Aspen Highlands

Closed
Heather Burke
SnowPak Local Insider
Heather Burke
Pros
  • Upscale and lively town with tons of food and shopping
  • Fantastic intermediate and advanced ski terrain
  • Low elevation - altitude sickness won't be a problem
Cons
  • Expensive ski vacation

Aspen Highlands Ski Packages

Lodging Discount Price
Viceroy Snowmass
34% off $605
The Crestwood Condominiums
29% off $715
Molly Gibson Lodge
22% off $596

View all ski packages for Aspen Highlands

Overall

4.4

Aspen Highlands is reputed with Colorado's best steep, big-mountain, in bounds skiing. Highland Bowl being the highlight, but here so much more to this mountain. You start your ski day on the Exhibition high speed quad to mid mountain - the Merry-Go-Round. From here ride the Loge Peak lift to the highly scenic summit to ski beautiful groomers like Meadows and Kandahar or drop down off the ridge to steeper less manicured Garmisch, St Moritz and Chamonix. The Cloud 9 Chair serves more blues like Gunbarrel and Grand Prix, and more edgy Moment Chutes and Olympic Bowl.  Glade skiers will love the steep snow-filled trees of Deep Temerity.

Best month to go

February

Avoid

December and January

February is the best time to visit Aspen Highlands as it sees fewer skiers and snowboarders. December draws in the holiday goers and January sees many come to see the Winter X-Games.

FLY TO

Aspen Pitkin County Airport

DRIVE/ SHUTTLE TO

Aspen Highlands (10 minutes)

Aspen (2-3 mi)

  • Wide variety of lodging, dining and nightlife options
  • Reputation for expensive accommodation
  • Less than 10 minutes drive away

Find accommodations around here

Snowmass Village (8-10 mi)

  • Ski village with some après ski
  • Larger rental homes and condos than Aspen
  • Approximately 15 minutes drive away

Find accommodations around here

For beginners

There's no beginner terrain at Aspen Highlands but Buttermilk is a beginner's mountain just a short 3 mi drive or shuttle bus away!

For intermediates

Intermediates will have a decent amount of terrain to explore here. Warm up with a few laps on the Exhibition lift to get a feel of the mid to lower half of the mountain. Then hop aboard Cloud 9 lift to take on some of our favorites including Gunbarrel and Deane's where you can try out some powder skiing before easily returning back onto the usually groomed main run. Otherwise, Scarlett's Run is great if you love the bumps!

For experts

With endless options for advanced but mostly experts, it's tough picking some of our favorite runs at Aspen Highlands. Besides the infamous Highlands Bowl, check out the the Stagecoach area under the Deep Temerity lift.

Find freshies

Off-piste between the glades and in the bowls are the best spots to catch some freshies! Since most of these are rated as expert terrain, they don't get tracked out quickly. Be sure to check out the runs off the Deep Temerity lift for some fresh powder!

Ditch the crowds

Besides on Saturdays, Aspen Highlands doesn't have a huge amount of crowds. Beware most skiers will take the Exhibition lift in the morning as it serves as a gateway to the upper mountain and the other lifts there.

Non skiers

Non-skiers won't have a problem finding things to do here. The town of Aspen is infamous for its nightlife while during the day there are endless activities such as ice skating, dog-sledding, yoga and so much more! If you're lucky enough to be here in January then be sure to check out the Winter X Games or the Wintersköl Festival.

Families

With no beginner terrain at Aspen Highlands, families with less experience or with little ones might want to opt for nearby Buttermilk and its family-friendly atmosphere and mellow terrain. Otherwise for the more experienced gang, Aspen Highlands is fantastic with a ton of runs ending at Merry-Go-Round restaurant, making it easy to meet up.

Save up to 36% when you book a Aspen Highlands package!

View Aspen Highlands packages

Aspen Highlands Reviews

Fabulous 4.4 / 5
based on 22 reviews

How well the resort caters for beginner skiers / boarders

Beginners

How well the resort caters for intermediate skiers / boarders?

Intermediates

How well the resort caters for advanced skiers / boarders

Advanced

How accessible and convenient it is to get to this resort from a major destination

Accessibility

Quality of the off-piste terrain

Side/Backcountry

Overall value for money of the resort

Value for money

Quality of lifts, lift speed and lift layout in the resort

Lifts

Quantity and quality of the snow

Snow

How uncrowded is the resort

Uncrowded

Après ski and dining options

Town

Services and facilities e.g. child care, tubing, health care, equipment hire

Facilities

How family friendly is this resort?

Family Friendliness
Superb!5 / 5May 03, 2019
ACAlec C.
intermediate snowboarder
Loved this mountain. Came to aspen with my university ski club and had a blast. We hiked to the top and it was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Downtown was full of things to do as well... More
Fabulous!4.3 / 5Mar 22, 2019
Aspen Highlands ReviewsJake S.
expert skier
You have to hike for it but “the bowl” is best and longest deep powder run I’ve seen anywhere in the world! Other great runs excessive by lifts. Not a great mountain for beginners but buttermilk and Snowmass mountains (both great for beginners and advanced alike) are about 5 and 10 minutes away respectively. I cannot recommend this mountain more... More
Average!3 / 5Mar 22, 2019
Aspen Highlands ReviewsEric S.
expert skier
You should only visit this mountain if you have serious disposable income. It's riddled with wanna be ski elitist. The locals are cool but to live here you need to be rich or work for rich people.... More
Very Good!4 / 5Dec 06, 2017
TJTom J.
expert skier
Highlands is an amazing resort that has so much to offer the whole family bu truly geared to the thrill seeker in us all! Hike the Bowl and access unbroken powder on above 40 degree slopes or challenge yourself on the bumped out double fall line run that is deception. Want to pace yourself and see how well your skills have progressed? Give Moment... More
Very Good!4.2 / 5Nov 24, 2017
DJDaniel J.
expert snowboarder
If you want steep in Aspen, go to The Highlands. When you go though and you're lucky to get there after some fresh, get there early and head straight for the cat. Short hike to the top fro the drop off and you'll be greatly rewarded. Out of the three Aspen locations it is the steepest and least crowded, but it is also the least developed. That can... More
Fabulous!4.2 / 5Nov 22, 2017
AHAlex H.
advanced skier
Great place to go skiing.. offers four whole mountains by free bus (Ajax, highlands,snow mass and buttermilk.) Buttermilk is great for beginners and park runs. Then you have snowmass with a huge amount of terrain all topped off with the nice steep slopes and tree runs of Ajax and highlands ... More
Superb!4.5 / 5Nov 13, 2017
JHJoel H.
intermediate skier
Highlands was my first ski resort where I tried skiing and had been my favorite resort since then. Great, accommodating and accessible resort. Great restaurant around the village. Overall one of the best spots in Aspen.... More
Good!3.6 / 5Nov 08, 2017
JJeremy
advanced skier
Great terrain and snow. My second favourite of the 4 Aspen mountains, (after Snowmass). Definitely worth a try if you're in Aspen for a few days. Not heaps of accommodation or apres at Highlands itself, but it's an easy (free) bus trip from Aspen or from Snowmass. A bit less crowded and less pretentious than Aspen mountain. ... More
Superb!4.9 / 5Nov 06, 2017
BDBridger D.
expert skier
Best mountain in colorado. The snowwas the best the runs are steep and deep. Locals mountain for sure l. Go to cloud 9 for a good time foods great and chapagne flows... More
Good!3.9 / 5Nov 05, 2017
LMLiam M.
expert skier
It had been a long time since I skied Aspen Highlands, but last spring it served up some of the best skiing of my life! The Highlands Bowl is a mere 2 lift rides, one caterpillar ride, and an hour hike to over 13 thousand feet of altitude and some of the most epic powder skiing in the Central Rockies. I experienced chest deep powder with face... More