Not sure I will need a job, but just in case. Which one of these towns offers the best of all worlds: Powder Restaurant Jobs (waiter) Favorable trading hours Good night life Reasonable ($) housing Might become a summer home as well.... Any thoughts??
Vail has better skiing than Aspen, assuming Japanese tourists don't bother you. It's probably cheaper to live in one of Vail's bedroom communities than Aspen, but I like the Aspen area better overall - don't underestimate the value of having the Glenwood hot springs nearby after a day of skiing. Work-wise, I have no clue.
You might want to consider Reno, NV. Not many people think of it as a skitown, but it is. There are 10+ ski areas in less than 2 hours away, and it is in the Pacific timezone, so you can be done by 1:30 pm and still ski 4-5 hours. Mt. Rose is less than 30 mins, and if you get fed up with the winter, San Francisco is only 4 hours away...Nevada also has no state income tax... The casinos have plenty of jobs and nightlife...
Actually Park City does fill most of your requirements and has a younger crowd than the others you mention. Quite a few decent restaurants. There are a few strange rules about alcohol but nothing obnoxious. We vacationed there for years. You are supposed to take a tram back to town from the mountain but I have always skied back to town. The place has a good energy. An attorney friend of ours in LA had a nervous breakdown about 20 years ago and fled to Park City. He shoveled snow off of roofs for a season or two and skied every day. Now he owns a business and is getting married and doing well there.
If Canada is an option, I am a big fan of Whistler. 90 minutes to downtown Vancouver also, which is a great city. Aren't Aspen and Vail full of old, rich people? I have only briefly passed through both of them, but that was the impression I got. I was in Whistler over the weekend and there were plenty of beautiful young ladies there, many of them with accents. I love the accents. Oh the powder is top notch in the winter too, of course.
Agree Whistler is a good mountain. Summers are good too :] Swimming in the lake on a hot summer day -- can't beat that.
The OP also should think about that other 5-6 months when there is no skiing. That might be the deciding factor....