Lift Tickets $52

Alpine skiing

Aspen will charge $52 for regular-season lift tickets next season, making it the first ski area in the nation to break $50.

Vail says it’s sticking with last year’s $48 top price.

Aspen spokeswoman Bobbie Jacobs defended the price increase, saying the company was spending $9 million on upgrading chair lifts, expanding trails, improving access and supporting new air service.

“Aspen certainly is not indicative of the ski industry as a whole,” said Stacy Gardner of the National Ski Areas Association. “They’re always the upper end of the market.”

Nationally, the average weekend adult lift ticket is $31, she said. However, Deer Valley, a Utah ski area that operates on private land, will be charging $52 during the Christmas holidays.