Aspen Snowmass Celebrates Sustainability & New Terrain

Aspen Snowmass set out on its sustainability mission back in 1997, before many other ski resorts around the world even knew about the climate risks that the ski industry are facing today. This year, the Aspen Skiing Company will celebrate 25 years of its annual sustainability report - which is due to be published before the season begins - as well as the opening of brand-new terrain, Hero’s, that will act as a hedge against future climate challenged ski seasons.

25 years of the Aspen Skiing Company’s Sustainability Report

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Aspen Skiing Company’s Sustainability Report has been keeping track of the resort’s environmental impact and progress as well as climate policy action since 1999. Although many ski resorts around the world are working towards creating a more sustainable future for the ski industry, Aspen Snowmass has adopted this ethos since 1999. “This year’s report pushes that thinking further, both visually and intellectually.”- Auden Schendler, Aspen Skiing Company SVP of Sustainability. The report is due to be published before the 23/24 ski season begins.

Previous Sustainable Success

Positive Partnerships: Aspen Skiing Company has been an avid supporter of Protect Our Winters (POW), a non-profit organisation founded by pro snowboarder Jermery Jones in 2007. POW works to engage and mobilise the snowsports community in taking action against climate change and ultimately, protecting our winters. In April 2022, artist Chris Erikson created the melting gondola, a structure placed on top of Aspen Mountain to represent the effects of climate change on the ski industry. The Melted Gondola offered visitors an opportunity to reflect on what life would look like if winter melted away. In partnership with POW, Aspen Snowmass encouraged visitors to post photos of the art with the hashtag #PowerToPOW, and more importantly, to donate and become members.
Green Buildings: Last season, one of Aspen Snowmass’ four mountains, Buttermilk unveiled a transformed base area complete with a new 9,000+ square-foot fully electric skier services building, a renovated and rebranded Buttermilk Mountain Lodge restaurant (formerly known as Bumps) and an expanded bar and outdoor patio, newly named The Backyard. This major $23 million renovation creates a more seamless, sustainable experience for guests as they make their way onto the mountain, with an intuitive skier services building with ski school, rentals and ticketing all in one location.
Sustainable Dining: Aspen Snowmass has a range of sustainable dining options with some new additions to the list this year. The new Rooftop Cafe at the Aspen Art Museum is now operated by The Farmer & Chef, a husband-and-wife duo who are dedicated to using local and organic produce. Aspen’s only five-star, five-diamond hotel, The Little Nell, has its own organic garden used to grow the majority of the vegetables for its popular restaurants, Element 47 and the Ajax Tavern. The Little Nell spends over £160,000 a year on local produce, a purchasing decision that feeds into and supports the local economy with 75% of its produce coming from Colorado.

Hero’s Terrain Expansion

This year, Aspen Snowmass unveils its most notable addition to Aspen Mountain since the opening of the Silver Queen Gondola in 1985. Increasing the mountain's skiable acreage by more than 20%, this significant expansion adds more than 1,220 vertical feet and more than 150 acres of new chutes, glades and trails. Not only does the addition diversify Aspen Mountain’s terrain mix to offer a great pitch for skiing, but it also acts as a functional hedge against future climate-challenged ski seasons: with its north-facing, high elevation terrain (all above 10,000 ft.), Hero’s is ideal for holding snow in seasons when natural snowfall is less plentiful.

The new terrain and lift has been named Hero’s to reflect the hard work of the individuals involved in the planning and execution of this ambitious project, most notably Jim Crown whose passion for the expansion will live on.

Hero’s Fast Facts: