Aspen, CO – At first glance, all is well in Aspen,
Colorado. Seats on the many connections from Denver are hard to come by,
the airport is amongst the finest in ski country, real estate developments
continue to snake down valley, and the town is alive with an unmatched variety
of shops, nationalities, and cultural attractions. But this outward prosperity
belies a ski town that has yet to resolve its age-old contradictions between
the jet-setters and destination skiers that have fueled its prosperity, and
the local residents who jobs mostly depend on them. It is a symbiotic relationship
that seems increasingly frayed as the relentless upward march of real estate
prices continues to infiltrate nearly every facet of life in the Roaring Fork
Valley. All this is a shame, because it distracts and discourages many potential
visitors from realizing what seems to be Aspen’s best kept secret – that there
are some darned fine ski mountains in town providing a snow sliding experience
more valuable than all the silver ever hauled out of Ajax Mountain.

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Like many ski towns in Western North
America, Aspen began life as a mining boomtown.  Though settled by Whites
as early as 1880, the town didn’t really take off until the arrival of the
Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in 1887.  For the next two decades, the town
experienced an explosion of growth driven by the large deposits of silver
found within Ajax Mountain, and by 1892, Aspen was supplying fully 1/6^th
of total US production of that metal.  The very next year, Congress repealed
the Sherman Silver Act, effectively destroying the market for silver and sending
Aspen on a long descent to economic obscurity until 1936.  That year, an even
more precious commodity was “discovered” – the 300” of annual snowfall that
turned the mountains surrounding town into a winter playground. 

The Depression and then World War
II delayed the installation of the first chairlift until 1946, but the town
and the ski area bearing its name have grown steadily ever since.  Today,
Aspen is a unique mix of beautiful Victorian architecture, modern retail and
residential condo developments, and multi-million dollar trophy homes on the
outskirts of town.  What started out as with Lift 1 on Ajax Mountain in town
has morphed into a massive four-resort empire featuring 38 lifts and nearly
5,000 acres of terrain for all abilities, including the original Ajax, Aspen
Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass. 

Ajax: Good, Clean Fun

During my visit last March, I concentrated
on the two mountains closest to town: Ajax (sometimes known as Aspen Mountain),
and the latest addition to the Aspen Skiing Company (often simply referred
to as SkiCo) stable – Aspen Highlands.  These two mountains’ topography are
quite similar, both featuring relatively narrow north-facing ridges off which
much of the steeper terrain falls in either direction.  Both mountains also
highlight the contrast that is Aspen in their own unique ways.  While Ajax
is perhaps best known for its warp factor 4 cruising up high and in the Copper
and Spar Gulches, its best skiing is found on more out-of-the-way sections
of the hill like Bell Mountain, Gent’s Ridge, Walsh’s and, in a good snow
year, The Dumps. 

I particularly enjoyed playing in
the widely spaced trees on the backside of Bell Mountain.  As with the other
three mountains in town, the best snow can often be found on the easterly
aspects that are sheltered from the prevailing Northwest winds funneling down
the valley.  Kristi’s and Walsh’s, extremely steep and often ignored chutes
on the Eastern edge of the mountain, enjoy the same advantages.  Due to its
topography featuring multiple spiny ridges interrupting any consistent vertical,
there are few single runs at Ajax that will melt your thighs with a consistent
diet of steeps and bumps (the notable exception being the quad-devouring Ridge
and Shoulder of Bell). 

The savvy snow slider will first
scout the terrain and use it to his advantage by, for example, skiing the
Back of Bell and then holding speed across Copper Gulch (watch out for the
cruisers!) to traverse most of the way across Gent’s Ridge/Glades area.  The
further you traverse, the more vertical that unfolds below you.  This same
tactic can be used even within a single trail pod as you could start out on
Face of Bell, bash the trademark bumps until 2/3^rd of the way down,
and then traverse to your right to gain back all the vertical you just used. 
Repeat this sequence several times and you will be rewarded with a bump run
as long as you could ask for (or fear).  As a side benefit, the required pre-planning
and leg strength significantly thin out the crowds by the time you reach Shoulder
of Bell.  Many a time did I stop to catch my breath and marveled at the hilarity
of the Bogner clad masses jostling for position on Deer Park and Spar Gulch
below. 

Not to disparage those runs, mind
you.  Along with Ruthie’s and nearly the entire upper 1/3^rd of
the mountain, those runs make for a high-speed cruising paradise. With the
Silver Queen Gondola delivering hauling skiers up Ajax’s impressive 3,267
vertical in just 14 minutes, carving deep trenches in the fantastically manicured
snow is a favorite pastime.  Throw in the lack of any beginner terrain on
the trail map, and these attributes combine to make for what has to be one
of the most skilled skier bases anywhere, regardless of whether you’re wearing
Bogner or duct tape.   One thing to keep in mind, if it hasn’t snowed for
a while, it is best to avoid The Dumps and the entire lower 1/3^rd
of the mountain.  The slightly southern aspect of The Dumps and the lack of
now at the lower elevations means conditions can be sketchy at best in years
with below average snowfall. 

All that vertical can leave your
stomach and legs in dire need of refreshment. Well, pilgrim, you’ve come to
the right place because Aspen offers a trio of on-mountain eating venues that
offer up some of the finest alpine cuisine in North America. First and foremost
is the Studio 54 of ski area cuisine – Bonnie’s. While hanging with the who’s
who of the bi-coastal crowd is not a prioroty for most real skiers, the food
more than makes up for it. In fact, the freshly baked bread and made-to-order
salads are reason alone to make a midday pit stop here. The sunshine on the
deck and views of skiers (and now riders – see below) hucking themselves off
the terrain features in the nearby park just add to the experience. Other
eating options inlcude Ruthie’s (get there early to snag a south-facing seat)
and the relatively new Sundeck restaurant at the summit. Ruthie’s delights
with a variety of specials each day while the the Sundeck offers a more traditional
ski cafeteria set-up (though I assure you there is nothing traditional about
the food or its prices).

The big change for the 2001-2002
ski season will be the end of the policy banning snowboarders at Ajax.  This
was almost certainly done for economic reasons, with this correspondent’s
decidedly unscientific study confirming that, even during Spring Break, Ajax
is extremely uncrowded.  This wasn’t always so, but the introduction of high-speed
lifts and the alienation of families with snowboarding children clearly had
combined to drive liftlines there into extinction.  SkiCo feared becoming
an overpriced irrelevancy catering to empty nesters, not the most attractive
demographic for a company looking to increase its skier days.  While the success
or failure of this change remains to be seen, Ajax’s unique topography does
not help matters.  The vast majority of patrons migrate from the upper mountain
down the Copper and Spar Gulches to Kleenex Corner all day.  By mid-afternoon,
those narrow natural half-pipes are often scraped down to ice, leading to
tricky conditions at the best of times.  Moreover, the end of day crowds (with
their spent thighs) and shadows all conspire to create a dangerous situation
for boarders’ heel side turns. 

Highlands: A Cinderella Story

While I enjoyed my time at Ajax immensely,
it was more of a refresher for me as I had visited several years before while
on high school vacation.  Aspen Highlands, on the other hand, was a completely
new experience for me and I eagerly anticipated my days there. 

Highlands is the newest jewel in
the SkiCo crown.  While it has been in operation since entrepreneur Whip Jones
developed it in 1958, Highlands has always been the unglamorous step-sister
to Ajax and Snowmass.  My visit confirmed that this step-sister is a real
beauty along the lines of Cinderella.  The frosty relationship between Highlands
and SkiCo, along with the former’s painfully slow double chairs, ensured that
Highlands has traditionally been known as the “locals’ hill”.  This reputation
was no doubt enhanced by the fantastic steeps falling off either side of the
ridge on the upper half of the mountain. 

When SkiCo, along with developer
Gerald Hines, gained control of the mountain in 1993, the glass slippers arrived. 
The first improvements went into the mountain with the installation of three
high-speed quads, cutting the ride up Highlands 3,635 foot vertical from over
45 minutes to just 17.  As with many on-hill improvements in ski country,
this was just a precursor to the real profit spinner: base area real estate. 
Along with Hines, SkiCo is sinking hundreds of millions of dollars into building
an entirely new base area, replete with the standard upscale hotels, condos,
shops, and restaurants.  In a real estate market as hot as Aspen, these properties
will no doubt be a big hit.  The question is, where will these people be skiing? 

Despite the upgraded infrastructure,
by the looks of things it certainly isn’t at Highlands.  Though Ajax was relatively
uncrowded, Highlands made it look like Grand Central Station at rush hour. 
During the four days I spent there, I skied right onto the lift about 90%
of the time.  Not that I’m complaining, mind you, and along with my guide,
New Jersey transplant Kenny Smith, I took advantage of this situation to experience
all Highlands has to offer.  The mountain is one narrow North-facing ridge,
with the lifts terminating at the 11, 675’ summit of Loge Peak.  Most of the
terrain spilling down this northerly aspect consists of fairly tame intermediate
cruisers.  However, the complete lack of crowds and a few interesting rolls
and knobs add up to a high-speed cruising hill even more seductive than Ajax
next door.  Letting the skis rip and carve into the perfectly groomed snow
of Gunbarrel, Apple Strudel, and Grand Prix was as close as I’ll ever get
to emulating my ski heroes from the World Cup tour. 

The main attractions on this hill
are found off of the Loge Peak lift.  Spilling off the ridge in either direction
are the wide swaths of steeps, bumps, and trees the equal of any expert playground
I’ve seen.  Facing East is the Steeplechase area, easily accessible off the
summit quad and consisting of long and wide bump runs funneling into narrower
natural half pipes.  To its South, but still on the East face, is the Temerity
area, a gladed paradise with an infinite number of lines both on and off the
map.  If you’re wondering where to go in here, just ask a local.  They are
deservedly proud of their mountain and several volunteered to show me the
goods while I was out on my own. 

Across the hill to the West face
lies Olympic Bowl.  The terrain here is similar in pitch to Steeplechase at
34-38 degrees on average, but it gets much less traffic.  This is in part
due to a slightly less obvious location (the top of Steeplechase lies right
under the summit quad) and because of its less reliable snow surface, situated
as it is on the windward side of the ridge.  Nonetheless, I found a number
of rarely traveled glades and chutes in this area with dry snow that had been
protected from the wind by the trees. 

But no discussion of Highlands would
be complete without a mention of the true gem at the area: the 800 acres of
above-treeline nirvana known as Highlands Bowl.  Rising above the lift served
summit, Highlands Bowl has long been a dangerous magnet for local skiers and
riders.  It’s leeward orientation, consistent 40-45 degree pitch, and nearly
perfect funnel shape mean that the bowl is extremely susceptible to avalanches. 
In fact, the main avi path leads some 4500 vertical feet to the valley floor
and serves as a grim reminder of the several lives that have been lost here. 

Highlands Bowl, though within the
permit area, has always been off-limits due to this danger.  Recent reforms
in liability laws have allowed the vaunted Highlands ski patrol to open up
ever larger swathes of the bowl.  Last year, they reached the halfway point,
allowing access to the summit of Highlands Peak and approximately 50% of the
bowl’s acreage.  Avalanche control work is accomplished both with explosives
and the old fashioned way: ski packing.  The patrol works diligently from
the first snows to pack down and consolidate the base to the best of their
abilities.  Highlands even has a free snowcat shuttling skiers 1/3^rd
of the way up in order to encourage more skier traffic. 

After a roughly 30 minute hike, the
views from the top are breathtaking, both literally and figuratively.  The
picture postcard Maroon Bells seem within your grasp as the Castle Creek and
Conundrum Creek drainages unfold before you.  This is not for the faint of
heart, though, as the hike to the top features a narrow foot path tracing
the spine of a knife-edge ridge, and at well over 12,000 feet, oxygen is a
scarce commodity.   Once at the top, the only way down is 1,000 vertical feet
of consistent 45 degree steeps, followed by the scourge of all the expert
terrain off the sides of both Ajax and Highlands – the long, flat, exhausting
traverse back to civilization.

Over at Highlands, the on-mountain
options consist mainly of the Merry-Go-Round and Cloud 9. The former is a
classic ski cafeteria with generous portions and reasonable prices. It’s location
ot the confluence of the three high speed quads makes it an ideal meeting
spot for lunch. Throw in the view of the frequent freestyle events on Scarlette’s
Run from the spacious outdoor deck, not to mention the outdoor BBQ, and you’ve
got an ideal spot to rest, refuel, and recharge. The recent conversion of
Cloud 9 from the ski patrol HQ to a high-end eatery has broadened the options
on-hill. Cloud 9 serves up daily specials akin to those at Ruthie’s at Ajax
in a much smaller and more intimate atmosphere than the Merry-Go-Round. Eating
options at the base village are still taking shape, and this correspondant
saw no reason to venture that far down when the eating and skiing options
were so appealing up high.

Aspen: Night and Day

The sublime skiing experience on
the mountains around town help distract many visitors from noticing that Aspen,
while still the standard by which most ski towns are measured, has an increasingly
difficult time dealing with the contradictions arising out of its success. 
The streets of Aspen are lined with an endless variety of high-end retail
outlets, restaurants, and hotels, much of which is situated in historic Victorian
architecture or tastefully designed plazas.  There are also several variety
of pedestrian promenades, parks, and of course, the Little Nell Hotel situated
right next to the Silver Queen Gondola.  For visitors with a beefy checkbook,
there is no substitute for this legendary Aspen institution with its plush
rooms and suites, unbeatable location, and even a well-staffed ski concierge.

The legendary Aspen nightspots seem
to have toned down in the last few years, though the town still offers a nightlife
the envy of ski towns the world over.  Throw in the bevy of festivals, concerts,
and other cultural events, and Aspen seems to be an eminently livable town,
especially by the standards of typical culturally bereft mountain communities. 
For example, after a particularly grueling day on the slopes with my guide
Kenny, I joined him and a number of friends at the local outdoor skating rink
for their weekly game of broomball.  Later in the evening, I attended a concert
by national touring funk and soul act Karl Denson.  The thing is, this wasn’t
any special occasion or festival, this is just the way it is in Aspen every
week.  Where else will you find the combination of venues and community for
such an event?

But this doesn’t tell the whole story. 
Locals also tell me that the streets, while bustling, aren’t as busy as they
used to be.  Perhaps this is related to the previously noted decline in skier
visits, but just maybe Aspen is pricing itself into a corner.  The limited
amount of developable land and the seemingly insatiable demand for second
homes in the area combine to drive real estate prices ever higher.  Even during
recessions, real estate values never really fall in Aspen, they just stop
going up for a while.  But those second homes are only occupied for a fraction
of the year, so much of the seeming prosperity is illusory – other than helping
he construction industry, people simply aren’t around long enough to contribute
meaningfully to the local economy. 

To wit, my friend Mark is a cook
at a local dinner theatre.  He says they used to sell-out two shows a night,
but now this middle-class family hangout is lucky to sell out just one.  Mark
would like to open a deli of his own, but when I ask if he wants to open it
in Aspen, he just laughs and tells me there is no way he could afford it. 
He may move to Tahoe instead. 

Indeed, as with other towns in ski
country, ski bums are an endangered species here, caught between the squeeze
of a high cost of living and cheaper labor in the form of Mexican immigrants. 
What’s more, the high real estate costs require Aspen merchants to charge
higher prices in order to cover their rent costs while driving most people
with moderate incomes many miles down valley.  The daily traffic jams on state
route 82, the valley’s main artery, tell the story about the folly of this
trend. 

It’s not like the town of Aspen isn’t
trying, however.  All developers are required to contribute to the long-standing
affordable housing scheme for SkiCo employees and other residents with moderate
incomes.  What’s more, the valley boasts one of the more impressive bus and
shuttle systems that I’ve seen, with free service in between all four mountains
and frequent stops at all points of interest in town. 

These efforts to retain a sense of
community are illustrated by my guide, Kenny.  The media guide work he does
for SkiCo is just a side job to pass the time (and get a free ski pass) during
the slow winter season for his successful fly-fishing guide company. His fiancé
Robin is the host of the morning session on the local Aspen TV channel.  Both
love the community and clearly work hard at what they do, with Kenny wheeling
and dealing on his cell phone several times during our day together. 

But their hard work and entrepreneurial
spirit at not exactly the norm in ski country.  Even with that dedication,
they are still moving 15-20 miles down valley as soon as they get married,
because Kenny’s affordable housing program apartment is too small and they
cannot afford to buy a place in town.  A fitting allegory for a destination
resort who’s own destination is unknown.