Punch your ticket to the best skiing in the North America
An illustrated guide to the Highland Bowl.
Quick facts:
- The beautiful Highlands bowl summit, at 12,392 feet, is only accessible by hike.
- The hike takes 30 to 40 minutes. I’ve seen 20 and I’ve seen some people never finish it. But you’re not some people.
- Total it’s a 782 vertical foot hike along razor rock, knife edges and some really fucking flat, windy false summits.
- As locals say ‘turns are best earned’. That’s why we do it.
Alright boys and girls, strap on your GoreTex and some ski boots because we’re going to venture past the top lift on Aspen Highlands to smoke the bowl.
Highlands is one of the four mountains (Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass) in the Aspen Snowmass family. Long known as the ‘locals mountain’ for its’ technical terrain and relative remote location, it’s quickly become my favorite place to ski. A major reason is the bowl. Above Loge Lift, the real fun begins. As you exit the top lift here, you’re greeted by a ridge line dumping into a beautiful bowl shape.
A quick ski under the ominous ‘Experts Only’ flags, you find a line of eager hikers, patiently waiting in the snowcat line. If you’re feeling really badass, skip the cat and do the extended hike.
Of course, I never feel really badass so I opt to jump into the pickup style snowcat, which ferries you to the bowl gate. Seeing that you’re reading this review, you’ll remember to bring your bowl strap or ski-hiking strapping method of choice. My personal flavor is lashing my skis to my backpack like this. Comfortable, gives me access to my poles, and doubles to carry my Camelbak and helmet.
Here’s the bowl path. On the right, you see hard pack steps and just left of those are the badasses who skipped the cat (they’re passing you now.) Pace yourself, the top of the mountain doesn’t get any closer so take you time and look around once in a while, the view is alright.
Here you see a number of people making the hike. There are different levels of climbers. If you see someone holding their skis on their shoulder, they’ve likely never skied the bowl before because that’s a real pain in the ass — err shoulder. These people will stop to take a break in the middle of the path and likely collapse before they get to the top. Try your best not to be behind them when this happens. You’ll be in the expert group of hikers because you’re reading this, remember?
Now you can drop in anywhere along the ridge here. there are no rules but if you don’t make it to the peak, did you really climb the bowl? Here’s the peak now. Incredible views, blustering wind and an overwhelming sense of accomplishment live here. Crack the beers and take in the vista.
At this point, you’ll quickly realize that you’re only halfway done. You have to get down. Pick your drop zone, either directly under the peak or, my favorite, somewhere in the G zone that snakes through the trees. Enjoy some of the best skiing in the world for a little bit and then take a break halfway down because your quads are aflame. This is what smoking the bowl means.
Obviously I forgot to take pictures on the way down. I can’t remember if I was too tired or having too much fun.
There you are, you’ve made it back to the Temerity lift, which takes you back to the top of Loge. You can hike the bowl all over again.
And with that, you’re now an expert at shredding the bowl and having a good time too.