Aspen, Colorado

Aspen, Colorado is a famous ski resort in America. The US map shows that it is located in the state of Colorado. Here, with enviable constancy, the largest competitions in alpine skiing, including the World Cups, are held.

In addition, winter X-Games (freestyle and snowboard sports) are held here every year. In 2002, the World Extreme Games were organized in Aspen.

The population is over 6,800 inhabitants.

See also: Colorado Springs, Colorado | climate, attractions

Aspen, Colorado - America's famous ski resort

A bit about history

The mining town was built in 1879 when large deposits of silver were found. Thanks to this, Aspen has a leading position in the country in terms of silver mining. The name of the city is associated with the name of one of the species of aspen, which grows in large numbers in this area. It has been given its present name since 1880.

Residents & who lives in Aspen

Buying a house in Aspen is not easy - rich and famous people have long appreciated this city and began to buy real estate here. By the way, this fact attracts travelers here. Who doesn't want to see a Hollywood star or a millionaire in a normal setting. For example, near the city, in the valley, there is a luxurious ranch owned by Kevin Costner. His property spans 165 acres of land that includes a celebrity home, guest house, picturesque lake, stables, baseball field. However, the bulk of the owners of prestigious real estate are not actors, but billionaires, many of whom are foreigners.

Roman Abramovich (billionaire from Russia) also has an estate in the Aspen Snowmass ski resort area. The value of the property is $36 million. Interestingly, this acquisition was the second (in terms of cost) in importance in the history of the city. Thus, Abramovich tops the list of wealthy Russians in Aspen. Alexander Zanadvorov is the second wealthy businessman from Russia who owns real estate worth about $13 million. Among the wealthy Americans, Michael Dell, the owner of Dell Inc., should be mentioned. His parents currently live in his $10.5 million mansion.

Holidays in Aspen

First of all, Aspen is a year-round resort. From November to April, the peaks of the mountains are covered with snow - this is a great place to practice everything from skiing to dog sledding. In the rest of the year, the resort provides tourists with activities such as golf, ballooning, horseback riding, cycling, mountain climbing, parachuting down from the top.

In addition to active recreation, tourists can get acquainted with the sights of the city: museums, a theater or cinema hall, an art gallery, restaurants offering delicious dishes of not only American but also European cuisine, park areas. Shopping lovers won't be disappointed either by visiting Aspen's trendy boutiques.

 

Every year the city hosts various festivals, carnivals (for example, a jazz music festival, a horse riding festival, and many others). Since 1949, Aspen has been hosting a classical music festival featuring world-famous musicians. At the film festival held here every year, you can see world-class movie stars.

See also: Free things to do in Denver (Colorado)

Aspen tracks and slopes

In Aspen, every vacationer, regardless of whether he is a professional or a beginner skier, there is a suitable ski slope. There are only four here:

Aspen Mountain, 4.8 kilometer long. This is where it all started about seven decades ago. Gradually, the infrastructure of the resort was formed, slopes of different difficulty levels, obstacles, steep ascents and descents were created. In addition, two luxury restaurants were built in the mountains (Ajax Tavern and The Sundeck). There are both tracks of medium difficulty and tracks designed for professionals. Snowmobile tours that start from the top of Aspen Mountain (Aspen Powder Tours) are very popular among vacationers. This is a unique opportunity to ride in the best of the Colorado valleys.

Aspen Highlands, with a length of 5.6 kilometer. This is a favorite ski area for the local population. There is excellent dry snow and trails that are not disturbed by the skiing of thousands of tourists, leading to the majestic top of the Highland Bowl. Experienced skiers climb to the steepest slopes using the Deep Temerity lift (which translates as "deep recklessness"), for less experienced athletes and beginner skiers, skiing in the middle part of the mountain is suitable. Aspen Highlands is famous for its large elevation changes (about 1,100 meters), which is great for long descents. A wide range of trails of varying difficulty awaits skiers at the top of Loge Peak. The highlight of a stay in Aspen Highlands is a visit to a high-altitude bistro restaurant called Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro, where you can try fondue and raclette.

 

Buttermilk ski resort  ( Buttermilk ), 4.8 kilometer long. This area is interesting for the contrasts of nature. Easy and simple trails, great views of Pyramid Peak, located nearby - an ideal place for beginners. However, it is here that the famous terrain park is located, where ESPN's Winter Games have been held for 12 years.

Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort, with a length of 8.3 kilometer, promises extraordinary adventures: the mountain slopes of 4 mountains, stretching over an endless space (over 2,500 hectares), give a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities. Here you can spend a long time exploring Snowmass and at the same time diversify the skiing route. Vacationers are provided with 91 tracks, as well as the largest lift in North America (1,343 meters), and here everyone will find the best track for themselves, regardless of skill level. This place is a great choice for tourists with children, as there is a children's entertainment center Treehouse Kid's Adventure Center. In addition, there is the opportunity to visit the new Elk Camp restaurant. Almost all hotels in Snowmass have direct access to the mountain, which makes it possible to ski as much as you like.

Aspen lift ticket prices

The cost of the lift depends on the time of skiing and the age of the tourist. It is advantageous to purchase a subscription:

- from 2 days to 10 days, the price for a child under 12 years old is 95 dollars, for up to 17 years old - 140 dollars, for an adult skier - 155 dollars;

- from 3 days to 10 days, the price for a child under 12 years old is $140, up to 17 years old - $205, for an adult skier - $229;

- from 4 days to 10 days, the price for a child under 12 years old is 185 dollars, for up to 17 years old - 269 dollars, for an adult skier - 300 dollars.

In addition, there is a system of discounts: skiers under 18 years old - 29%; up to 13 years old there is a child rate, up to 6 years old - free of charge. It should be noted that subscriptions are designed for 6-7 days.

Experienced professionals will choose the right equipment for the individual sizes of skiers. Equipment cost per day:

- for adults, the price of a ski kit is from $ 43;

- for children, the price of a ski kit is from $ 20;

- for adults snowboard (set) - from 46 dollars;

- for children snowboard (set) - from 25 dollars.

Aspen Resort offers its guests accommodation for every taste and budget, with the highest level of service.

 

How to get there

Getting to the resort is not difficult. At a distance of 5 kilometer from Aspen and 10 kilometer from Snowmass is the airport (Aspen / Pitkin County). Eagle County Airport is 114 kilometer from Aspen.

Aspen Colorado mountain road

At a distance of 354 kilometer from the famous resort is one of the largest international airports in Denver. From any airport you can get on buses that run from early morning until night.

Conclusion

Rest in Aspen is an excellent choice for a comfortable stay. For beginners, training is organized here (both as part of a group and individual), which is conducted under the guidance of experienced highly qualified specialists.