Given the topography of the mountain, there are really four pods (Thunderbowl, Grand Prix, Cloud Nine, and Deep Temerity) plus Highland Bowl. Starting at the base, Thunderbowl effectively serves its own pod in its current alignment, although it would be nice as a detachable given its length. The old Grand Prix lift was great at servicing the next pod up on the mountain, but it was replaced by Exhibition, which has the right top terminal location but a bottom terminal too low to allow intermediates to lap it quite as nicely. I understand the need for a faster ride from the base to the upper mountain, but I just think that they should have kept (or upgraded) Grand Prix and only had Exhibition replace Exhibition I & II, perhaps even as a gondola given that it would lose most of its lap-able skiers to detachable Thunderbowl and Grand Prix lifts. Continuing up the mountain, the Cloud Nine pod goes from Merry-Go-Round to the top of Hayden/Olympic Bowl. Loge Peak does a decent job of servicing this area, although its bottom terminal being as east as it is results in Cloud Nine needing to exist and the top terminal is a bit higher up all the way at the top of Loge Peak does not really do much besides force more skiers onto Broadway and make it slightly easier to access Deep Teremity (a lower terminal would still allow access to Grand Reverse). If I were starting from scratch back in 1990, I would probably have replaced Olympic & Cloud Nine with a single detachable going from the base of the old Cloud Nine to the top of Olympic and then replaced Loge Peak with Deep Temerity to keep access all the way to the top of Loge Peak, but Deep Temerity did not exist until 2005 so I understand their reasoning for doing what they did at the time. Also, it is not really much of a problem in its current state, so I would not change anything until the lifts need to be replaced anyway in 2030-2040 perhaps. The last pod, Deep Temerity, is perfect as is.
If I had a terrain expansion option, I would perhaps add an Olympic pod, with a fixed-grip lift starting a thousand to fifteen hundred feet below the existing runout going to the top of the bowl adjacent to my previously mentioned Cloud Nine top terminal. Opening the Maroon Bowl would be cool as well, although it would likely need to be as a hike-in, lift-out situation similar to Highland Bowl.
I think if I were designing Aspen Highlands, I would’ve done something simpler by having Cloud Nine start at the bottom of Exhibition II, whilst still ending in its current location. Essentially, the arrangement would be akin to how the lifts on Mount Ellen at Sugarbush are configured. You’d use Exhibition to get onto the hill, but then you’d use Cloud Nine to do most of your laps if you’re not an expert skier, and Loge Peak for a couple of blues that Cloud Nine doesn’t reach. (I do think, if this had been how Cloud Nine was built, it would’ve had 1,800 pph capacity from the start, instead of 1,200 to begin) . And of course, Cloud Nine starting lower down would make it accessible from Thunderbowl, ensuring a way to the Merry-Go-Round if Exhibition goes down.
I understand that thinking, but I will say that the terrain below Merry-Go-Round in that pod is not as steep as the terrain above it, even though it is all currently designated as intermediate. That is why it was rated as beginner terrain before SkiCo decided to push all beginners to Buttermilk/Snowmass. And, yes, as you mentioned there are a couple of intermediate trails Cloud Nine does not reach, which is why my proposed Cloud Nine would end a little higher up to reach them.
Honestly, they are pretty similar ideas. Essentially, you are moving my proposed Grand Prix top terminal up to Cloud Nine and my proposed Cloud Nine top terminal up to Loge Peak. I will add that I have never skied Highlands during Christmastime/MLK weekend/President’s weekend, so perhaps my reflection may only make sense during lower crowd times.
Lift construction dates aside, that was a great look into history. Many people I recognised as pioneers of the industry, having made names beyond the Roaring Fork Valley. Also, seeing fashions I recall from my childhood being referred to as ‘historical’ doesn’t make me feel less old….
Lift Blog 
The Exhibition and Thunderbowl doubles were both built by Riblet.
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IMO a surface lift should be installed at mid mountain (near where exhibition II and grand prix ran) as redundancy for when Exhibition goes down.
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Does anyone know what happens to skiwee it was only 14 years old
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They should build another lift from lodge peak up a bit further along the ridge replacing the snowcat. probably a t-bar
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As much as I would support that, I am sure locals would lose their minds over making Highland Bowl more accessible.
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If I want to go all out armchair lift builder…
Given the topography of the mountain, there are really four pods (Thunderbowl, Grand Prix, Cloud Nine, and Deep Temerity) plus Highland Bowl. Starting at the base, Thunderbowl effectively serves its own pod in its current alignment, although it would be nice as a detachable given its length. The old Grand Prix lift was great at servicing the next pod up on the mountain, but it was replaced by Exhibition, which has the right top terminal location but a bottom terminal too low to allow intermediates to lap it quite as nicely. I understand the need for a faster ride from the base to the upper mountain, but I just think that they should have kept (or upgraded) Grand Prix and only had Exhibition replace Exhibition I & II, perhaps even as a gondola given that it would lose most of its lap-able skiers to detachable Thunderbowl and Grand Prix lifts. Continuing up the mountain, the Cloud Nine pod goes from Merry-Go-Round to the top of Hayden/Olympic Bowl. Loge Peak does a decent job of servicing this area, although its bottom terminal being as east as it is results in Cloud Nine needing to exist and the top terminal is a bit higher up all the way at the top of Loge Peak does not really do much besides force more skiers onto Broadway and make it slightly easier to access Deep Teremity (a lower terminal would still allow access to Grand Reverse). If I were starting from scratch back in 1990, I would probably have replaced Olympic & Cloud Nine with a single detachable going from the base of the old Cloud Nine to the top of Olympic and then replaced Loge Peak with Deep Temerity to keep access all the way to the top of Loge Peak, but Deep Temerity did not exist until 2005 so I understand their reasoning for doing what they did at the time. Also, it is not really much of a problem in its current state, so I would not change anything until the lifts need to be replaced anyway in 2030-2040 perhaps. The last pod, Deep Temerity, is perfect as is.
If I had a terrain expansion option, I would perhaps add an Olympic pod, with a fixed-grip lift starting a thousand to fifteen hundred feet below the existing runout going to the top of the bowl adjacent to my previously mentioned Cloud Nine top terminal. Opening the Maroon Bowl would be cool as well, although it would likely need to be as a hike-in, lift-out situation similar to Highland Bowl.
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I think if I were designing Aspen Highlands, I would’ve done something simpler by having Cloud Nine start at the bottom of Exhibition II, whilst still ending in its current location. Essentially, the arrangement would be akin to how the lifts on Mount Ellen at Sugarbush are configured. You’d use Exhibition to get onto the hill, but then you’d use Cloud Nine to do most of your laps if you’re not an expert skier, and Loge Peak for a couple of blues that Cloud Nine doesn’t reach. (I do think, if this had been how Cloud Nine was built, it would’ve had 1,800 pph capacity from the start, instead of 1,200 to begin) . And of course, Cloud Nine starting lower down would make it accessible from Thunderbowl, ensuring a way to the Merry-Go-Round if Exhibition goes down.
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I understand that thinking, but I will say that the terrain below Merry-Go-Round in that pod is not as steep as the terrain above it, even though it is all currently designated as intermediate. That is why it was rated as beginner terrain before SkiCo decided to push all beginners to Buttermilk/Snowmass. And, yes, as you mentioned there are a couple of intermediate trails Cloud Nine does not reach, which is why my proposed Cloud Nine would end a little higher up to reach them.
Honestly, they are pretty similar ideas. Essentially, you are moving my proposed Grand Prix top terminal up to Cloud Nine and my proposed Cloud Nine top terminal up to Loge Peak. I will add that I have never skied Highlands during Christmastime/MLK weekend/President’s weekend, so perhaps my reflection may only make sense during lower crowd times.
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The Loges Peak Double’s mid-valley depression towers:
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It looks like the Loge Peak lift was a 1964 install: https://aspenjournalism.org/aspen-ski-history-timeline/
That tower head design was in use from 1949 until 1965.
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Lift construction dates aside, that was a great look into history. Many people I recognised as pioneers of the industry, having made names beyond the Roaring Fork Valley. Also, seeing fashions I recall from my childhood being referred to as ‘historical’ doesn’t make me feel less old….
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