Less than 70 days remain until the start of the winter season at Aspen Snowmass, with Opening Day set for Thursday, November 23, 2023. Aspen Snowmass is looking forward to the upcoming winter season with big things on the horizon thanks to the reveal of a significant new terrain expansion on Aspen Mountain and the return of World Cup ski racing to our slopes. What’s new and notable at Aspen Snowmass for the next winter season of 2023–2024 is described below.
Expansion of the Aspen Mountain Terrain: Heroes
This winter, Aspen Snowmass will introduce a brand-new high-speed quad chairlift and terrain expansion on Aspen Mountain, boosting the mountain’s skiable area by more than 20%. The Silver Queen Gondola opened in 1985, and this expansion will be Aspen Mountain’s first substantial addition since then, adding 1,220 vertical feet and more than 150 acres of new chutes, glades, and trails. The new terrain and lift will be known as Hero’s in recognition of all people who have influenced Aspen Mountain and contributed to the project’s success, most notably Jim Crown, whose foresight and leadership made this ambitious extension possible.
With its north-facing, high elevation terrain (all above 10,000 ft.), the expansion not only diversifies Aspen Mountain’s terrain mix and expands the amount of skiing available on the mountain’s top slopes, but it also serves as a practical buffer against future ski seasons that may be adversely affected by the climate. When there is less natural snowfall, this location works well for storing snow. When the weather permits, the terrain and lift will open this winter.
Stifel Aspen Winternational in 2024
Men’s technical events for the 2024 Stifel Aspen Winternational will be held in Aspen Snowmass from March 1–3, 2024, marking the conclusion of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup circuit in the United States. Slalom and giant slalom competitions between international racers will take place on Aspen Mountain, and Aspen Snowmass will serve as the venue for viewing, ceremonies, and festivities related to the competitions as part of the Winternational celebration. More than 100 World Cup competitions for both men and women have taken place at Aspen Snowmass over the years, including the World Cup Finals in 2017 and the Stifel America’s DownhillTM downhill and super-G competitions last year. Since 1981, the Winternational competition has served as a mainstay of the Aspen World Cup ski racing, and this season’s competition will see the return of the winter festival custom.
Claudia Comte’s ArtUP Partnership Has Been Announced
The iconic artwork of Claudia Comte will be shown on the winter lift tickets and passes for 2023–2024, Aspen Snowmass has announced.Aspen Snowmass’s Art in Unexpected Places (ArtUP) program, which invites renowned artists to Aspen to create a limited-edition lift ticket and an opportunity to engage with Aspen’s local and international populations, is now in its 19th season running. The lift tickets for this season will feature five of Comte’s most recent pieces.
New Chef, Menu, and Ambience at Alpin Room
Chef Emily Oyer, formerly Executive Sous Chef at Cloud Nine, is welcomed to assume the helm at Snowmass’ Alpin Room and rethink the restaurant’s cuisine and character. A featured chef on the Food Network, Chef Oyer won Chopped in 2021 and took part in Beat Bobby Flay in 2022. Chef Oyer wants to infuse the ski-in, ski-out fine dining establishment with new warmth, vitality, and community because he sees food as a vehicle for human connection.
The Alpin Room, tucked away in the center of Snowmass, opened its doors in the winter of 2021 and offers a thoughtful, handcrafted interpretation of home cooking from Alsace at a high altitude. A focus on locally sourced ingredients and simple comfort food with an elevated touch will characterize Chef Emily Oyer’s innovative take on Alps-inspired cuisine.
Source- Travel daily