The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Aspen Snowmass's summit reaches 12,510 feet, dropping 4,393 vertical feet to a base at 8,117 feet across 98 runs spread over 3,342 acres near Aspen, Colorado. Terrain splits 48 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent expert, 17 per cent advanced and 5 per cent beginner. Average annual snowfall runs to roughly 230 inches. The resort carries Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective affiliation. Twenty lifts, including ten quad chairs and one six-person chair, serve the mountain alongside one double chair, two gondolas, four surface lifts and two t-bars.
Snowmass is the largest of the four mountains within the Aspen Skiing Company portfolio by a considerable margin, and its scale and terrain variety have made it a genuine family and destination-skiing counterpart to the more specialised Aspen Mountain and Highlands. Its considerable 4,393-foot vertical drop ranks among the largest of any American ski resort.
The Aspen Skiing Company, founded in 1946 by Friedl Pfeifer, Walter Paepcke and their partners, opened Snowmass, then known as the Snowmass-at-Aspen Ski Area, in 1967, more than two decades after the company's original Aspen Mountain operation. This later development gave the company a considerably larger, more varied fourth mountain to complement its original downtown-adjacent terrain.
Aspen Skiing Company ownership has remained with the Crown family of Illinois since the mid-1980s, following the company's 1977 sale to Twentieth Century Fox. Snowmass continues to anchor the broader Aspen Skiing Company portfolio as its largest and most family-oriented mountain. Adult daily tickets run from 189 to 259 US dollars.
4,393ft
Vertical
98
Runs
3,342 acres
Skiable
19ft
Annual snow
Ikon / Mountain Collective
Pass
The Terrain
98 runs across 3,342 acres skiable
Aspen Snowmass is the largest of the four Aspen mountains, covering 3,342 acres (1,353 hectares) across 98 runs. The base is at 8,120 ft (2,474 m) and the summit reaches 12,510 ft (3,813 m), a vertical drop of 4,390 ft (1,339 m). Intermediate runs dominate at 48%, with 30% expert, 17% advanced and 5% beginner. Snowfall averages around 230 inches a year. The mountain divides into several sections: the Big Burn, the Cirque, High Alpine, Sam's Knob and Elk Camp. Each has its own character, from gentle cruising to steep hike-to terrain.
The Big Burn is known for its widely spaced trees, the legacy of a forest fire in the 1880s, while Elk Camp, served by an eight-person gondola, offers plenty of trails and a short hike to Long Shot. Head to High Alpine and on to Hanging Valley for the steeps and deeps, and look to the Cirque for terrain overlooking the resort. Burnt Mountain Glades have a backcountry feel. Fanny Hill and Assay Hill are wide, easy green circle slopes beside Snowmass Village, with a four-person chairlift on Assay Hill. Snowmass suits mixed groups, families and strong intermediates, and experts will find enough steeps to keep busy for several days.
Terrain split
98
runs
98 runs across 4 grades
Beginner5 runs · 5%
Intermediate47 runs · 48%
Advanced17 runs · 17%
Expert29 runs · 30%
Time it right
When to visit Aspen Snowmass
The 2025-26 season at Aspen Snowmass ran from 28 November 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly nineteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 230 inches. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions across Snowmass's varied terrain and considerable 4,393-foot vertical drop. As an Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective resort, Snowmass draws substantial family and destination visitation, distinct from the more specialised, expert-focused character of sister mountains Aspen Mountain and Highlands.
Snowmass's considerable scale and variety continue to support strong visitor capacity during peak weekend and holiday periods, aided by extensive on-mountain village amenities. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's varied terrain across beginner through expert skiing and considerable base area infrastructure.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Under continued Crown family ownership of the Aspen Skiing Company, Snowmass continues building on nearly six decades of history since its 1967 opening. The mountain's considerable scale and family-oriented character remain central to its role within the broader Aspen Skiing Company portfolio.
Season 2026 - 2027
26 Nov 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
136
Days open
19 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Aspen Snowmass, and where to stay
Aspen Snowmass sits near Aspen, Colorado, with a base elevation of 8,117 feet and a summit at 12,510 feet across a 4,393-foot vertical drop over 3,342 acres. This setting places Snowmass within the broader Aspen ski area cluster, though with its own dedicated village and base area.
Snowmass Village provides substantial on-site lodging, dining and shopping directly at the mountain's base, giving Snowmass a genuinely self-contained destination-resort character distinct from the other three Aspen mountains. Aspen itself lies within a reasonable drive, offering additional amenities.
Colorado State Highway 82 provides access to Snowmass Village 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 Snowmass 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 Snowmass and the broader Aspen area genuinely accessible for fly-in visitors from across the country and internationally.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Aspen Snowmass, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Vermont Ski Resort Opening Dates 2026-27: Few Dates Set, Killington Waits on the Cold
Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.
9 Oct 2026
Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships President Resigns Ahead of Fraud Hearing
Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.
9 Oct 2026
Kelly Canyon, Idaho, Adds Snowmaking, a Bigger Terrain Park and More Parking for 2026-27
Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.
9 Oct 2026
Valle Nevado Extends Season to November 8 After 108 cm in 48 Hours
Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.
9 Oct 2026
Alps Snow Forecast: Cold Front Brings Thursday Snow to the High Alps
The Alps look a lot more like winter today, for a day or so. A cold front is moving west to east, dropping up to 35 cm on high glaciers and peaks, with snow levels falling to around 1,500-1,800 m at times. Don’t plan a trip around it: mid-elevation snow will be thin and wet, every area is closed bar a limited Sölden glacier opening tomorrow, and warmer weather returns by Monday.
8 Oct 2026
California Ski Resort Opening Dates 2026-27: Mammoth Leads, Tahoe Follows
Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.
7 Oct 2026
Colorado Ski Resort Opening Dates 2026-27: A-Basin and Keystone Race to Be First
Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.
5 Oct 2026
Dolomiti Superski 2026-27: Four New Gondolas, New Reservoirs and an €89 Peak Day Pass
Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.
4 Oct 2026
Aspen Snowmass Lift System
Aspen Snowmass runs twenty lifts: one double chair, ten quad chairs, one six-person chair, two gondolas, four surface lifts and two t-bars, serving 98 runs across 3,342 acres, the largest terrain footprint of any Aspen Skiing Company mountain. This extensive network has developed since Snowmass's 1967 opening, more than two decades after its sister mountain, Aspen Mountain.
The considerable scale of this later development reflects Snowmass's role as the Aspen Skiing Company's largest, most varied mountain, built to accommodate substantially more terrain and skier volume than the company's original, more compact Aspen Mountain operation.
The ten quad chairs and two gondolas distribute the considerable skier volume across Snowmass's varied terrain, spanning the mountain's full 4,393-foot vertical drop, among the largest of any American ski resort. The double chair, surface lifts and t-bars provide additional capacity across beginner and lower-mountain terrain.
Under continued Crown family ownership of the Aspen Skiing Company, investment has supported this extensive twenty-lift network. Specific recent individual lift replacement projects are not confirmed in available resort information. Snowmass's considerable lift infrastructure remains central to its role as the largest and most family-oriented of the four Aspen mountains.
20lifts across 6 types
2
Gondolas
1
6-Person Chair
10
Quad Chairs
1
Double Chair
2
T-Bars
4
Surface Lifts
Aspen Snowmass lift system
Aspen Snowmass is served by 20 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 Snowmass intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.