Kathryn Lee (@knlee25) is a trail runner, skier, and outdoor enthusiast based in Aspen. As a member of the Ute Mountaineer creator community, she brings firsthand experience to navigating winter adventures in the Roaring Fork Valley. In this guide, Kathryn shares her go-to layering strategies for staying warm and comfortable during cold-weather activities like running, hiking, and uphill skiing.
What Is the Bootpack Program?
If you love skiing in Aspen and want to challenge yourself beyond the usual slopes, the Aspen Highlands Bootpack Program offers a unique and rewarding pre-season ski challenge. As a first-timer, I was excited—and a little nervous—about what lay ahead. Bootpacking Aspen Highlands’ steep, avalanche-prone slopes as part of its early-season mitigation program is an intensely challenging endeavor, demanding exceptional physical fitness and advanced skiing abilities to navigate the rugged terrain.
Here’s what I learned from my bootpacking adventure and why it’s worth it to earn your turns.
Bootpacking Basics
Bootpacking involves hiking up steep, snow-covered slopes to help stabilize the snowpack. At Aspen Highlands, it’s a rite of passage that contributes to avalanche control efforts, ensuring the terrain is safer for everyone. Each season, Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol enlists the help of locals to stomp up and down the face and bootpack nearly 300 acres for avalanche mitigation and to help prepare it for opening day.
The schedule is based on snowfall and ski patrol needs. This year, they ran the program starting on November 13 and most Monday-Friday, with the exception of holidays and big snowfalls.
Why Join the Aspen Highlands Bootpack Program?
There’s a special sense of accomplishment in skiing a line you’ve helped make safer. Knowing you’ve contributed to the safety of the mountain adds purpose to every step. Plus, you’ll join a dedicated crew of skiers who share your passion and grit. The camaraderie and community make the early mornings and physical effort worth it.
Season Pass Perks
One of the biggest bonuses of the Aspen Highlands Bootpack Program is the season pass discount. For those who are committed to bootpacking throughout the season, there are some great savings on lift tickets and other season pass perks. As a program participant, I was able to receive a discount on my season pass, which is an incredible deal for anyone planning to ski or board throughout the season.
The discount has different tiers depending on the number of days you bootpack. If you bootpack 15 days, you get an Aspen Premier Pass in exchange! If you do one day of bootpacking, you receive one Aspen lift ticket. You can also add cash to the pass you earn to upgrade your pass. The discount is just one of the many ways the program rewards your efforts, making it even more worthwhile.
1 Day = 1 Aspen Lift Ticket
15 Days = Aspen Premier Pass.
What to Expect
Bootpacking is tough—there’s no sugarcoating it. You’ll be climbing steep terrain in deep snow, and it’s a serious workout. The program starts before the lifts open, so be prepared for early mornings and cold starts. But there’s something magical about watching the sunrise over Aspen Highlands as you hike up the mountain.
Teamwork is a big part of the experience. Everyone works together to cover the terrain, and there’s a strong sense of support and encouragement. As a beginner, I learned a lot from the more experienced bootpackers, who were always willing to share tips and advice.
Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol is top notch and they are the ones running the program to ensure safe skiing all season long. It’s impressive to see the amount of work and skill that the patrol team puts in to running the bootpacking program successfully!
In the morning, ski patrol will assess the size of the group for the day and the terrain they have to work on. They will group people off into different crews led by a team of patrollers. Some days you will be on harness, meaning you get roped in to pack out steep, rocky terrain and other days you might head over to one section and work as a team to bootpack it out in a square pattern.
The day starts by loading the lifts by 8:00 am with a mandatory beacon check, since we are working in avalanche terrain. Early on in bootpacking, we carried our skis on the chairlift since there wasn’t enough snow yet to safely board and deboard the lift. We stopped for a 30-minute lunch break between noon and 1:00 pm, which was often out in the field. We would wrap up the day around 4:00 pm, again carrying our skis to download.
You do get to ski! However, most of the skiing is "Z-skiing", a technique where a skier deliberately traverses a slope in a zigzag pattern to create small disruptions in the snowpack. This helps prevent larger avalanches by destabilizing smaller sections of snow—a key part of avalanche mitigation work.
Gear Up for Success
Footwear
Comfortable, stiff-soled ski boots with Vibram soles are a must—you’ll be hiking in them for hours. Alpine touring boots, telemark boots, or stiff snowboard boots are ideal.
Safety Equipment
An avalanche rescue beacon broadcasting at 457 kHz is mandatory, and ski patrol performs a beacon check every morning before loading the lifts.
Skins & Poles
A backcountry or uphill touring setup is optional but helpful, especially when hiking Highlands Bowl. Even if you're snowboarding, bring ski poles—adjustable backcountry touring poles are ideal.
Layering System
Dress in layers: start with a moisture-wicking base layer, add an insulating mid-layer, and top it off with a waterproof shell. This winter layering system is key for bootpacking or any cold-weather alpine activity.
Essentials
A backpack with ski carry straps (if not skinning)
Warm gloves, hat, goggles
Water and snacks
A Therm-a-Rest Z Lite pad to sit on during lunch
Voile ski straps or duct tape around your ankles to keep snow out of your pants
The Reward: Why It’s Worth It
Bootpacking pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me a deeper appreciation for the mountain. The physical challenge is real, but the sense of accomplishment and the turns you earn make it unforgettable.
A big bonus for locals is discounted season passes or parking passes. Depending on how many days you work, there’s a sliding scale of compensation for your hard day's work. Check out the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol page for more information.
If you’re considering joining the Aspen Highlands Bootpack Program, be prepared for full days challenging your physical fitness. You’ll gain more than just early access—you’ll gain a new respect for the mountain and the people who keep it safe. See you on the hike up!
