Celebrate Good Times

Closing-Day Parties at Aspen/Snowmass Send Out Ullr with a Bang

Nothing brings out Aspen's celebrated freak flag quite like a party on the final day of the season.

By Brook Sutton March 7, 2018 Published in the Midwinter/Spring 2018 issue of Aspen Sojourner

 

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Closing day always goes off at Aspen Highlands. 

April 8: Aspen HighlandsThe granddaddy rager of them all—drawing hordes of partiers from elsewhere in Colorado as well as locals—has morphed from grassroots to large-scale event over the last dozen-plus years. Now it’s almost as iconic as Highland Bowl itself. Upwards of 4,000 celebrants (most in costume) convene on the decks of Highlands Ale House and the Ritz-Carlton’s Willow Creek restaurant, as well as around the base area plaza, to shimmy and swill. Things go into high gear late afternoon when the Highlands ski patrol skis down Jerome Bowl for the season’s final sweep—they always have a little surprise planned.

April 8: Buttermilk
Who knows why the ski area celebrates its closing with Bacon Appreciation Day? But we’re not complaining when we can pig out on bacon waffles at the Cliffhouse and pop-up bacon stops around the mountain all day, nosh on chocolate samples at the base, and indulge in a chocolate fountain in the afternoon. Want to earn your porcine pleasure? Sign up for the uphill contest at 8 a.m. (costumes encouraged).

April 14–15: Snowmass
The resort turns up the volume for this year’s closing weekend activities as it wraps up its 50th anniversary season. On Saturday, look for another grand exit from Elk Camp restaurant, with dueling DJs, bike-powered margarita blenders, and volleyball, capped off with an en masse swimsuit ski to the bottom. Sunday, local snowboarders will go head to head in the Smith Optics Grudge Match Rail Jam, while teams of four attempt to pond skim in homemade boats during the ever-hilarious Schneetag. And expect the weekend to get a special infusion of energy from those who bought the $6.50 lift ticket for the 50th celebration in December but later received the option to use it during the last week of the season.

April 15: Aspen Mountain
Festivities here vary from year to year, but—fingers crossed—there will be a revival of last season’s giant slip and slide and on-mountain hot tub. Spirited partying at Ajax Tavern, with Veuve Clicquot flowing, is always a given.

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