Aspen Highlands
1,040 acres, 144 runs near Aspen. Legendary Highland Bowl, expert terrain, Ikon Pass access.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
12 Dec 2026
Closes
4 Apr 2027
Days open
113
Annual snow
240in
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
240in
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
240 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Aspen Highlands
Daily snow reports at Aspen Highlands go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
11 in
Snowiest day
5 Dec 2025
5.2 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
122 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
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
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
28 Oct 2026
Sulden am Ortler Pushes Its Season Start Back a Week to 7 November
Sulden am Ortler has called off its 31 October opening. The South Tyrol ski area has pushed its 2026/27 start back to Saturday 7 November, citing current weather and snow conditions and saying it will use the extra week to get the slopes in the best possible shape. The season is still scheduled to run through 2 May 2027. Elsewhere in Europe, around a dozen areas are already open, led by Sölden’s 30 kilometres of groomed runs.
28 Oct 2026
Aspen Highlands Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 30 Oct 2026
11,677ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Overcast32°F / 51°F · S 13mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
1in
Base depth
0in
Season total
5in
Typical winter 122in
Total lifts5
Live open status isn’t available right now.
12 Dec 2026 - 4 Apr 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 48 hours· Updated Oct 30, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
10,948 ftUpdated Oct 30, 2026 at 6:02 PMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
6.7"
Days 8–14
0.2"
Fri, Oct 30
Overcast
Temp51° / 32°°F
Snow0.0"(1%)
Wind13 mph S
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Aspen Highlands snow report
Get the latest Aspen Highlands snow report — real-time snowfall, snow depth, and mountain weather for this Colorado resort, spanning 2450m to 3559m in elevation.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Aspen Highlands is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 1109m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Snow quality tracks closely with temperature and wind. We surface both alongside the snowfall data so you can judge whether conditions at Aspen Highlands are holding up or starting to soften.
Data sources
Aspen Highlands snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place. The mountain is served by 5 lifts, including 3 quad chairlifts.
When to check
Snow reports are typically updated early morning and late afternoon. For the most current conditions, check back regularly, especially if a winter storm is approaching.