Aspen Mountain and Snowmass to open Saturday, five days ahead of schedule

Aspen local Doran Laybourn does a tail grab underneath “the couch” lift on Aspen Mountain on March 1, 2019.
Anna Stonehouse/The Aspen Times file photo

With many of the Colorado’s resorts opening early this season, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass will join the pre-Thanksgiving mix and will open Saturday, Aspen Skiing Co. officials said Monday.

According to a news release, Aspen Mountain will operate Little Nell and Bell Mountain chairlifts, giving access to 75 acres of terrain with more than 2,600 vertical feet. Runs that will be open include Deer Park, Tortilla Flats, Spar Gulch and The Little Nell.

Additionally, the Silver Queen Gondola will be open for sightseeing and the Sundeck will be available for food and beverages, Skico said.

Snowmass Ski Area will offer a total of 60 acres of terrain with skiing and riding from the Village Express midway unload point along Upper Scooper to Lower Hal’s Hollow to the bottom of Fanny Hill as well as at Elk Camp Meadows accessed by the Elk Camp Gondola.

The Breathtaker Alpine Coaster will be up-and-running and the Elk Camp Restaurant will be open for food and beverages.

“With a series of incredible early season storms and cold temperatures, our mountain operations teams have been hard at work and we could not be more excited to open early on Aspen Mountain and Snowmass for the second year in a row,” Katie Ertl, senior vice president of mountain operations, said in the news release. “With 135 acres of combined skiable terrain on Aspen and Snowmass, perfectly groomed corduroy and a few storms coming mid-week we are looking forward to a great 19/20 season.”

This is a developing story that will be updated.

via:: The Aspen Times