ASPECTS OF ASPEN
Aspects Of Aspen - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Aspects Of Aspen | |||||
| By: Jenny Caspersonn, Issue 15 – Winter 2003 | |||||
| (Perisher Blue Mountain Resort, NSW, Falls Creek, Victoria) | |||||
| MOVIE STARS, MILLIONAIRES AND MOUNTAINS OF PRISTINE POWDER SNOW – ASPEN OFFERS SKIERS THE ULTIMATE PEAK EXPERIENCE. | |||||
| They call it ego snow: snow so perfect, no matter what standard of skier you are, you look good. In the notoriously glamorous ski resort of Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado, the sun is said to shine for 300 days a year on these wide, immaculately groomed slopes. Ideal conditions for those who want to ski well in great weather and look a million dollars. Living up to its reputation as a playground for the rich and famous, a few million dollars comes in handy if you’re buying real estate. House prices regularly reach double-digit millions, and Christmas room rates in the best hotels are not even disclosed. Standing in the sprawling kitchen of a newish four-bedroom, five-bathroom rental property asking a cool US$80,000 a month, I ponder who rents a place like this. “Oh, a rock star and a Prime Minister so far,” the agent replies. Aspen/Snowmass is, in fact, a complex of four mountains. Aspen Mountain towers above the picturesque town of Aspen. Regarded as the ‘skiers hill’, there are no green trails on Aspen Mountain, rather a challenging range of bumps, steeps and narrow wooded runs. Aspen Highlands, a favourite with the locals, is also not for wimps. Highlands’ Olympic Bowl offers breathtaking (you have to hike there) steep terrain for the reward of one of the best powder-bowl experiences around. The more forgiving Buttermilk is generally regarded as beginners’ heaven, while Snowmass - combining the best of all three mountains – is perfect for families. All four are linked by an efficient shuttle bus service enabling skiers and snowboarders to move with ease from mountain to mountain. It’s the little touches which make Aspen such a joy to ski: complimentary hot apple cider, Oreo bickies and steaming cups of coffee on the slopes; free storage for rental skis and, for US$5,skis or snowboards will be transported to your next day’s ski destination. Aspen/Snowmass’ Concierge Services Department supplies itineraries on and off the snow and, if gloves are lost or goggles forgotten, the on-mountain Guest Service will lend them for the day at no charge. The First Tracks ski experience, with an 8am gondola uplift and a ski or snowboard instructor, is offered daily on Aspen Mountain, and every Wednesday and Friday at Snowmass. The sensible noon-groomer trails are offered form those who wish to sleep in but still want to ski the pristine corduroy of newly groomed snow. Aspen Mountain Powder Tours will take skiers and snowboarders out of bounds for a full day of back-mountain fresh tracks with the uplift by snow-cat. Best of all are the knowledgeable and engaging instructors who host and teach guests. A charming example, with the surname Von Trapp, greeted me on my first day. A grandson of the legendary Captain and Maria, this guy had some serious high-mountain pedigree. I had to refrain from bursting forth with The Hills Are Alive at the top of each chairlift ride. Despite stories of nose-to-tail Lear jets lining the tarmac at Aspen Airport, multiple dollars are not, fortunately, a prerequisite for experiencing a slice of Aspen glamour. Perhaps Aspen has never forgotten its more humble beginnings as a silver prospectors’ camp. In the late 1880s, intrepid silver prospectors ventured into the hunting lands of the Ute Indians in the Roaring Fork Valley and unearthed one of the richest silver lodes in the world. Thousands of fortune-seekers crowded into draughty mountainside timber huts and weathered the bitter winters with the dream of striking it rich. While these days the lodgings are considerably more commodious, with soaring real estate prices and some hotel rooms charging US$5,000 a night, there remains a refreshingly casual atmosphere about the place. The vibe in this picture-perfect Victorian town is informality – in a flannelette shirt, cowboy-boot kind of way. Perhaps that’s what millionaire CEOs and celebrities like Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Costner, Will Smith, Goldie Hawn and Antonio Banderras like about it. This casual vibe, the majestic scenery and its rich artistic heritage, make Aspen a spectacular place to be all year round. In fact, skiing is almost incidental to the natural beauty and cultural attractions of this Rocky Mountain haven. The heady days of the silver boom were short-lived when gold became the currency standard in 1894 and Aspen’s population dwindled from 11,000 to a few hundred. The town experienced a renaissance in the middle of the last century, both as a ski resort and a cultural centre, renowned today for many events such as the Aspen Writers’ Foundation, Music Festival and Filmfest which continue to inspire writers, musicians and artists. Aspen’s place as one of America’s top ski destinations was secured when it hosted the World Alpine Championships in 1950.Wonderful historic buildings from the early prosperous years, like the Wheeler Opera House and Hotel Jerome, have been preserved and restored and many Victorian facades still grace the grid of wide streets. Aspen’s impressive retail precinct is more reminiscent of Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue than a ski resort. Prada, Fendi, Dior, Gucci are all there, alongside a wonderful assortment of galleries. There’s also no shortage of choice for restaurants and bars. Try exclusive Montagna at The Little Nell, Matsuhisa (as in Nobu) for elegant Japanese fare or the more casual Takah Sushi .Hang out at Ajax Tavern, enjoy the fun Italian atmosphere of L’Hostaria, or the more casual buzz of Rustique Bistro and Jimmy’s American Restaurant and Bar. An on-mountain dining experience like the Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro is worth it just for the magical open snow-cat ride home. For an après-ski drink, The Little Nell’s gorgeous Living Room lounge – with its floor-to-ceiling fireplace, squishy sofas and postcard views of Aspen Mountain – is a must. After dinner, there’s the candlelit Whiskey Rocks bar in the Hotel St Regis, jazz at Syzygy, the Sky Hotel’s sexy 39 Degrees lounge, or mix with locals at the historic J Bar at the Hotel Jerome. Aspen may not necessarily cost you a million but it’s a million-dollar experience just the same. | |||||
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