With winter season on the horizon this winter is especially exciting as we welcome new eateries as well as big culture news. Besides the rumor of another amazing year of snow, there are plenty of new openings and activities for visitors and locals alike to look forward to. Check out some of the highlights below:
Dining Scene:
The W Aspen is joining forces with globally renowned Chef Eyal Shani to bring his signature Mediterranean restaurant, HaSalon, to life through an exclusive pop-up arriving in December 2024.
ZigZag Aspen, the highly anticipated modern French-American bistro, is set to open in Winter 2024, taking over the iconic Mezzaluna space at 624 E Cooper Street. The brainchild of co-owner and operator Romain Pavee, ZigZag Aspen blends nearly two decades of luxury hospitality experience, cultivated across France, New York, and Las Vegas, with the local expertise and passion of long-time Aspen residents Scott and Carly Weber. The restaurant will feature the only traditional wood-burning oven left in Aspen, making it a culinary destination for lunch, brunch, après-ski, dinner, and beyond.
The inaugural MICHELIN Guide to Colorado was launched in September 2023. In 2024 it was announced that Bosq Aspen retained its one star; Element 47, Mawa's Kitchen, and Prospect, are recommended restaurants in the guide; and Chris Dunaway of Element 47 was awarded MICHELIN Guide Colorado 2024 Sommelier of the Year.
Skiing:
New Coney Express Lift: This winter season, Aspen Snowmass will debut an all-new lift, the Coney Express on Snowmass. The new high-speed quad will effectively replace the Coney Glade chair but with a much larger footprint, including new loading access terminal in the Snowmass base area across from the Snowmass Mall, significantly increasing the mountain’s out-of-base capacity. Coney Express will feature a midway station for access from the world-class Snowmass terrain park and all-new access for foot traffic guests to Lynn Britt Cabin and Spider Sabich Race Arena. This lift will be the first major development of the latest Snowmass Master Plan, which was proposed in 2022 and includes potential improvements to the resort that could occur over the coming decade.
Lynn Britt Cabin Expansion: Located at mid-mountain on Snowmass, Lynn Britt Cabin combines Western ambiance with a vibrant atmosphere for lunch and après. The venue will boast a renovation and expansion this winter with an extended patio, outdoor grill and bar area and an expanded list of bookable experiences including après parties and specials, live entertainment, and snowcat dinners throughout the 2024-25 season. Additionally, with the addition of the new Coney Express foot passenger access, Lynn Britt now will have access for non-skiing guests to join for après.
Activities and Events:
Wintersköl, Dec. 12-15 The 74th edition of Wintersköl will take place Dec. 12-15, 2024. Programming will include old favorites as well as new offerings that will entice locals and visitors alike. Wintersköl, Aspen’s annual “toast to winter” dates back to January 1951 when locals chose to commemorate Aspen's distinctive mountain way of life with a diverse weekend of events. The three-day 2024 event will continue to showcase on-mountain activities, snow sculptures, a soup contest, and torchlight parade and fireworks on Aspen Mountain. For more information, please visit aspenchamber.org.
Aspen Gay Ski Week returns Jan. 12-19, 2025. Aspen Gay Ski Week (AGSW) is the oldest annual, week-long LGBTQ+ ski event in the nation and the annual fundraising event for AspenOUT, a local non-profit and 501(c)(3) organization focused on anti-bullying and tolerance.
X Games will return to Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass with some of the world's best action sports athletes competing in ski and snowboard events January 23-25, 2025. X Games Aspen 2025 will feature men's and women's ski and snowboard competitions in the disciplines of Superpipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, Knuckle Huck, and Street Style. In addition to sporting events, X Games Aspen 2025 welcomes the return of special music appearances each night.
Aspen Snowmass is excited to welcome back the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix. Freeskiers and snowboarders from across the globe will return to the slopes of Aspen Snowmass for the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix and the Visa Big Air presented by Toyota January 30- February 6, 2025. Known for its world-class park and pipe setup, Buttermilk is the ideal stage for the thrilling competition.
Aspen Snowmass is proud to host the debut of The Snow League, the first professional snowboarding league created by legendary snowboarder Shaun White. From March 7-8, 2025, Buttermilk Mountain will set the stage for this highly anticipated event, bringing together top snowboarders from around the world.
Travel/Lodging:
The MICHELIN Keys, recognize exceptional hospitality experiences. Recognized hotels in Aspen include Hotel Jerome, The Little Nell, and MOLLIE Aspen. The three hotels all received One MICHELIN Key.
The Aspen Meadows, tucked away on 40 acres in Aspen's quieter West End neighborhood, has been making big moves recently with a total rooms renovation and the opening of West End Social. This winter is the first ski season for the resort's new Aspen Meadows Café (open daily from 7-3): a cozy spot to grab a coffee, work between laps, or fuel up with a breakfast burrito to take along for the gondola ride.
Frias Properties celebrates 50 Years of Excellence this winter. Following last summer’s expansion to Snowmass Village, Frias boasts a portfolio of over 130 vacation rentals in Aspen and Snowmass.
This winter, award-winning hotel MOLLIE Aspen is offering an array of exciting events and experience. Every Thursday afternoon (Dec. 5-March 27), guests can enjoy s’mores and live music in the lobby, featuring acoustic performances and a gourmet s’mores bar. On Fridays during Après with Naturopathica, guests can unwind with complimentary hand and shoulder massages accompanied by a boozy hot chocolate bar. On the heated roof terrace, MOLLIE will host weekly winter events including movie nights, live music, and rooftop dining, free for hotel guests with limited tickets for the community. Additionally, MOLLIE’s new partnership with Rivian offers guests complimentary access to eco-friendly vehicles, for scenic winter exploration while supporting sustainable travel.
The Gant, one of Aspen’s legendary mainstays, presents an extraordinary collection of experiences enhanced by premier resort amenities, inviting guests to embrace the splendor of the Rocky Mountains both on and off the slopes this winter season. New this winter, The Gant has partnered with Base State, a new Aspen longevity studio, to offer travelers exclusive wellness packages to help acclimate to altitude (details are available here). Also new this winter, The Gant is thrilled to introduce Origin, a new dining experience in collaboration with The Farmer & Chef. Showcasing western Colorado's regenerative agriculture, Origin features fresh, seasonal ingredients from local farms and ranches. Scratch-made breakfast, lunch, and brunch signature dishes include avocado toast, sourdough pancakes, and huevos rancheros, alongside unique barista offerings such as the decadent peanut latte. This partnership aims to elevate The Gant’s culinary offerings while supporting the local community.
Sustainability:
In August 2024, Aspen announced their Mountain IDEAL certification as a sustainable destination. The Mountain IDEAL destination standard was developed to address sustainability in mountain environments that include winter and summer activities. These unique challenges and opportunities include issues such as water and energy use related to snow-making and snow-melting systems, affordable housing for residents and seasonal employees, collaborating with public land managers and the business community, and embracing mountain cultural heritage. Following a years-long certification process, Aspen was officially third-party certified to the Global Sustainability Tourism Council (GSTC)-Recognized Mountain IDEAL Standard by the GSTC-Accredited Green Destinations Certification Body in July 2024.
Colorado Green Business Network of Aspen
The city of Aspen, in partnership with the Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA) and with the support of the state of Colorado, announced the launch of the Colorado Green Business Network of Aspen (CGBN of Aspen) in August 2024. This free program empowers local businesses to adopt sustainable practices, reduce their environmental impact, and contribute to a greener future for Aspen. CGBN of Aspen offers technical assistance, recognition opportunities, and a supportive network to help businesses implement environmentally friendly practices.
Arts & Culture:
This winter, Aspen Film looks forward to hosting a screening of Aspen Extreme at the Isis Theatre to kick-off Wintersköl in December, and the return of Radical Wednesdays, a retro ski film series with a few special guest appearances, in Feb. 2025. Additionally, Aspen Shortsfest is set to return March 31-April 6, 2025.
Aspen Historical Society is thrilled to introduce complimentary admission to the Wheeler/Stallard Museum. This winter, the Wheeler/Stallard Museum will feature the exhibition Decade by Decade: Aspen Revealed. Newly refreshed and dual-language interpretive signage at the Holden/Marolt Mining & Ranching Museum grounds and Ashcroft Ghost Town welcome visitors to explore the historical properties on their own during the fall, winter, and spring.
The Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies (the Bayer Center), located on the Aspen Institute campus, presents "Bauhaus Typography at 100", on view through April 26, 2025. The exhibition draws a throughline from the Bauhaus’s iconic style to the shape of typography today.
Anderson Ranch Arts Center will present the fourth annual outdoor sculpture exhibition. This iteration of the exhibition includes 15 works by emerging and established artists. Anderson Ranch will host a holiday open house this December where attendees will follow candlelit paths through campus while touring the studios filled with work made by the Artists-in-Residence. All proceeds will directly support artistic programming. More information on this winter’s rotating gallery exhibitions and event schedule can be viewed at andersonranch.org.
This winter, the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) will again offer their Potbelly Perspective series in partnership with ACRA, as well as Wild Perspectives and Naturalist Nights lectures. ACES looks forward to the return of guided snowshoeing experiences at Ashcroft this winter; lunch tours to Pine Creek Cookhouse, and beloved snowshoe tours on Aspen and Snowmass Mountains, guided by an ACES Naturalist. At the newly reopened Catto Center at Toklat, ACES will celebrate “10 Days of Toklat”, daily events taking place from the winter solstice on December 21st, through December 30th, to commemorate the holiday season. This is also the 75th anniversary of Toklat, with more celebrations to come throughout 2025.
Tag us in your winter adventures on social @AspenCo for a chance to be featured on our webpage and social channels!
Not new, but never goes out of style: the proper way to carry your skis. Watch our video below for a step-by-step on how to carry your skis in Aspen.
