h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have to say that of the few places i've Skied, Aspen was undoubtedly the best, Skiing that is. We stayed in Aspen itself but the free shuttle that ships you twixt the four mountains left from practically outside the front door of our chalet.

The four mountains were: Snowmass, Highlands, Ajax and Buttermilk.

Snowmass has the biggest area with some fantastic "off piste" down 3.5 miles of powder, wiggling through the trees. Absolutely amazing and a huge range of skiing. Sadly when we were there there was an avalanche risk and so a lot of the double-diamond runs up the back were shut but the skiing was still incredible.

Buttermilk is predominantly intermediate skiing - we did it in a morning and then did a day of incredibly amateur snow-boarding there ... good skiing but not that challenging.

Ajax is the mountain in Aspen itself ... again some fantastic skiing especially through the trees on the left of the mountain as you look at it. The best thing we did whilst there was "First Tracks" ... basically you get up at sparrows fart and do the first run down the mountain on the freshly corduroyed piste, just as the sun is rising. It's free, and when you catch the next lift up you can look down and go - those are my tracks are those and see just how legendary you are.

Highlands has the hardest skiing of the lot ... the highland bowl up the back is the toughest I think I've ever done - hardly surprising when you think that you get the lift as high as it can go, hop on the back of a snowcat and get driven another 300 metres or so and then trek for an hour or so, carrying your skis, along a knife edge before throwing yourself down a double-diamond run with a guest book to sign at the top to show you've done it. Absolutely amazing, once again.

As I've said already, the skiing in Aspen was possibly the best I've ever done ... they had a snow fall of 5 feet a week before we got there while Europe (austria aside) had nothing ... the snow never got porridge-like and everyone who was associated with the place just made it so much the better. You only realise that the French "sod off this is our mountain" is unnecessary when you witness what it could so easily be like. Cookie, Coffee and Hot Cider on tap, Ambassadors who will willingly guide you around should you so wish, Teachers who will give you advice if you ask them and some of the most incredible skiing ever.

Each ski-area has designated off-piste areas which are patrolled fairly regularly and are checked at the end of every day so even if you do have a nasty someone should find you. The off-piste areas are usually double-diamond and are unpisted (obviously) and offer even more amazing skiing than you're already getting on piste.

Nightlife in Aspen is not the same as Europe though. Being a town and not simply a resort, the majority of the population are working by day. For we visitors that just makes it better. I was there January this year and for 8 of the 10 days skiing we had there was hardly a soul in sight - and this was over the new year incidentally.

Pubs and Clubs don't really happen but then there are enough to have a laugh and the Americans, friendly bunch that they are, will constantly be inviting you around to their houses - or they did to us at least.

You've got to go, I swear, just once ... it'll cost you the same as a European break of a similar duration but the snow - don't get me started ... Incredible.