Happy Friday from Aspen Snowmass! The winter season is officially coming to an end. Snowmass Mountain will close out their extended season this Sunday, April 25th. Check out the top three things you need to know about closing weekend at “The Mass”!
Dress up in your fanciest Canadian tuxedo, Hawaiian shirt and shorts, or festive wig! Don’t forget to wear your face covering, to social distance, and to have fun. Here’s to an amazing winter season at Aspen Snowmass!
Happy Friday from Aspen Snowmass! Spring hasn’t quite yet sprung around here yet. With almost two feet of fresh snow in the six days, and even more in the weekend’s forecast. The end of ski season is shaping up quite nicely here! Sunset Skiing and Riding on Aspen Mountain is happening tonight, March 26th and next Friday, April 2nd. Silver Queen Gondola and Ajax Express will run until 6pm, with food and drink specials at the Sundeck. There will also be outdoor live music! There are more exciting events to come before ski season ends. Read on to find out more!
Immediately following the season closing of Aspen Highlands, the 2021 US Alpine Championships will begin. This event is hosted by Aspen Snowmass, in collaboration with Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club (AVSC), and will run for two weeks from Monday, April 5th through Friday, April 16th. It has been an exciting spring in Aspen Snowmass hosting events on the national and world stage. Between FIS Freeski and Snowboard World Championships, the US Grand Prix Olympic Qualifier, and the US Alpine Championships; Aspen Snowmass is on the map for elite ski and snowboard contest. This competition will include men’s and women’s downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, and alpine combined, as well as national junior competitions. Finals will be held during the weekdays, with training over the weekend. There are rumors swirling around that Alpine Racing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin will compete! In order to keep race techs, competitors, and coaches safe, the event is taking place after Aspen Highlands closes to the public to promote social distancing, and no spectators— similar to the FIS Freeski and Snowboard World Championships and US Grand Prix at Buttermilk earlier this month. For more information and racing schedules, please visit usskiandsnowboard.org.
Concurrently happening over at Snowmass Mountain, the 2021 NASTAR National Championships will run from Monday, April 5th through Saturday, April 10th. NASTAR stands for National Standard Race. Racers of all abilities and ages can sign up to compete in the world’s largest recreational ski and snowboard racing program. NASTAR Nationals returns to where it began on Snowmass. The first NASTAR National Championship was held at the Spider Sabich race arena in the Spring of 1998. This is also the first National Championship after a year hiatus due the Covid-19 Pandemic. Each day of Nationals, there will be racing clinics taught by Snowmass instructors. Races start each day at 9:45am on the Blue Grouse trail. There are four divisions: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. In the midst of all the professional ski and snowboard events this spring, NASTAR Nationals provide an exciting opportunity to get involved in some of the competitive action! To sign up for NASTAR racing, ticket options, and more information, head over to aspensnowmass.com/events/nastar-nationals.
Have a great weekend! Enjoy the fresh snow and amazing conditions. Happy Trails! Be sure to stay healthy and safe out there.
Happy Friday from Aspen Snowmass! It’s a new month, and we received some fresh snow yesterday. This weekend is expected to be perfectly bluebird, with highs in the 50s! Bring on the sun! We are so excited for March; spring skiing is back and there are plenty of cool and interesting events throughout the month. Read on for some of the exciting events happening in the beginning of March 2021!
Tomorrow, Saturday March 6th, is the local and elite athlete favorite: Audi Power of Four and Power of Two. This endurance race captures the most unique and amazing four mountains that surround us everyday. Power of Four begins at 6am in Snowmass Base Village. Power of Two begins at 8am in Aspen Highlands Base Village (base of Thunder Bowl). Both races finish at the Base of Aspen Mountain. This year, the race will complete at the bottom of Lift 1A, also known as Shadow Mountain Lift. The new race finish is to prevent base crowding and promote social distancing, due to the ongoing pandemic. If you’re out early on Saturday morning, skiing Aspen Mountain or Highlands, you will be sure to see competitors racing! For more information on the course and race, head over to aspensnowmass.com
The first weekend of March is certainly a racing weekend! Sunday, March 7th is The Owl Creek Chase. This is one of Colorado’s best cross-country ski races, and has been since 1985. This race is challenging, yet fun! Starting at 9am in Snowmass and ending around noon on the Aspen Golf Course, this 21K race follows the scenic Owl Creek trail. This year’s event does not allow for spectators on the race course. However, if you’re driving from Aspen to Snowmass Village (or vice versa) on Sunday morning, you’ll be able to safely cheer on racers from your car, socially distanced of course. Sunday should be a beautiful sunny day for racers!
For the first time since the 1950 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships at Aspen Mountain, Aspen Snowmass will host the 2021 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships at Buttermilk Mountain. Events will include Ski and Snowboard Halfpipe, Big Air, and Slopestyle. Qualifications begin on Wednesday, March 10th, with finals scheduled through the weekend and ending on Tuesday, March 16th. Similar to Winter XGames in January, there will be no spectators at the event whatsoever. However, if you’re skiing Buttermilk during the day, you will have the best moving view of the competition from the Summit Express chairlift. There will also be no crowding around the event. The best views and commentary will be on the FIS Championship YouTube channel.
March and April are chock full of exciting events, races, and competitions. Be sure to check out Klug Properties’ blog for weekly highlights of all that’s happening in and around Aspen and Snowmass. Have a great weekend! Think (some) snow!
Happy Friday from Aspen Snowmass! We are certainly excited about this long, holiday weekend here in mountains. With almost two feet of fresh snow last week, and more on the way this weekend, the skiing and riding couldn’t be better right now. Aspen Mountain is now 100% open after last week’s storm. Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands are about 95% open. This weekend’s storm is expecting up to 14 inches of fresh snow over the three day weekend, which will make for epic shredding conditions across all four mountains! This Saturday, February 13th also marks the point in the season where lifts stay spinning later in the afternoon. Lifts spinning until 4pm daily will include Silver Queen Gondola, FIS Chair, and Ajax Express at Aspen Mountain, Exhibition and Cloud 9 at Highlands, Summit Express at Buttermilk, and Village Express, Elk Camp Gondola, and the new and improved Big Burn Chair at Snowmass. We are certainly ready for longer ski days!
If you find yourself on any of our four mountains this weekend, be sure to of course wear your mask, stay socially distanced, and keep your ears perked up for Bud Light’s Music on the Mountain! This concert series is continuing the local favorite tradition of Hi-Fi Concerts, but in a safe manner. Local and regional artists will be featured every weekend through March at various locations on and at the base of each mountain. For the most up-to-date artist announcements, concert locations, and set times, follow @aspensnowmass on social media.
Are you looking for last minute Valentine’s Day plans this weekend with that special someone? Yes, Valentine’s Day is this weekend too! Sunday to be exact. If you’re hoping to support a fantastic cause, be heart healthy, and get outside, you are a great candidate for Ski for the Pass race on Sunday, February 14th. This is a 7K classic race on Independence Pass beginning at 10am, starting at the Winter Closure Gate on Highway 82 and finishing at the Lincoln Creek Road turnoff. There are new rules for this year’s race, which include no spectators, 30 second interval starts for proper social distancing, and a cap on the number of racers. Registration is still open and can be found at utemountaineer.com, along with more information. This is a family favorite, and friendly, event that benefits the Independence Pass Foundation. I hope to see you up there! I’ll be racing with my daughter this year.
If you’re hoping to have a more low-key plan with your Valentine, or want to avoid the hustle and bustle, as well as pressure of Sunday plans, treat your Valentine to Dinner and a Movie at Ajax Tavern! Continuing the popular Dinner and a Movie Under the Stars from this past socially-distanced summer, Dinner and a Movie at Ajax Tavern’s outdoor heated tent. Dinner starts at 6:30pm and features the fabulous regular menu at Ajax Tavern and Moet Chandon packages. Showtime is at 7:30pm. This week’s movie is the Chris Farley classic Tommy Boy. For more information, reservations, and upcoming movie showings, visit thelittlenell.com
Pitkin County is expected to move up to the State’s new dial, and into yellow restrictions, on Saturday, February 13th. This would mean restaurants can operate at 50% capacity for indoor dining, and move the last call for alcohol from 10pm to 11pm. Other businesses such as retail, offices, gyms, and personal services can also move to 50% capacity. Aspen Snowmass is (more) open! Have a fun and safe holiday weekend! Think snow!
Happy X Games weekend from Aspen Snowmass! We received some much-needed snow across all four mountains over the last week, and we are ready for the action! Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, this year’s X Games will be different than years past. This year’s events will focus entirely on the athletes and the competition at Buttermilk. Fans have the opportunity to enjoy this year’s event completely virtual. Read on to review the history and evolution of X Games, highlights from past events, and why X Games have become a favorite event for locals, spectators, and competitors.
ESPN’s Winter X Games first debuted at Buttermilk Mountain in the Winter of 2002, and has been a January staple in Aspen Snowmass ever since. This year marks the 20th anniversary of X Games in Aspen. When X Games first came to town, there were around 40,000 spectators over the entire weekend. Local schools took the long weekend off, and students took field trips with their class to the competition venue at the base of Buttermilk Mountain. While the local kids aren’t getting time off from school or busing to Buttermilk this year, X Games has evolved and the show will go on, just from the comfort of our homes, like many events this year. The Games normally command tens of thousands of fans daily, but not this year. Recent evolution in X Games programming include X Fest, a village of sponsors and vendors at the base of the Super Pipe, where we have hosted our Chris Klug Foundation booth in past years together with our volunteers. The biggest attraction, besides the competition, are the concerts at the base of Buttermilk. Past performances include The Chainsmokers, Rapper Lil Wayne, and DJ Calvin Harris. I joke that X games used to an action sports fest with a little music. The past years it became a weekend long concert with some action sports.
With what’s happening in our world today, there will be no concerts or X Fest village this year. X Games 2021 is going back to the original attraction, and will entirely focus on the competition and the athletes. Shawn White, The Flying Tomato, is making his return to X Games this weekend along with Chloe Kim? Shaun White dazzled in X Games Snowboard Superpipe contests in years past by revolutionizing freestyle snowboarding, and wowing crowds in the process. Only 500 executives, producers, and event staff are allowed on the grounds, including about 100 athletes. With Canadian snowboarder Mark Morrison, the most decorated X Games athlete, out due to Covid-19, all eyes are on Aspen local freeskier Alex Ferreira who is going for his third consecutive X Games Gold Medal. Ferreira is not the only local skier to compete. Basalt native Torin Yater-Wallace first took the X Games stage in 2011 and has won four medals since. Good luck Torin and Alex. We will be cheering you both on this weekend!
Looking back on how the Winter X Games has evolved in Aspen Snowmass, it’s easy to be amazed at the weekend-long event jam-packed with winter fun. X Games is celebrating 20 years in Aspen, and will definitely be a memorable anniversary. Here are a few reminders and tips to enjoy X Games safely this year.
Have a fun and safe X Games weekend! Remember, the best place to watch the competition and get in on the action is at home. No masks, no social distancing, and no cold feet from the comfort of your couch!
Happy snowy Friday from Aspen Snowmass! With today’s snowstorm (hopefully) carrying into this evening, the weekend looks ideal for bluebird skiing! There are a lot of exciting events this weekend, and great opportunities to try Aspen’s hot new restaurants. Read on for all the activities you do not want to miss!
After a fabulous day on the slopes, check out Ullr Night at Elk Camp Restaurant in Snowmass Village. This winter wonderland party on select Friday nights during the winter season is in honor of Ullr, Norse God of Snow. Take an evening gondola ride up to Elk Camp for tubing, a raging fire with s’mores (of course), the Breathtaker alpine coaster, snowbiking, and delicious cuisine. Pro Tip- try the mac-n-cheese and prime rib, they’re absolutely heavenly on a cold winter night. For upcoming Ullr Night dates and more information, head over to www.aspensnowmass.com
This weekend welcomes back local favorite 5Point Film Festival at the Wheeler Opera House. 5Point curates programs rooted in the outdoors and the human experience with special guests adding an additional dimension of inspiration and stoke to the night. Rooted in five guiding “points”—Purpose, Respect, Commitment, Humility, and Balance—the non-profit is known for bringing people together in a unique and dynamic way to celebrate the outdoors and the people whose stories encourage us to find our best selves. Enjoy short films both Friday, January 17th and Saturday, January 18th. For a full list of films, special guests, visit www.5pointfilm.org
The Aspen restaurant scene is offering some new options, as well as the return of an old favorite. Duemani is a new coastal Italian restaurant that took over Rustique’s old space, on the corner of Aspen’s infamous restaurant row. Their tostadas and aragosta pasta are not to be missed! New this season is Almresi in the Dancing Bear building. This intimate, Austrian restaurant is perfect for an authentic alpine dining experience. Back by popular demand, Over Easy is back with the same, favorite menu and a new location. Head over to the former Scarlett’s building for the traditional style “with a twist” breakfast, brunch, lunch and extensively creative cocktails! For more information on these and other Aspen restaurants, go to www.eataspen.com
Happy Long Weekend! Enjoy the beautiful winter weather!
