The Story Behind the Pancakes

Bonnie's began as a warming hut on Aspen Mountain in 1966. The iconic flavors came later.

skiers on the deck of Bonnie's restaurant on Aspen Mountain, 1986. The deck is lined with international flags, and the Ruthie's chairlift (#8) is visible.

Gretl Uhl 1966-1980

Gretl arrived in Aspen in 1966, one of the Bavarian racers who came west in the postwar wave of Europeans chasing snow. She took over the hut at the top of the mountain and made it a restaurant.

She cooked what she'd grown up eating. Cabbage rolls. Beef roulade. An apple strudel that built a following of its own — one season she went through 200 cases of apples.

She ran the place herself. Cooked, served, met people at the door. Ski bums sat elbow to elbow with patrollers, visiting artists, and, now and then, Jack Nicholson.

Photographed in 1979, this portrait captures Bonnie Brucker, the woman behind one of Aspen Mountain's most iconic dining destinations. Brucker took over the mid-mountain restaurant formerly known as Gretl's and renamed it Bonnie's Restaurant — a name that has defined the location for skiers and visitors ever since.
Perched on Aspen Mountain near the Silver Queen Gondola, Bonnie's Restaurant became a beloved gathering place for locals and guests alike, known for its mountain views, hearty food, and warm atmo

Bonnie Rayburn 1980-1997

In 1980 Bonnie took over the mid-mountain restaurant and put her name on it. It's been Bonnie's ever since.

She worked the way Gretl had: cooking, serving, learning the names of the patrollers and instructors and the guests who came back every winter. What she cared about most was the room — that you could come in for lunch, stay till the last chair, and nobody would rush you.

She kept Gretl's famous strudel on the menu, while adding her iconic white bean chili as her own signature dish. Both are still there.

People gathered outdoors on a sunny day, likely at a ski resort.

Brigitte Birrfelder the owner of Bonnie's Restaurant on Aspen Mountain for 30 years sitting at a lunch in her early years

Brigitte Birrfelder 1997-present

Brigitte grew up on Aspen mountain. Her father, Peter Birrfelder, ran the Sundeck at the summit for 27 years, and the family lived up there most of her childhood. She even skied to school.

She left for a business degree and culinary training in New York, then came back. She worked alongside Bonnie Rayburn for two years before taking over in 1998.

Brigitte introduced the iconic breakfasts served from 9-10:30! People woke up early and caught the first gondola for doughnut muffins, omelets, and (of course) their famous oatmeal pancakes.

Annika Nichols 2025-Now

Brigitte's daughter, Annika Nichols, grew up in the same mountains. She studied business at CU's Leeds School, and now she packs the pancake mix by hand, in the restaurant, at 10,410 feet.

While the restaurant remains a beloved mid mountain gathering place, she is helping its most iconic flavors live on beyond the slopes.

From 10,410ft to your kitchen

The Pancake Mix started in May 2025.

Our pancake mix is hand-packaged in Bonnie’s kitchen on Aspen Mountain in small batches of 100. In winter, ingredients are skied or snowmobiled up the mountain; in summer, they’re driven. They truly have a one-of-a-kind journey from the ski area to your kitchen. Find the mix online, at Bonnie’s all winter, or at a couple of our local retailers in the Aspen area, mentioned in our footnotes.