Today At Aspen - Snowmass Ski - Golf Resort - Web Cams
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Pump House |
Deer Park |
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Ajax Express |
Tourtelotte Park |
Just nine miles apart, Aspen and Snowmass Village are two unique towns tucked away in Colorado's Elk Mountain Range. Majestic mountains, a variety of outdoor activities, robust history and artistic culture - together they form Colorado's most vibrant year round resort.
The town of Aspen has a colorful past, full of entrepreneurs, risk takers, athletes, and environmentalists. Originally a summer camp of the Ute Indians, Aspen's first white settlers arrived in the 1870's when miners traveled from nearby Colorado towns in search of silver. Thanks to rich mines and hard work, Aspen soon "boomed," becoming home to more than 12,000 miners and their families. But as quickly as the wealth came, the repeal of the Sherman Silver Act of 1893 caused Aspen to "bust" and the town entered what is commonly referred to as "the quiet years."
But the Aspen spirit wouldn't keep quiet for long. In the late 1940's skiing came to Aspen, as did modern day founders Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke. With a vision of a community focused on mind, body, and spirit, the Paepckes helped Aspen begin a civic and cultural renaissance - one that continues to this day.
The same dynamic spirit thrives in Snowmass Village. Showcasing the largest of the four Aspen/Snowmass ski mountains, it was designed to provide guests with tremendous conveniences. A resort with nearly all on mountain lodging, Snowmass Village boasts a pedestrian friendly shopping area. Originally a small ranching community, Snowmass was incorporated in 1977. Now a music mecca and an outdoor adventure haven, it is characterized by friendly, active locals and a charming village without a single traffic light. At 8,000ft, Snowmass offers hundreds of biking and hiking trails, fishing and other outdoor adventures for all levels.
Together, Aspen/Snowmass forms the most exciting mountain community in Colorado. Culture and sophistication, great weather, exciting events and captivating surroundings - Aspen/Snowmass is a destination like none other.
Sure Aspen/Snowmass is known to get wild once in a while. But don't jump to any conclusions. Most days in Aspen/Snowmass are indeed spent on the sile side, but here, that means on the trail, on the river or in the sky.
There are hundreds of hiking and biking tails in Aspen/Snowmass. From the easy to the advanced, there is something for every caliber of athlete. One of the most popular trails is Smuggler Mountain in Aspen. This four wheel drive road provides a quick one hour workout, and is popular with hikers and mountain bikers any time of the day. The trail winds up Smuggler Mountain, past abandoned mines and through groves of aspen trees. Stop at the viewing deck for spectacular vistas of Aspen/Snowmass and the entire Roaring Fork Valley, or extend your trip into Aspen's backyard - the spectacular Hunter Creek Valley.
The stunning mountain views combined with unspoiled hiking make the trails atop Aspen and Snowmass Mountains some of the most cherished spots in Aspen/Snowmass - in any season. In addition to hiking, you can play on the world's highest disc (Frisbee) golf course, or let your kids go nuts at the mountaintop activity center, featuring an obstacle course, bungee jump and climbing wall.
To get to the top of Snowmass Mountain, there are three options: hiking, biking or chair lift.
Enjoy a free ride on the Burlingame Chair to mid-mountain. Snowmass Mountain is a great location to catch the fall colors of the Roaring Fork or to watch the birds any time of the year.
To get to the top of Aspen Mountain, travelers also have three options: hike it, bike it or ride it.
Options one and two require you to be very physically fit, but option three - a ride on the Silver Queen Gondol - is a quick and painless glide up 3,000 ft to the top.
Looking for a true birds eye view of the area? There are several hot air balloon and paragliding companies in Aspen/Snowmass, featuring trips for those who want to get their feet off the ground.
For an experience of a lifetime, arrange a tandem paragliding flight with the experts at Aspen Paragliding. The 15 min. flight will gently fly you over the town of Aspen as you take in serene views of the entire Roaring Fork Valley.
If you are interested in getting into the air but in a more relaxed fashion, local ballooning companies take passengers on picturesque tips around the area complete with a champagne or orange juice toast.
For an even more "civilized" wild experience, get back to nature on any one of Aspen/Snowmass' golf courses.
The Aspen Golf and Tennis Club maintains an 18 hole municipal course featuring challenging terrain and spectacular views of the surrounding areas and Pyramid Peak. Open to all, it offers a driving range and is easily accessible from Aspen and Snowmass Village. The newly redesigned public course at the Snowmass Club, designed by Jim Engh, Golf Digest's "Architect of the Year 2003" has received rave reviews from the national golfing media.
The Aspen Golf and Tennis Club has six new Har-Tru tennis courts for the puclic to enjoy. Other great tennis locations include the courts at the Snowmass Club, Aspen Meadows tennis courts and Iselin Park Tennis Courts.
This is just a taste of the adventure in Aspen/Snowmass. Be sure to make some time to experience the area's wprld renowned flyfishing, four wheel Jeep tours, horseback riding and local "ghost towns" at Ashcroft and Independence. So grab your gear and get ready to discover the wild side of Aspen/Snowmass.
Aspen - Snowmass Golf & Tennis Facilities
The Aspen Golf & Tennis Club
970-925-2145
Snowmass Club /Golf Pro Shop
800-525-0710
Lakota Canyon - New Castle
970-984-9700
River Valley Ranch Golf Club
970-963-3625
