The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Aspen Highlands' summit reaches 11,675 feet, dropping 3,638 vertical feet to a base at 8,038 feet across 144 runs spread over 1,040 acres near Aspen, Colorado. Terrain splits 65 per cent expert, 23 per cent intermediate and 12 per cent advanced, with no beginner-rated runs. Average annual snowfall runs to roughly 240 inches. The resort carries Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective affiliation. Five lifts, including three quad chairs and two double chairs, serve the mountain.
Aspen Highlands is best known for Highland Bowl, a legendary hike-to expert zone that has become one of the most celebrated pieces of extreme terrain anywhere in North America. With 65 per cent of its runs rated expert, Highlands carries the most demanding terrain profile among the four Aspen Skiing Company mountains.
Colorado Ski Hall of Famer Whip Jones founded Aspen Highlands in 1958, developing it as an independent mountain distinct from the Aspen Skiing Company's original Aspen Mountain operation. The Aspen Skiing Company eventually assumed ownership and operation of Highlands in 1993, bringing the mountain into the same four-peak portfolio as Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk and Snowmass.
Under Aspen Skiing Company ownership, now held by the Crown family of Illinois, Highland Bowl received significant lift-served access development, transforming what was once purely hike-to terrain into a considerably more accessible, though still genuinely demanding, expert zone. Adult daily tickets run from 189 to 259 US dollars, with a dedicated Highland Bowl access ticket available.
3,638ft
Vertical
144
Runs
1,040 acres
Skiable
20ft
Annual snow
Ikon / Mountain Collective
Pass
The Terrain
144 runs across 1,040 acres skiable
Aspen Highlands packs 1,040 acres (421 hectares) and 144 runs into a mountain with a serious reputation. The base is at 8,040 ft (2,450 m) and the lift-served summit reaches 11,680 ft (3,559 m), a vertical drop of 3,640 ft (1,109 m). The split is dramatic, with 65% expert, 12% advanced and 23% intermediate, and no beginner rating at all. Snowfall averages around 240 inches a year. Many of the best lines drop off the ridgelines above Loge Peak and Deep Temerity, the mountain's highest chairlifts.
Highland Bowl is the headline, reached on foot from the top of the Loge Peak and Deep Temerity lifts: the bootpack climbs about 782 ft, takes 30 to 60 minutes, and tops out at 12,392 ft. The south-facing Y-Zones are the steepest, with slopes up to 48 degrees. Steeplechase and the 199 acres of glades in Olympic Bowl hold much of the advanced and expert skiing. Cloud Nine serves groomed blues such as Meadows, Kandahar and Gunbarrel, plus Scarlett's, a notorious mogul run. Highlands suits expert and strong advanced skiers, and beginners will be better served at Buttermilk or Snowmass.
Terrain split
144
runs
144 runs across 4 grades
Beginner0 runs · 0%
Intermediate33 runs · 23%
Advanced17 runs · 12%
Expert94 runs · 65%
Time it right
When to visit Aspen Highlands
The 2025-26 season at Aspen Highlands ran from 14 December 2025 to 29 March 2026, a roughly fifteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 240 inches. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather and Highland Bowl's typically later seasonal opening.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Highlands' heavily expert-weighted terrain. As an Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective resort, Highlands draws serious, experienced skiers specifically seeking Highland Bowl and the mountain's demanding overall terrain profile, distinct from the more beginner-friendly Aspen mountains.
Highland Bowl access typically depends on favourable avalanche conditions and seasonal timing, meaning the bowl's opening can vary considerably within a given winter. School holiday periods bring some visitation, though the resort's overwhelmingly expert-weighted terrain keeps its visitor base skewed toward experienced skiers throughout the season.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Under continued Crown family ownership since the Aspen Skiing Company assumed operation in 1993, Highlands continues building on more than six decades of history since Whip Jones' 1958 founding. Highland Bowl's legendary status remains central to the mountain's seasonal identity.
Season 2026 - 2027
12 Dec 2026
Opens
4 Apr 2027
Closes
113
Days open
20 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Aspen Highlands, and where to stay
Aspen Highlands sits near Aspen, Colorado, with a base elevation of 8,038 feet and a summit at 11,675 feet across a 3,638-foot vertical drop over 1,040 acres. This setting places Highlands within the broader Aspen ski area cluster, offering spectacular views toward the Maroon Bells.
Aspen itself offers extensive luxury lodging, dining and shopping within a short drive of Highlands, giving visitors access to the town's considerable amenities. The broader Roaring Fork Valley surrounds the area with additional recreation and some of Colorado's most photographed mountain scenery.
Colorado State Highway 82 provides access to Highlands 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 Highlands 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 Highlands and the broader Aspen area genuinely accessible for fly-in visitors seeking the mountain's legendary expert terrain.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Aspen Highlands, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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7 Oct 2026
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Aspen Highlands Lift System
Aspen Highlands runs five lifts: two double chairs and three quad chairs, serving 144 runs across 1,040 acres, with the resort's legendary Highland Bowl reached via a combination of lift access and hiking. This lift network supports one of the most expert-heavy terrain profiles of any major American ski resort.
The mountain's infrastructure developed independently under founder Whip Jones from 1958 before the Aspen Skiing Company assumed ownership and operation in 1993, bringing Highlands into the same four-mountain portfolio as Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk and Snowmass.
The quad chairs carry skiers toward the upper mountain and the approach to Highland Bowl, where a further hike is required to access the bowl's considerable expert terrain, a genuinely demanding combination that has built Highlands' reputation among serious skiers. The double chairs serve the mountain's more moderate intermediate and advanced terrain lower down.
Under continued Crown family ownership of the Aspen Skiing Company, investment has supported this five-lift network and the associated Highland Bowl access infrastructure. Specific recent individual lift replacement projects are not confirmed in available resort information. Highland Bowl's combination of lift access and hike-to terrain remains a defining feature of Highlands' identity.
5lifts across 2 types
3
Quad Chairs
2
Double Chairs
Aspen Highlands lift system
Aspen Highlands is served by 5 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Aspen Highlands intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.