# The Silver Queen Gondola

> Silver Queen Gondola winter 2026–27: November 26 to April 18, loading 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., sightseeing from $41. Summer $40 rides, Sundeck, Elk Camp option.

Canonical page: https://aspenprive.com/silver-queen-gondola-aspen/  
Updated: 2026-11-08 · Publisher: Aspen Privé (local Aspen stay planning and concierge)

The Silver Queen Gondola rises **3,317 vertical feet** from downtown Aspen to the summit of Aspen Mountain at **11,262 feet**, in about **15 minutes** each way. Non-skiers can ride it in **winter and summer**: winter sightseeing starts at **$41**, and a summer single ride is **$40** for adults.

Dates, hours and prices are from Aspen Snowmass's sightseeing pages, checked September 2026. The gondola runs weather permitting; high wind closes it.

## The gondola in numbers

- **Summit**: 11,262 feet, at the Sundeck restaurant.
- **Vertical**: 3,317 feet from the base at the edge of downtown.
- **Ride**: About 15 minutes each way; around 12,000 feet of cable, one of the longest single-stage gondolas in North America.
- **Opened**: The 1986–87 season, replacing the old Lift 1 and Lift 2 line to the top.

## Lunch at the top, arranged (what Aspen Privé arranges)

We ask for the Sundeck table so non-skiers can meet the skiers, and a driver to the base. [Plan the day](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=mountain-day).

## Winter 2026–27: sightseeing without skis

Skiers ride on their lift ticket; see [lift tickets and passes](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-lift-tickets-and-passes/). Walk-on sightseers share the cabins with skiers, so a late-morning ride after the first rush is calmer.

- **Dates**: November 26, 2026 to April 18, 2027.
- **Hours**: Uploading 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; last ride down 4 p.m.
- **Price**: Sightseeing tickets from $41.
- **At the top**: Lunch at the Sundeck, with views across to Highland Bowl and the Elk Mountains.
- **Buy ahead**: Online in the Aspen Snowmass shop; the resort says sightseeing tickets can sell out. They don't include ski terrain access.
- **Snowmass alternative**: The Elk Camp Gondola runs sightseeing November 26, 2026 to April 11, 2027, loading 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., with lunch at Elk Camp, tubing and the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster at the top.

## Summer: dates, hours and tickets

Buy online for a date (no time slot needed) or same day at the ticket office. Summer on top means hiking, a free 18-hole disc golf course, concerts and events at the Sundeck; the ride down is the easy way home after hiking up.

- **Season**: Weekends from late May; daily from about June 20 to early September; weekends through early October. The 2026 season ends October 4; 2027 dates are not yet published.
- **Hours**: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; last ride down 4:30 p.m.
- **Single ride**: $40 adults (13+), $30 children 7–12; 6 and under free.
- **3-day pass**: $49 adults, $39 children, gondola and chairlift rides on up to three days.
- **Family package**: $149 for two adults and up to four children 7–12, one ride up and down.
- **Season pass**: $189 ($94 with a qualifying winter pass).
- **Dogs**: Well-behaved, leashed dogs ride free in summer and can use the summit trails.

## Making the ride worth it

- **Go early in the trip, gently**: The summit is over 11,000 feet. On day one, ride up, sit, have lunch and ride down; save the hike for later. See [the first 48 hours](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-altitude-first-48-hours/).
- **Clear mornings**: Afternoon storms build in summer; the views are best before lunch.
- **Mixed groups**: In winter, the gondola lets non-skiers meet skiers at the Sundeck for lunch. See [Aspen for non-skiers](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-for-non-skiers/).
- **The other gondolas**: Snowmass's Elk Camp Gondola runs for winter sightseeing too (November 26 to April 11), with the Alpine Coaster nearby.

## Questions

**How much is the Aspen gondola?**  
In summer 2026, a single ride is $40 for adults (13+) and $30 for children 7–12; 6 and under ride free. Winter sightseeing tickets start at $41.

**What are the Silver Queen Gondola hours in winter?**  
For winter 2026–27, sightseers load 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the last ride down is at 4 p.m., from November 26, 2026 to April 18, 2027.

**Do you need tickets in advance for the Aspen gondola?**  
Buying ahead online is advised: Aspen Snowmass says winter sightseeing tickets, from $41, can sell out. They give gondola access and the Sundeck, not ski terrain.

**Can non-skiers ride the Aspen gondola in winter?**  
Yes. Winter sightseeing runs November 26, 2026 to April 18, 2027, uploading 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the last ride down at 4 p.m.

**How long is the Silver Queen Gondola ride?**  
About 15 minutes each way, rising 3,317 vertical feet to 11,262 feet.

**What are the summer gondola hours?**  
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., last ride down 4:30 p.m., daily from about late June to early September and on weekends before and after.

**Can dogs ride the Aspen gondola?**  
In summer, well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome on the gondola and the summit trails.

## What Aspen Privé can arrange for this

A driver to the base, lunch at the top booked, a photographer for the family on the summit, and a massage at the house afterwards.

- [A day out, planned](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=day-out): Reservations, timing, a driver and a picnic for Maroon Bells or a day in the valley, arranged around your group.
- [A private photographer](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-photographer/): A local Roaring Fork Valley photographer, English and Spanish speaking, for family portraits, couples, proposals, celebrations and private dinners, in town, at the house or out in the valley.
- [A driver for the evening](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=evening-driver) (From $210 per hour): A car and driver on call for dinner and the night out, so nobody hunts for a taxi at midnight.
- [Oxygen at the residence](https://aspenprive.com/oxygen-rental-aspen/): Delivered before arrival for the first nights at altitude.

## Sources (checked September 29, 2026)

- [Aspen Snowmass: winter sightseeing](https://www.aspensnowmass.com/visit/tickets-and-passes/sightseeing-and-tickets)
- [Aspen Snowmass: summer sightseeing](https://www.aspensnowmass.com/visit/tickets-and-passes/sightseeing-and-tickets/summer)

## Related

- [Aspen Mountain](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-mountain/): Ajax: terrain, dining, a day on it.
- [Aspen for non-skiers](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-for-non-skiers/): A full winter week without skis.
- [Aspen's four mountains](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-four-mountains-which-one/): Which one to ski, and when.

To plan or request any of this: https://aspenprive.com/plan-your-trip/ · https://aspenprive.com/contact.html