Aspen Highlands

Slightly inset from town in a more remote location, Aspen Highlands is the most local-feeling resort in the Aspen/Snowmass conglomerate. This tall-but-narrow mountain is much smaller than most Colorado destination resorts, and the character of its terrain results in a few drawbacks. However, Highlands’ modest footprint hosts some of the best trails in Colorado, and for the right groups, the area should not be missed on a trip to Aspen.

Aspen Highlands is really great for two types of people: intermediates and true experts. Approximately a quarter of the resort consists of blue runs that vary between intermediate and advanced-intermediate in difficulty. Highlands removed its green-circle designation a few years ago, remarking all these runs as blues. It’s pretty straightforward to tell which runs used to be greens—these runs feel like blues at other resorts, while the other blues, which have always been marked as such, feel like typical easy blacks. Many of these runs are groomed and allow you to pick up serious speed as you descend the mountain. Others are left ungroomed and turn into somewhat difficult mogul runs.

Visitors will have to progress quickly to enjoy the rest of the mountain. Only a handful of single-black runs exist at Highlands, and they can easily be explored in half a day. The remaining two-thirds of the resort is precipitously pitched double-black-diamond terrain. If you can think of a category of expert terrain, Highlands probably has it; these steeps can be found across trails, glades, and bowls, and many contain obstacles such as cliffs, rocks, and tree stumps. These runs are notable not just for their technical challenges, but also for their lengthiness—most maintain their steep profile for the entire length of the run, requiring serious endurance to make it down. Every mountain area has an expert way down—an extreme rarity for any ski resort—and for those looking for a serious challenge, it’s possible to ski the entire lift-serviced vertical drop while tackling two or three distinct double-black diamond runs.

Guests will need to reach expert proficiency—and build up serious stamina—to enjoy perhaps the most iconic part of the resort, the Highland Bowl. This high-alpine area makes up the top 700 acres of the resort and faces three distinct directions.

The top-elevation Peak Gate takes a grueling hike to reach, taking anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on one’s ability level. The hike is made especially difficult by the ultra-high altitude, with the summit topping off near 12,400 feet. That being said, the hike is among the most popular at any in-bounds ski resort and sees heavy foot traffic during good days. Three other gates along the Highland ridge provide bowl access with less hiking. The resort runs a snowcat that goes about 10 percent of the way up the bowl from the top of the lifts; while not overly useful, the cat shaves a few minutes off the hike and provides direct access to some Temerity and lower bowl lines.

Due to its incredibly exposed terrain and the difficulty of rescue operations, the Highland Bowl is subject to more variable openings than the rest of the resort. For those visiting the mountain specifically to make the hike, clear, sunny days are the best move. The bowl experiences varying snow conditions across different exposures; the north-facing G runs typically retain the best quality powder, while the south-facing, easier-to-reach Y runs often see variable accumulation until the higher spring temperatures soften them up. The west-facing B runs are typically somewhere in between.

Snow quality at the rest of Highlands is on par with the best in Colorado. The resort doesn’t always see the highest accumulation totals, but snow preservation is excellent, especially in the high-elevation areas that comprise much of the footprint. The abundance of double-black terrain results in areas that take days before getting tracked out, as the sheer difficulty of these lines filters out a large number of would-be powder seekers. During the core season, it’s rare to experience a day at Highlands where good powder can’t be found somewhere.

That being said, seasons can get off to a slow start. The resort doesn’t benefit from quite as much snowmaking as other Colorado mountains, and in many circumstances, Highlands doesn’t have enough cover to open until the week before Christmas.

In addition to the aforementioned snowcat, uphill service at Highlands is held down by five chairlifts. Just about everyone will ride the Exhibition high-speed quad, which provides the only access from the base to mid-mountain. The lack of alternatives means the lift sees long lines in the morning and that the resort is pretty much inaccessible if that chair goes down. The neighboring Thunderbowl triple chair, which provides direct access to a lower-mountain trail pod, offers some relief.

Other lifts generally benefit from at least some redundancy. The popular expert-only Deep Temerity chair can see lines during peak times, but it’s possible to traverse out about halfway through to get to the Loge Peak chair instead (although this path isn’t clearly marked). The mid-mountain Cloud Nine chair doesn’t service any of its own trails, but its placement makes it much easier to lap some of Highlands’ best intermediate cruisers without taking excessively long runs—a recent capacity upgrade on this chair has significantly cut down crowds.

While still quite fancy, Highlands’ facilities aren’t as big or widespread as those at its other Aspen counterparts. But the lack of buildup contributes to a rather local, naturally beautiful feel compared to the other mountains. Upper-mountain areas such as Deep Temerity convey quaint feelings of isolation, and with a full hike up the Highlands Bowl, it feels as if you’re on top of the world.

As one might expect from a tall, narrow mountain, getting around Aspen Highlands is generally straightforward. However, the long, consistent vertical drop creates a series of high-consequence mid-mountain intersections where it’s possible to miss your desired lift and endure a lengthy detour. Additional signage pointing to the mid-mountain Cloud Nine and Loge Peak lifts could potentially help remedy the situation.

Lodging

Despite its isolation from Aspen proper, Highlands features some upscale lodging options directly on-site. All are a short walk from the lifts. The most notable of these is the ultra-luxury Ritz-Carlton, but a few high-end home rentals exist in Highlands Village as well.

Aspen proper is about a 10-minute drive from Highlands, and a wide variety of hotels, condos, and home rentals can be found in the small, charming city. While options in town are a bit cheaper than directly on-site at Highlands, every accommodation is at least somewhat pricey.

Day parking at Highlands is limited and pricey, costing up to a whopping $40 per day. The garage only has one entrance and exit, and guests should be prepared for backed-up traffic when leaving the facility in the afternoon. Those staying in town are better off taking the convenient public bus service.

Apres-ski

At Highlands, visitors may actually want to start their aprés-ski while still on the mountain. From 2-4pm each day, the mid-mountain Cloud Nine Bistro becomes a 21+ club, complete with incredible vibes on the outdoor patio and an extensive selection of wine and champagne. For a chiller experience, a couple of pubs exist at the Highlands Village base.

Aspen proper is the place to be for evening and night experiences. Just about everything exists here, including bars ranging from casual to lively, clubs with live music, and fancy restaurants.

Verdict

On its own, Highlands may be a bit small to book a destination ski vacation to. But the resort is certainly worth visiting—and a must-do for experts—thanks to its isolated feel, iconic hiking terrain, and extremely demanding footprint. Highlands is on the same pricey ticket as the other Aspen resorts, but for at least a day or two here, the experience is worth it.