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Despite the virtually limitless recreation opportunities in the
surrounding mountains, there's not all that much to do in Aspen
itself. even so, sitting around the town's leafy for pedestrian
streets, watching the world go by, or browsing in the chichi stores
and galleries is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. In
summer, the Aspen Historical Society Museum, 620 W Bleeker St (phone
970/925-3721), offers walking tours of Aspen and nearby ghost
towns. The Aspen Art Museum at 590 N Mill St (phone
970/925-8050) holds changing exhibits, lectures and special events;
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, 100 S Puppy Smith St
(phone 970/925-5756), is a wildlife sanctuary, which gives guided
nature tours of some of the taller peaks in the Elk Mountain Range.
Aspen's
four mountains are run by the Aspen Ski Co (phone
970/925-1220 or 1-800/525-6200, ); call 1/888-ASPENSNO for
conditions. The mogul-packed monster of Aspen Mountain,
looming over downtown, is for experienced skiers only; Buttermilk
is great for beginners, with an excellent ski school that offers a
three-day guaranteed "Learn to Snowboard" program; the wide-open
runs of Snowmass, though mostly for intermediate skiers,
feature some testing routes. Aspen Highlands has some new
high-speed lifts and offers excellent extreme skiing terrain. Daily
lift tickets for all mountains cost $45 (up to 27 years) or
$65 (27 years and older). Rental of skis, boots and poles
usually costs around $18 a day - you can also rent snowshoes in
which to trek up and down the mountains. However, the town's best
value has to be its fifty miles of groomed Nordic ski trails
- one of the most extensive free cross-country trail networks in the
US.
Cycling
is the main summer pursuit; The Hub, 315 E Hyman Ave (phone
970/925-7970), has a wide range of bikes, while Timberline, 204 S
Galena St (phone 970/925-9237), is the cheapest for mountain bikes,
and also organizes tours. The Roaring Fork river, surging
out of the Sawatch range, is excellent for kayaking and rafting, but
sections can be dangerous and every summer sees a few fatalities.
Blazing Paddles ($55 for a half-day float trip; phone 970/925-5651)
is not the lowest-priced company, but it does have a good safety
record.
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If
you fancy walking in the mountains, the Siler Queen
gondola climbs from 601 Dean St to the summit of Ajax
(daily 10am-4pm; $18), where guided nature walks set off on the hour
from 11am to 3pm. Occasional free lunchtime concerts and talks are
held up here, and there's a good restaurant. even more alluring is
the landscape around the twin purple-gray peaks of the Maroon
Bells, fifteen miles southwest, soaring above the dark-blue
Maroon Lake. The road is closed between 8.30am and 5pm, except for
overnight campers with permits, travelers with disabilities and RFTA
buses, which leave daily from the Rubey Park transit center (every
30min 9am-4.30pm; $5 round-trip, or $19 combination ticket with
gondola ride). Details on hiking are available from the ranger
station .
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