Ski Aspen Snowmass

» A weekend storm rolled through Aspen/Snowmass dropping another foot of snow «

A weekend storm rolled through Aspen/Snowmass dropping another foot of snow on top of area peaks. The upper slopes of Snowmass, Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands received more than 12 inches of snow and lower parts of the mountain saw up to six inches. Since October 15, nearly three feet of snow has fallen on the area.

Snowmass and Aspen Mountain are scheduled to open on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.  Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are scheduled to open Saturday, December 8.

There are exciting changes in store for the 2007-2008 winter season at Aspen/Snowmass with $25.5 million in improvements.  Snowmass will be the focal point with the first phase of the new base village coming online, including The Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center, a rental/retail shop and ticket offices. Elk Camp Meadows learning area will also open at Snowmass this season.

Aspen/Snowmass will once again host the best women ski racers in the world Dec. 7-9, during the 2007 Aspen Winternational FIS Women’s World Cup. This year’s event will feature both speed and technical races, including the first women’s downhill in Aspen in nearly 20 years, along with super G and slalom races. The races will be the focal point of a weekend packed with additional events including a Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert, gondola plaza festivals, fireworks and parties.

This winter ski or ride Aspen/Snowmass for less than $40 per day with the Aspen/Snowmass Classic Pass.  Click here for more details.  http://www.aspensnowmass.com/classicpass/. Classic Passes are on sale this weekend, October 27-28, at Colorado Ski & Golf in Arvada and at Gene Taylor Sports in Grand Junction.

Source: Aspen Skiing Company

» A winter storm rolled through Aspen/Snowmass dumping up to eight inches of snow «

Hunters in the area reported more than a foot of snow in some backcountry locations. Snowmass reported eight inches of snow while Aspen Mountain received six inches at the 11,212 foot summit.

Snowmass and Aspen Mountain are scheduled to open on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.  Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are scheduled to open Saturday, December 8.

There are exciting changes in store for the 2007-2008 winter season at Aspen/Snowmass with $25.5 million in improvements.  Snowmass will be the focal point with the first phase of the new base village coming online, including The Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center, a rental/retail shop and ticket offices. Elk Camp Meadows learning area will also open at Snowmass this season.

Aspen/Snowmass will once again host the best women ski racers in the world Dec. 7-9, during the 2007 Aspen Winternational FIS Women’s World Cup. This year’s event will feature both speed and technical races, including the first women’s downhill in Aspen in nearly 20 years, along with super G and slalom races. The races will be the focal point of a weekend packed with additional events including a Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert, gondola plaza festivals, fireworks and parties.

This winter ski or ride Aspen/Snowmass for less than $40 per day with the Aspen/Snowmass Classic Pass.  Click here for more details.  http://www.aspensnowmass.com/classicpass/

Source: Aspen Skiing Company

» Winter X Games 12 «

ASPEN — Mark your calendar: Winter X Games 12 will take place Jan. 24-27, 2008 at Buttermilk.

Buttermilk will host the winter-sports spectacle, sponsored by ESPN, through 2010, for a total of nine consecutive years that began in 2002.

In 2008, the Games will air live on ESPN and ABC. Last winter, Winter X Games 11 reached an average of 734,000 households during prime time, according to ESPN, making it the most-viewed Winter X Games ever. On the final day of the 2007 Games, the Sunday evening telecast was the most-viewed in Winter X Games history, with 925,377 households tuned into the event, according to the network.

The 2007 event was also the most-viewed ever among several “key” demographic groups, according to ESPN, including young people and young men in their teens, 20s and 30s.

Winter X Games 12 will again feature ski, snowboard and snowmobile competitions.

Source: Aspen Times

» Season Dates Aspen / Snowmass for 2007 / 08 «

2007-2008 Operating Dates

Snowmass November 22, 2007 - April 13, 2008
Aspen Mountain November 22, 2007 - April 13, 2008
Aspen Highlands December 8, 2007 - April 6, 2008
Buttermilk December 8, 2007 - April 6, 2008

» THE SKI TOUR arrives at Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado, February 22-25, 2007 «

The world’s best skiers will compete in skiercross and skier halfpipe competitions for $125,000 per stop — the largest purse in skiing. Both skiercross and halfpipe will take place on the Velvet Falls run at Snowmass. Other tour stops include Sun Valley, Idaho; Breckenridge Colorado; and Squaw Valley, California.

Athletes confirmed for the tour include Olympians Daron Rahlves, Eric Schlopy, and Reggie Crist and X Games medalists Tanner Hall, CR Johnson, Simon Dumont, and Zach Crist. All four events will be nationally televised in one-hour shows on ABC television. In addition to the skiing competition, the BaseCamp Music Experience will be the focal point of off-hill entertainment. Confirmed entertainment for Aspen/Snowmass includes George Clinton, Elan and Tommy Lee with more to be announced.

» 7TH ANNUAL INFERNO RACE RESCHEDULED TO SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18 AT ASPEN HIGHLANDS «

ASPEN/SNOWMASS, Colo. February 15, 2007 - The legendary Inferno uphill/downhill race at Aspen Highlands has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 18. Ski patrol is tracking a winter storm moving into the area Thursday night through Saturday , and because of anticipated control work Saturday morning they have decided to move the race to Sunday. All other race details will remain the same. The race starts at 10 a.m. from just below the top of the Deep Temerity chairlift. 

The Inferno features five categories: Male and Female Competitive, Male and Female Rec., and Junior (for racers ages 12 to 17). All divisional winners will receive a cash award.

The field is limited to 125 adult racers and 25 juniors. Register at the Aspen Highlands Guest Services booth from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at the base of the mountain. Day-of-race registration at the Guest Services booth closes promptly at 9 a.m. (but late registration continues at the Ski Patrol PHQ until the start). Registration costs $30 and includes an “Inferno 7” T-shirt (with artwork by Highlands patroller Steve “Remo” Williams), raffle entry and prize giveaways at the awards party. Juniors will need a parent/guardians’ signature to register.

The Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol, the Inferno’s sanctioning body, is also seeking volunteers to help stage the race. Please call 544-3062 for more information about volunteer opportunities.

Racers should be at the top of Loge Peak chairlift by 9:45 a.m. on race day for a pre-race briefing. Racer lift tickets are available for $42, and racers will be provided with a secure area to store gear (at the base if the Deep Temerity lift) during the race.

The race features mass starts according to division. The route remains much the same: Start at to top of the Deep Temerity chairlift; descend Broadway past the Patrol Monument to the base of Mousetrap; ascend Mousetrap; pick up skis/boards on the way past the PHQ; climb the ridge to the peak; descend Highland Bowl through the 16 “control gates” and the run-out to the finish line at the bottom of the Deep Temerity lift. All told, the route includes 840 vertical-feet of climbing and 2,512 feet of down-hilling.

Racers are strongly encouraged to wear helmets, and racers must have leashes or brakes for skis (tele or alpine) or snowboards. Only one (1) pair of boots may be used by each racer, and racers must keep skis/boards in line with their bodies during the hike - not across their bodies. Also, gear must not flail more than one-and-a-half feet outside of racers’ bodies; violators will be DQ’d.

As usual, the post-race awards party is slated for 4:20 p.m. at the base of Highlands.

Call the “Inferno Hotline” at 970-544-3048 for the latest information on the race.

The descent route will be marked with bamboo poles beginning Thursday so that racers might familiarize themselves with the actual line. Racers can also ride the lift up early, beginning at 8 a.m. on race day, to inspect the course.

Source: Aspen Skiing Company

» HOSTED ON WINTER X GAMES COURSE, FEB. 8-11, 2007 Nearly $30,000 of Prize Money on the Line «

Aspen/Snowmass, CO, January 30, 2007 – The second annual Nissan Aspen/Snowmass Open presented by Esurance offers the opportunity for up-and-coming athletes to compete on the renowned ESPN Winter X Games slopestyle and superpipe courses on Buttermilk just a week after the Winter X Games, before they are open to the public. The event will be held February 8-11, 2007.

Over $28,000 of prize money is on the line and the top ski finishers in slopestyle and superpipe will qualify for the 2008 U.S. Freeskiing Open. This unique event will have open categories to skiers and snowboarders, men and women, in both slopestyle and superpipe.

Over 300 male and female athletes from five countries will compete in eight disciplines within skiing and snowboarding. Aspen/Snowmass Open athletes include Matthew Phillipi, Brent Abrams, John Spriggs and Colby West to compete in ski disciplines while Luke Wynen, Aidan Payson, Sammy Leubke and Teddy and Jordie Karlinski will compete in snowboarding events. 

Athlete registration opened last month and filled quickly. Slots are still available in the snowboard categories, while ski is closed.  (Contact Jenny Marshall at jmarshall@aspensnowmass.com for more registration information.)

“This event received incredible hype and response in its inaugural year in 2006 and has set a standard for open competitions,” said John Rigney, Managing Director Event Marketing, Aspen Skiing Company. “There is no other event out there that combines snowboarding and skiing in an open registration format on this scale and to be able to offer these great athletes the opportunity to compete on the X course is really exciting for us.”