Capital Improvements

Aspen Mountain Summer Enhancement Plan Continues

Scheduled to be a multi-phase project, Aspen Skiing Company began the process of improving the top of Aspen Mountain last summer for visitors and locals to enjoy the surrounding outdoors year-round. The first phase of the project consisted of new signage, walking paths, landscaping, children's play features, lawn games and more. This fall, a complete renovation of the welcome plaza in between the Gondola Building and the Sundeck will take place and include an expanded observation deck for viewing the Elk Mountain Range. Future project phases will see additional play opportunities for children and improved guest amenities centered on enjoying the alpine environment.

 

Food & Beverage

Expanded Farm to Table Dinners

Last August, Elk Camp restaurant located mid-mountain on Snowmass introduced Farm to Table Dinners. Due to popularity, the dinners will not only be back, but will include an expanded schedule that kicks-off Tuesday, Jul. 19 and runs every Tuesday until Aug. 23. The culinary experience includes a free ride up the Elk Camp gondola to the restaurant where guests can enjoy locally-sourced ingredients in a farm-to-table inspired à la carte dinner format with full cash bar, outdoor family activities and live music. Food and beverage options are sourced from local farmers and companies such as Crystal River Meats, Rock Bottom Ranch, Farm Runners, Woody Creek Distillery, The Roaring Fork Beer Co, Marble Distillery, Aspen Beer Co. and more. Five percent of food sales will go to Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) and The Roaring Fork Conservancy. Each organization will have representatives on site to speak about the various food and beverages.

 

Snowmass Bike Park

Snowmass Bike Park Trail Extension

The Snowmass Bike Park offers a network of lift-served downhill mountain bike trails that range from Valhalla, a gravity-defying world-class downhill trail complete with elements such as berms, jumps and table tops, to Verde, a gentle single-track flow trail that helps new bikers gain important fundamentals. Spanning from the top of the Elk Camp chairlift to the bottom of Snowmass Base Village, the trail system offers 2,893 ft. of vertical descent that spans across 50 miles of trails. New this summer, the Snowmass Bike Park has rerouted the Vapor trail to include two new flow segments that increase the mileage from 2.9 to 3.3. Vapor is an intermediate trail that is accessed from the top of the Elk Camp chairlift and includes 1,400 feet of vertical descent as well as features such as bridges and berms.

 

Snowmass Bike Park Nights

In conjunction with the Farm to Table Dinners at Elk Camp restaurant, the Snowmass Bike Park will extend the park hours to stay open until dusk every Tuesday from Jul. 19-Aug.23.

 

Snowmass Demo Days

Snowmass Demo Days returns Jun. 25-26 for a two-day sponsored bike event in Snowmass Base Village. Bike enthusiasts are encouraged to come out and demo the latest bike equipment provided by featured exhibitors. Demo mountain bikes, road bikes, downhill bikes, fat bikes or try out the latest in components and equipment on the Snowmass Bike Park trails or paths.

 

Air Service

 

Two New Non-Stop Flights Added into Aspen/Pitkin County Airport

American Airlines and United Airlines are scheduled to expand flight schedules into Aspen/Snowmass (ASE) for the 2016 summer and fall seasons.

 

• American Airlines New Service from Chicago/O'Hare and Expanded Service from DFW

American Airlines will offer new summer nonstop flights from Chicago/O'Hare International Airport (ORD), expanding their existing daily flights from both Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW). American's summer seasonal service from DFW, LAX and now ORD begins June 2, 2016. Flights from LAX and ORD are scheduled to operate daily through Aug. 15, 2016, while daily nonstop flights from DFW are now scheduled to continue into the fall season, daily through Oct. 5, 2016.

• United Airlines New Service from San Francisco and Expanded Service from Chicago and LAX

United Airlines will offer new summer non-stop flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). This will add to their existing summer service from Denver International Airport (DEN), Chicago (ORD), Houston (IAH) and Los Angeles (LAX). New nonstop flights from SFO are scheduled to begin on June 9, 2016 and continue through Aug.15, 2016. Seasonal nonstop flights from Houston resume on June 3, 2016, while flights from ORD and LAX are scheduled to resume on June 9, 2016. While the Houston flights are scheduled to operate through Aug. 15, 2016, nonstop flights from both Chicago and LAX are being extended into the fall with Chicago flights continuing through Oct. 4, 2016, and LAX flights continuing through Oct. 29, 2016. United will continue to operate daily year-round service from Denver with as few as four flights daily at times during the spring to as many as nine daily during the summer.

 

New Events

Aspen Snowmass Slated to Host Enduro World Series Mountain Bike Race

Aspen Snowmass will host the only U.S. stop of the Enduro World Series Saturday, Jul. 30-Sunday, Jul. 31, 2016. The Enduro World Series continues its proud tradition of uncovering the world's best mountain bike destinations with its 2016 calendar. The new season will feature eight rounds across three continents, including four completely new venues in Chile, Argentina, France and the USA (Aspen Snowmass, Colo.). Aspen Snowmass has been chosen to host round five (out of eight rounds) of the prestigious Enduro World Series that will feature some of the best mountain bike athletes in the world. The two-day event will blend high altitude riding adventures mixed with some of the biggest descents and best riding in the area.

 

Stars Above Aspen—Community Astronomy Night

In conjunction with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) and the Aspen Science Center, Stars Above Aspen is a new community astronomy night that will take place Aug. 10 on top of Aspen Mountain.  After a ride up the Silver Queen Gondola, guests will have the opportunity to gaze through telescopes, learn about the constellations and enjoy presentations from scientists. The evening will also include dinner options at the Sundeck restaurant and family-friendly entertainment.

 

Headliner Events

Audi Power of Four Mountain Bike Race

This unique 33-mile point-to-point mountain bike race combines single and double track trails across the four ski areas of Aspen Snowmass (Snowmass, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands and Aspen Mountain) into one grueling course with almost 10,000 ft. of vertical gain/loss. The diversity of the terrain and the challenge of tackling the four distinct mountains has placed this race in a category all its own. Participants have the option of racing a shorter course (18-miles) that covers the first two mountains of the full route, Snowmass and Buttermilk, including the famed Government Trail. The sixth annual Audi Power of Four Mountain Bike Race will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6. Categories will be broken into male, female, male singlespeed and female singlespeed. Prizing for the race will consist of a $2,500 prize purse divvied out amongst the top three men and women finishers for the full Power of Four course. Online registration through Jun. 30 costs $90 for the Power of Four and $80 for the Power of Two. Entry includes an exclusive Helly Hansen Power of Four technical shirt, post-race meal, free beer, chip timing with results at the finish line and a custom finisher gift.

 

Audi Power of Four Trail Run Race

Aspen Snowmass presents the 2016 Audi Power of Four Trail Race scheduled to take place Saturday, Aug. 6 and Sunday, Aug. 7. The event's signature race is a challenging 50K Ultra that has been once again named the US Skyrunner Series North American Continental Championships and covers the four Aspen Snowmass mountains (Snowmass, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands and Aspen Mountain) utilizing a mix of single track and dirt road. The event also offers a 25K race along the famed Government Trail that covers the mountains of Buttermilk and Snowmass, a new 10K race at Snowmass as well as a Vertical K race up Aspen Mountain, also part of the US Skyrunner Series. The Vertical K race will be held on Saturday, Aug 6 with the 50K, 25K and 10K races scheduled for Sunday, Aug 7. For the 50K race the prize purse consists of $3,500 and will be divvied up amongst the top three men and women, for the 25K $1,000 and for the Vertical K $500. Online registration through Jun. 30 costs $100 for 50K participants, $90 for 25K, $60 for 10k and $50 for the Vertical K. All 50K, 25K and 10K racers will receive an exclusive Helly Hansen Power of Four Trail Race technical shirt, post-race meal, free beer, chip timing with results at the finish line and a custom finisher gift.

 

Red Bull Rise

Aspen Snowmass will host the 2016 Red Bull Rise on Aspen Mountain Sunday, Aug. 28. Now in its second year, the 12 hour endurance race invites runners from around the world to compete in solo, duo and team divisions. Competitors will run up Aspen Mountain that spans 3,000 vertical feet of elevation gain and then download on the gondola. At the end of the 12 hours, the runner/runners with the most number of laps will win.  

The total prize purse for both the men's and women's solo divisions will be $6,000 with 1st place taking home $1,250, 2nd place $750, 3rd place $500, 4th place $300 and 5th place $200. All racers will receive a finishing medal and custom event gift.

 

Deal

Perfect Summer Package

The Perfect Summer Package comprises of access to both Snowmass and Aspen Mountain with up to three days of gondola and chairlift rides, a Maroon Bells guided bus tour, on-mountain activities including live music, yoga, naturalist hikes, kids activities, disk golf and more, a $10 lunch credit for use at Elk Camp restaurant or the Sundeck restaurant and a $5 credit for use in the Limelight Hotel's lounge.

 

Summer Operations 

Aspen Mountain Silver Queen Gondola Daily: June 18 - September 5 Weekends: May 28-30, June 4-5, 11-12 Gondola Hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (last ride down at 4:30 p.m.)

Snowmass Elk Camp Gondola and Chairlift Daily: June 24 - September 5 Weekends: September 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, October 1-2 Gondola Hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (last ride down at 4:15 p.m.) Chairlift Hours: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. (last ride down at 3:15 p.m.)

 

Media Note

For a selection of Best of Summer 2016 photos, click here aspensnowmass.imagerelay.com/sb/516f0c82-92e8-4c14-a4f4-6b15fa10a653

 

Photo credit goes to the photographer listed or Aspen Skiing Company.