Aspen, CO – Aspen Skiing Company’s Silver Queen Gondola will resume service to the top of Aspen Mountain this weekend, but it won’t be carrying skiers or snowboarders.nOfficials at the Colorado ski resort indicated last week that they were considering offering one last hurrah to the ski and snowboard season this weekend, with limited upper mountain terrain serviced by the Ajax Express chairlift, and uploading and downloading provided by the gondola. Grooming efforts were even undertaken to help preserve the upper mountain snowpack.

Warm and windy conditions over the past week ahead of a cold front stalled across far western Colorado, however, have put an end to those thoughts. Aspen Skiing Co. senior Vice President David Perry told the Aspen Chamber Resort Association board of directors on Tuesday that portions of the snow cover melted out, severing the connection between the summit and the bottom of the Ajax Express Chairlift.

The Silver Queen Gondola will resume service to the top of Aspen Mountain this Memorial Day holiday weekend, Saturday through Monday, but for sightseers only. The Gondola will reopen on weekends until June 18, when daily service for the summer begins. The lift will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, with the last download at 4:30 p.m. No bikes are permitted on the Gondola.

The Sundeck at the summit will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, offering a full lunch menu including with grilled items, fresh sandwiches, vegetarian dishes, homemade pizza, salads, desserts and beverages. Daily summer activities, from the climbing wall to disc golf, will begin on June 18 with a full schedule of Kid’s Activities resuming on June 21.