The weather outside may be frightful, but thankfully, the sport is so delightful. It’s going to be chilly – very chilly – in Aspen during the Winter X Games, which takes place between Thursday, January 23, and Saturday, January 25. However, the red-hot sporting action that is taking place during those three days is guaranteed to warm those lucky spectators watching the Games live. Over 100,000 people are expected to flock to Aspen to catch the thrilling action with up to 500 million more viewing from their homes worldwide. It has also been estimated that there will be a predicted event spending of approximately $60 million over the three days.
The Winter X Games returns to Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass for the 24th consecutive year this January, with the cream of the snowsports crop competing in a multitude of stunning ski and snowboard events. Those iconic events include SuperPipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, and Knuckle Huck. Along with all the jaw-dropping sporting spectacles, the Winter X Games has morphed into a festival-like experience, with music artists blasting out tunes each night. This year, world-renowned Deadmau5, Big Gigantic, and ILLENIUM are just some of the acts that are performing live in Aspen. In the past, Metallica, Kanye West, Tiesto, and Nicki Minaj have all made X Games appearances.
Since its inception in 1995, X Games has evolved from The Extreme Games held in Providence, Rhode Island, into the leading action sports competition and lifestyle brand, spotlighting the world’s best action sports athletes at the summer and winter versions of the X Games. X Games events also now feature world-class eSports competitions and interactive festival villages, offering experiences for fans of all ages. The X Games were originally a series of action sports events founded by ESPN Inc. and aired on ESPN networks and ABC. Despite selling the brand to MSP Sports Capital in 2022, the event is still aired on those channels.
The winter version of the extreme sports extravaganza, the Winter X Games, was first held in 1997 at Mountain Resort in Big Bear Lake, CA. In that inaugural year, 38,000 spectators attended the four-day event. The attendance may have dipped the following year, but just three years later, in 2001, 83,500 people attended Winter X Games 5 at Mount Snow in Vermont. Since 2002, the games have found a longstanding home on Aspen’s Buttermilk Mountain. Aspen seemed the perfect location, considering its long history of celebrating the greatest in winter sports athletes. From the FIS and the World Cup ski races and now to the X Games, Aspen continues to inspire the next generation of snowsport stars.
The Winter X Games have generated many magical moments and created numerous sporting legends over the years. Canada’s Mark McMorris, the three-time Winter Olympic bronze medallist, is the most honored Winter X Games athlete, claiming 23 medals between 2011 and 2024. McMorris’ medals include 11 golds, nine silvers, and three bronzes in the Slopestyle and Big Air disciplines, and the snowboarding sensation is gunning for further glory in Aspen this January. The most decorated female athlete is Jamie Anderson, another snowboarder who grabbed a 21-medal haul at Winter X Games between 2007-2020. The American may fall short of McMorris’ Winter X Games medal total, but she went one better than him on the Winter Olympics stage, where she claimed gold in both 2014 and 2018 in the Slopestyle competition.
Let GOAL show you all the high-octane snowsports action that awaits at the Winter X Games in Aspen this month and how you can watch all the chilly thrills and spills.
When is the Winter X Games Aspen 2025?
Winter X Games Aspen 2025 takes place at Buttermilk Mountain from Thursday, January 23, to Saturday, January 25. Four skiing and five snowboarding disciplines are taking place during those three days of action, with 18 golds up for grabs in total.
Winter X Games 2025 – Venue & location
Aspen is in a remote area of the Rocky Mountains’ Sawatch Range and Elk Mountains in Colorado. The city’s fortunes boomed in the mid-20th century when neighboring Aspen Mountain was developed into a ski resort. Aspen is the world’s second-highest-rated ski resort in terms of the quality and reliability of their skiing conditions. The north face of Aspen Mountain is the location of the mountain’s ski area, which is one of four adjacent ski areas operated collectively as Aspen/Snowmass.
Buttermilk Ski Area is situated about halfway between the cities of Aspen and Snowmass Village, and it’s renowned as being one of the best beginner mountains in the country to learn how to ski or snowboard. The Winter X Games has been held in Aspen at Buttermilk (ski area) every year since 2002.
How to watch the Winter X Games Aspen 2025
Every day of the Winter X Games 2025, Aspen will be screened live on ESPN and ABC. You can also stream live action on FuboTV.
You can stream both ESPN and ABC on FuboTV. Fubo packages start from $79.99 a month, and they offer all-inclusive free 7-day trials before you pay. Fubo’s massive streaming plans carry up to 200+ channels, and you can get even more depending on your location. For avid sports fans, Fubo is the ultimate choice as it also provides access to many popular sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL & MLS. International soccer fans can enjoy some of the world’s best leagues, such as the Premier League and La Liga. Most Fubo plans allow you to stream on up to 10 devices simultaneously.
