At the opposite end of the spectrum is Buttermilk, an entire mountain focused on learning, with a plethora of beginner and intermediate terrain, very family friendly and simply one of the best places on earth to learn to ski or snowboard, with both great terrain and a top quality ski school.

FORBES: Why Aspen & Snowmass Is This Season's Hot Ski Destination

While both teams were telling a story in the same universe, Stern said the creative process was like digging a tunnel through opposite sides of a mountain to meet in the center.

CNN: 'Defiance' merges TV, video-gaming worlds

On the opposite coast, Los Angeles has opted to construct a garbage mountain 500 feet high, taller than most of the city's high-rises.

WSJ: Grappling With a Garbage Glut