Text by Katie Shapiro
Images by Craig Turpin
Last winter welcomed a new era for Aspen Mountain with the opening of Hero’s—a high-speed quad and 150 additional acres of chutes, glades and trails.
Formerly an out-of-bounds area referred to as Pandora’s, it was named Hero’s to honor all the people involved in the multi-year project, but most significantly for former Aspen Skiing Company managing partner Jim Crown, whose vision and leadership helped bring the ambitious vision to life.
Soon after his passing on June 25, 2023, Geoff Buchheister, Aspen Skiing Company CEO, announced, “Jim’s legacy and broad impact in Aspen stretched over 35 years, alongside many others we are also choosing to honor. We felt it was meaningful and appropriate to recognize all the heroes tied to this terrain.”
Hero’s—the first significant addition on Ajax since the opening of the Silver Queen Gondola in 1985—has increased skiable acreage by more than 20 percent on Aspen Mountain, which offers 906 total skiable acres.
Aspen Skiing Company works closely with the United States Forest Service (USFS) with conservation top of mind, and Hero’s kept as many trees as possible to create glade-heavy slopes. Their expert execution also created a functional hedge against future climate-challenged ski seasons, including a north-facing orientation and high-elevation access—ideal for holding snow when natural moisture is less plentiful.
Staying true to historical runs like Powerline and Harris’s Wall, heroes of Aspen who had significant ties to this terrain are also celebrated. Trails are dedicated to the first female ski instructor, Elli Iselin, 10th Mountain Division soldier Percy Rideout and pivotal ski patrol members like Eric Kinsman and Cory Brettmann. The Crown family chose trail names based on Jim’s loves and amusements and has since added a beautiful memorial. The mirrored art sculpture is inscribed: “This awe-inspiring viewpoint is reflective of our hero, his expansive and noble nature, exemplary strength and dedication to others. In loving memory of James S. Crown.”
As Hero’s heads into its second season of operation, we asked a few Aspen Skiing Company team members who have worked tirelessly to make this tall order of fresh terrain a dream to ski to reflect on what they’ve built.
“Hero’s has been an inspirational addition to Aspen Mountain. It’s the perfect balance of calm and beauty combined with the challenge of steep chutes and glades. Every day spent in Hero’s is an opportunity to explore and be inspired by beautiful vistas and new lines.”
—Geoff Buchheister, CEO, Aspen Skiing Company
“The terrain will see the final phase complete for this winter with a ton of excitement for snow to start flying. With the last parts of the glading done in the upper sections, it will be a whole new experience of discovery. The teams worked very hard this summer to deliver a high-end product with forest management at the forefront of their minds. We are excited to share this with our guests this upcoming winter.”
—Travis Benson, Aspen Mountain Manager
“We’re immensely proud of the whole team that helped realize this vision of Jim Crown with Hero’s. Our community and partners at USFS challenged us to create world-class skiing that respected the land and wildlife, and I’m pleased to say we not only met but exceeded these goals. The skiing is exceptional and truly transforms the mountain experience, all while prioritizing environmental stewardship. I hope this project demonstrates to others in the industry that it’s entirely possible to develop outstanding gladed skiing areas while maintaining a healthy, vibrant forest ecosystem. Our approach proves that environmental responsibility and exceptional skiing experiences can go hand in hand.”
—Mak Keeling, Vice President, Mountain Planning
“The addition of the Hero’s terrain has changed the way our guests experience Aspen Mountain and offered new perspectives of our surrounding environment and landscapes. I hope that this new area of Ajax will continue to open up new possibilities and fun challenges for our skiing and riding guests.”
—Tessa Dawson, Ski Patrol Director, Aspen Mountain
“I feel grateful that we got the opportunity to add on to what many feel is a great ski area that a lot of people feel very passionate about. The project was a long time coming and I’m very pleased to be part of it. I want to acknowledge all the work that goes into a project like this and I know folks will be enjoying the area for years to come.”
—Scott Scharin, Aspen Mountain Snow Safety for Aspen Mountain Ski Patrol