When snow started dusting mountain summits in October, forecasters predicted above-average snowfall for many U.S. ski resorts this winter. And with a loosening of restrictions, this year’s après-ski scenes are looking up, too. We’ve rounded up the top ski news in the Rockies for the 2021-22 ski season, including new lifts and ski runs, the latest hotel debuts and renovations and where to eat (and drink) now. Schuss!
Contact Indagare or your Trip Designer for assistance planning a customized ski trip in the U.S. this year and matching you to the destination that is best for you, along with future trip-planning advice, inspiration and ideas.
Easier Covid Protocols for the 2021-22 Season
Ski areas have updated their health guidelines this season. Masks will not be required outdoors (although some outdoor tents may count as “indoor” spaces, if not sufficiently ventilated). Parking lot limits and reservation systems are also largely being scrapped, albeit with some exceptions: Jackson Hole, for one, will still require reservations for Ikon and Mountain Collective pass holders to manage capacity, and Alta is implementing parking reservations on weekends and holidays for the first time ever, to manage traffic. Look for locker access to return at many resorts, too.
Masks will still be required indoors, except when eating or drinking. Select mountains, including Vail Resorts properties (Vail, Park City, Stowe, Crested Butte and Whistler, along with 31 others), will also require proof of vaccination for indoor cafeteria dining on the slopes. Be sure to check the latest local mandates ahead of your trip, pack a mask and take a photo of your vaccination card (or download your state’s app) for easy vaccine status display, when asked.
Top Ski Resort News
Many resorts completed highly anticipated updates in time for the winter holidays. Some are celebrating anniversaries and others have added exciting new après-ski and restaurant options.
ASPEN-SNOWMASS, COLORADO
What’s New: Aspen-Snowmass celebrates its 75th Anniversary this season—Aspen and Lift 1 officially opened on January 11, 1947—with promotions and parties all season long.
On the mountain: Look for the new Alpin Room at the top of Snowmass’s Alpine Springs for lunch (reservations recommended) and the reopening of the private Aspen Mountain Club, following a redesign by Luis Bustamante, the same team behind last year’s living room and lobby renovation at The Little Nell. New premium lifestyle brand ASPENX will open a retail space stocked with ski apparel, luxury collaborations and more in Aspen Mountain’s gondola plaza.
In town: New hotspots include seafood restaurant Catch Steak, whose downtown rooftop comes with prime mountain views; Fort Lauderdale-based Italian mainstay Casa D’Angelo in the former Piñons’ space; celebrated cocktail bar Danté, in a new residency with outdoor patio at the St. Regis Aspen; and the anticipated Latin-infused Chica, the latest outpost of celebrity chef Lorena Garcia coming to the Residences at The Little Nell.
Where to Stay: The Little Nell, Hotel Jerome, St. Regis Aspen Resort and Viceroy Snowmass
Plan Ahead: Anniversary celebrations peak with three nights of shows at Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House from January 9 to 11, 2022.
Indagare Tip: Two museum exhibits will celebrate Andy Warhol this season: A museum-wide survey at the Aspen Art Museum (December 3 to March 27) and Warhol in Colorado at the Powers Art Center in nearby Carbondale (opening November 30).
BIG SKY, MONTANA
What’s New: North America’s fastest six-person chairlift debuts this season, along with elevated hotels and off-mountain experiences.
On the mountain: The new six-seater Swift Current 6 will feature ultrawide heated seats and a signature Big Sky Blue Bubble. Slopeside hotels Summit Lodge and Huntley Lodge have both completed major upgrades and the area’s first five-star resort, Montage Big Sky, opens in December with 139 rooms and ski-in, ski-out access. At the base of the mountain, the year-old Westward Social is a new hub with craft cocktails, ramen and sushi.
In town: The $20 million BASE community center is expected to open by March 2022, with an ice rink, climbing wall and galleries.
Where to Stay: Montage Big Sky, The Ranch at Rock Creek (an Indagare Index hotel) and Lone Mountain Ranch
Indagare Tip: Bozeman Yellowstone International, the closest airport, has increased direct flights from 23 major hubs, including New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Related: The 9 Best Places to Ski in the U.S.: Indagare Matchmaker
JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING
What’s New: Expanded terrain and services plus new local favorites.
On the mountain: Six fresh acres of gladed, skiable area include a widened Rendezvous Traverse; extended hours will see 8:30 a.m. starts for Teewinot and Après Vous chairs and Sweetwater Gondola; expanded locker facilities can now be found on the third floor of Bridger Center. The Four Seasons Jackson Hole’s dome-shaped Fahrenheit Forty-Seven bar—named for the ideal temperature to serve Champagne—is also back for the season.
In town: The table to book is newcomer Coelette in Jackson’s historic Coe’s Cabin, for creative cocktails and farm-to-table cuisine with an Asian and European twist. Local favorite Persephone Bakery has opened a second location much closer to Jackson Hole. Put Sudachi on your radar, too, for world-class sushi in the mountains.
Where to Stay: Amangani (an Indagare Index hotel), Caldera House and Four Seasons Jackson Hole
Plan Ahead: The resort will limit daily capacity and require reservations for Ikon and Mountain Collective pass holders. Reservations opened October 21; proof of flight and/or hotel booking required.
Other Highlights for the 21/22 Season
BEAVER CREEK, COLORADO
What’s New: The McCoy Park Expansion opening this December will add 250 acres of beginner and intermediate skier terrain, with 17 trails of natural, groomable glades (most of them beginner level) serviced by two new quads.
Where to Stay: Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, Park Hyatt Beaver Creek and Chateau Residence Club
Plan Ahead: Expect wine-paired dinners from visiting chefs and wine makers when Winter Culinary Weekend takes place from January 20-23, culminating with a Grand Tasting event on Saturday evening.
CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO
What’s New: Crested Butte opened 60 years ago this December with a generator, a T-bar and a J-bar — and it plans to celebrate its milestone anniversary all season long. Kicking off the next evolution: The new triple Peachtree Lift replaces the resort’s oldest and last remaining double, increasing uphill capacity by 50 percent and servicing beginner terrain at the base. Classic events will also return this winter, like the Al Johnson Telemark Race and Ski Town Breakdown.
Where to Stay: Scarp Ridge Lodge, a five-room Indagare Index property that is buy-out only in winter.
Related: The World’s Top Ski Resorts
DEER VALLEY & PARK CITY, UTAH
What’s New: Sundance Film Festival returns with a hybrid festival this January 20-30 with in-person events in Park City and satellite screens across the country; ticket packages go on sale December 17. The boutique Goldener Hirsch hotel, fresh off a $120 million renovation that added 40 residences in two new Tom Kundig-designed modern buildings last November, has just joined Auberge Resorts.
Where to Stay: St. Regis Deer Valley, Montage Deer Valley, Goldener Hirsch, Stein Eriksen Lodge or Residences and the Washington School House
Indagare Tip: Park City’s first full-service butcher, Chop Shop Park City, opened last December to rave reviews for its rare cuts; it also offers delivery—perfect for stocking up your condo pantry.
SUN VALLEY, IDAHO
What’s New: America’s original ski resort, recently named SKI Magazine’s top resort in North America for the second year running, has completed the first major expansion on Baldy in over two decades. The new Sunrise zone adds 380 acres of new terrain in an area long-known by insiders for its powder, rock drops, steep chutes, tree glades and corn skiing.
Where to Stay: Sun Valley Lodge
Plan Ahead: Sun Valley Film Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary next March 30-April 3.
Contact Indagare or your Trip Designer for assistance planning a customized ski trip in the U.S. this year and matching you to the destination that is best for you, along with future trip-planning advice, inspiration and ideas.
