Property management in Aspen, CO has a busy week every year: the days before the lifts open. Aspen Mountain and Snowmass are scheduled to open on Thursday, November 26, 2026, with Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk following on December 12 (Aspen Snowmass, 2026-27 season dates). Many second homes in the valley go from quiet to full in that window. An arrival check is how a house gets ready for the stay, not just opened.
Arrival day should feel easy. It should not be the first time anyone finds a dark entry, a cold room, or a system that needs attention. Here is what the check covers, from the road to the rooms that get used first.
This is not the same as fall closing. Before the first snow covers the earlier seasonal work. An arrival check is about making the house usable for the stay ahead.
Start with access
Before anyone arrives, confirm the route from the road to the front door.
- Check the driveway, walkways, steps, and entry.
- Confirm exterior lights are working where they are needed.
- Check gates, garage doors, locks, and the planned entry method.
- Make sure snow-removal instructions match the actual arrival plan.
This first walk also gives a look at the outside of the house without turning arrival day into a maintenance visit.
Check the house systems
Inside, the first pass is practical. The goal is a home set up for people, not just a home that is warm.
- Review the thermostat and the spaces it serves.
- Look at mechanical rooms for anything that needs follow-up.
- Check fixtures and the areas below them for signs that need attention.
- Confirm the hot-water plan and the systems the household expects to use.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufacturer's instructions. The National Fire Protection Association has homeowner guidance on testing and replacing smoke alarms (NFPA, smoke alarms).
Carbon monoxide alarms matter more in a mountain home, where fireplaces, gas appliances and attached garages are common. Colorado has required a working carbon monoxide alarm within fifteen feet of each bedroom entrance in many homes since 2009, including homes with a fuel-fired appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage when they are sold or get permitted work (Colorado Revised Statutes § 38-45-102). The arrival check confirms each one is in place and working.
If a system is unfamiliar or shows a problem, it is better to pause and get the right trade involved than to guess.
Make the living spaces ready
A house can be warm and still not be ready for people. Walk the rooms with the stay in mind.
That means checking lighting, refrigerators, basic appliances, bathrooms, and the rooms that will be used first. It also means confirming that the owner's requested housekeeping and arrival details are complete.
For a fireplace or other seasonal feature, the check should match the owner's plan for that visit. If service is needed, it belongs on the list before the house is in use.
Look up, but stay on the ground
Winter weather makes the roofline part of an arrival check. From the ground, look at eaves, downspouts, and the areas around entries. Note what needs a closer look by the right person.
Do not turn a quick check into roof work. If there is a roofing question, Cedar shake to something better is useful background on roof decisions at altitude.
Leave a clear report
A good arrival report is short. It says what was checked, what is ready, what needs attention, and what happens next.
That gives the owner a clean start to the ski-season stay, and it gives the property team a record to work from after the bags are inside. Arrival to departure service is part of Premier's property management, alongside inspections, seasonal preparation, housekeeping and snow.