The Aspen off-season approaches

Some call it “mud season,” others simply “the off-season” — but one thing is certain: Life is slowing down in the upper valley. 

With all four Aspen mountains closing on or before April 20, Aspen and Snowmass lodging occupancy will likely take a dive. Occupancy rates in the communities dropped from 74% in March 2024 to 36% in April 2024, according to the Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA). From March to April of last year, Aspen’s sales tax collections dropped by 69% from about $4 million to $1.3 million. Snowmass sales tax collections dropped 75% from about $700,000 to $172,000 in the same period. 

But with the drop in visitation, spending, and busyness, comes a well-deserved rest for the local community and seasonal workers.

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“I do think everybody needs a small break,” said Christina Codreanu, general manager of Snowmass’ Slice of Italy.

She said after working long hours during peak winter season, her employees get two or three months away from work while they close for renovations and prepare for the summer season. The break also gives the restaurant a chance to catch up on repairs and maintenance as it gets ready for the summer season. Slice of Italy will close on April 20 and open again around the summer solstice, she said. 

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Aspen’s Meat & Cheese Restaurant and Farm Shop will also decrease its operations come off-season, opening for five rather than seven days per week, with shortened hours. Assistant General Manager Hope Thomson said the off season is a mixed bag for restaurant workers. 

“I think about a lot of people in this town that work in the service industry that go without work for up to two months, so in that way, it can be really tough for a lot of people,” she said. “But at the same time, it’s a beautiful way for people to take a break, go on vacation, spend time with their family.”

ACRA found the community values off-season downtime while conducting research for their Destination Management Plan.

“Maintaining some downtime in the off season for residents and businesses to rejuvenate would be helpful for harmonious relations between businesses, residents, and visitors,” the plan states, based on the feedback. 

Sarah Reynolds Lasser, ACRA vice president of business development, noted that different businesses choose to use the downtime in different ways, with some closing for renovations and others staying open to serve the local community. 

She attributed the start of the slow season to variable spring skiing conditions and staggering mountain closure dates. They consider April “off-peak within peak.”

“So it is a timeframe when we are seeing lower visitation numbers even though it is within the peak ski season,” she said.

Snowmass Assistant Town Manager Greg LeBlanc said though variable spring conditions may cause a drop-off in visitation from the “drive market” — visitation from people within driving range of Snowmass — domestic and international plane travelers will still come regardless of snow conditions because they booked their flights weeks or months in advance. 

But that, too, will soon change. 

“We’ll be experiencing a big drop-off in a couple weeks,” said Dan Bartholomew, Aspen/Pitkin County Airport director, of flight traffic coming into Aspen. “We typically do as we ease out of ski season and into the spring.”

He said they use the slow period in the spring to do airport maintenance.

Once the lifts stop spinning and things slow down in Snowmass, locals get a chance to stop, have a conversation, and check in with one another, according to LeBlanc.

“If you take the resort out of Snowmass, we’re a town of 3,000 people,” he said, adding, “It’s the time to see it as a small town.”

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.