Buttermilk is the easiest of the four mountains to ski on in the Aspen/Snowmass area, and one that I would recommend for beginners. While it does have a good selection of intermediate and expert level skiing, the majority of the mountain would be for new skiers/snowboarders. The terrain park is fantastic and definitely for those adrenaline junkies and more expert level skiers. In the summer time it is a fantastic hiking and biking area with Government Trail running across it, connecting Snowmass Village and Aspen. Government trail is the trail the Aspen Golden Leaf follows for those who are looking to train. The main hiking roads people use are the service roads which you can access from the base of Tiehack, Buttermilk Main, and West Buttermilk. Buttermilk main is an intermediate hike, and is a 6 mile round trip. The first 1.25 miles are the steepest part, and if you get past that the grade does get easier. For those hiking with dogs, there is a spring that runs down and crosses the road in a few different sections, so your pups can cool down. As this is heavily traveled by multiple different people and wildlife frequents the area, please make sure to have a leash handy for your dogs when encountering others.