Aspen Snowmass Celebrates 80 Years as it Welcomes Another Exciting Winter Season

Aspen Snowmass announces ‘what’s new’ for winter 2026/27, including celebrations for its milestone 80th anniversary and mountain experience investments 
 
ASPEN, Colo. – As Aspen Snowmass, the mountain division of Aspen One, celebrates its 80th anniversary this winter, the resort is unveiling major on-mountain enhancements, transformative dining experiences, and elevated guest offerings that build on eight decades of mountain culture and reinforce its position as North America’s premier mountain destination. From the complete reimagining of Ullrhof restaurant at Snowmass, to the debut of the Nell Bell chairlift at Aspen Mountain, from throwback anniversary pricing on lift tickets, to extended Pass options and new culinary offerings, here’s what’s new and noteworthy for an incredible 2026/27 winter season. 
 
Marquee Mountain Projects 

Ullrhof Restaurant at Snowmass: After a $42 million transformation, beloved Snowmass restaurant Ullrhof will reopen this winter as a completely reimagined 26,000-square-foot mid-mountain dining destination. The new structure replaces the 56-year-old building with state-of-the-art facility that more than doubles capacity to 600+, featuring four distinct dining concepts spanning two floors that serve every moment of a day on the mountain. 

A cornerstone of Aspen One’s sustainability commitment, Ullrhof will be the resort’s first fully on-mountain electric restaurant – an important milestone in the company’s goal to build all-electric across new construction wherever possible. 

The venue is home to four unique concepts under a single roof, offering something for everyone:  
•    Ullrhof – Casual mountain dining, offering gourmet burgers and sandwiches, salads, signature shareables, and famous milkshakes. 
•    Ullrmarket – A full-service espresso bar and market featuring hand-crafted coffee drinks paired with fresh pastries, plus grab-and-go snacks.  
•    Ullrbar – Located on the top floor and opening out to an outdoor deck, the bar offers upscale shareable foods, table service, and craft cocktails. 
•    Ullrgrill – An outdoor bar and grill concept featuring hot dogs, brats, and doughnuts. Open on sunny days only. 
  
Nell Bell Chairlift: Aspen Mountain is adding a new high-speed detachable quad chairlift, replacing the iconic Bell Mountain (1957) and Little Nell (1986) lifts. Providing unprecedented access in only nine minutes to the core of Aspen Mountain and some of its best terrain from the base, the new Nell Bell lift is accessible from the base of Aspen Mountain’s Gondola Plaza to the top of Bell Mountain. With 135 chairs and a 2,656-foot vertical rise, the new Nell Bell chairlift is set to open early in the 2026/27 season.  
 
Clean Backup Energy: At Elk Camp, a new battery system provides backup power to keep the Elk Camp chairlift running during outages. The battery installation marks a major milestone, making Elk Camp the world’s first battery-backed chairlift. This is a significant shift from standard backup generators that use diesel – the prior backup generator for this lift created roughly 144 tons of carbon emissions a year. This new battery is yet another investment in reliable, clean mountain infrastructure, and a clear example of Aspen One’s commitment to sustainability. Outside of operating hours, utility provider Holy Cross Energy will pull stored power from the battery back into the grid, reducing peak demand and helping Holy Cross provide 100% clean energy to its entire network. 
 
Enhanced Snowmaking: Aspen Snowmass continues to invest in more efficient snowmaking to deliver reliable conditions, especially in the early and late season. This year, the resort added two miles of new pipeline and extended snowmaking toward the top of Buttermilk to support more dependable snow coverage when guests need it most. Such investments included new fan guns and air/water guns, a new booster pump station at Buttermilk, and a fully upgraded Ruthie’s pump station on Aspen Mountain. Combined, the snowmaking improvements will add capacity and improve energy efficiency, helping ensure top-quality snow coverage regardless of weather conditions. 
 
Mountain Health: With a focus on maintaining forest health and wildfire resiliency, the Aspen Snowmass team worked on nearly 80 acres of terrain across the resort’s four mountains to ensure the long-term viability of each mountain. The resort also contributed to a collaborative effort to create more wildfire-resilient conditions on Shadow Mountain in Aspen, using strategic forest health and vegetation removal. As stewards of these mountains, the team protects the nature that powers the resort while ensuring this work supports an excellent experience for skiers and riders each winter. 
 
On-Mountain Dining & Après Experiences 

This season, Aspen Snowmass continues to elevate its culinary reputation with expanded food and beverage programs, new menu concepts, and signature experiences that differentiate the resort from other destinations. 

Breakfast Expansion Across All Mountains: Expand breakfast offerings. Breakfast is getting a tune-up for guests this season with:  
•    Cinnamon rolls at all market restaurants on Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk 
•    Signature Bloody Marys with variations across all market restaurants on each mountain, as well as the return of the popular Ullrhof Bloody Mary at Ullrhof 
•    Breakfast burritos for grab-and-go at Elk Camp on Snowmass 
•    Espresso bar service and fresh pastries at Ullrhof Market on Snowmass 
•    Full all-day Sunday buffets at Elk Camp on Snowmass  
•    Sam’s Breakfast at Sam’s featuring bar service, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches at the fine dining Snowmass restaurant 

Down4Pizza Pop-Up: Up4Pizza, located atop Snowmass, and arguably the highest elevation pizzeria in America, will bring its craveable pizza and decadent cookies to a new pop-up location further down the mountain. Down4Pizza will take over the Spider Sabich mid-mountain picnic area near the Makaha Terrain Park, and will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, making Up4Pizza’s signature fare accessible to guests at a convenient location and lower elevation. 

Après and Entertainment at Aspen Mountain & Snowmass: Aspen Snowmass’ elevated après experience comes to life with two premier destinations: Eleven212, perched at 11,212 ft. atop Aspen Mountain and The Cabin at Snowmass, both feature enhanced entertainment programming, bringing live music and DJ experiences alongside food, drinks, and fireside mountain settings.  
 
Mountain Access Products 

Aspen Snowmass provides a variety of mountain access products — including some new innovative offerings — from full season passes to day passes, lift ticket bundles, and more.  

Premier Pass Offers More Benefits Than Ever: The Premier Pass delivers year-round value with unlimited access and exclusive benefits designed to enhance every aspect of the mountain experience. Premier Pass holders receive eight friends and family 50% off daily lift tickets; one Demo Day to try ski and snowboard equipment and two complimentary Gold Tunes at  Four Mountain Sports; 20% off dining at fast-casual on-mountain restaurants;  two 50% off Aspen Snowmass Ski & Snowboard School group lessons; expanded summer sightseeing benefits; 20% off Aspen Collection and Aspen Snowmass logo wear; sightseeing benefits; and 20% off parking at Aspen Highlands’ parking garage and Snowmass’ Two Creeks lot.   

Flex & Weekday Passes: The new Flex Pass offers four-to-seven days of unlimited skiing and riding across all four mountains with no blackout dates. Guests can choose the number of days that work for their season, and days can be used anytime throughout the winter without needing to be consecutive. The Weekday Pass provides unlimited Monday-through-Friday access with no blackout dates, plus weekend skiing from Opening Day through December 13 and again from April 5 through Closing Day, offering a perfect option for locals and frequent weekday visitors. The Flex Pass is on sale through October 30, 2026.  

3-Day First Time Lesson Package: For first-time skiers and riders, the new 3-Day First Time Lesson Package is designed for beginners and includes everything needed to get started: lift ticket, group lesson instruction, and rental equipment. Upon completion of the program, guests qualify for complimentary lift access and standard rental equipment for the rest of the season, subject to availability, on transforming a first-time lesson into a lasting mountain connection. 

Book Group Lessons, Save on Lift Tickets: Adults can now save on lift tickets when they book group lessons, an offer previously available to children only. Adult lift tickets with a group lesson are $175, and seniors 65-years-old and older pay $86. Aspen Snowmass will also introduce Highlands Deluxe, a private lesson experience built around guests’ goals and starting at $899 for up to five people. Available from January 19 – February 6, 2027, and hosted on Aspen Highlands, home to the legendary Highland Bowl, skiers and riders will enjoy focused instruction, a custom pace, and the option to add more days. 
 
World Class Events 

Competitions at Buttermilk: The Snow League returns to Buttermilk January 7–9, 2027, with an expanded freeski field and evolved competition format. X Games Aspen returns January 29–31, 2027, for its 26th year with Aspen Snowmass. The 2027 U.S. Toyota Grand Prix rounds out the competition season at Buttermilk on February 27–28, 2027, and is one of 13 record domestic FIS World Cup events this season. 

Winter Festivities: Aspen Snowmass will ring in its 80th anniversary season with celebrations throughout winter, starting Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, with lift tickets discounted to $80 on both days, for skiing and snowboarding across all four mountains. Rental packages, food and beverage specials, and lodging discounts will also be available throughout the weekend. Limited edition 80th anniversary apparel will also be available through Aspen Collection throughout the season online and in-store. Aspen Snowmass Pass holders will qualify for additional giveaways and event promotions as well.   

Wintersköl celebrates its 75th anniversary from December 10–13, 2026, with on-mountain activities, snow sculptures, soup-tasting contests, a beer festival, live music, a bonfire, torchlight descent, and fireworks. Aspen Gay Ski Week returns January 17–24, 2027 for its 50th Golden Jubilee celebration with skiing, après, panels, pool parties, and cultural programming.  
 
Rental and Retail Services 

Four Mountain Sports and Aspen Collection provide world-class rental and retail services that round out the guest experience.  

Aspen Snowmass will also introduce Alpine 46, a new rental and retail concept that debuts this winter at the former Four Mountain Sports location at the Sundeck restaurant on Aspen Mountain. The name pairs the alpine terrain that shaped the company with 1946, the year Aspen Skiing Company was founded. The store offers a premium lineup of technical apparel, hardgoods and accessories, with each brand chosen for its mountain performance, craftsmanship, and sense of place. Owned and operated by Aspen Snowmass, Alpine 46 provides guests with a more elevated way to gear up for a day on the mountain. 

Aspen Collection’s new Fall/Winter 2026/27 lineup draws on the town’s enduring connection between mountain life and personal style. Heritage-inspired fashion patterns meet performance materials, including merino wool and PrimaLoft, in apparel designed to move from a day on the slopes to an evening in town. The brand continues to expand its mountain-inspired product lines with store locations in Gondola Plaza and Snowmass Village, offering premium gear, rentals, and café services. New this season, guests will receive a complimentary one-day lift ticket with the purchase of select Aspen Collection jackets or kits, available in-store only. 
 
Employee Uniforms 

Aspen Snowmass will debut new employee uniforms designed and tested by Aspen Collection this season. The 2026/27 uniform program represents a comprehensive evolution, developed by the Aspen Collection design team and reflective of feedback from more than 300 employee testers, who helped shape every detail. 

Previous seasons’ uniforms are being donated to Colorado Mountain College’s Aspen campus, where students will collaborate with designers at Aspen Collection to give jackets a second life.  
 
Art in Unexpected Places

Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes is featured in Aspen One’s Art in Unexpected Places (ArtUP) program this winter. Milhazes’ artwork will adorn the Silver Queen Gondola station at Aspen Mountain‘s base and appear on 2026/27 season lift tickets and passes, turning them into collectible art. 
 
Hotel Experiences 

The Little Nell remains Aspen’s only Five-Star, Five-Diamond ski-in/ski-out hotel, anchoring Aspen One’s hospitality portfolio at the base of Aspen Mountain. This winter, guests can experience Thanksgiving offerings, which coincides with Opening Day, including an elegant dining experience at Element 47 on November 26, casual mountain dining at Ajax Tavern on November 26, and Thanksgiving To-Go by The Little Nell for guests celebrating at their accommodations. The Little Nell also has a full slate of new winter programming throughout the 2026/27 season, including a Maybe Sammy residency at The Wine Bar and return of celebrity facialist Georgia Louise at The Spa at The Little Nell. Importantly, this winter is one worth celebrating before the iconic hotel temporarily closes for a comprehensive renovation of its guest rooms, public spaces, and dining outlets. The property will close in April 2027 and is set to reopen in early summer 2028.  

Limelight Hotels in Aspen and Snowmass round out the local Aspen One hospitality portfolio with accessible luxury and seasonal programming that welcomes families and groups to the mountains.

Premier Pass holders receive 20% off stays and food-and-beverage credits at The Little Nell and both Limelight locations. 
 
Winter 2026/27 Operating Dates 
Aspen Mountain: Nov. 26, 2026-April 18, 2027 
Aspen Highlands: Dec. 12, 2026-April 11, 2027 
Buttermilk: Dec. 12, 2026-April 4, 2027 
Snowmass: Nov. 26, 2026-April 11, 2027