Ullrhof Returns to the Bottom of Big Burn, and the Snowmass Lunch Map Redraws Around It

Last winter, the bottom of the Big Burn lift had chairs, a lift line and a construction site where Ullrhof used to be. The site had no restroom and no warming room, and nobody was pouring the Bloody Mary. When Snowmass Town Council approved the rebuild in December 2024, Aspen Skiing Co. told council there would be no dining, restroom or warming access at the site during construction. The company also said the Forest Service had historically resisted temporary structures there. That gap ran through the 2025-26 season, and Aspen Snowmass said the reopening was planned for winter 2026-27.

That reopening is now close. In its October 29 winter announcement, Aspen Snowmass says Ullrhof will reopen this winter after a $42 million rebuild. The new 26,000-square-foot building replaces the 56-year-old original and more than doubles capacity to 600-plus. The new Ullrhof's real job shows up in the planning record. It was built to fix a shortage of seats in one part of the mountain, so its return changes where lunch happens across Snowmass.

Four Hundred Seats Short

The Aspen Daily News reported the approval in December 2024. At that hearing, Dana Dalla Betta, SkiCo's senior planning manager, described the expansion as part of long-term growth plans for the ski area, meant in part to relieve pressure on the Elk Camp and Alpine Springs pods. Her explanation to council was direct:

"We're short roughly 400 seats within the Big Burn skiing pod alone. We're also trying to think forward to future growth and our annual year-over-year skier growth."

That changes how the new building reads. The old Ullrhof seated about 325 people indoors and out, and council approved a maximum of 725. Published figures have shifted as the project moved from approval to opening, so each number below is shown with its source.

Council asked about two details that matter more to a regular lunch crowd than to a first-time visitor. Councilmember Britta Gustafson raised the long restroom lines that families wait in and asked SkiCo to study more stalls in the women's facilities. Chris Kiley, SkiCo's senior vice president of planning and development, said the plans include a family restroom. Council also asked SkiCo to look at lowering the roof, which was designed at 63 feet 11 inches, just under the code maximum. Kiley said the roof pitch opens up views for people inside.

What Sits Under That Roof

The building is still at the base of Big Burn. The 2024 approval also gave it access from the Lunch Line catwalk. On its project page, architecture firm Bull Stockwell Allen describes an all-mass-timber design about double the old footprint. The firm says mass timber was chosen partly to speed construction during Snowmass's short building season.

The single burger counter has been replaced by four concepts spread across two floors, according to Aspen Snowmass:

• Ullrhof serves casual mountain dining: burgers, sandwiches, salads, shareables and the milkshakes.
• Ullrmarket is a full-service espresso bar and market with pastries and grab-and-go snacks.
• Ullrbar is on the top floor and opens onto an outdoor deck, with upscale shareables, table service and craft cocktails.
• Ullrgrill is an outdoor bar and grill serving hot dogs, brats and doughnuts, open on sunny days only.

The release also confirms that the Ullrhof Bloody Mary is coming back. The plan presented to council in 2024 organized the dining room around kiosk and mobile ordering. Guests would take a seat, order digitally and collect their food when notified, and at least one cashier would remain for anyone who prefers to pay in person. The current materials from Aspen Snowmass do not repeat that detail, so treat it as the design intent and not a confirmed operating plan.

The day the doors open has not been announced. The official Ullrhof page says "Reopening November 2026," and Snowmass opens for the season on November 26. The Aspen Daily News ran photos from an Aspen One preview of the finished building in October and described the opening as expected during the 2026-27 season. The hours on the restaurant page predate the rebuild, so check them again once the season starts.

Elk Camp and Spider Sabich Get New Jobs

SkiCo's case for a bigger Ullrhof rested on taking pressure off the Elk Camp and Alpine Springs pods. This season's other on-mountain changes fit that plan. While Ullrhof was closed, Aspen Snowmass reopened the Spider Sabich Race and Picnic Area for the first time in many years with The Hot Dogger, a quick-serve pop-up run with Los Angeles-based Sumo Dog. With Ullrhof back, the picnic area gets a different tenant. Down4Pizza, a lower-mountain pop-up of Up4Pizza at the top of Snowmass, takes over the Spider Sabich site near the Makaha Terrain Park on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Elk Camp is also adding to its schedule. It gains grab-and-go breakfast burritos and a full all-day Sunday buffet. Sam's, the fine-dining restaurant on Snowmass, adds a breakfast service with bar service, pastries and breakfast sandwiches. The Cabin, which sits in the same part of the mountain as Ullrhof, will expand its live music and DJ programming for après.

One Elk Camp change is less visible. The Elk Camp chairlift now has a battery backup in place of a diesel generator, and Aspen One calls it the world's first battery-backed chairlift. The Aspen Times reported that the 900-kilowatt battery replaces a 1,250-kilowatt diesel unit and is expected to avoid about 144 tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year. After the lift stops at 4 p.m., Holy Cross Energy can draw stored power back into the grid to reduce peak demand. The battery and the all-electric Ullrhof come from the same company commitment to build all-electric wherever possible.

Put together, these changes send the busiest midday traffic back to the Big Burn base. Elk Camp gets a stronger breakfast and Sunday schedule, and Spider Sabich becomes a weekend pizza stop.

November in the Village, Day by Day

The village reopens in stages before the mountain does. Snowmass Tourism's seasonal closures tracker, last updated in September, lists the Daly Diner and Taster's as open all season, with Taster's closed on Thanksgiving Day. The Tavern and Zane's Tavern on the Mall are listed as open through fall. At Snowmass Center, Ajax Supply, Clark's Groceries and Sundance Liquor & Gifts stay open throughout. The tracker lists these reopening dates:

1. November 20: Kenichi in Base Village, and Grub Thai and Smash & Dash on the Mall
2. November 21: Gorsuch Ski Cafe on the Mall
3. November 23: Cafe V, Lift Line and Toro in Base Village
4. November 25: The Lounge in Base Village
5. November 26: Aurum and Crepe Therapy in Base Village; New Belgium Ranger Station and The Stew Pot on the Mall; Four Mountain Sports and Four Mountain Kids. Snowmass and Aspen Mountain both open for the season the same day.
6. November 27: Venga Venga on the Mall

Two weeks into December, the 80th-anniversary season brings a busy weekend. Wintersköl marks its 75th year from December 10 to 13. Lift tickets drop to $80 across all four mountains on December 12 and 13, about two weeks after the new Ullrhof's first lunches.

A season with Ullrhof open again may also be a good time to think about how your own Snowmass home fits into the winter. Tara Slidell | Aspen Snowmass Luxury Real Estate would be glad to help, whether you are getting a residence ready for guests over the holidays or wondering what a slopeside address means this season. Schedule a consultation at your convenience.