This 2023-2024 winter, a new ski terrain is opening. The expansion in this terrain is the first huge addition on Aspen Mountain since 1985. Originally the addition was named Pandora but has recently been changed to Hero’s as a tribute to a number of people who helped with the development of the terrain. The names of some of the trails are also attributed to people who have contributed to the growth of Aspen Mountain. One of these names is “Mike Drop”, for Mike Kaplan, a recently retired CEO. Some other trails are named after historical figures, including Aspen’s first female ski instructor, Elli Iselin, and 10th Mountain Division soldier, Percy Rideout.

Hero’s will be 153 acres on the north side of Aspen mountain, with the addition being the mountain’s biggest growth since they opened the Silver Queen Gondola in 1985. They placed this new addition specifically on the western side of the mountain making it the perfect place to hold snow in seasons with less natural snowfall. Hero’s will raise Aspen Mountain’s skiable terrain by more than 20%, with three gladed areas, four cut trails, and nineteen new chutes. This also includes extending some existing runs like Walsh’s and Kristi’s. The inclusion has added 1220 vertical drop as well as getting rid of the tough hike out at the bottom. The addition gives expert skiers a lot to celebrate but there are many new additions to help the intermediate skiers with more groomed runs.

Hero’s is part of a four-mountain master plan to update each of the mountains at least once a decade. The proposal for the Hero’s development was planned to be included in the 2017 plan but was pushed back due to technical zoning concerns. The expansion is not huge in terms of ski resort expansions and may even be considered on the smaller side compared to skiable additions in the past. The addition will also improve the skier circulation and limit the crowding around the Ajax chair. The updates on the mountain started summer of 2022, with cutting the trees for the new runs and lift construction following as well as the addition of new snowmaking lines. Some of the removed trees were sent to a nonprofit Farm Collaborative to create a new building at the campus at Cozy Point Ranch. Other wood was sent as firewood to the residents on the backside of Aspen Mountain. A goal for Skico this season is to focus on learning more about the control of avalanche risks on the new terrain. So this winter season when the gates to Heros are closed, ski patrol is asking people to stay out so they can successfully and efficiently learn the ins and outs of the new terrain.

There have been some concerns about the effects of the environment and how the expansion will affect wildlife, but Aspen Ski Co. has emphasized these concerns during the project by making sure that the expansion will, in some ways, be beneficial for the forest’s health, in no way harming the elk that live in the area. Although there have been precautions put in place for the definite health of the environment, critics say that the expansion should be “assessed through a wider environmental lens”.

Skico officials asked Scott Fitzwilliams, the White River National Forest Supervisor about how he would address the issues this could cause the environment. At the meeting, Fitzwilliams said that the Forest Service review ended with the conclusion that there are and will continue to be minimal effects on the local wildlife and no disturbance to the wetlands. There may also be some benefits from logging on the east side of the mountain and impact on the 161 acres of ground covering foliage that may affect the elk during the summer. Some other impacts that are more permanent will be access to roads, lifts, and snowmaking pumps and ponds. All other effects will be temporary.