Industry News
Aspen Snowmass, Colorado, has announced its tentative opening date for the 2025–26 winter season, set for Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27 — weather permitting. The resort is gearing up for another celebrated season in the Colorado Rockies, with early-season preparations already underway across its four mountains: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass.
Alongside the opening date, Aspen Snowmass has unveiled this year’s Art in Unexpected Places (ArtUP) lift ticket design, featuring the work of world-renowned contemporary artist Ed Ruscha. Based in Los Angeles, Ruscha is known for blending language, landscape, and humor in works that challenge how we perceive both the natural and constructed worlds. Over his prolific career, his art has been showcased at leading institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, and LACMA.
For Aspen Snowmass, Ruscha has drawn inspiration from his acclaimed Mountain series, layering evocative text and imagery over abstract alpine backdrops. His designs invite skiers and snowboarders to reflect not only on the majesty of the mountains but also on the shared responsibility of preserving them.
Now in its 19th year, the ArtUP program continues to merge art, environment, and experience—turning a simple lift ticket into a collectible piece of art. Past featured artists have included globally recognized names such as Takashi Murakami, Paula Crown, and Hank Willis Thomas.
Aspen One CEO Dave Tanner called the collaboration “an honor,” emphasizing that Ruscha’s bold and thought-provoking work aligns with the company’s long-standing vision of fusing art, nature, and community. The lift ticket designs will debut when Aspen Snowmass opens for the 2025-26 ski season this November 27.
