Aspen, Colorado — Following the Hero’s expansion back in 2023, Aspen Snowmass intends to continue modernizing its marquee mountain.
The Aspen Daily News reports that as part of the “Season Preview” event held by the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, the ski resort detailed the improvements that will be coming in the years ahead. The headline additions for this winter are happening at Snowmass, with Elk Camp being replaced with a six-pack and the Cirque surface lift with a T-Bar.
However, another notable addition could be coming to Aspen Mountain as soon as next year. This year, Aspen has been working with the Forest Service on a proposal to add a new high-speed chairlift.
The Nell Bell Chairlift
This detachable high-speed quad chairlift would begin near the base terminal of the existing Little Nell chairlift and end near the summit of the existing Bell Mountain chairlift. Currently, this terrain is underutilized due to the rare openings of the Little Nell and Bell Mountain chairlifts. Additionally, the current setup results in lift lines for the Silver Queen Gondola. This new chairlift would reduce lift lines and lead to a more even distribution of skiers across the mountain.
The plan is that this addition would replace the Little Nell and Bell Mountain chairlifts. Little Nell is a fixed-grip quad chairlift that can carry 1,000 per hour. Bell Mountain is a fixed-grip double chairlift that can carry 1,700 people per hour. This new chairlift could carry up to 1,800 people per hour.
“This project actually adds redundancy to Aspen Mountain,” said Mak Keeling, vice president of mountain planning at Aspen One, to the Aspen Daily News. “It allows out-of-base access to both Hero’s and Ajax Express in the event the Silver Queen goes down, and it will do so in less than half the time of the current lift network.”
Other future projects referenced during the meeting include snowmaking upgrades at Buttermilk, glading work at Aspen Highlands, a deck expansion of Elk Camp lodge, and the conclusion of construction on the Ullrhof restaurant in Snowmass (projected to open during the 2026-27 season).
The new Nell Bell chairlift went through the public comment process this past summer. The comments are currently being reviewed by the US Forest Service. An official decision on these lift replacements could come in February of 2026. If approved in a timely manner, construction could begin in 2026.
Image/Video Credits: Aspen Snowmass, SRG Skiing
