Aspen Mountain isn’t just a ski area; it’s a rite of passage, a proving ground, a sanctuary, an inspiration. And at the heart of it all is the Silver Queen—a red and black gondola that rises above town, carrying skiers, riders, and dreamers to the top of the most treasured mountain in the world. Ajax, as we call it, is steep, relentless, and unapologetically old-school, with no beginner terrain and no easy way down. But the gondola? That’s the life force of the mountain, a vein that bisects Ajax and whisks riders to the top.

Photo: Courtesy Aspen Historical Society

From the moment you step into one of the cabins, the magic begins. In fourteen minutes, you rise 3,267 vertical feet, gliding above storied runs like the Ridge of Bell, where ski legends have carved lines for decades. It’s a forced pause—a chance to breathe, to take in the panorama of the Elk Mountains, to swap stories with friends or strangers, all bound by the same love for this mountain. Powder mornings are electric inside the gondola; après-ski rides are filled with laughter and the clinking of pockets filled with beers or a split of Champagne from the Aspen Mountain Club.

For locals, the Silver Queen is an anchor to our daily lives. It’s a commuter lift for those who ski before work, a floating coffee shop where deals are made and weekend plans are crafted. It’s where a morning ride with a stranger can turn into a lifelong ski partner or a love story. It’s the constant in a town that changes—where buildings come and go, where wealth ebbs and flows, but the gondola keeps spinning. “The gondi” always lifts us up.

Photo: Jesse Hoffman

Ajax wouldn’t be Ajax without her. The Silver Queen gives us access to a mountain that demands respect, rewards skill, and holds stories in every glade and bump run. The lift line is where we reunite with friends and where we set the tone for the day ahead. The ride up is a reminder that we are in one of the most spectacular places on Earth, in the presence of a mountain that doesn’t coddle but does, in its own way, take care of us.

Ski towns are built on tradition, and in Aspen, there is no tradition more sacred than stepping into a gondola cabin on a bluebird powder day, pressing your forehead to the glass, and watching the town fade away beneath you. Cheers to top-to-bottom gondi laps. Long live the Silver Queen.

Photo: Jesse Hoffman