Aspen Activities

The town of Aspen is a delightful travel destination with plenty of activities just waiting to be experienced by all ages. One part vacationers' paradise and one part calendar-worthy landscape, Aspen is a great place to go skiing, take in the city's art and venture off the beaten path to a few ghost towns.

Skiing Aspen's four mountains. One reason Aspen is known the world over as a prime skiing destination is for its choice of four majestic ski mountains with a wide range of runs for all skill levels. Aspen Mountain, the original ski mountain, features double diamond runs as well as a new Ajax Express Quick Lift, and the recently refurbished Sundeck restaurant at the top. Snowmass, a 3100-acre mountain, features a new pipeline terrain park brining the mountain's total to three, and features a mix of mostly difficult and expert runs; Snowmass's Hanging Valley offers spectacular views, as well as the Big Burn's super-wide runs. Aspen Highlands features 790 acres of skiing snow, with all ranges of runs from easiest to expert. The Highland Bowl, dubbed ':Best Skiing on Planet Earth,' often hosts up to 1,000 skiers per day. The fourth ski mountain, Buttermilk, was the home of the 2004 ESPN Winter X Games VIII, and features one of the world's largest terrain parks, as it is two miles long. Made up of 35% easiest runs, and offering a ski and snowboarding school park, Buttermilk is one of the best places for first-time skiers and beginners to get a feel for the slopes.

Browsing art galleries and museums. Though the slopes are beautiful and the powder is thick, let's face it: after awhile, even the most seasoned skiers need a break! For a break that is equally eye-pleasing as the scenic mountains, head inside to enjoy the art displayed at three museums and galleries. Keating Fine Art, in nearby Basalt, Colorado, offers a collection that captures the essence of the Rocky Mountains and the Aspen-area wilderness. With simple still-life and scenic landscapes, the collection at Keating includes representations of Rocky Mountain flora and fauna, as well as mountain scenes during the four seasons. Keating Fine Art features the work of Russell Chatham, Gordon Allen, Jim Rey and Shirley Clearly. Magidson Fine Art is a great place to go, whether you just want to browse some beautiful masterpieces or select one to add to your personal art collection. Emphasizing contemporary art, Magidson features the work of such world-renown creators as Annie Lebowitz, Andy Warhol, Joan Miro, as well as Picasso, Juan Kelly and Paul Pascarella. One more Aspen art-lover's delight is the Aspen Art Museum, which is located in the heart of Aspen. Open since 1979, this museum is located in a historic building along the Rio Grande Trail, and features contemporary art. There are free public lectures, docent-guided tours, special events and art workshops. This fully-accessible museum has outstanding traveling exhibits, including photography, paintings, sculpture, paper and installation art, and displays the work of local artists as well as children's art.

Excursions to nearby ghost towns. Since Aspen and the surrounding area was largely populated in the 1800s solely by prospectors hoping to strike it rich in gold or silver, the area abounds with ghost towns. The remnants of these little settlements paint a clear picture of what mountain living was like before the 20^th century, and offer beautiful views of the area as well. Ashcroft Ghost Town, located 10 miles south of Aspen on Castle Creek Road, is a great example. It had 20 saloons, a school and two newspapers: big-time for a town of 1883. But the bustle and activity of Ashcroft was short-loved, as in 1885, the silver mine gave out, putting an end to the town. Today, Ashcroft's majestic beauty and history is preserved in 12 original buildings including the Blue Mirror Saloon, the Mercantile Building, and the Whispering Swede Cabin. There are guided tours in the summer. A second ghost town is Independence, located 13.5miles east of Aspen on highway 82. On July 4, 1879, the Independence Gold Lode was discovered here, and the town culled over $190,000 in gold during 1881-1882. By 1888, the mine was bust, and the few remaining miners, facing the worst winter storm in Colorado history, dismantled their homes to fashion skis which they used to escape the deserted town and to reach Aspen.

The Aspen area is brimming with activities for all types of visitors. Skiers, art lovers and historians will all find memorable adventures just waiting in Aspen ' so pack your bags and head to this travelers' paradise in the Rocky Mountains!