Gretl Uhl 1966-1980
In 1966, Gretl, a Bavarian ski racer who arrived in Aspen with the postwar wave of European skiers, turned a small warming hut atop Aspen Mountain into what would become one of North America’s most iconic mountain restaurants. Inspired by her Alpine roots, she served the hearty dishes she grew up with, including cabbage rolls, beef roulade, and her legendary apple strudel. The food struck a chord with the growing ski community, and at one point she went through 200 cases of apples in a single season.
Gretl was the heart of it all, cooking, serving, and greeting guests herself. Her restaurant became a mountain living room, welcoming everyone from ski bums and patrollers to visiting artists and celebrities like Jack Nicholson. More than a place to eat, she created a gathering spot that captured the warmth, resilience, and communal spirit of Aspen’s early ski town days.
Bonnie Rayburn 1980-1998
Bonnie arrived in Aspen when the town was still shaped by grit, independence, and a tight knit community. Drawn to mountain life and the rhythm of the ski seasons, she became a steady presence on Aspen Mountain long before her name was on the building.
In 1980, she took over the mid mountain restaurant and made it her own in both name and spirit. Bonnie ran it hands on, cooking, serving, and forming lasting bonds with staff, ski patrollers, instructors, and loyal guests who returned each winter. Known for her warmth, generosity, and straightforward work ethic, she created a place that felt welcoming and unpretentious.
She continued Gretl’s tradition of freshly baked apple strudel and added a signature of her own, the white bean chili that remains on the menu today.
Brigitte Birrfelder 1998-present
In 1998, Brigitte, an Aspen native shaped by a lifetime on the mountain, took ownership of Bonnie’s and carried forward a legacy she had long known by heart. Raised on Aspen Mountain, she is the daughter of Peter Birrfelder, who operated the Sundeck at the summit for 25 years. Their family lived in the Sundeck for most of Brigitte's childhood and she grew up skiing to school.
After earning a degree in business management and completing formal culinary training in New York, Brigitte returned home with both operational discipline and a deep love of food. She worked closely alongside Bonnie Rayburn, learning the restaurant from the inside out before stepping into ownership.
Under her leadership, Bonnie’s expanded into breakfast, introducing dishes that became iconic in their own right, including muffins, omelets, and of course the famous oatmeal pancakes. Through it all, she preserved the warmth, simplicity, and strong sense of community that continue to define Bonnie’s today.
Annika Nichols 2025
A new chapter begins as Brigitte’s daughter, Annika Nichols, brings Bonnie’s beyond Aspen Mountain with the pancake mix. A graduate of CU’s Leeds School of Business, Annika has focused on packaging Bonnie’s legendary pancakes so they can be enjoyed anywhere.
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.
