Looking to ski Aspen Snowmass IKON Pass? Let me share our family’s experience! We used our IKON Pass and Mountain Collective Pass to explore three of the four Aspen Skiing Company resorts. Since many readers still ask about exploring these mountains with IKON Pass, I’m sharing all our tips and tricks – from where to park to where to eat. Even though this trip was a few years ago, most of these practical details may help for planning your Aspen ski adventure.
The Four Aspen Resorts at a Glance
The Aspen Skiing Company runs four resorts that share the same lift ticket:
- Aspen Mountain
- Snowmass
- Aspen Highlands
- Buttermilk
We had five days on our IKON Base Pass (or you’ll have seven days for IKON Pass), while my son Kevin used his Mountain Collective Pass for two days and paid 50% off window price for the remaining three days. All he had to do was to link Mountain Collective pass to his credit card, and he was good to go!
We split our time between the resorts:
- Three days at Snowmass
- One day at Aspen Highlands
- One day at Aspen Mountain
Looking back, if you’re mainly focused on skiing, you could actually skip the famous Aspen Mountain. The terrain wasn’t as impressive as Snowmass or Highlands, and we happened to catch it on a day with average conditions. We didn’t make it to Buttermilk, which is better for beginners anyway.
Parking Tips and Base Area Info
Aspen Mountain
- Parking is free on Sundays (if you can find a spot!)
- On other days, Rio Grande Parking costs $10/day
- Pro tip: Drop off your gear at the Silver Queen Gondola first
- There’s a free shuttle between the parking lot and gondola (or a10-minute walk)
- Base area has:
- Gondola on second floor
- Ticket office on first floor right
- Restrooms and locker room on first floor left
- For boot changing: The drop-off spot for gear and the shuttle stop are right by the gondola – everything’s in one place. The gondola’s on the second floor, with the ticket office on the right side of the first floor and restrooms and locker room on the left. You can store your shoes and bags in the locker room – no need to rent a locker if you don’t want to.
- We didn’t eat at the resort or in the village since we only skied for four hours in Aspen Mountain. The slopes were just groomers and moguls, with no powder left in the trees (it had all been bumped up into moguls). It was our fifth day of skiing, and honestly, we weren’t that excited anymore.
- For breakfast, we stopped in Basalt to pick up my son’s repaired snowboard and grabbed breakfast at Wholefoods in town (highly recommend – lots of options and great value!). We left for Frisco around 2 PM, and on our way through Glenwood Springs, found this great restaurant serving pho, sushi, and ramen – something for everyone! Glenwood Springs is a bigger city, about 50 minutes from the ski area, with cheaper lodging and lots of restaurant choices. From there, you take I-70 toward Denver – make sure to drive this route during daylight at least once, the scenery is gorgeous!
Snowmass
- Two Creeks parking costs $15 on weekdays ($25 on weekends), but heads up – both the ticket office and lifts open a bit later, from 9:00-3:30. On our first day, we got there early because Kevin needed to pick up his tickets, so we drove to the free Town Park lot instead and took the shuttle to Snowmass Mall. They say the shuttle runs every 7 minutes, and yeah, it was super frequent and convenient. There’s this cozy little information building with a fireplace where you can hang out, plus bathrooms and WiFi. We liked it so much we ended up parking there every day!
- When the shuttle drops you at Snowmass Mall, you can change boots and store your shoes at the ticket office. All the rental shops and stores are in the same area. Just FYI – your IKON Pass won’t get you any discounts on food or shopping at any of the four resorts.
- Snowmass is the biggest resort with lots of different terrain. Since there are more beginners here, they tend to stick to the groomed runs, which means the tree runs and off-piste snow stays in great shape. My son was pretty impressed – at Revelstoke where he’s spending the season, all the powder gets tracked out before noon. Even on our third day, we still found great powder in the trees next to the lift!
- We had lunch at Elk Camp twice because we loved their salad bar. But on the third day, we tried High Alpine restaurant – wish we’d found it sooner! The food options there were even better.
Aspen Highlands
- Highlands parking garage is right at the base of the lift – just take an escalator up, and it’s free if you have 4 people in your car. Pretty sweet deal! For our family of three, parking was $15 on weekdays ($25 on weekends), but it was totally worth it. You park right in the garage, and inside you’ve got bathrooms and lockers. Take the escalator up, and boom – you’re right at the village and lifts. The Highland Center is where you get tickets, and they’ve got these comfy big couches where you can chill, change your boots, and store your shoes and bags.
- Three base restaurants:
- Mexican restaurant – quick and affordable. I loved my grilled veggie wrap, but my husband Tom wasn’t too impressed with his salad bowl.
- Upscale bistro – if you want to take your time.
- And one at the Ritz Hotel Up on the mountain, there are two restaurants. Cloud 9 at the top of the lift is pretty upscale and needs reservations.
Where to Stay to Ski Aspen Snowmass IKON Pass
You’ll find vacation rentals with kitchens on Airbnb or VRBO, and hotels on Booking.com or Hotels.com. Here are your options, from closest to furthest (and most expensive to most affordable):
El Jebel: Super convenient – there’s a gas station and Wendy’s right on the main road. We’d stop there to grab a quick bite on our way home from skiing Aspen Snowmass when we got hungry.
Basalt: It’s a bigger town with several hotels and a Whole Foods that has tons of prepared food options. The ski shops here are great – when Kevin’s board got scratched by a rock, we rushed to the shop right before closing. They fixed it overnight and had it ready for pickup at 8 AM the next day. Awesome service!
Carbondale: This is where we stayed – I found a one-bedroom with a kitchen on VRBO. It’s about a 30-minute drive to the slopes, and they have ski shops too. We didn’t explore the town center much, but my son’s local friend says there’s a really good Thai restaurant there.
Glenwood Springs: Now this feels like a proper city! It’s right off I-70, has the most affordable lodging options, and lots of restaurants to choose from. It’s a 50-minute drive to the slopes, but if you don’t mind driving and want to save money on accommodation and skip cooking, this is your spot!
Getting There
Car Rental Tips
- Try car rental websites and check Trip.com to see if there is a deal
- Get a 4WD vehicle if possible
- Snow tires are rare at Denver airport
- You’ll need to take the shuttle bus to reach Car Rental area at Denver airport. Major companies share one building there.
Flight Options to Ski Aspen Snowmass IKON Pass
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Huge airport with three concourses (A, B, C)
- Take train to main terminal for baggage
- All security checkpoints in one central area
- Delta and Southwest offer curbside check-in, which is so convenient for our ski bags!
- Aspen Airport
- Super close to ski areas
- Reasonable car rental prices
- Best choice if flying from Toronto
- Eagle Vail Airport
- Winter-only flights
- Good option for skiing Vail
- Rental cars reasonably priced
Nearby Ski Resorts Worth Checking Out
IKON Pass resorts:
- Copper Mountain (closest to I-70) – On our way back to Denver, we stayed one night in Frisco to ski Copper Mountain
- Steamboat (much lower altitude, scenic views and known for powder)
- Winter Park (I like their moguls)
Epic Pass resorts:
- Vail
- Beaver Creek
- Breckenridge
- Keystone
Mountain Collective Pass only includes Aspen Snowmass in Colorado now (Telluride left the program).
Our Experience to Ski Aspen Snowmass IKON Pass
Snowmass
- Largest resort with varied terrain
- Great tree skiing
- Powder stays untracked longer
- Best food at High Alpine restaurant
- Good salad bar at Elk Camp
Aspen Highlands
- Worth the parking fee for convenience
- Great terrain
- Mix of dining options
Aspen Mountain
- We only skied for 4 hours
- Mainly groomers and moguls
- Trees were tracked out
- Beautiful drive to Frisco afterward on I-70
Skiing Aspen Snowmass with IKON Pass is definitely a great deal! Plus, the IKON Pass offers excellent value for skiing on the East Coast as well—check out our 10-day ski itinerary for inspiration. It’s also a fantastic option for exploring the Canadian Rockies, including the legendary Big3 resorts. Get the most out of your pass and make the most of your ski season now!
