Among the four peaks that make up Aspen Snowmass, Aspen Highlands has a reputation as the ‘local’s mountain’. It offers mostly expert-level terrain and is a great destination for experienced skiers — particularly because of its crowning jewel, the Highland Bowl.
The Highland Bowl is an alpine bowl located at 12,392 ft. (3,777 m) just above the main summit of Loge Peak. You can access the peak of the bowl by hiking for between 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your level of fitness, where you’ll be treated to a fantastic view of the Maroon Bells and the surrounding mountains.
If you don’t feel like hiking all the way to the peak, you can cut out early. Some of the steepest and most interesting terrain is to be found short of the summit. All the different lines into the bowl will bottom out and connect to the base of the Deep Temerity chairlift.
Highland Bowl has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best places to ski in the world and was called “the best inbounds big-mountain skiing in the lower 48” by Powder magazine. Here are six great reasons to hike and ski Aspen’s Highland Bowl:
1. The Bucket List Skiing
The top reason that avid skiers from around the world seek out Highland Bowl is undoubtedly the terrain. A visit to Highland Bowl is the type of trip that you definitely put on your Bucket List, if you’re a ski aficionado.
With an average pitch of 35 to 40 degrees, a sustained pitch of 38 to 48 degrees from the summit, and 1,400 feet of vertical terrain before the bottom-out, the Highland Bowl has earned its place in the skiing world.
2. The Variety of Terrain
Another great reason to hike and ski Aspen’s Highland Bowl is the sheer variety of terrain. The bowl offers enough skiing to keep you coming back for days — if not weeks — to explore all the different lines and discover all the powder stashes in the bowl.
Around 20 lines are marked out in the Highland Bowl, across three different zones, and each line offers a slightly different experience. The three zones are named after the types of ski wax:
- G-Zone (Cold/Green Wax): These are the north-facing slopes on the far side of the bowl, including lines G-8 through to G-0. Many of these lines descend through the trees on the slopes and are known for their great snow conditions.
- B-Zone (Cool/Blue Wax): These are the east-facing runs close to the Peak Gate and in the middle of the bowl. This zone features some of the steepest lines available, such as Ozone and Be-One. If you want fast, challenging runs, these are perfect for you!
- Y-Zone (Warm/Yellow Wax): These are the south-facing lines that you’ll pass early on your climb to the peak. Many of these lines will get skipped by non-locals, but they offer great options, including favourites such as B-Fore. Consider dropping off early in Ballroom, Mosh Pit (similar to Ballroom, but slightly more aggressive), or Boxcar.
If you would like to get more tips on the best lines to ski at the Highland Bowl, check out the option to hire a guide for your trip (see number 5).
3. Getting Your Fill of Fresh Powder
At most resorts, the biggest challenges on powder days will be getting out early enough to make those sweet first tracks before the crowds arrive. While the hike up to the summit of Highland Bowl will turn into a conga line on snow days, one of the best things about the bowl is your ability to find untouched deeps or powder stashes on almost any day.
During good conditions, you can find fresh powder skiing almost everywhere in the bowl. However, if the rest of the bowl starts to get skied out, you can always migrate to the G-Zone, where the north-facing slopes and the trees offer protection from the sun. Here you are likely to find untouched powder, even a week after a storm — and you’ll never run out of terrain to explore.
4. Free Snowcat Access to Main Gate
One of the best things about Aspen’s Highland Bowl is that, unlike most backcountry terrain, Aspen Snowmass will provide you with complimentary snowcat access to the edge of the bowl. They also offer avalanche control and snow patrol for the area, which counts as inbounds skiing for the resort.
The snowcat pickup is located near the top of the Deep Temerity and Loge Peak chairlifts, and it allows you to skip roughly the first 15-20 minutes of the hike to the peak. The cat will drop you at the top of Whip’s Veneration, right next to the Main Gate, so if you plan on skiing one of the Y-Zone lines you won’t have far to hike.
Bear in mind that the snowcat won’t always run, depending on weather conditions — so check before you plan your day around it!
5. A Guided Experience
Another great thing about the Highland Bowl is that, even if you’re nervous or don’t feel confident doing it without someone else, there are options to hire an experienced guide to help with the trip.
The ski pros who provide the Guided Experience for guests at Aspen Snowmass are there to help you make the best decisions about where to ski and deliver an experience that caters to your particular needs.
Your guide will be able to provide advice on: what to wear, depending on the weather conditions; which lines to try, based on your ability level; and where to find the best snow conditions on the slopes. They’ll also show you the best spots to grab a bite of lunch or après-ski at the end of the day — and overall, they will help take your experience at the Highland Bowl to the next level.
6. The Après-Ski at the Cloud 9 Alpine Bistro
The best way to cap off a day of hiking and skiing the Highland Bowl is a visit to the Cloud 9 Alpine Bistro, a legendary après-ski spot at Aspen Snowmass. Cloud 9 is located mid-mountain at the top of the Cloud 9 chairlift, offering spectacular views of the Maroon Bells.
The restaurant is known for its rustic, European-style vibes and for serving a delicious mix of gourmet appetizers and classic mountain fare: caviar, steak tartare, fondue, raclette, apple strudel, and more!
Kick back and enjoy a glass of fine wine or a flute of Champagne and toast the day’s adventures — or join a ski-boot dance party if you’ve got some energy left!
Can’t wait to experience the Highland Bowl for yourself? Start a quote to book your trip to Aspen Snowmass today.
