Explore Aspen’s fresh double-black terrain and all the new experiences this season
If you’re heading to Colorado, Aspen Mountain’s new terrain is a must-ski. This high-speed quad has opened up legendary backcountry lines, now lift-accessed for the first time. Here’s everything you need to know about the steep new chutes, fresh powder days, and Aspen’s latest places to stay and eat.
Things change and yet they stay the same in the ski industry. Catching sight of the iconic, towering peak as I trundle through Aspen’s snowy streets is as thrilling and mesmerising as my grandparents report from their visits in the 80s.
Of course, the iconic town has transformed completely over the century since its silver mines ran dry. Aspen’s founders began strapping wooden planks to their heels to plough the topside of the hill for new riches, and soon the Roaring Fork Valley became a magnet for all kinds of wealth. But the towering façade of Aspen Mountain – Ajax to locals – has looked the same to skiers since Grandma learnt to mogul-hop here on skinny skis. No major additions since the red cabins of the Silver Queen Gondola were slung across it in 1985.
It’s why, when Aspen opened a new lift and 153 acres of additional skiing at Ajax last season, there was a whole lot of buzz.
Key Details
- Location: Aspen Mountain (Ajax), Colorado
- New Terrain: 153 acres of double-black chutes and glades
- Lift: Hero’s high-speed quad
- Vertical Drop: 3,267 ft
- Elevation: 11,200 ft summit
- Skill Level: Advanced and expert only
The new terrain was previously known as Pandora’s to locals and was a prime spot for backcountry skiing. Plonking a high-speed quad lift on what many considered some of the best off-resort terrain opened a Pandora’s box of local controversy at the time. They called it Hero’s instead and cut the ribbon at the start of the 2023 season.
I arrive in early March to check what all the fuss is about. Aspen does its thing and starts sending flakes from the heavens to meet me. Antique street lamps illuminate the thickening storm in the night. When we shoulder our skis and clop our ski boots downtown in time for First Tracks at 8am, it is still nuking.
Scoring first tracks on any other mountain’s powder day requires a shivering wait in the snow for hours before a chaotic race down the hill. At Aspen, there’s an orderly process whereby guests at Limelight Hotel or the Little Nell can book in advance then jump the queue to ski a blissful hour before the masses. You get comfortable in the warm gondola cabin on the way up, then everyone scores untracked because you ski with guides who know how to “farm” the terrain side by side. We click our fat skis on in boot-deep powder and soon get buried on our way down, yelping gleefully through the whiteout.
“Aspen Mountain looks small on a terrain map, but it skis big,” my guide tells me. He’s right. The Silver Queen Gondola is a 15-minute ride that collects you from the heart of downtown Aspen and drops you at its 11,200 feet peak. Ploughing “T to B” (top to bottom) through deep powder down 3,267 ft of vertical sets my quads on fire.
After a run on the front side, we head to Hero’s as it opens at 9am (the regular skiers arrive later having to hit the gondola first). The new terrain is all double-black diamond, with chutes and glades that are completely snow-logged. There’s a blue groomer sidling through it all to give the legs a break, but otherwise this is skiing where you have to send it. Literally: go be a hero.
No one’s in a huge rush to be first down because, frankly, not too many people ski Ajax first thing. The “be-seen” types in town stay out late and get up late. Crowds are filtered out by the fact that Ajax has no beginner (green) runs – just blue (intermediate) and black diamond (advanced and expert). It’s not for everyone, that’s why there are four different areas on the Aspen Snowmass pass, including Snowmass, Buttermilk and Highlands.
But conquering Ajax unlocks a war chest of some of the best ski runs and conditions in North American. Hero’s faces north so potentially will hold better snow for longer as climate change threatens elsewhere. The terrain itself is new, but the best news is it’s more of the same. More of that insatiable Type-II fun Aussies keep coming back to Aspen for.
New deals – just for Aussies
SKI30 and SKI10 passes: Australian visitors can ski 30 or 10 consecutive days at Aspen on a heavily discounted rate, typically around $42 per day, when bundling tickets with lodging through trusted Aussie tour operators like Travelplan, Ski Max and Sno’n’Ski.
Kids ski and rent for free: One child skis and rents free with every adult ticket/rental.
Early and late season deals: Save up to 40 per cent on lift and lodging packages when visiting before 19 December or after 28 March.
New lifts
Aside from the new Hero’s lift on Aspen Mountain, there’s a new high-speed quad at Snowmass to replace the old, slow Coney Glade Chair. This area is a hidden gem that rarely has crowds and deserves attention.
New stays
The Limelight Hotel opened after renovation in 2021 as a luxe and convenient choice to stay downtown, just a couple of blocks’ walk in ski boots from the Silver Queen Gondola. Gaze up at Ajax from the lounge bar or sink your aching limbs into three steaming hot tubs and a pool.
Mollie Aspen is the newest boutique hotel, opened in 2024, named after a local legend who epitomized the outdoorsy, artistic and adventurous spirit of Aspen.
The ever-loved Little Nell is celebrating its 35th anniversary after a thorough renovation. It remains the only Aspen hotel with ski-in, ski-out access to Ajax Mountain.
New eats
The inaugural Michelin Guide to Colorado launched in 2023 and the first Michelin star in town was awarded to Bosq Aspen. Element 47, Mawa’s Kitchen, and Prospect, are all recommended restaurants in the guide.
Eleven212 reinvents the former AspenX Beach Club at the top of Aspen Mountain, and opens an outdoor après scene in the snow on Fridays and Saturday afternoons. Think: craft cocktails, electric DJ sets, and live music, all set against a stunning backdrop of Elk Mountain views.
Buckhorn Cabin offers a new experiential lunch in its historic setting, with a gourmet two-hour plated lunch from noon–2pm, with optional upgrades like flowers, live music, a photographer, or Aspen Collection retail gifting.
Las Montanas took over the formerly beloved upstairs space of Jimmy’s in 2022, serving Tex-Mex fajita platters, tacos, ceviches and enchiladas alongside an extensive mezcal and tequila list.
West End Social is a popular new gathering spot for après ski tipples – martini Monday serves $10 martinis from 2 to 9pm.
Yogi’s Aspen offers affordable burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, felafel rolls and salads.
