Aspen Snowmass: Mountain Improvement Projects

Aspen Snowmass continues to invest in infrastructure that defines its world-class mountain experience, with several capital projects underway this summer that will debut in time for the 2026-27 winter season.

The marquee mountain improvement project this summer is the construction of the all-new Nell Bell lift on Aspen Mountain, which will replace the historic Bell Mountain (1957) and Little Nell (1986) lifts with a single high-speed detachable quad. The new lift will run from Gondola Plaza to the top of Bell Mountain, featuring 135 chairs and a 2,656-foot vertical rise and providing unprecedented access onto Aspen Mountain from the base. The vintage chairs will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to various community charities—further details to come. 

At Snowmass, a $42 million investment is underway for the total rebuild and transformation of Ullrhof, the iconic mid-mountain restaurant that is set to open this coming winter. Upon completion of the renovation, Ullrhof will be the resort's first all-electric restaurant, an important milestone in Aspen One's continued commitment to sustainability.

Other mountain projects include ongoing snowmaking improvements and forest health work across all four mountains. Notably, Aspen Snowmass is a key partner in the Shadow Mountain Wildfire Mitigation Project, a collaborative effort to create more wildfire-resilient conditions on Shadow Mountain in Aspen through strategic forest glading and removing overgrown vegetation. Project partners include the City of Aspen, Pitkin Couty, Aspen Fire, the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Aspen Valley Land Trust, and the Wildfire Collaborative.