Aspen is the ski town you know even when you don’t know the names of any other ski towns. It is the original ski town – the one by which all others are compared – where classic Colorado charm comes to be brightened up by celebrity bling.
Aspen is where Hunter S Thompson used to write and drink at the J Bar, at Hotel Jerome. It’s where the old school mining history meets contemporary art museums and hidden lakes. It’s where you can wander the streets and find Gucci, Burberry and Moncler alongside thrift shops and bakeries.
It’s where you might spot Jack Nicholson or Mariah Carey on a gondola, walk down the street by Kate Hudson and Elle Macpherson or ski right by Kevin Costner, Goldie Hawn and the Obamas.
It’s where you can enjoy a late lunch dancing on tables and sprayed in champagne at Cloud 9 before heading to The Sky Hotel downtown to drink with the glitterati. Then you can make your way to dinner at one of the many restaurants and eat like a king.
But that all pales in comparison to the mecca that can be found for ski foodies. With four mountains to choose from, offering 5500 acres of skiable terrain and over 500 kilometres of marked trails across Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. All paired with the resort’s dedication to the earth, from the CEO, Mike Kaplan, down.
Aspen were the first to take an interest in sustainability in the ski industry, kicking off with the first solar arrays and always leading the way with events, meetups, panels, discussions and open letters, all encouraging visitors to become activists on climate change.
There’s no doubt Aspen have always led the way and they’ve always welcomed Australians with open arms, celebrating Australia Day in January with Tim Tams and vegemite on toast for complimentary breakfast at the gondola.
When Australia was burning, Aspen stepped up and offered a gazillion auction items for Snow Aid Australia, because they care about our country. And now they’re leading the way all over again with their COVID-10 safety plan and changes.
Aspen’s COVID-19 plan
Aspen were the first resort to come up with a community-wide “worry-free cancellation policy” for the 2020-2021 season, knowing that COVID-19 has changed a lot for skiers and boarders.
From September 1, the COVID-19 Protection Clause came in to platy to protect guests against extreme and currently unknown circumstances that could impede their travel to Aspen. It provides a worry-free booking experience, 100% of deposits paid will be rolled over as a credit to the 2021-2022 season due to the following:
- Government-mandated travel restriction (guest place of residence or Aspen Snowmass)
- Government-mandated shut down of lodging operations and/or ski resort closure
- Positive COVID-19 test result within 14-days of arrival date, provided with a minimum of 24-hours’ notice
If you’re based in the US and able to travel this season, the Aspen Snowmass App has been updated to give you access to everything you need to enjoy your trip without necessarily needing to stop by the ticket office. Add additional days to your lift ticket, purchase lessons and rentals, order food at select on-mountain restaurants, sign waivers, and access in-App rewards and Passholder Benefits.
For when international travel may be back up and running again, social distancing won’t be a worry. Aspen has four mountains that offer up over ten points of entry, compared to many ski resorts that only have one mountain and a couple of points of entry.
While the big après parties may no longer be the focus, Aspen’s going back to its roots this season and focusing on an ‘old school ski experience’. That means getting outside, enjoying nature and reveling in the wonderful feeling of schussing across snow – going back to our roots as skiers, taking deep breaths, getting outside, enjoying an amazing sport and relaxing in the scenery with your family.
And when Aussies are ready to get back there, you bet Aspen will be there waiting for us.
What’s new this season
There’s just a bit to look forward to for when we can all pack up our ski bags and get on planes again…
New top-to-bottom snowmaking on Aspen Mountain, guaranteeing snow at the upper elevations even early in the season. This includes 28 new automated, energy-efficient snowguns.
A new chairlift on Snowmass. This summer, Aspen Snowmass replaced the Big Burn lift with a new six-passenger, high-speed $10.8 million chairlift.
A new on-mountain restaurant called Sam’s, a modern Italian concept, as well as the significant Snowmass Base Village (SBV) development, which includes the build-out of a new Limelight Hotel Snowmass, a large Four Mountain Sports rental/retail store, an ice skating rink, The Collective Snowmass community building, and new restaurants and shops.
The remodel of The Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center, a is a multilevel childcare and ski school facility in Snowmass Base Village, including Colorado-themed playrooms such as the Butterfly Room, the Trout Haven Room, the Beaver Lodge room as well as a multi-layered climbing room for exploration.
To keep dreaming about Aspen and stay connected with everything they’re up to, click here.
