Aspen 80th Anniversary: Dates, Events, and What to Expect This Winter

Aspen Snowmass turns 80 during the 2026–27 ski season, with discounted lift tickets, free concerts, and special events throughout the winter. The biggest celebration takes place December 12–14, when Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are scheduled to open, bringing all four mountains into the season.

What the 80th Anniversary Means for Your Visit

The anniversary weekend gives skiers a chance to enjoy special lift-ticket and rental offers while the town celebrates with live music and après-ski parties. Participating restaurants also mark Aspen’s 1946 beginnings with $19.46 dining specials. The festivities continue beyond December, with major winter competitions and events giving visitors more reasons to return throughout the season.

When Each Mountain Opens

Lift service runs on these scheduled dates:

• Aspen Mountain opens November 26 and runs the Silver Queen Gondola through April 18.
• Snowmass opens November 26, with the Elk Camp Gondola running through April 11.
• Aspen Highlands opens December 12 and runs through April 11.
• Buttermilk opens December 12 and runs through April 4.

Pick the Mountain That Fits Your Group

Each mountain draws a different mix of skiers:

• Aspen Mountain rises above downtown, and the Silver Queen Gondola climbs from town to the 11,212-foot summit.
• Aspen Highlands is the locals’ mountain, home to the Highland Bowl.
• Buttermilk covers 470 acres of mostly intermediate and beginner terrain, which suits new skiers and families.
• Snowmass has more than 3,330 acres of skiable terrain, more than the other three mountains combined.

Aspen Snowmass Anniversary Tickets for Opening Weekend

The weekend brings discounted lift tickets, rentals, and après parties. These are the opening-weekend offers:

• Lift tickets cost $80 on December 12 and 13, with one price for all four mountains. The $3.75 tickets for December 14, priced at the original opening-day rate, are sold out.
• Premium rentals cost $80 at Four Mountain Sports from December 12 to 14.

Tickets are limited, nonrefundable, and nontransferable, so confirm the current terms before you buy.

Dinner Reservations and Hotels for Opening Weekend

Tables at the best fine-dining restaurants in Aspen fill early on Friday and Saturday during major event weekends. Some rooms are small, and Bosq has only 35 seats, so reserve as soon as you pick your dates.

A hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain puts the lifts within a few steps, as The Little Nell does beside the Silver Queen Gondola. Luxury hotels in Aspen range from slope-side addresses to a historic hotel on Main Street.

A Season Packed with Events

The calendar overlaps with the 75th annual Wintersköl, which runs December 10 through 13. On Saturday, December 12, SoupSköl fills Wagner Park from 3 to 5 p.m., a bonfire with live music follows from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., and the torchlight descent on Aspen Mountain ends with fireworks at 7 p.m. Local school teams build snow sculptures on Mill Street Mall on Friday morning. SoupSköl and the sculptures are free, while the beer festival and concerts are ticketed.

Several other events fill the rest of the period:

• X Games Aspen returns to Buttermilk Mountain.
• The Snow League and the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix bring professional snowboarding and freeski competition.
• The 50th annual Aspen Gay Ski Week runs January 17 to 24, 2027, and marks half a century of the event.
• Free concerts and rotating après parties run across all four mountains.

Not Skiing? Take a Lift to a Mountaintop Restaurant

Sightseeing tickets carry non-skiers to the same mountaintop restaurants, and each mountain has its own destination:

• The Silver Queen Gondola reaches the Sundeck restaurant, which has panoramic views.
• The Elk Camp Gondola at Snowmass reaches the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster and Elk Camp restaurant.
• The Exhibition Chairlift at Aspen Highlands reaches the Merry-Go-Round restaurant.
• The Summit Express Chairlift at Buttermilk reaches Cliffhouse, with views of Pyramid Peak.

Sightseeing runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the last trip down leaves at 4 p.m. Buttermilk’s last trip down leaves at 3:30 p.m.

Fresh for the Anniversary

Two changes make this winter different from earlier ones:

• Ullrhof, a Snowmass restaurant at the base of the Big Burn Lift, reopens in November with burgers, fries, and shakes at lunch.
• The new Flex Pass lets skiers pick 4, 5, 6, or 7 days across all four mountains, with no blackout dates and no need to ski them consecutively.

Getting Between the Mountains and the Parties

RFTA buses serve all four mountains, including the 4-Mountain Connector that runs between them. Buses carry ski and snowboard racks and run about every 15 minutes. The free Brush Creek Lot on Highway 82 serves as the hub for most routes; base garages at Aspen Highlands and Snowmass charge for parking, while Buttermilk’s main lot is free.

The mountains sit in different parts of the valley, so a group can ski one in the morning and another after lunch. Friends who ski two mountains in one day can share one private vehicle between the four mountains.

Which Dates Should You Pick?

Opening weekend packs the deals, Wintersköl, and the openings of all four mountains into a few days. The season’s competitions spread across the following months, so choose the dates that match your priorities.