Published on Thursday, October 4, 2012

Investment in Aspen/Snowmass for 2012 Ski Season

Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) is proud to announce that it is investing over $17.5 million (£11 million) in capital improvements to the leading resort of Aspen/Snowmass on Colorado for the 2012/13 season.

This significant investment includes the launch of the brand new, mid-mountain Elk Camp restaurant on Snowmass, located just steps from the top of the Elk Camp gondola. The $13 million (£8.1 million) restaurant will have indoor and outdoor seating for up to 300 guests and is projected to be the resorts' fifth LEED certified building.

The restaurant at The Little Nell hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain will also undergo a complete $2.5 million (£1.6 million) remodel this fall - launching in November as Element 47 (the chemical name for silver, reflecting Aspen's silver mining heritage).

With four mountains on one lift ticket - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - and villages with rich historical and cultural heritage, this year's improvements mean there are more reasons than ever for international visitors to come to Aspen/Snowmass.

International visitors accounted for 30 per cent of winter business to Aspen/Snowmass in the 2011/2012 season, with nearly one out of every five destination visitors coming from outside the U.S.A. The top international markets represented are: Australia, Brazil, the UK, Germany, Mexico and Canada.

Sun, Snow

The location and elevation of Aspen/Snowmass combine to create ideal conditions, with more than 762 cm (300 inches) of snow and more than 300 days of sunshine each year. Although the entire United States saw limited snowfall during winter 2011/12, year-in and year-out, Colorado's snow is as consistent as any place on earth. As though to prove a point, Mother Nature dropped 13 inches of snow on the resort on closing day, April 15 2012.

The lifts will begin running on 22 November 2012, when Aspen Mountain and Snowmass open for the 2012/13 winter season. Aspen Highlands will open on December 8 and Buttermilk will open on December 15. Buttermilk is slated to close on April 7; Aspen Mountain and Snowmass will on April 14; and Aspen Highlands will stay open until April 21*.

*Subject to change.

Aspen Skiing Company operates the four mountains in the Aspen/Snowmass area - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - as well as the award-winning Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen/Snowmass. The area offers unparalleled nightlife and off-slope activities as well. Aspen/Snowmass is accessible by two of the most convenient airports in the mountains - Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) (5 kilometers from Aspen) and Eagle County Airport (EGE) (112 kilometers from Aspen).

# ENDS #

Note to Editors:

Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational activities, an abundant arts scene, Western heritage, distinctive cuisine, and 26 renowned ski resort areas. The state's scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of four major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, ten national parks and monuments, and 54 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet.

www.facebook.com/visitcolorado

www.twitter.com/colorado

Further information and images are available by contacting:

Fiona Pettitt or Laura Mason-Byers

Cellet PR

08456 020 574

[email protected] / [email protected]