By Jen Murphy
The lift tickets at Aspen Snowmass have long been coveted keepsakes: Ever since Aspen Skiing Company’s inception in the 1940s, the keys to the mountain, dangling proudly from skiers’ jackets, have doubled as accessories, with each season bringing a fresh look, just like any other fashion trend. In 1954, the look was a Barbie-pink Aspen Snowmass logo set against a blush background. In the late 1960s, it was a mint-green aspen leaf motif patterned on cream-colored paper. Tickets became statement pieces skiers proudly displayed on their jackets.
During the 2005–2006 ski season, the Aspen Art Museum and Aspen Skiing Company introduced a novel initiative that transformed those tickets into a canvas. Part of the Art in Unexpected Places program, the inaugural design was created by Japanese artist Yutaka Sone and captured a telemarking “Ski Madonna” whose inspiration was local mountaineer Christy Mahon. “Instead of simply displaying a ski-resort necessity that let lifties know you’d paid for your day on the mountain, skiers and snowboarders were now sporting an original creation by artists,” says Michael Miracle, Aspen One’s vice president of community engagement.
Skiers found the small pop of art delightful—and collectible—and every year since, a new artist has provided imagery for both day and season passes. For the 2016–2017 season, celebrated painter Laura Owens developed 11 unique images that mixed elements of vintage still life with Pop Art. Italian artist Paola Pivi’s electric-hued, feathered polar bear sculptures graced the 2021–2022 passes.
This year, internationally acclaimed artist Ed Ruscha lent his iconic style to the passes, blending text with landscapes and American iconography. He selected works from his well-known Mountain series, which overlay phrases such as, “History Kids” and “Uh-Oh” on images of abstract peaks. The images invite skiers to reflect on alpine landscapes and the shared responsibility to protect them—not only during this ski season, but always.
“These lift tickets are keepsakes that can create a thoughtful pause,” Miracle says, “when you pick one up at the ticket office, and, even better, years later as a postcard from the past as you’re rummaging through a drawer looking for your goggles.”