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Travel Spotlight
After visiting during the resort’s opening week, Indagare’s Peter Schlesinger reports on the skiing—and après-skiing—scene in Aspen now.Aspen never goes out of style, but it does evolve. Case in point: this past summer, the Colorado resort town reported one of its most profitable off-seasons ever, as Americans sought privacy, space and safety in the Rocky Mountain fresh air. And now, after months of planning, the country’s most glamorous ski resort has reopened its slopes, albeit with several major changes in place to account for social distancing in this—usually crowded—winter wonderland. Here’s what to expect from a ski trip to Aspen this winter, including the latest from our favorite hotels and restaurants. Contact Indagare or your Trip Designer for assistance planning a customized trip to Aspen, as well as for more information on coronavirus travel safety, including the destinations that are open to travel, new Covid-19 hotel policies, the safest routes or transportation options available, future trip-planning advice, inspiration and ideas.
Up on the mountains, visitors now ride up only with people from their own party, and attendants at the gondolas and chairlifts are enforcing the use of face coverings. On-slope dining has switched to online ordering or table service.
Group ski classes from the Ski & Snowboard School now have a maximum of five people. And for individual private lessons, the only change is that masks must be worn all day except during lunch.
For families, the toddler's childcare center at Snowmass is closed this year, but ski- or snowboard-lesson programs are running as usual—with a maximum of five participants and face masks required.
Again, most of these changes seem like an improvement on previous operations: No more waiting in lines for food or lift tickets; no more crowded gondola rides up with strangers; and even more exclusive, personalized attention during group ski classes.
Since I went early in the season, only a small percentage of the area’s 300+ ski trails was open. As more snow falls, this should change quickly throughout the month. You can track what’s open at all four mountains here.
Related: What Skiing in the U.S. Will Look Like This Year
Published onDecember 10, 2020
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