Aspen Snowmass
3,342 acres, 98 runs near Aspen. Aspen Skiing Company's largest mountain, family destination, Ikon Pass.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
26 Nov 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
136
Annual snow
230in
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
230in
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
230 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Aspen Snowmass
Daily snow reports at Aspen Snowmass 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
15 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
124 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
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
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
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
Aspen Snowmass Trail Map
Downloadable Aspen Snowmass trail map
Terrain split
98
runs
Beginner5%
Intermediate48%
Advanced17%
Expert30%
3,342 acres skiable1,352 hectares
Resort Stats
Elevation
Base8,117ft
Summit12,510ft
Annual snowfall
230in
Season
2026 - 2027
26 Nov 2026 - 11 Apr 2027
Trail coverage
98 runs
3,342 acres (1,352 ha)
About Aspen Snowmass's trail map
Explore Aspen Snowmass's full trail map with 98 runs across the mountain, colour-coded by difficulty and shown alongside the terrain split. Use it to plan a day that matches your ability, find lift-served pockets of your favourite grade, and see how the resort links together. Download the piste map (PDF) ↗
More Aspen Snowmass intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.