But when it comes to mining for viral video gold, the Aspen/Snowmass resorts are killing it like no other: In TransWorld Snowboarding's Top 10 countdown of the most-viewed videos of 2011, Snowmass cracks the list at #6 after opening up its terrain park in the Spring for a private "Park Sessions" shoot with snowboarders Mark McMorris, Craig McMorris, Gjermund Bråten, and Tyler Flanagan. The shoot, custom-tailored for creating a viral video clip, got an extra boost thanks to Mark McMorris' first-ever backside triple cork 1440 from the same session: That clip was TransWorld's #1 most-viewed video of the year.
So how much do those viral video clips matter in the bigger picture? Let's just say they probably went a long way towards inspiring TransWorld readers to vote Aspen/Snowmass #1 on its Top 10 Resorts list of 2012, Snowmass #2 on its Top 10 Parks list (behind the X Games park at Buttermilk, also part of the Aspen/Snowmass empire), and #1 on its Top 10 Pipes list. Here's that backside triple cork 1440 one more time, for good measure:
Mark McMorris Backside Triple Cork 1440 from TransWorld SNOWboarding on Vimeo.
For insider tips from all of Colorado's ski areas, don't miss "The Edge," Westword's Winter Activity Guide.