Base Camp of Elite Athletes, New Events, Uncommon Adventures, and Local Living Are Some of Aspen's Untold Tales
ASPEN, Colo. (Spring/Summer 2010) - While Aspen makes news for its iconic events, such as the Food & Wine Classic and X Games, it's the untold stories and lesser-known tales that make it a special place. It's the entrepreneurial spirit that's been invoked during an uncertain economy, it's the affordable side of a town that is sometimes mislabeld as otherwise, it's the local sustainable food movement, and it's the list of must-do activities that are unique to Aspen. All of these reasons and more don't always receive star-studded attention, but they sure make Aspen shine.
Base Camp to the Pros
Aspen swells with talent during spring, summer and fall as world-class athletes move to town to train on local trails and rivers. From Lance Armstrong and his posse of professional cyclists to Chris Davenport and his b.a.s.e.-jumping brother, Ted, Aspen is home to dozens of hardcore hell men and women. Here are a few of the most notable professionals who call Aspen home:
- Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong comes to town during summer months to train at altitude on Aspen's pristine roads and trails. Armstrong has competed in the Leadville 100 cycling race the last two years, and before the event, Armstrong trains with his posse of professional cyclists and competes in town series races. (www.LeadvilleTrail100.com; 719.486.3502)
- After the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, many competitors will return home to the Roaring Fork Valley, including snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler and Chris Klug; downhill skiers Jake Zamansky, Alice McKennis and Casey Puckett; nordic skiers Simi Hamilton and Michael Ward; and figure skater Jeremy Abbott; and adaptive skier Sam Ferguson (Paralympic Games).
- Chris Davenport, internationally renowned extreme skier, stays close to home when the snow starts to melt. During spring, Davenport summits and skis surrounding "14ers," peaks higher than 14,000 feet. When the snow is gone, he takes to the trails and rock faces, mountain biking and climbing in preparation for another extreme skiing season. His brother, Ted Davenport, stays in Aspen for the town's proximity to ideal 400-foot and 800-foot b.a.s.e. jumping sites.
Big-City Culture in Small-Town Setting
Not just a ski resort, Aspen's plethora of warm-weather pursuits pique nearly every passion, fêting everything from food and wine, to fine writing and independent film, with festivals and special events ranking among the very best in their genres. Following are highlights of Aspen's summer 2010 cultural talent.
- Aspen Art Museum presents Restless Empathy (May 21 - July 18, 2010) with eight international artists will creating work throughout the museum and the city of Aspen that explore the complexities of projecting into the interior world of another and seeking connection. This group exhibition includes work from Allora & Calzadilla, Pawel Althamer, Lara Favaretto, Geof Oppenheimer, Lars Ramberg, Frances Stark, and Mark Wallinger. (www.aspenartmuseum.org; 970.925.8050)
- The Aspen Institute brings the world's most notable people to Aspen throughout the spring, summer and fall. Highlights of their 2010 calendar include the Aspen Ideas Festival (July 5 - 10, 2010) with confirmed speakers including Academy Award-winning actors, domestic and international foreign policy advisors, scientists, a panel of women university presidents, and more. Ongoing through summer 2010, the McCloskey Speaker Series, eight weeks of intimate lectures held every Tuesday from the end of June through August, brings the world's leaders and sharp minds to Aspen. Summer 2009 speakers included filmmaker Ken Burns, Senator Arlen Spector, Dan Rather, CEO of Acumen Fund Jacqueline Novogratz, President of the Council on Foreign Relations Dr. Richard N. Haass, and more. The AI Artists in Residence are American author Tobias Wolff, best known for his short stories and memoirs, and American director and producer Ken Burns, known for his filmmaking style of incorporating archival footage and photographs. Burns has been nominated for two Academy Awards (Brooklyn Bridge in 1982 and The Statue of Liberty in 1986) and has won seven Emmy Awards. (www.aspeninstitute.org; 970.925.7010).
- Aspen Music Festival and School, presents its 61st season July 1 through August 22 and explores musical works created in The Magic Years -1800 through 1810, 1900 through 1910 and 2000 through 2010. Summer 2010 highlights include the 2010 Opera Gala (July 15, 2010 ) with the premiere of Aspen Opera Theater Center's Barber of Seville, Violinist Robert McDuffie's performance of Philip Glass' Violin Concerto No. 2 (July 22, 2010), Tony award winner Audra McDonald's Aspen debut with a stunning evening of Broadway hits (July 24, 2010), bassist and musical innovator Edgar Meyer collaborates with Béla Fleck (banjo) and Zakir Hussain (percussion) for an evening of unmatched musicianship (August 18, 2010). (www.aspenmusicfestival.com; 970.925.3254)
- The 28th annual Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen, the nation's premier culinary festival, returns June 18 - 20, 2010 with a stellar line-up featuring culinary masters including Mario Batali, David Chang, Giada De Laurentiis, Thomas Keller, and Jacques Pépin along with first-timers Art Smith, Tim Love and many more. (www.FoodandWine.com/Classic-in-Aspen, 970.925.8480)
Affordable Aspen
It's not an oxymoron. Aspen, especially in the spring, summer and fall, is surprisingly affordable. With the great outdoors at visitors' fingertips and myriad special events and activities free to the public, Aspen offers an enriching vacation experience, even on a tight budget.
- Aspen Summer Pass, now in its second year, is offered to any visitor who books a two-night minimum stay at any Aspen lodge. The pass provides discounts on dining and shopping, arts and culture, recreational activities, and even transportation from Denver to Aspen and back. For frequently updated deals and information, visit www.AspenChamber.org/SummerPass.
- Accommodations: Try one of Aspen's moderately priced hotels, including the new Limelight Lodge. As a limited-service hotel, the Limelight Lodge is affordably priced with rooms starting at $149 a night and value-added amenities including complimentary breakfast, kitchenettes in rooms, an unbeatable location, and a hip outdoor pool and two hot tubs. Also, check Last-Minute Specials at www.StayAspenSnowmass.com to save on hotel rates throughout Aspen.
- Dining: Nearly every restaurant in Aspen offers a bar menu with the same fabulous food served on the regular menu at a fraction of the price, in a more relaxed setting. In addition, happy hour specials at most of Aspen's eateries offer a big bang for your buck. Fill up on half-off ceviche and boat drinks at Pacifica Seafood & Raw Bar from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and nosh on $7 gourmet pizza chased with $3 Red Stripe beer at Mezzaluna from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day of the week.
- Nightlife: Little Annie's Eating House serves up a mean drink, and its shot-and-a-beer special ($3.50) is a local favorite. Bad Billy's, a new restaurant and bar by the owners of Kenichi, offer pitchers of premium, domestic beer for $12 plus a plethora of bar games. (508 East Cooper Ave.; 970.925.9225)
- Free Art: Aspen Art Museum houses a rotating high-caliber, contemporary exhibitions and promotes free art with complimentary admission courtesy of John and Amy Phelan.
- Free Music: Aspen Music Festival and School provides free classical music on top of Aspen Mountain every Wednesday. Do like a local, and bring a picnic to the Benedict Music Tent to enjoy the sweet sounds of world-class musicians from the picturesque lawn. In addition, the 750 international music students who attend the summer sessions often hold impromptu concerts in downtown Aspen.
- Free Guided Nature Walks: Naturalists from the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) lead free 45-minute walks along Richmond Ridge at the top of Aspen Mountain on the hour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Entrepreneurial Aspen
Given the country's current economic climate, Aspen is a town that's faring better than most. Businesses are expanding and others are opening, new festivals and special events are slated to begin and the economy, from sales tax revenue to the real estate market, is on the rebound.
- Pop-up stores are an emerging trend in Aspen, in which tenants are filling short-term leases in vacant spots around town to test the waters for a season. Among those, this winter Emilio Pucci, Tenet (a New York-based clothing retailer) and Denimaxx furs all made appearances, and the summer season is sure to see another handful of retailers open their doors.
- The spring, summer and fall calendar is chock-full of new events, thanks to extra funding from the city for new festivals and special events. Among those in their inaugural year are Eco Fest, an environmental festival; Fall in Love in Aspen, a multi-day event for singles looking for love; Aspen Lacrosse Shootout, a tournament bringing in lacrosse teams from all over the state; BBQFest, a downtown bar-b-que tasting extravaganza; Outside in Aspen, a participatory weekend for outdoor enthusiasts; and Art Aspen, a mini-Art Basel in the downtown core. For more information, visit www.AspenChamber.org.
Learning Vacations
An increasing number of travelers want to do more on vacation than simply tour, and learning vacations have become more popular. Whether it's sitting on in a seminar at the Aspen Institute or delving into a full weeklong ceramics workshop at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, opportunities for growth and education abound in Aspen. Dozens of Aspen's famed cultural institutions offer classes, while many of the outdoor companies provide lessons and equipment to learn whatever sport one's been vying to try. For more information, visit www.AspenChamber.org.
H20 Adventures
Not only home to epic earthly adventures, Aspen's rivers, reservoirs, swimming holes and streams offer a plethora of aquatic activities to entertain the most amphibious visitors.
- Sledge with the Aspen Seals, a group of Kiwi river guides who lead sledgers down rapids, head-first on a boogie-board-like flotation device. Equipped with a full wetsuit, gloves and flippers, advanced sledgers descend the Class IV Slaughterhouse Falls.
- River surf with Charlie MacArthur, the innovator of this new sport. MacArthur uses a stand-up paddle board to surf standing waves on the Colorado River.
- Get towed at Ruedi Reservoir, Aspen's playground for motorized water sports where wakeboarding, waterskiing and other lake recreation takes place during the summer months.
- Fly fish on 45 miles of Gold Medal rivers surrounding Aspen, which are loaded with rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout as well as mountain whitefish.
Live Local
The "locavore" movement is sweeping the country as consumers become conscious of the environmental impact of purchasing food from faraway sources. Aspenites have been living local for decades, and visitors can step into the locavore lifestyle as soon as they set foot in the Roaring Fork Valley.
- Browse Aspen's open-air Saturday Market for a plethora of locally grown produce, locally raised meat products, even locally distilled spirits and wines.
- Dine at Aspen restaurants where chefs use locally sourced ingredients. Lulu Wilson Executive Chef Shane Coffey designs his menu around seasonally available foods. Montagna Executive Chef Ryan Hardy crafts simple yet perfect dishes made with ingredients grown and raised at his Rendezvous Farms in nearby Paonia.
- Stop by Aspen Brewery to taste frothy concoctions brewed on-site.
- Peruse through one of Aspen's several consignment shops and find treasures such as gently used designer clothing at Susie's Limited, high-quality furnishings from Aspen Home Consignment, kitchenware from The Thrift Shop and used sporting equipment from Replay Sports.
Green Getaway
Aspen's local government, businesses and nonprofit organizations walk the "green" talk, and visitors can do the same. The following are some ways to tread lightly while vacationing in Aspen.
- Leave the car at home. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is serviced by Frontier Bombardier Q-400 jets, known as "green machines," the quietest, most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly commercial airliners ever built. Once in Aspen, ride the free hybrid buses.
- Offset carbon emissions using the city of Aspen's Carbon Calculator. Purchase Canary Tags - $20 offsets one ton of carbon monoxide emissions through renewable energy and mitigation programs.
- Stay in the Green Suite at The Little Nell, powered by solar panels and equipped with an energy monitoring device. Sign up for the Eco Luxe Program and opt for reduced linen service with the savings donated to Aspen Valley Land Trust. In addition, receive an organic amenity from Chef Ryan Hardy's Rendezvous Farms, fresh Aspen water in an artisan pitcher instead of plastic bottles, reusable water bottles for excursions around town, and the use of the hotel's bikes.
- Learn about the land with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. Guides lead daily naturalist walks and host various programs for amateur environmentalists of all ages.
- Plug your electric car into new charging stations inside the Rio Grande parking garage or look for Smart Car docks around town.
For media information and images, visit Aspen Chamber Resort Association Media Center at www.aspenchamber.org/media.
For visitor information, visit http://www.aspenchamber.org/, or call 1.888.290.1324 or 970.925.1940.
Media Contact:
Maureen Poschman • [email protected] • 970.925.8480
Alex de L'Arbre • [email protected]