Plans have been announced for the expansion of one of the most popular ski resorts in west central Colorado.
The Aspen Skiing Company has said that it wants to add a new lift to its property located in the Town of Snowmass, while also building five new trails, an area for learning beginners, and an expansion of its commercial space.
Besides the Snowmass area, the Aspen Skiing Company, which was founded in 1946, operates the nearby Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk resorts which are collectively among the most famous such resorts in the country.
In a recent presentation to the Town of Snowmass Village Planning Commission, company representatives said they wanted to enhance the skiing experience for Snowmass visitors.
But a working master plan detailing the site improvements, said Chris Kiley, Alpine Skiing Company vice-president of development, can only work “with the town and the mountain both, and we’ve tried to write it that way.”
A staff report for the planning commission completed earlier this year has maintained that the updated plan “will not substantially impact the character of the Town as it pertains to previously approved and newly proposed uses, activities, and operations of the ski area as generally anticipated.”
The company’s plans also include upgrading the popular Village Express lift to a 10-person gondola from its current six seats, while also expanding the property’s restaurant and dining areas.
A specific date for when some of the upgrades and improvements to the resort will begin has not yet been announced.
Late last year the magazine Conde Nast Traveler listed Snowmass as the number one ski resort in North America, lauding its 4,406-foot elevation drop and noting that the resort offers “enough variation to make it an all-around hit with families.”
By Garry Boulard
