Speeding Up in Snowmass

Fans of the nostalgic the two-seater that inched riders up Snowmass' High Alpine terrain should have made sure they said goodbye last season—it's something they won't see again. This summer, Aspen Skiing Co. has been busy installing a new high-speed detachable quad lift to replace the two-seat chairlift, which will shorten ride time and enhance the skier experience by making riding that part of the mountain more efficient. 

High Alpine is set to open for the 2015-16 ski season, which begins on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26). The chair's new trajectory will start downslope from High Alpine Restaurant, allowing skiers and snowboarders coming from the Cirque Headwall, AMF, Gowdy's and KT Gully to head back up the mountains without returning to Sheer Bliss. Previously, those runs required taking two separate chairlifts. On top of that, ride time will be decreased from 11 to just under 6 minutes. 

The upgrade is part of ongoing improvements to Snowmass Ski Area. Others include the addition of snowmaking facilities and thinning more runs to create gladed terrain on Freefall, Castle, Upper Green Cabin and Long Shot. 

All of it sounds great. Recent snow on surrounding peaks has us dreaming of ski season ...