Snowmass is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this season (on 15th December 2017) and after half a century this vast and varied mountain continues to impress. For those who are in charge today, it has been a chance to pay respect to the mountain and the people with a meaningful and thoughtful mountain campaign: #THEASPENWAY

This spring Aspen took four simple words and gave them new meaning. Words that could stand as tall as the mountains that surrounded them. While some of the “actual” words came and went quickly – they could only hang giant letters from a gondola cable for so long – others stayed. In all cases, these words were – and are – representative of the intersection of values, principles and ideas that Aspen Snowmass holds close. After 50 years, Aspen believes there has never been a more important time to proclaim from the mountaintops what they stand for, and embrace what brings everyone together as people.

“Aspen Snowmass, as a destination, and Aspen Skiing Company, as a place of business with nearly 4,000 employees, has always been and will always remain dedicated to tolerance, open-mindedness, environmental sustainability, and civility.”
– Mike Kaplan, President & CEO of Aspen Skiing Company

Values on and off the mountain – Love | Unity | Respect | Commit

Love

Is love a choice you make, or something that chooses you? It’s both—that’s the magic. Aspen fell for Gay Ski Week in the 1970s. Only regret is not finding each other sooner. The question now is how we open our hearts even bigger. Not just to people, but to the whole world around us.

Unity

The mountains don’t discriminate. Neither do we. Neither should anyone. Ethnicity, religion, race, gender-identity. We’re better together. On the mountain, at work, as a nation, as members of the human race. It’s easy to give in to fear of the different. Please, don’t.

Respect

Respect requires more than leaving things be. Sometimes it means taking a stand for something. Like the environment, so the next generation can ski or ride. Or the value of science and the certainty of facts. Because the mountains were here first.

Commit

That knot in your stomach? It’s a sign you’re about to do something uncomfortable, risky even. Could be dropping into a big line or heading to a peaceful protest. Could be speaking up when it’s not easy or listening when it’s even harder. Bottom line: it’s always worth it.

Aspen has four incredible mountains that can be accessed on one lift ticket. Two amazing towns with endless possibilities for when the slopes close. A winter vacation at Aspen will engage your mind, body and spirit in ways no other winter vacation will.