Aspen Snowmass
By Kristen Kenny
As Aspen Snowmass gears up for another unforgettable winter season, the resort is proud to debut major on-mountain enhancements, including two new lifts at Snowmass, a range of new food and beverage experiences, lift ticket art by renowned artist Ed Ruscha, and a powerhouse events calendar that features the naming of the 2026 U.S. Olympic Ski & Snowboard Team and the 25th year of X Games. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy for the 2025-26 winter season:
Two New Lifts and Major Upgrades at Snowmass
Elk Camp Six-Pack: This winter brings a new high-speed six-passenger lift, replacing the Elk Camp quad. It will significantly reduce wait times and improve capacity.
Cirque T-Bar: Replacing the existing platter lift, this high-altitude T-Bar doubles capacity and improves access to Snowmass’ premier expert terrain. The addition of these upgraded lifts marks the first time in nearly 20 years that two new lifts will debut in a single season.
Ullrhof Transformation (Coming Winter 2026–27): Beloved Snowmass restaurant Ullrhof is currently undergoing a complete rebuild, featuring seating for 600+, a new bar and lounge level, and a stunning mountain modern design. Notably, it will be Aspen Snowmass’ first fully electric restaurant, in line with Aspen One’s sustainability strategy of building all-electric across all new construction wherever possible. All of this work is well underway, with the planned reopening to take place in time for winter 2026-27.
These guest experience improvements are part of Aspen One’s $80 million investment in on-mountain infrastructure this year and reflect an intentional effort to accelerate upgrades across Aspen Snowmass in the coming years to maintain its position as North America’s premier mountain resort destination. These new developments follow recent enhancements including last season’s renovation of The Cabin and upgrade of the Coney Express lift at Snowmass, along with the Hero’s terrain expansion on Aspen Mountain.
On-Mountain Dining & Après Highlights
This winter, Aspen Snowmass will introduce an impressive array of new and refreshed on-mountain dining experiences, from playful pop-ups to award-winning menus, offering guests bold new flavors and elevated après-ski options across all four mountains.
Elk Camp Restaurant Expansion: Elk Camp will open this winter with a new 120-seat deck expansion featuring “umbrella”-style retractable walls that offer climate-secure comfort and panoramic views.
Click for the full press release: https://aspen.com/articles/aspen-snowmass-2025-26-winter-news/
SkiBig3
By Ben Sayer
Get Ready to Ride the Ridge!
We’re excited to share some big news: the first phase of Richardson’s Ridge opens Wednesday, December 17th, way ahead of schedule.
Richardson’s Ridge is our newest terrain area, designed to give skiers and riders more room to explore, progress, and have fun. Served by the Richardson’s Ridge Express, a new detachable high-speed quad, the area features five new green and blue runs, along with wide, naturally gladed terrain that’s approachable, playful, and perfect for cruising.
Covering roughly 200 acres, Richardson’s Ridge is similar in size to our Larch area and offers beautiful views out over Pika Valley. With low-angle terrain and plenty of space to roam, it’s an ideal spot for skiers of all abilities to explore.
The opening of Richardson’s Ridge builds on a series of major improvements across the mountain over the past five years, including the Summit Quad, West Bowl, the Juniper Express Lift and Learning Area, and the Pipestone Express six-pack. Each of these projects reflects our ongoing commitment to thoughtful growth, terrain diversity, and making every visit to Lake Louise better than the last
Richardson’s Ridge is all about what we love most: More Mountain. More Possibility. More Adventure.
We can’t wait to welcome you out there. See you on the slopes.
Source: “Industry News” section of the National Ski Council Federation Fall 2025 Quarterly Report shared by the Crescent Ski Council via email newsletter on February 14, 2026, along with the February 2026 CSC President’s Update.