Skier72...some info for you about Aspen Heights. We lived at the Hill in the lodge for a short time with Leroy and Phyllis before moving to our Reno project in Wainwright . Beautiful people. The lodge is absolutely lovely for such a small place and although the hill looks small from below, from the top you can really see the verticals and the challenges in the black runs. We had hoped to reopen the Hill with the Owners back in 2016 and were helping to build a very long and exciting tubing run. Leroy was also working on building various ski jumps at the time, hoping to make it a learning site for new jumpers. Although we had much excitement about reopening, it did not come to fruition for various reasons. About 2 years later, and after we had left AB, we were saddened to hear of Phyllis's passing. It was the kindness of both Leroy and Phyllis Holte that made our time in the central eastern area of AB more enjoyable. Their stories of the area were wonderful and have made beautiful memories for us both. It was great to find your video and see our friends again. Thank you.
Thank you for your comment! I'm sad that the re-opening didn't work out, but glad to get more of the backstory. Leroy and Phyllis sound like wonderful people, I'm glad you got to know them.
Aspen Heights can definetly come back. If they put like 2 t bars and added more park terrain, they can definetly re-open. These videos are always so great to watch.
I mean... they could use the double chair. It sounds like it's still operable. Just would have to figure out the water rights issue for snowmaking. But if they could figure it out, it's definitely a lost ski area that could easily come back
Fascinating video, During the years I lived in Alberta I had never heard of Aspen Heights until now. It doesn't look all that big, but considering its location I would not expect it to be all that big. I would expect something around the size of Drumheller or Paskapoo (currently known as Canada Olympic Park). If it came back I'd consider making the trek out to it just to be able to say that I've skied there. I wonder if it currently gets enough natural snow to ski there, even if it involves hiking up the hill (only with the owners permission of course... let's be honest, that hill does not look like it would be all that much to hike up and it would be one of those unique skiing credits for closed areas). Skier 72 as a former Albertan who now is living in Ontario without any skiing that even comes close to comparing with what's available in Alberta I love the content! Keep it coming!
Thanks for your comment! The reason you've never heard of this place until now is one of the reasons it didn't survive. I have an old map from the 90's that shows every operating ski hill in Alberta, and it even didn't pick up on this place. Even the local newspaper never mentioned Aspen Heights once. The hill is north facing and looks like it does get some natural snow accumulation. I bet that if the runs were regularly mowed, it would be possible to hike up and ski down. Hopefully someone with the money is able to buy this place and re-open it - it would be such an amazing comeback story.
I grew up not far from there (Hughenden). There was another ski hill in the area, Sugarbowl Ski Hill, that I learned on. It operated from about 1975-2000. The Holt’s were very involved with Sugarbowl as well. You can still go to Sugarbowl and see the old rope tow. Many awesome memories learning to snowboard at Sugarbowl! Any mention of Sugarbowl in your old ski hill map?
Thank you for your comment! I haven't been able to dig up much about Sugarbowl (didn't even know that's what it was called). Could you give me the approximate location? I'd like to know more. Or you could email me (thebcrockiesskier72@gmail.com) and we can talk more about Sugarbowl from there.
I live in Hardisty and skied there as a kid. Looking back, we now realize how much this little gem meant to our community. There was talk a few years ago about people reopening the hill. Unfortunately, after spending some time investigating, they decided it wasn't worth it. Rumor was that since the chairs weren't removed from the lift, the cable had stretched too much - plus mechanical issues with the lift would require a lot of money to fix. Always the question around insurance for the old equipment as well.
Thank you for your response! It also looks like the top lift shack has been knocked down (either by the wind or by a person). At any rate, it's a shame they closed. Once a ski area closes, there's a very small chance it'll ever come back.
Please do a video on Mountain Run or those other ski areas mentioned earlier. See ski magazine, skisoutheast, and white book of American ski areas and dcski.
Skier72...some info for you about Aspen Heights. We lived at the Hill in the lodge for a short time with Leroy and Phyllis before moving to our Reno project in Wainwright . Beautiful people. The lodge is absolutely lovely for such a small place and although the hill looks small from below, from the top you can really see the verticals and the challenges in the black runs. We had hoped to reopen the Hill with the Owners back in 2016 and were helping to build a very long and exciting tubing run. Leroy was also working on building various ski jumps at the time, hoping to make it a learning site for new jumpers. Although we had much excitement about reopening, it did not come to fruition for various reasons. About 2 years later, and after we had left AB, we were saddened to hear of Phyllis's passing. It was the kindness of both Leroy and Phyllis Holte that made our time in the central eastern area of AB more enjoyable. Their stories of the area were wonderful and have made beautiful memories for us both.
It was great to find your video and see our friends again. Thank you.
Thank you for your comment! I'm sad that the re-opening didn't work out, but glad to get more of the backstory. Leroy and Phyllis sound like wonderful people, I'm glad you got to know them.
Aspen Heights can definetly come back. If they put like 2 t bars and added more park terrain, they can definetly re-open. These videos are always so great to watch.
I mean... they could use the double chair. It sounds like it's still operable. Just would have to figure out the water rights issue for snowmaking. But if they could figure it out, it's definitely a lost ski area that could easily come back
Fascinating video, During the years I lived in Alberta I had never heard of Aspen Heights until now. It doesn't look all that big, but considering its location I would not expect it to be all that big. I would expect something around the size of Drumheller or Paskapoo (currently known as Canada Olympic Park). If it came back I'd consider making the trek out to it just to be able to say that I've skied there. I wonder if it currently gets enough natural snow to ski there, even if it involves hiking up the hill (only with the owners permission of course... let's be honest, that hill does not look like it would be all that much to hike up and it would be one of those unique skiing credits for closed areas).
Skier 72 as a former Albertan who now is living in Ontario without any skiing that even comes close to comparing with what's available in Alberta I love the content! Keep it coming!
Thanks for your comment! The reason you've never heard of this place until now is one of the reasons it didn't survive. I have an old map from the 90's that shows every operating ski hill in Alberta, and it even didn't pick up on this place. Even the local newspaper never mentioned Aspen Heights once.
The hill is north facing and looks like it does get some natural snow accumulation. I bet that if the runs were regularly mowed, it would be possible to hike up and ski down. Hopefully someone with the money is able to buy this place and re-open it - it would be such an amazing comeback story.
Excellent content and narration. Doc
Thanks, I've certainly improved both my editing and vocal narration since creating that Abandoned video
I grew up not far from there (Hughenden). There was another ski hill in the area, Sugarbowl Ski Hill, that I learned on. It operated from about 1975-2000. The Holt’s were very involved with Sugarbowl as well. You can still go to Sugarbowl and see the old rope tow. Many awesome memories learning to snowboard at Sugarbowl! Any mention of Sugarbowl in your old ski hill map?
Thank you for your comment! I haven't been able to dig up much about Sugarbowl (didn't even know that's what it was called). Could you give me the approximate location? I'd like to know more. Or you could email me (thebcrockiesskier72@gmail.com) and we can talk more about Sugarbowl from there.
Love the old LMC3700c they used. Great machine. Seems like a neat resort for a surface lift
I live in Hardisty and skied there as a kid. Looking back, we now realize how much this little gem meant to our community. There was talk a few years ago about people reopening the hill. Unfortunately, after spending some time investigating, they decided it wasn't worth it. Rumor was that since the chairs weren't removed from the lift, the cable had stretched too much - plus mechanical issues with the lift would require a lot of money to fix. Always the question around insurance for the old equipment as well.
Thank you for your response! It also looks like the top lift shack has been knocked down (either by the wind or by a person). At any rate, it's a shame they closed. Once a ski area closes, there's a very small chance it'll ever come back.
Please do a video on Mountain Run or those other ski areas mentioned earlier. See ski magazine, skisoutheast, and white book of American ski areas and dcski.