Buttermilk’s proximity to the three more advanced mountains of Aspen Snowmass makes for fewer crowds, short wait times and ideal conditions. That being said, Buttermilk does not receive as much snow in comparison, making for a slightly delayed opening date to build up a solid base. Its snow making facilities are impressive and do a great job to make up for the lack of natural snowfall, however, they’re only allowed to make snow until January. Christmas time attracts hoards of visitors to the Aspen area, which can often lead to busier runs and longer waits since the mountain only features three main lifts. The Winter X-Games, President’s Day, and Valentines also attract large crowds, so early to mid December and January visits are a sweet spot for optimal conditions and short lift lines. Spring skiing at Buttermilk is great, but is heavily dependent on the weather, as the relatively shallow base depletes quickly in absence of snow making facilities.