Description - Aspen is one of Colorado's favorite year-round resort areas. It sits at the
upper end of the Roaring Fork Valley and offers interesting history,
challenging outdoor recreation opportunities, abundant cultural activities,
pleasant climate and beautiful natural scenery. Aspen is world renowned for
its downhill skiing and snowboarding. Aspen Mountain rises imposingly from
town while Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are within 12 miles
of town.Most of the area
around Aspen is public land within the White River National Forest. The
spectacular Elk Mountains rise to the south and west, with the
Williams Mountains and the Sawatch Range to the east. These mountains are
cut by beautiful alpine valleys. The Maroon Creek, Castle Creek and Hunter
Creek Valleys are all easily accessible from town. Much of the high mountain
area surrounding Aspen lies within designated wilderness areas in the
Maroon Bells-Snowmass, Hunter-Fryingpan and Collegiate Peaks
wildernesses.
Attractions
- Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk ski areas are the
most popular attractions in the Aspen area but are far from the only ones. The
Maroon Bells are some of the most photographed mountains in North America
and are a popular destination. In addition to the restored historic buildings
within the town of Aspen, Ashcroft and Independence are well preserved ghost
towns which offer a scenic outing and a glimpse into the region's rich mining
history. The Roaring Fork and Fryingpan Rivers provide anglers with some of
the best trout fishing in the state. Independence Pass, a main summer route
into town, Castle Creek Road to Ashcroft, and Maroon Creek Road are all paved
roads offering spectacular scenery. Most of the high mountain area
surrounding Aspen lies within designated wilderness areas in the Maroon Bells-
Snowmass, Hunter-Fryingpan, and Collegiate Peaks Wildernesses.
Recreation - While downhill skiing and snowboarding are Aspen's best known recreational
pursuits, winter enthusiasts are not restricted to the formal constraints of the
mountains. Backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, winter hut trips,
and snow camping opportunities in this region rival any in the country.
When the snow melts, Aspen offers an abundance of of opportunities for
hiking , backpacking, camping, mountain biking, climbing, fly-fishing,
horseback riding, kayaking, whitewater rafting, hunting, and paragliding. A
visitor to the Aspen area can find high quality permutations of almost every
outdoor activity imaginable. Though you cant surf ocean waves, locals can be
found surfing waves of the Roaring Fork River in their kayaks. Climate - In the valley bottoms, summer high temperatures extend into the 70's and mid
80s, with cool evenings that can often dip into the 30s. Winter lows
occasionally dip to minus 30 degrees, though daytime temperatures are often in
the 20s to 30s. The relative humidity is quite low throughout the year. Much of
the area and its recreation facilities lie at higher elevations where significantly
lower temperatures and more precipitation can be expected. Afternoon
summer thunderstorms are common. Snow is possible at any time of year in
the highest elevations. The high elevation roads and trails are often not clear of
snow until mid-July. Location -
Aspen is located in west-central Colorado, 40 miles southeast of Glenwood
Springs on Colorado Highway 82. During the winter months this is the only
highway access into Aspen. During the summer months, Aspen can be accessed
from the east, over scenic Independence Pass, on Highway 82. Independence
Pass is normally closed from early November through May.
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