The Rocky Mountains! Some of the most rugged, most beautiful mountains in all of the world!
Overview
When to Go
Activities
Getting There & Around
History
Let's cut to the chase: Aspen can be snobby. It's true, but what do you expect, darling, from a place that's crawling with high rollers clad in the latest designer ski wear. Hand-in-hand with Vail, Aspen is the winter playground for the wealthy.
Colorado's climate is influenced by its semiarid tendencies as well as its mid-continental location, which accounts for a huge variety in daily thermometer readings. The Rocky Mountains act as a barrier intercepting much of the west-born moisture, temperatures plummet with height gains, and weather up in these climes is, for lack of a more helpful word, unpredictable.
When to go really depends on why you're going. If you want Aspen for the sheer love of the white stuff, you can usually count on some degree of ski- or snowboard-able terrain from mid-December to early April. Sometimes flakes drop as late as June and as early as September. Summertime isn't any more predictable - in the midst of a pleasant day, violent thunderstorms can sweep through at the turn of a head. July and August temperatures can reach 75-80°F (23-26°C), but nights are still chilly. However, note that when the sun is out its rays are intense all year-round; arm your skin with sunscreen before heading outdoors.
Weather
The year gets off to a chilly start with January's temperatures ranging from 8°F (-13°C) to 35°F (2°C) and annual snowfall averaging up to 15ft (4.6m), although that figure jumps to up to 25ft (7.6m) around the ski resorts. It's not unheard of to see snow as late as June and as early as September in Aspen, and summer isn't any more predictable, with thunderstorms randomly punctuating otherwise pleasant summer days. July and August can reach temperatures of 75-80°F (23-26°C), but nights are cold.
A Top Day in Aspen
Ahh Aspen… High-octane glamor in the Rockies. Most of the celebrities visit during the ski season, but I love visiting in the off-season, during the fall. This is the time to get great specials - two for one meal deals, the gorgeous Little Nell or Hotel Jerome booked online for a song. You also get the glory of the aspen trees blazing yellow against the deep purple of the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area. I start my day with breakfast on Aspen's historic main street. The town dates back to Colorado's Wild West days, and the red-brick downtown area is as alluring as the powdery white slopes at the resort. The Main Street Bakery is always a good bet for breakfast; the little shop smells of pancakes and coffee and has a great patio. Afterwards, it's time for a hike. The Hunter Valley Trail leads through wildflower meadows in summer and into the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness Area, which is ablaze with color during the fall foliage season. I also like to check out the stunning Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area. All the walking leaves me with quite an appetite, both for eating and shopping. Aspen is the only city in Colorado with stand-alone haute couture shops, and I just can't resist a few hours of browsing - although sadly not buying - at Louis Vuitton and Dior. When my credit cards have finished their workout, I head back to the Little Nell for a quick drink at the hotel's famous Greenhouse Bar. Dinner is with friends at the late Hunter S Thompson's favourite eating joint, Woody Creek Tavern, which has become a bit of a cult destination. Woody Creek closes early though, so my friends and I drive the 8 miles (13km) back to town for a night of dancing at the Double Diamond, a spacious saloon attracting a mix of celebs and locals with its live acts.
Getting There
Well, ahem, if you don't have your own aircraft, you're still welcome to land in Sardy Field, 6km (4mi) north of Aspen. A little further afield, Eagle County Airport is 113km (70mi) north of Aspen and has increased services during ski season. American, Delta, United and Northwest Airlines use its airstrips, bringing in vacationers from various US destinations.
For those flying into or out of Denver International Airport, 335km (208mi) from Aspen, the Colorado Mountain Express will shuttle you. If you're shuttling yourself, reach Aspen via Hwy 82. During the winter, the highway over Independence Pass to Leadville is closed.
Getting Around
To get from Sardy Field to Aspen, you can take a free valley bus, which stops every half-hour about two blocks from the Airport Business Centre. For your return leg to the airport in the summer, take advantage of the direct service offered from Rubey Park Transit Centre; it leaves every half-hour during the day. High Mountain Cabs offers meter taxis 24 hours a day and car-rental agencies at Sardy Field are ready to accommodate your needs. However, if you really want to do it right, try a Harley Davidson rental.
The Roaring Fork Transit Agency (RFTA) buses cover Snowmass Village and the valley to El Jebel north of Basalt, every half-hour. Free in-town shuttles shuffle around the Aspen Highlands Ski Area, Hunter Creek, Mountain Valley and Snowbunny, as well as the Music School on Castle Creek Rd. During music festivals, buses also cover the grounds to and from the Music Tent.
Pre-20th-Century History
The earliest residents of the area now known as Aspen were Ute tribes, who called the region the 'Shining Mountains'. Many different Native American groups occupied the Rocky Mountains when the first Europeans ambled into the area, and the Utes' Colorado territory stretched from the Uinta Mountains and the Yampa River in the north to the San Juan River in the south, and as far east as the Front Range.
The first Europeans to spot the Rockies were Spaniards moving north from Mexico at the end of the 16th century; by the early 19th century Spanish influence extended through most of the western half of present-day Colorado. In the late 1800s, explorers hoping to strike it rich in the silver mines settled into Ute City, which was renamed Aspen in 1880.
The year of its official renaming, Aspen's population was a mere 300; within the next booming 10 years, filled with excitement and mining fortune, the population leapt to 12,000. In 1887, Aspen became the first Colorado town to provide electricity to its whole population. The high life bred two railroads, four schools, six newspapers, 10 churches, brothels and an opera house. Many of the historical buildings still standing today, such as the Wheeler Opera House, were created during this short stretch of time. By 1891, Aspen was the country's largest silver-producing district.
The boom didn't take long to reach bust, however, and Aspen's mining luck ended in 1893, with the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act under President Cleveland. Gold became the national standard once again, and the area's large mines shut down. Aspen held onto its status as a county seat due to its ranching and farming industries.
Modern History
By the 1930s, Aspen's population had dwindled to 700. The silvering days were long over, and the next economic boost the area saw would be the result of its winter snow, which was certainly in no shortage. Plans to construct a ski resort were deferred by WWII, but in 1947 the floodgates began to part: Aspen Mountain opened for commercial business. Both Buttermilk Mountain and Aspen Highlands opened in 1958, and Snowmass joined the fun in 1968. At the same time, Aspen was also gaining status as an international arts-and-culture stop. With all this, and its serenely beautiful landscapes, it's no wonder that everyone from well-to-do tourists to adventure-seekers didn't take long to discover the area.
Recent History
While Colorado's vulnerability to economic rollercoasting - always a feature of its history -has continued into the new millennium, Aspen continues to enjoy its status of mountain playground to the botoxed bold and the beautiful. There is affluence here by the SUV-load, and that tends to keep the economy humming along, impervious to the booms and busts that have marked the history of other areas of the state.