How to Ski Aspen, Colorado for Free

Aspen Highlands is arguably at least one of the best ski mountains in the country; and you can ski it for free! What many don't realize is that many ski mountains are on public land, and that it is the lift that you pay for. We'll just gabble on here, for a minute, to get beyond Google's web crawlers...and tell you how you can lift at Highlands for free, too! In Aspen! This article will assume you have no gear, and don't even know how to ski.

Patterns over the last several years indicate that just as they are shutting the mountain down has been some of the best skiing of the year; conditions are epic right now, April 15, at Highlands.

EditSteps

1. 1
   Get your balance. Spend the summer on a longboard, or even a plain old skateboard, getting your 'balance.' If you are young, you can probably skip this step.
2. 2
   Gear up. We're going to show you how to lift for free at Highlands all year, but the best deals for gearing up are, obviously, at the end of the season. The many thrift shops in Glenwood Springs can't give the stuff away this time of year. You should be able to completely gear up for under $50! Aspen has a thrift store, also, where you may get premium gear; but expect a gear-up to run you more like $75-$100.
   • If you spent the summer on a longboard, you can now snowboard, with about a day's practice! As Highlands is an advanced mountain, you will want to stay on the "Broadway," however, if you are new.
3. 3
4. Get to Highlands. It is a $14 round trip from Glenwood Springs, where normal people live.
5. 4
   Pay your pound of flesh. You didn't think free meant no pain, did you? You have to hike halfway up the mountain; 45 minutes for a monster, about 2 hours for you. The scenery makes it all worth it, anyway.
6. 
   5
   Catch the lift at Loge Peak, or Cloud Nine. These will take you all the way to the top of Aspen Highlands, and you can caterpillar up to the Bowl hike with all the
7.  way to the top of Aspen Highlands, and you can caterpillar up to the Bowl hike with all the other pass holders, or ski halfway down to the aforementioned lifts, utilizing the top half of the mountain, for the rest of the day! What more, really, could anyone ask for? While you might think that Skico, the entity that runs the lifts in Aspen, would care, they do not--this is the best kept secret in the valley.
8. 6
   You gotta sleep somewhere. Aspen room rates are bottom dollar in the spring, in the neighborhood of $150 a night! If you are on a more limited budget, bus it back down valley for $60 a night; or take advantage of the many opportunities to camp around Glenwood Springs, where it's warmer--but see that the whole valley is surrounded by the White River National Forest...you own it.