Aspen, Colorado
Gondola Aspen Snow Mass
Photo Courtesy: Aspen Skiing Company - Micahel Brands. |
This silver town gone bust - once the largest community in the state - rests in a stunning box canyon on the Roaring Fork River, a fly fisherman’s dream. Aspen carved its own rich history before four ski mountains rose up and around quaint downtown. Hotel Jerome, once considered one of the West’s most elegant hotels, still exudes charm and opulence on Aspen’s Victorian Main Street; attached is the luxurious Wheeler Opera House, which continues to host renowned productions. High-end shopping and dining abounds.
Today Aspen is home to some of world’s wealthiest as well as expert skier’s delight, Aspen Mountain, which just recently opened to snowboarders. Just down the road, Snowmass, Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands, are all open year-round for all kinds of adventures from downhill skiing to hiking to relaxing gondola rides.
In the summer, don’t miss the Maroon Bells area, one of the most photographed mountain landscapes in the state. Two ghost towns, Ashcroft and Independence, make for interesting stops along the way. The Aspen Music Festival, running mid-June through mid-August, is one of the nation’s finest classical music events and a celebration of music worth planning your vacation around.
Where: 200 miles from Denver, via I-70 and Colorado 82.
What's There: Four mountains, accessible on one fully interchangeable ticket. Right in town is fabled Aspen Mountain, with a 3,267-foot vertical drop, 76 trails, 675 acres, one Silver Queen Gondola, a high-speed quad, two quads, a high-speed double and three doubles. Nearby are Aspen Highlands, with 3,635-foot vertical drop, 118 trails, 675 acres, two high-speed quads, a triple, three double chairs and Buttermilk, with 2,030-foot vertical drop, 43 trails, 415 acres, one high-speed quad and five doubles. Snowmass is 12 miles away. Aspen and all four mountains are linked by free ski buses.
