Buttermilk, Snowmass and Aspen Highlands will provide uphilling access during operating hours. Aspen Mountain will remain status quo with no uphill access allowed during operating hours due to skier safety.
As the popularity of earning your turns and uphill travel—including hiking, snowshoeing or skinning —has increased significantly across our mountains, so has the need to manage uphill access. In order to facilitate skier, hiker, and employee safety, operational management, and better communication with you about designated routes, mountain information, conditions and closures, we will be requiring an Uphill Pass for on-resort uphill access during the ski season.
Uphillers will need to remain on designated, signed routes during operating hours. Other changes will include no uphilling during Holiday blackout periods and closures on the designated routes may be possible due to capacity challenges. If we all adhere to and follow limitations during Holiday blackout periods and peak times, this will help ensure that we can all keep uphilling and skiing through the entire ski season.
What Is Uphilling?
Going up? Also known as ski touring or skinning, uphilling refers to the act of hiking up a mountain typically on skis or a split board with specialized equipment such as sticky coverings on the bottom of skis or specialized bindings that release from the heels with the goal to traverse uphill.
Designated Uphilling Trail Maps:
Download the lates Aspen Snowmass App for in-pocket information or refer to the below information for specific uphilling trail maps for each mountain.
Click here for Uphill Policies at Aspen Highlands.
Click here for Uphill Policies at Aspen Mountain.
Click here for Uphill Policies at Buttermilk.
Click here for Uphill Policies at Snowmass.
Pro Tip: Check uphill route status in the Aspen Snowmass App:
Before you head out for a lap uphilling, check the Aspen Snowmass App to view whether your uphill route is open that day. During operating hours, the designated uphilling routes will be treated much like a ski trail with an open or closed sign signaling if access is available at that time. You can check the status in the app under Mountains > Groom Report > Select Your Mountain > Uphill Routes. "O" indicates your route is open. Climb on!
How Can You Learn More?
Check out this online uphilling guide. Locals and visitors can now book private lessons with an expert uphill Pro from Aspen Skiing Company. To book your lesson call 877-671-1574 at least 48 hours in advance to check on availability.
Follow Four Mountain Updates on Twitter for the latest uphilling information.