The Mayor of Two Creeks
How Bess Hammer built a community treasure
Snowmass resident
Courtesy photo
Bess Hammer didn’t set out to become the mayor of Two Creeks. But ask anyone who stops by the café at the base of the Two Creeks lift in Snowmass, and they’ll tell you: she runs the place like a big city mayor with Mayberry charm.
Bess is deeply connected to her patrons like a post-Prohibition-era ward heeler.
A little skier who works for hot chocolate — putting down chairs as Bess opens. The Aspen Glen couple, regulars, just adore Bess, extolling her kindness on my lift to Burnt Mountain glades (coincidently, Bess’s favorite run!).
“My boss says a lot of people call me the Mayor of Two Creeks,” she says with a laugh. “But, no — this is just my little baby.”
Now in her fourth year as café manager she’s created a true local gathering place.
“We’ve really made a little community down here,” she says.
A global one at that. It is home base for Mimi’s fluent French translating Aspen Skiing Company instructor, J1 global staff from South America, and a place to grab my Bridger Gile Mocha — a hot Lavazza coffee with a chocolate glazed Coloradough dunk. The bevie is a caffeinated carb toast to Bridger’s elite finish (19th) at the alpine World Cup in Austria. Local is global.
Two Creeks. One fun.
Maybe it’s because of the rare bounty of parking, giving it the feel of a local’s secret. Maybe it’s the menu — a mix of fresh-baked breakfast items, specialty coffee, and, in partnership with Planet Barbecue, slow-smoked brisket and pulled pork. Or maybe it’s Bess herself, the unofficial greeter of every skier who walks through the door.
Inside, the vibe is warm, authentic, and inviting — a contrast to the crisp mountain air just outside. The smell of hickory-smoked meats lingers, and the bar offers canned wine concoctions, cocktails, and local beers for those looking to kick back after a long day of skiing. The Après Special board outside tells the story amidst the snow showers — $6 canned beer, $10 cocktails, $7 hot dogs, and $4 sliders. It’s the perfect après scene: the mountain behind you, a chilled Suerte Paloma in hand, and the warmth of Bess’s vibes.
Friends on a powder day
If you want to see Bess in action, come by in the morning. There’s a Boogie’s Diner energy to it — the early risers swinging through for a protein shake or Americano, the red-jacketed instructors fueling up before a long day on the slopes, the over-prepared dad figuring out the kid’s first run of the day. The baked snowboarder holding three frustrated and perfectly Strafe-suited skiers up at the lift.
“You can tell a lot about how someone’s day is going to go just by how they’re putting their boots on,” she says.
Some people are all business — quick adjustments, a double-check of their gear, and they’re off. Some like me, work on their phones and dither throughout the hideaway club house vibe.
Après at the Beach
The Two Creeks “Beach” is a hidden gem at Snowmass — a sun-soaked patio at the base of the lift where skiers kick back after a full day on the mountain.
“We have beach chairs,” Bess cajoled. “We have DJs on Saturdays and happy hour from 2-4 p.m.”
Need dinner? No problem.
A QR code inside the café and on signs around the patio makes it easy to order barbecue to-go, straight from Planet Barbecue’s smoker. Hickory-smoked brisket, pulled pork, and elk jalapeño cheddar sausages are served up alongside classic sides like a substantial mac and cheese, hot baked beans, crisp coleslaw, and rich cornbread.
The people who make it special
Then there are the visitors — the ones who show up not knowing what kind of place Two Creeks is, only to leave feeling like they’ve blended into an alpine episode of Friends.
“And then, all the parents of the AVSC kids come through,” Bess smiled.
For me, it is a great place to corral guests and get them moving for the day until we meet back for Après or co-work.
“Dinner plans covered,” the prophetic sign reads for exhausted families. Ski all day, après all afternoon, and take home a full barbecue platter to watch Alex Ferreira win an 11th career World Cup halfpipe victory on Outside TV. On a February bluebird, you are going to need Ferreira’s rad Custom ZEISS
Legacy
Legacy Lenses from Hot Dog Hans. Mayor Bess’ constituents all radiate as well — with full bellies and grateful smiles in the deep, deep pow.
Damian O’Doherty is a local news enthusiast. He represented over 1,000 journalists from The Baltimore Sun to The Orlando Sentinel to The Chicago Tribune in their battles to protect the integrity of the American newsroom. O’Doherty rents a locker at Two Creeks near his home in Snowmass Village.
