Aspen. Four great mountains, very low crowds. Plus Aspen is a real town where people live. Vail is essentially a glorified truck stop off the interstate.

Here are some images from the Aspen/Snowmass mountains (Hanging Valley Headwall at Snowmass and Highland Bowl at Aspen Highland from Ajax):
http://www.syedfaisal.com/Photo_Albums/Ski-2006-2007/HVpano_small.jpg (broken link) http://www.syedfaisal.com/Photo_Albums/Ski-2006-2007/2007-01-22-ESA-Aspen-13_small.jpg (broken link)

Vail:
http://www.syedfaisal.com/Photo_Albums/Ski-2006-2007/2007-01-13-Vailpow-62_small.jpg (broken link) http://www.syedfaisal.com/Photo_Albums/Ski-2006-2007/2006-12-26-Vail-18_small.jpg (broken link)

Plus Aspen has great hiking and biking opportunities in the summer. The scenery is more spectacular than the Vail area IMHO.

Aspen (Maroon Bells):
http://www.syedfaisal.com/Photo_Albums/Maroon_Bells/Maroon_Bells_06_small.jpg (broken link) http://www.syedfaisal.com/Photo_Albums/Aspen2006/Aspen2006-176_small.JPG (broken link)

If you drive from the Denver airport, it'll take you about 3-3.5 hours in good weather, depending on the season (Independence Pass, which is the shortest route, is closed in the winter). I have absolutely no idea how the shuttle flights from Denver to Aspen are (i.e. how frequently they're canceled due to weather). If you can afford it, then obviously the shuttle flight is the way to go.

Another option is to fly into Eagle County Airport in Eagle and drive from there.

This is one of those threads that's entirely subjective, depending upon your point of view.

Aspen has better direct airport service with the airstrip near town, while Vail has commuter service at Eagle county airport, which requires a 40 minute (or so) drive to Vail.

While Aspen has 4 ski areas with distinct focus (Buttermilk for beginners, for example, Ajax mountain for the steep), Vail has so much terrain with the bowls and both sides of the hills, and Beaver Creek nearby, too, as part of the complex that there's more to ski in Vail. Does Aspen have a few steeper/more difficult runs than Vail ... IMO, yes. Do I ski those runs anymore after 30 years? NO.

Both towns have superb skiing. In a given season one may have better snow cover (marginally) than the other, but it's typical that both are excellent.

If you follow/believe the Ski magazine survey of skiiers each year, Vail comes out on top over Aspen by several ski areas each time.

Both have an abundance of restaurants, cultural events, excellent access to outdoor activities (fishing, hiking, biking, snow sports, wilderness access, etc.)

While Aspen has a "history" as a mining town and a longer cultural basis (music, performing arts) compared to Vail being a "created" town in the early 1970's, it's hard to now claim that the Vail area doesn't have a community and a real town presence.

There's a lot of folks that see their homes/condo's/townhomes but a few days each year in either place. The "real" full time resident population of both towns is roughly comparable.

From the perspective of wealth and expense, Aspen is much wealthier and far more pretentious and expensive than Vail. From the perspective of "being seen" (or seeing) by the "rich and famous" ... again, Aspen is a much bigger deal than Vail.

Having been faced with the choice between the two many years ago, I chose Vail as the place to buy a second home. It's much closer to the Front Range (only 100 miles from Denver, up I-70), and much more accessible during winter bad weather driving (a couple of hours vs 5 hours). I like the close proximity to Copper Mountain, which is good for friends coming up for day skiing from Denver, and 30 minutes away from Lake Dillon for sailing during the summer with a full marina for my boat. Aspen has Reudi close by (up the canyon from Basalt), but it's a narrow lake with typically strong winds coming up over the dam each day ... a challenge to sail (like Dillon), but a much much smaller lake.

For my money, the views and vistas from either town are comparable. I've camped out in the hills all around both towns, and they're both spectacular.

On the basis of cost of living if you're seeking to be there a couple of years, Vail is less expensive ....

Try Google Maps or MapQuest.Com: Maps, Directions and More. Since you're in ABQ, you should really visit both places to get a feel for each place. They have quite different vibes.

Albuquerque to Denver up I-25 is approx 6 hours driving in good weather, then I-70 to Vail approx 2 hours. I-70 to Glenwood is another hour and then the drive to Aspen can readily be 45 minutes or so. Winter time driving will make these times look good ... I've picked up friends at the Eagle airport and taken over 3 1/2 hours to drive to Aspen (friend's house up Castle Creek) and the roads were essentially cleared, but the traffic was very heavy the whole way.

Keep in mind that the valley corridor from Glenwood to Aspen can be very slow moving with commuter traffic everyday, and that's the only way into Aspen during the winter months.

What is the price range for a home in Aspen, or shouldn't I ask? I live in Las Vegas and a nice 2500 square foot home in a really nice neighborhood is $500,000 and up. Anything even near comparable in Aspen? I'd like to get down to the $500,000 range but think that Aspen may be the wrong place to try to do so.