The Aspen Privé Journal
Aspen,
known.
Where to land, when to come, which mountain and what it costs. Aspen explained by the people who arrange it every day.
The Aspen Privé Journal
Where to land, when to come, which mountain and what it costs. Aspen explained by the people who arrange it every day.
From the editor
Most of what is written about Aspen is either a brochure or a list. This journal is neither. It is what we tell our own clients before they come: which airport, which week, which mountain, which table to book first, and what changes in 2027 when the airport closes for seven months.
198 guides, each researched from primary sources and dated. Nothing here is sponsored. When something is not yet announced, we say so.
The Aspen Privé team
Cover story · Arrival
From April 4 to November 19, 2027, nothing lands at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. Not airlines, not private jets.
Summer and fall 2027 still happen: the Food & Wine Classic, the Music Festival, the Ideas Festival. Everyone simply arrives another way, through Eagle, Rifle, Grand Junction or Denver, and the drive becomes part of the trip.
Our cover story sets out each route, what it takes, and how to land in Aspen before the closure if your dates allow.
Read the cover story →Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
The essentials
Four questions decide most Aspen trips. Here are the short answers, and where to read the long ones.
The holiday week at the house: the tree up, the table set, lessons booked and every evening planned.
Two nights of music at the base of the mountain, with everything around the shows arranged.
Lessons, rentals fitted at the house, lunches, and a quiet evening for the parents.
From the aircraft door to a warm, stocked house, with nothing to carry and nothing to chase.
Walks, daycare, a sitter for the evenings and a house that is ready for them too.
The Journal
The season, date by date
Houses, cars and the best tables go first. A request today commits you to nothing.
The library
A small terminal three miles from town, three airlines, and a closure in 2027. What to know when you fly in or out of Aspen.
Aspen airport to SnowmassSnowmass Village is six miles from Aspen's airport, closer than many guests expect. What each way of covering them is like with ski bags, children and a late flight.
When your Aspen flight is cancelled or divertedAspen is one of the most weather-sensitive airports in the country. What actually happens when a flight can't land, and how to plan so it doesn't take the first day of the trip.
Parking in AspenWhat it costs, when it's free, and where to leave the car on a ski day. And why many visitors are better off not driving at all.
Aspen taxis, shuttles and ridesFree buses, a metered taxi, rideshare and private cars: what each costs, where to find it, and which fits which trip.
Aspen to DenverLeaving is harder than arriving: an early flight, a winter road and no shared shuttle. Every way from Aspen to Denver and the airport, and how to time it.
Aspen without a carMost visitors don't need a car in Aspen. The valley's buses are frequent and many are free. What they cover, and where they don't.
Private jet: Atlanta to AspenAbout three hours, nonstop in a midsize or larger jet. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Austin to AspenAbout two hours, which puts a Friday-to-Sunday ski weekend within reach. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Boston to AspenAbout four hours; one of the longer domestic runs into Aspen, where aircraft choice matters. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Chicago to AspenTwo and a half hours across the plains; winter weather at both ends is the planning variable. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Dallas to Aspen private flightsA short hop from North Texas: under two hours in the air. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Denver to AspenAbout 35 minutes in the air against roughly four hours on the road in winter. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Detroit to AspenAbout 2¾ hours to the ramp, which makes a ski week from Michigan realistic. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Houston to AspenAbout 2¼ hours to the ramp, which makes a long weekend from Houston realistic. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Independence PassThe summer shortcut from Denver to Aspen over the Continental Divide. When it's open, who can't drive it, and how the drive feels.
Private jet: Las Vegas to AspenAbout an hour and a half, one of the easiest hops into Aspen. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Mexico City to AspenAbout three and a quarter hours plus a customs stop in the United States. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Minneapolis to AspenAbout two hours due southwest. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Nashville to AspenAbout two and three-quarter hours, nonstop. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Phoenix and Scottsdale to AspenOne of the shortest private flights into Aspen: about an hour and a quarter. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: San Diego to AspenAbout two hours across the desert Southwest. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: San Francisco Bay Area to AspenAbout two hours over the Sierra and the Great Basin. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Seattle to AspenAbout two and a quarter hours down the Rockies. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Toronto to AspenAbout three and a quarter hours plus a customs stop in the United States. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Private jet: Washington, D.C. to AspenAbout three and a half hours; a super-midsize or larger jet makes it comfortably nonstop. We arrange the flight with certificated operators and everything on the ground.
Where the day ends on each of the four mountains, which places need a booking, and how to get everyone home afterwards.
Heli-skiing from AspenThe honest answer first: no heli-skiing on the four mountains. The helicopter terrain is in the San Juans, and you can leave from Aspen.
Aspen HighlandsThe locals' mountain: steep, quieter, with the Maroon Bells in view and Highland Bowl above it all. How to ski it, eat on it and get there.
Aspen and the Ikon PassWhich pass works at Aspen, how many days it gives you, and when buying tickets or a local pass makes more sense.
Aspen lift tickets and passes 2026–27Aspen prices lift tickets dynamically, so the real savings come from how and when you buy. What to know about tickets, the Ikon Pass and season passes.
Aspen MountainAjax to locals: the mountain that starts at the end of the street. What it is like to ski, where to eat on it, and how to plan a day that begins in town.
Ski-in, ski-out in AspenTrue ski-in, ski-out is rarer in Aspen than people expect. Here it is, mountain by mountain, and when staying in town is the better call.
Aspen ski school: kids' programs and adult lessonsWhich program, at which mountain, from what age, and what the day includes, from Aspen Snowmass's own pages.
Uphill skiing in AspenSkinning up the ski runs before the lifts open is an Aspen morning ritual. The pass, the hours, the routes on each mountain and the rules that matter.
ButtermilkWhere most of Aspen learns to ski, and where the X Games happen every January. How families and first-timers get the most from it.
Highland BowlA hike to 12,392 feet and some of the steepest in-bounds skiing in Colorado. What it takes, and how to plan the day so the altitude doesn't win.
The Silver Queen GondolaFifteen minutes from the edge of town to the top of Aspen Mountain. When it runs, what it costs, and how to make the most of the ride, whether you ski or not.
Spring skiing in AspenLonger days, softer snow, lower prices and the occasional huge storm. Why late season is many regulars' favorite time in Aspen.
Every date that shapes an Aspen trip this year, month by month, with what each one means for planning.
Aspen Music Festival 2027Eight weeks of orchestra, chamber music and recitals, in the summer Aspen's airport is closed. How to plan it.
Aspen Shortsfest 2027Five days of short film at the Wheeler and the Isis, Oscar-qualifying, at the very start of Aspen's airport closure.
Food & Wine Classic in Aspen 2027Three days in June, the Grand Tasting Pavilion in Wagner Park, and the first Classic held while Aspen's airport is closed.
JAS Labor Day Experience 2027Three days of open-air music at Snowmass Town Park over Labor Day weekend. What we know about 2027, and how to get there with Aspen's airport closed.
Thanksgiving in AspenThe 2026–27 ski season opens on Thanksgiving Day. What that means for dinner, the slopes and getting here the day before.
X Games Aspen 2027Three days of snowboard and ski finals at Buttermilk, free by day and ticketed at night. What to know before you plan the weekend.
A night in a 10th Mountain hut is the most Colorado thing you can do in winter. Which huts are near Aspen, how booking works, and why you go with a guide.
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in AspenNinety kilometers of groomed trails that cost nothing to use, from the golf course in town to Snowmass. For a quieter day, a rest day, or anyone who doesn't downhill ski.
Dog sledding in AspenThe short answer, with dated sources: what happened to Krabloonik, whether anyone runs dog sled tours near Aspen now, and what to do instead.
Aspen fall colorsTwo or three weeks each year when the aspen groves turn gold. When to come, where to go, and how to see them before the crowds.
A river day suited to you.Fly fishing near Aspen: choose a beginner lesson, wading or a float with an independent outfitter. Licenses, conditions and the practical brief for your day.
Hiking in AspenFrom a morning walk that starts at the end of your street to a high lake at almost 12,000 feet. The trails worth knowing, sorted by effort.
Aspen at the pace of a horse.Horseback riding near Aspen: choose a trail ride by experience, age and time in the saddle. Official outfitter routes, clothing, transport and seasonal checks.
Ice skating in AspenTwo outdoor rinks under the lights, a free one in Snowmass with free skates, and two indoor arenas for public skate. Where each is, and what to know.
Aspen nightlifeAfter dinner in Aspen: a stadium act in a 400-seat room, a DJ until the small hours, or a quiet cocktail underground. Where to go, and how to get home.
Choose the river for the people going.Rafting near Aspen: choose the trip by experience, ages and current water conditions. Operator decisions, equipment, travel time and a clear plan for the return.
Sleigh ride and snowcat dinners in AspenA horse-drawn sleigh through Ashcroft to Pine Creek Cookhouse, or a snowcat up Snowmass to The Cabin after the lifts close. How each works, and how to book it.
Snowmobiling and snowcat dinners in AspenThe winter way to the Maroon Bells, a cabin lunch in the national forest, and dinner reached by snowcat. What each costs and what to know before you go.
Hot springs near AspenThe best-known soaks are down the valley in Glenwood Springs. What each one is like, what it costs, and how to make a day of it.
Plan an Aspen bachelor weekend with one shared dinner, mountain days suited to the group, transport and a house that permits the plan.
Aspen in March 2027Big storms and bluebird days, spring-break families, Easter at the end of the month, and one date every late-season trip must plan around.
An incentive trip that feels like a reward, not a programme.Plan an Aspen incentive trip for top performers: when to go, arrivals, group dining, mountain days by ability, private charter quotes and the 2027 airport closure.
How many days in Aspen?Three days is a taste, five is the sweet spot, seven lets you ski all four mountains and still take a day off. How to use each.
The night before, done properly.Plan an Aspen rehearsal dinner: restaurant private room or a chef at the house, how to size the guest list, the welcome-dinner alternative and getting everyone home.
Aspen weather by monthOfficial averages for every month, and what they actually mean for skiing, packing and planning.
Private yoga in AspenA session by the windows on the first morning, a slow stretch after a ski day. What private yoga costs in Aspen, and how to fit it around altitude and the mountain.How we work
Dates, who is coming, what matters most. By phone, email or the form.
The airport, the car, the house ready, the tables, the lessons, in the right order.
Every item with its exact price, confirmed before anything is booked.
A car at the aircraft, a warm and stocked house, and every evening arranged.
Questions
From 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 4, 2027 until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 19, 2027, while the runway is rebuilt. No commercial or private flights will operate. Eagle, Rifle, Grand Junction and Denver are the alternatives.
Aspen Mountain and Snowmass open November 26, 2026; Highlands and Buttermilk open December 12. Buttermilk closes April 4, Highlands and Snowmass April 11, Aspen Mountain April 18, 2027.
The holiday fortnight, roughly December 20 to January 4, then X Games weekend and the week around Presidents' Day.
Buttermilk, followed by Snowmass. Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands have no beginner terrain.
Yes. Cars and drivers, restaurant tables, lessons, rentals delivered to the house, private chefs, event plans and the house ready before you land. Tell us the dates and who is coming; we confirm availability and the exact price before anything is booked.
Tell us the dates and who is coming. We turn the guides into a plan, with prices confirmed before anything is booked.
Plan your Aspen trip
