Skiing in Aspen for under four dollars sounds like a prank, but for one December weekend it's real. Aspen Snowmass is marking its 80th anniversary by rolling lift ticket prices back to $3.75 — the exact rate charged on opening day in 1946 — on December 14. If you can't make that specific date, the deal still stings pleasantly: tickets cost just $80 on December 12 and 13.
The celebration runs December 11–14 and covers all four of the resort's mountains: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. That's a rare chance to sample the full portfolio — from the expert steeps of Highlands to beginner-friendly Buttermilk — for a fraction of what an Aspen day ticket normally costs, which typically runs well into the hundreds.
The discounts don't stop at the lifts. Four Mountain Sports is offering $80 ski and snowboard rentals during the window, and on-mountain food and beverage specials are priced at a pointed $19.46, a nod to the founding year. There's also a limited run of anniversary merchandise for anyone who wants proof they were there. If you're making a trip of it, three properties — Limelight Aspen, Limelight Snowmass and The Little Nell — are matching the spirit with discounted room rates across the same four days.
A word of realism: this is a single weekend, and December 14 falling on a midweek-adjacent date doesn't guarantee empty slopes. Early-season conditions can vary, and the novelty pricing is likely to draw a crowd of locals and deal-hunters alike. But even at $80 a day, December 12–13 undercuts peak-season Aspen pricing by a wide margin, and pairing it with discounted lodging makes for one of the better-value windows you'll find in a resort town not exactly famous for them.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: if Aspen has ever sat on your list as a "someday, when I win the lottery" destination, this anniversary weekend is the moment to cash in. Book quickly — anniversary pricing like this tends to sell out, and the discounted hotel rates are tied to the same short window.
