With winter season on the horizon this winter is especially exciting as we welcome new terrain, hotels, eateries and the return of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, 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:
Stranahan’s will open a tasting room (opening date TBD) at a location on the Walking Mall. (307 S. Mill St.)
Wild Fig, which vacated its location of 19 years at 315 E. Hyman Ave. will be opening in a new location on Mill Street. (305 S. Mill St.)
BUC (Bar Under Cooper) - Located downstairs on East Cooper, BUC is anticipated to open in 2023 as an affordable local bar and eatery.
sway ModernThai will open in 2023 on Aspen’s Restaurant Row. (308 E. Hopkins Ave.)
Hai Si, a Chinese concept by Infinite Restaurant Group will open in a downstairs space on Restaurant Row in spring 2024. (308 E. Hopkins Ave.)
Sant Ambroeus, an Italian Café, gelateria, and restaurant with New York locations opened a stylish cafe in late July, offering refined Italian classics for breakfast through dinner. (520 E. Hyman Ave.)
Alpina, an Alpine-inspired restaurant led by Colton Black, formerly of The Little Nell, serves lunch through happy hour inside and on a sunny patio. (614 E. Cooper Ave.)
The first edition of the MICHELIN Guide Colorado selection was revealed September 12, and we are delighted to see our amazing local talent recognized and awarded. Head to MICHELIN Recommended spots Mawa's Kitchen and Prospect at Hotel Jerome. We are thrilled to recognize BOSQ Aspen and Chef Barclay Dodge being awarded their first MICHELIN star. They are the first and only restaurant in Aspen to hold this prestigious title.
Skiing:
FIS Alpine Ski World Cup (March 1 – 3, 2024) - Aspen Snowmass welcomes the best international ski racers for the Men’s World Cup. The top men in the world will compete in Slalom and Giant Slalom on Aspen Mountain, an iconic World Cup venue with decades of racing history.
Hero’s on Aspen Mountain, debuts for the 2023/24 ski season, named in honor of Jim Crown and all those who played an instrumental role in the exploration and opening of Aspen Mountain’s new terrain expansion. The new high-speed quad lift and terrain will add 150 acres of skiing and riding to the upper, eastern aspect of Aspen Mountain. Hero’s will be Aspen Mountain’s first significant lift and terrain addition since the opening of the Silver Queen Gondola in December of 1985. Hero’s will increase skiable acreage by more than 20 percent, with 1,220 vertical feet of new chutes, glades, and trails ranging from intermediate to advanced terrain. Trail names are yet to be announced but will honor local heroes with ties to the terrain. The terrain and lift will open this winter when conditions allow.
Activities and Events:
75th Anniversary of the venerable Aspen Music Festival and School - Founded in 1949, the Aspen Music Festival and School is regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, noted both for its concert programming and its musical training of nearly 500 young-adult music students. The typical eight-week summer season includes more than 300 classical music events—including concerts by five orchestras, solo and chamber music performances, fully staged opera productions, master classes, lectures, and children’s programming.
Wintersköl (Jan. 11 – 14, 2024) - Aspen’s annual “toast to winter” returns for the 73rd year. The four-day celebration features on-mountain activities, snow sculptures, a torchlight descent down Aspen Mountain, fireworks and more.
Aspen Gay Ski Week (Jan. 14 – 21, 2024) - Returning for the 46th consecutive year, Aspen Gay Ski Week is the premier LGBTQ+ winter event with a full schedule of events on-and-off the Aspen Snowmass mountains.
X-Games Aspen (Jan. 26 – 28, 2024) Returning for its 23rd consecutive year, Winter X Games will take place on Buttermilk, with the top contenders in extreme snow sports.
Check out all of the arts & culture events happening this winter here.
Travel/Lodging:
New Hotel, Restaurant & Bar (Opening December 2023) MOLLIE Aspen will be a 68-room boutique hotel with a rooftop pool and terrace, located across from Paepcke Park in the heart of Aspen. The name pays homage to Aspen's past as the Mollie Gibson mine was a significant part of Aspen’s storied history. Designed by award-winning studio Post Company, MOLLIE's interiors are a blend of understated luxury and residential comfort, utilizing native materials from Aspen and the region, accentuated with natural woods, earthen ceramics, and hand-dyed textiles. The hotel's food and beverage programs are spearheaded by Gin & Luck, the group behind the Death & Co. brand, and consists of a lobby bar and restaurant with year-round outdoor seating and a laid-back all-day café. (111 S. Garmisch St.)
Aspen Meadows Resort - Complementing a new Bauhaus-inspired room and suite renovation finalized in May 2023, Aspen Meadows will debut a redesign of the resort's arrival area and front desk, bar, and Plato’s restaurant, designed by Bentel & Bentel to reimagine the space while honoring the deep legacy of Herbert Bayer.
Sustainability:
Aspen Chamber Resort Association hosted Destination Think for this season of the Travel Beyond podcast. The Aspen community speaks to Destination Think about sustainability, travel, the Aspen Destination Management Plan, and how we're striving to make lasting, positive change happen. The Travel Beyond podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. More information can be found here.
For everything new and notable happening in Aspen, click here!
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.