By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

If you are planning a ski trip this season (and why not, since it is better to embrace the cold than suffer in the smog of Mexico City?), there are a seemingly endless array of nearby destinations to take to the slopes.

But the good folks of Aspen Snowmass are offering a list of five good reasons why their resort is the best choice for Mexican skiers.

Their arguments start off with the fact that Aspen Snowmass is a real, natural ski destination.

Aspen was not created by 20th century artificial development plans.

The town sprang out of a silver rush in 1879, and the modern city reflects its colorful past, with historical buildings intermingled with high-end international boutiques.

Reason Number Two, they note, is that the Aspen airport is just seven minutes from Snowmass Village, so you can hit the slopes shortly after landing (no one wants to spend all their vacation time coming and going).

Reason Three: Aspen Snowmass has a bonanza of four different mountains, making it one of the world’s largest ski resorts. (Imagine a different mountain every day of your vacation.)

And all those many slopes are responsible for Reason Number Four, which is that there is practically no waiting in lines for gondolas and ski lifts.

Reason Five?

Great food.

Yes, Aspen is renowned for its haute cuisine fare, as well as plenty of hardy downhome cooking.

The city is a culinary paradise, where even those who prefer to sit by the fire and sip hot buttered rums to risking life and limb (especially the latter) on the slopes can indulge themselves with great meals and premier shopping tours.

Those are reasons enough for me.