
Aspen Buttermilk
469 acres, 44 runs near Aspen. Winter X Games venue, beginner-friendly terrain, Ikon Pass access.
Aspen Buttermilk's summit reaches 9,902 feet, dropping 2,031 vertical feet to a base at 7,868 feet across 44 runs spread over 469 acres near Aspen, Colorado. Terrain splits 39 per cent intermediate, 35 per cent beginner, 21 per cent advanced and 5 per cent expert. Average annual snowfall runs to roughly 210 inches. The resort carries Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective affiliation. Four lifts, including three quad chairs and one double chair, serve the mountain alongside four surface lifts.
Buttermilk serves as the beginner-friendly counterpart within the four-mountain Aspen Skiing Company portfolio, offering considerably gentler terrain than its sister mountains, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Snowmass. Its role as the host of the Winter X Games has also given Buttermilk an unexpected international profile for a mountain built primarily around learning terrain.
Friedl Pfeifer, the Austrian ski instructor and racing champion who co-founded the Aspen Skiing Company in 1946, sold his interest in the company in 1958 and turned his attention to developing Buttermilk Mountain that same year, giving Aspen its dedicated beginner-focused ski area. Buttermilk subsequently joined the broader Aspen Skiing Company portfolio alongside Aspen Mountain, Highlands and, later, Snowmass.
Aspen Skiing Company's ownership has remained with the Crown family of Illinois since the mid-1980s, following the company's 1977 sale to Twentieth Century Fox and subsequent 1985 transition. Buttermilk continues to operate as the accessible, learning-focused member of the Aspen four-mountain family. Adult daily tickets run from 189 to 259 US dollars, matching pricing across all four Aspen Skiing Company mountains.
Aspen Buttermilk is the gentle member of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains, with 469 acres (190 hectares) of terrain over 44 runs. The base sits at 7,870 ft (2,399 m) and the summit at 9,900 ft (3,018 m), a vertical of 2,030 ft (619 m). Terrain divides into 35% beginner, 39% intermediate, 21% advanced and 5% expert, so it favours learners and cruisers. Snowfall averages around 210 inches a year. It is also the long-time home of the Winter X Games, so the terrain parks get as much attention as the learning slopes.
West Buttermilk Express serves the S3 Park beside the ski school, and Panda Peak adds a beginner chairlift, a rope tow and a magic carpet for first turns. Tiehack, served by the Tiehack Express high-speed quad, has steeper blues, some easy black runs, glades and the occasional small mogul zone for intermediates. Main Buttermilk Parks run from the top of Little Teaser through Uncle Chuck's and Jacob's Ladder toward the X Games park at the bottom of the mountain, where a 22-foot superpipe features in X Games Aspen. Expert skiers will run out of challenge quickly and should head to Aspen Highlands or Aspen Mountain. Families, beginners and progressing intermediates are the natural audience.
The 2025-26 season at Aspen Buttermilk ran from 14 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly sixteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 210 inches. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather and terrain park build schedules.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Buttermilk's beginner-and-intermediate-weighted terrain. As an Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective resort, Buttermilk draws families and beginner skiers specifically seeking gentler terrain than neighbouring Aspen Mountain, alongside visitors drawn by the mountain's Winter X Games hosting history.
Buttermilk's terrain parks and beginner-focused infrastructure continue to support strong family and learn-to-ski visitation throughout the season. School holiday periods bring substantial demand given the mountain's accessible terrain profile within the broader Aspen area. Weekend crowds draw from across the four-mountain Aspen Skiing Company visitor base.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and the Winter X Games is not confirmed in available resort information. Under continued Crown family ownership, Buttermilk continues building on nearly seven decades of history since Friedl Pfeifer's 1958 development of the mountain. Its role as Aspen's dedicated learning mountain remains central to its seasonal identity.
Daily snow reports at Aspen Buttermilk go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
Aspen Buttermilk sits near Aspen, Colorado, with a base elevation of 7,868 feet and a summit at 9,902 feet across a 2,031-foot vertical drop over 469 acres. This setting places Buttermilk within the broader Aspen ski area cluster alongside Aspen Mountain, Highlands and Snowmass.
Aspen itself offers extensive luxury lodging, dining and shopping within a short drive of Buttermilk, giving visitors access to the town's considerable amenities regardless of which of the four mountains they choose to ski. The broader Roaring Fork Valley surrounds the area with additional recreation.
Colorado State Highway 82 provides access to Buttermilk from Aspen and the broader region. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled highway is regularly maintained given the area's status as a major ski destination. Free shuttle services connect Buttermilk to downtown Aspen and the other three mountains.
Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, within a short drive, offers direct flights from numerous major US cities, making Buttermilk and the broader Aspen area genuinely accessible for fly-in visitors from across the country.
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Opening day for the winter 2026 - 2027 season is scheduled for Dec 12, 2026 (subject to change). Lift tickets at Aspen Buttermilk typically go on sale well before the start of the ski season.
Our lift ticket pricing was last updated on Oct 8, 2026.
Day passes start from US$132, with peak rates up to US$309.
1-Day Lift Ticket valid at any of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains (Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, Snowmass) for the 2026/27 season, ages 18-64. Aspen Snowmass uses fully dynamic date-based pricing; regular/peak reflect the confirmed low/high price observed on the resort's own booking calendar (Dec 2, 2026 non-holiday to Dec 26, 2026 holiday). December sample only - January/February peak weeks may run higher.
Buy pass1-Day Lift Ticket for teens 13-17, valid at any of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains for the 2026/27 season. Dynamic date-based pricing; regular/peak reflect the confirmed low/high price observed on the resort's own booking calendar (Dec 2, 2026 non-holiday to Dec 26, 2026 holiday). December sample only.
Buy pass1-Day Lift Ticket for children 7-12, valid at any of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains for the 2026/27 season. Dynamic date-based pricing; regular/peak reflect the confirmed low/high price observed on the resort's own booking calendar (Dec 2, 2026 non-holiday to Dec 26, 2026 holiday). December sample only. Children 6 & under ski free.
Buy pass1-Day Lift Ticket for seniors 65+, valid at any of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains for the 2026/27 season. Dynamic date-based pricing; regular/peak reflect the confirmed low/high price observed on the resort's own booking calendar (Dec 2, 2026 non-holiday to Dec 26, 2026 holiday). December sample only.
Buy pass2-Day Lift Ticket valid at any of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains for the 2026/27 season, ages 18-64. Dynamic date-based pricing; regular/peak reflect the confirmed low/high total price observed on the resort's own booking calendar (Dec 2, 2026 non-holiday start to Dec 26, 2026 holiday start). December sample only.
Buy pass3-Day Lift Ticket valid at any of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains for the 2026/27 season, ages 18-64. Dynamic date-based pricing; regular/peak reflect the confirmed low/high total price observed on the resort's own booking calendar (Dec 2, 2026 non-holiday start to Dec 26, 2026 holiday start). December sample only.
Buy passFlex Pass (4-Day, Adult) for the 2026/27 season - new flexible pass, choose any 4 days all season across all four Aspen Snowmass mountains, no blackout dates. Confirmed flat price from the resort's own store for the 4-day tier; 5, 6, and 7-day tiers also available at a higher price.
Buy passPremier Pass (Adult 18-64) for the 2026/27 season - unlimited, unrestricted access to all four Aspen Snowmass mountains with no blackout dates. Confirmed flat price from the resort's own store; includes a complimentary Ikon Base Pass, complimentary Uphill Pass, eight transferable 50% off Friends & Family lift ticket vouchers, and other dining/retail/lesson discounts.
Buy passWeekday Pass (Adult) for the 2026/27 season - new unlimited Monday-Friday access to all four Aspen Snowmass mountains, no blackouts, including early and late season bonus weekends. Confirmed flat price from the resort's own store.
Buy passMore Aspen Buttermilk intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.