 13,050'; longest run: 1.5 miles.

Lifts: 1 triple chair, 4 double chairs
Lift Rates: Adult full-day $39; adult half-day $30; child 6-14 full-day $12; child under 5 full-day free.

Rentals: Recreational package: Adult full-day $17; child up to 14 full-day $11.

Snowboarding/Cross-Country: Snowboarding welcome. Cross-country call Keystone Nordic Center at 1-800-258-9553.

Special Events: KBCO Cardboard Box Derby, Jan. 31; Rocky Mountain Freestyle Competition, Feb. 13-14; Coca-Cola Cup Race, March 14; Running of the Green, March 17; Figure 8 Contest, April 12; Enduro, April 22; Mogul Masters, April 25; Telebump & GS, May 3; Bikes & Bumps, May 9; Memorial Day Celebration, May 23.

Aspen Highlands
Not only is Ron Rash in love with Aspen Highlands, but he fell in love at Aspen Highlands. "I liked her turns," Rash says of the woman who is now his wife. "She was teaching skiing there, and it was kind of love at first sight." And the two are so enamored of the mountain, they were married on it in 1994.

And the tradition has continued with their sixteen-month-old daughter, Megan, who skied for the first time at Aspen Highlands last year--on their backs. "We think we'll probably get her on her own skis this season," says Rash, who is originally from Iowa and moved to Steamboat Springs in 1977. The 43-year-old is pretty experienced at dealing with kids and snow, since he works for the National Outdoor Leadership School, an organization that teaches youth wilderness survival skills such as constructing igloos, pulling sleds, camping and, of course, skiing, especially skiing to get out of difficult terrain.

But it's Aspen Highland's accessibility that makes it so appealing to Rash and his family. "Even though I know how to deal with adverse conditions, I don't like to have to do that to ski," the Aspen resident explains. "Aspen Highlands is so easy to get to, and it has so much varied terrain, that anyone I take can find something for their abilities to ski."

Rash moved to Aspen in 1985--his family had recently relocated to Glenwood Springs, and he wanted to be "close, but not too close" to them, he says, laughing--and soon started teaching skiing at Highlands. "You know, Aspen Mountain is a great mountain, but it has no beginner stuff, and Buttermilk doesn't have any super-expert runs, so Highlands is so perfect," he says. "Even if I didn't teach there, that's the mountain I would ski."

Rash averages 135 days of skiing per season, and he spends most of it in the double blacks. "Everything's a little harder at Highlands," Rash explains. "So the double blacks are pretty extreme, and the singles are more like doubles. If you haven't been here before, you definitely want to assume that the runs are underestimated as far as their difficulty."