Alluring Aspen

Aspen is the latest stop on our “America(s) the Beautiful” series of great destinations in Mexico, Canada, and our own United States. When most people think of the mountain resort of Aspen, Colo., most people think of skiing, summer festivals and high prices. “Most people” would be right, especially about the high prices. Aspen is filled with quaint directional signs, but dollar signs take precedence. We came to the area as guests of one of our sons, his wife and grandchildren, who wanted to provide a memorable present for a special birthday. Perhaps being a guest actually increased our awareness and concern over high prices.

The town of Aspen really includes the adjacent resort of Snowmass. There is an unmistakable charm about the town center and surrounding mountains, forests and streams. As is the case with most vacation destinations, visitors are divided into two groups: owners and tourists. Conversations revolved around:
“Where are you staying?” “Where have you/will you eat?” “Where are you going?” and “Where did you buy that cute little … ?” Let’s answer some of these questions.

We had the pleasure of staying at Little Nell, a five-star establishment, which lived up to its reputation for service and facilities. We have rarely experienced such a perfect combination of friendly attention and professional management. The hotel is right in the middle of town and next to the Silver Queen gondola. But Little Nell is only one of the elegant options in Aspen, along with scores of other hotels, lodges and condominiums — in almost all price ranges.

In many ways, Aspen is a cultural counterpart to Sarasota with some, but not as much, theater, music and dance. In another way, Aspen reminds us of Cannes, France, which is a year-round venue for festivals.
Diversions and events in Aspen are divided into two time frames. First, there is ski season, and second, there is the rest of the year. Because we are not skiers, we are not qualified to comment on the quality of skiing there. But we did drive throughout the area and were shown the few bunny hills and some of what appeared to us to be “OMG” runs. These were serious take-your-life-in-your-hands places, where the ski patrol must be overworked. Although most of our activities were outdoors, we were treated to a lovely musical evening in the mid-park setting of the Harris Concert Hall, but music really soars in the early summer.

For festivals, consider that the month of January starts the year with “Winterski 2011 — 60th Anniversary,” “The Curious Savage at Theater Aspen,” “ESPN Winter X Games 15,” “Gay Ski Week — Wild, Wild West” and the “Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series” to name a few. June starts the summer festival season with the “Eighth Annual Chili Pepper and Brew Fest” (always a hot event), “Outside of Aspen” (you need to be an insider to understand), “Food and Wine Classic,” “Aspen Ideas Festival 2011” (sounds like a good idea) and the “Aspen Music Festival.” Clearly, there is something for everyone.

There are as many restaurants per capita as we have in the Sarasota area or any resort town. There are so many good ones that there is no need to mention one or two here. But one comment is necessary:
Although we enjoyed many good ones, none was great, and some did not deserve their superior ratings. Again, restaurant cost and quality are quite similar to Sarasota. Indeed, Aspen and Sarasota share the need of a good Chinese restaurant.

Among the extensive outdoor activities in the area, we thoroughly enjoyed a white-water rafting trip, fly fishing and the gondola ride up the mountain. The white-water rafting trip provided a remarkable contrast between flashing, exciting, wild rapids and tranquil stretches where you could enjoy great scenery in a pristine climate. Our children and grandchildren became serious bikers and hikers.

We also should mention that one of us experienced some altitude sickness. Some of the symptoms were weakness, insomnia, temporary weight gain and general discomfort. We understand that the percentage of oxygen decreases noticeably around 8,000 feet, which is the altitude of Aspen. We heard of one person who had no problem for three trips and put himself into the hospital on his fourth trip. It is a strange malady that occurs rather serendipitously.

We noted earlier that costs in Aspen are higher than found almost anywhere else, including comparable resorts. Although there are so many favorable comparisons with our Sarasota area, costs of basic products are higher in Aspen. One of the reasons is that there is not a national chain within 30 miles of the town — no drug store, hardware store, fast-food restaurant, supermarket, clothing store and certainly no Walmart. It appears that the local powers that be have effectively banished any such competition to their locally owned establishments. When it comes to pharmacies, grocery or hardware stores, there is minimal competition — even among local establishments. The result of these restrictions is obvious.

Aspen enjoys a cult following that comes with familiarity. Many visitors and residents have been returning for decades, and new converts are always appearing. A visit to Aspen is well worth a detour on any Western trip to find whether its siren song appeals to you.

Stuart and Lois Scheyer bracket the 80-year mark and are residents of Longboat Key. They each log more than 100,000 air miles a year. They will be pleased to answer any travel questions and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Travel Easy — Travel Light — Travel Now