Outdoor Activities
 Summer
Aspen may be known for its skiing, but the Elk Mountains offer endless activities in the summer. The following is a guide to some of the valley’s most popular summer pursuits. For the summer of 2008, Blazing Adventures is offering amazing assortment of outdoor activities. To sign up, please fax this form back to the company.
Aspen Mountain Gondola
Climb 2 1/2 miles and more than 3,000 vertical feet from the heart of Aspen to the top of Aspen Mountain in the Silver Queen Gondola and take in picturesque views of the Elk Mountain Range. Enjoy the abundance of activities at the top, such as free concerts, nature walks and Frisbee golf. Either bring a picnic or dine at the Sundeck. Adult passes are available for $20 at the lift ticket office.
Fishing
The Roaring Fork Valley is home to some of the country's best fly-fishing. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Frying Pan, Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers as experienced guides show you the way to brown and rainbow trout. Four-hour guided tours (including equipment rental) cost $275 for two people. Call the Taylor Creek Fly Shop at 970-920-1128 for more information.
Hiking
The Roaring Fork Valley has a plethora of hiking opportunities. Simply ask a local for directions to one of the many hikes adjacent to town, or call Blazing Adventures at 800-282-7238 to schedule a longer, guided hike. Half-day guided hikes cost $68 and full-day hikes cost $121.50 (includes lunch). The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies also offers free, 45-minute guided nature walks. These depart every day on the hour (between 11:00am and 3:00pm) from the top of the gondola.
Horseback Riding
Enjoy a guided Colorado horseback riding tour on picturesque Snowmass Mountain and take in beautiful views of Mt. Daley and the surrounding area. Rides depart at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm, and all rides meet half an hour before scheduled ride time. A one-hour ride costs $43 per rider, while a two-hour ride costs $60. Call 888-649-5982, or e-mail info@stayaspensnowmass.com for more information.
Mountain Biking
Hop on a mountain bike and explore some of the valley’s most scenic areas with an experienced guide. There are tours to suit all skill levels, with prices ranging from $72.50 for a half-day to $121.50 for a full day. Call Blazing Adventures for more information at 1-800-282-7238. If you prefer to simply rent a bike and head out on your own, Aspen Velo has a wide variety of bikes to rent, which are available for a couple of hours up to an entire week. Aspen Velo is located at 465 N. Mill St. and can be reached at 970-925-1495.
Off-Road Jeep Tours
Experience the rugged backcountry roads that weave through the wilderness of the Elk Mountain Range. Travel on old mining roads past wildflower fields and the occasional herd of elk. Tours range from 3 to 5 ½ hours, and cost from $72.50 to $92. Call Blazing Adventures at 800-282-7238 for more information.
Paragliding
Fly high above Aspen with a certified United States Hang Gliding Association instructor. Flights leave at 7:00, 8:30, 10:30 am, and 5:00 pm. A tandem flight lasts about two hours and costs $195. Contact Aspen Paragliding at fly@aspenparagliding.com or 970-925-7625 for more information.
Whitewater Rafting
Tackle some of the country's best whitewater rafting on the Colorado, Arkansas, and Roaring Fork Rivers. Experienced guides lead you through Class II, III, and IV rapids on half and full day trips that range in price from $79.50 to $100. Lunch is included. Call Blazing Adventures for more information at 800-282-7238.
Movie Theaters
Stage 3, 625 East Main, (970) 925-2050
Isis Theater, 406 E. Hopkins Avenue, (970) 925-7584
The Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Avenue, (970) 925-5973.
Galleries and Fine Art
Aspen Art Museum
590 North Mill Street Aspen, CO 80611 970-925-8050
Aspen Grove Fine Arts, Ltd.
525 E. Cooper Ave., Suite 205 • Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-925-5151 Fax: 970-963-5886
Aspen's premier gallery. Acclaimed artists, paintings, graphics and sculpture.
Baldwin Gallery
290 South Galena Street
Phone: (970) 920-9797
David Floria Gallery, Inc.
312 S. Mill St. • Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-544-5705 Fax: 970-544-9729
Contemporary art. International and emerging artists. Archival framing.
Duval Smart Gallery
525 E. Cooper Ave. • Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-925-9044 Fax: 970-925-9076
Chihuly, Morris, Marioni, Vallien. Namingha, Fraser, Cox, Moses, Anthony, Waddell.
Elliott Yeary Gallery
419 E. Hyman Ave. Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-429-1111 Email: info@elliottyeary.com
Elliott Yeary Gallery offers fine 19th and 20th Century European and American masters as well as contemporary paintings and sculpture.
Galerie Maximillian
602 E. Cooper Ave. • Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-925-6100 Fax: 970-925-1111
www.galeriemax.com
Specializing in contemporary European paintings, sculptures and historical masterworks on paper.
Huntsman Gallery of Fine Art Ltd.
410 East Hyman Avenue, Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-920-1910
The Huntsman Gallery of Fine Art contains diverse work by over 40 artists, of which more than one-third are in permanent museum collections. Surrounded by his collection of sculptures and paintings, sculptor Don Huntsman also shows his own bronzes and his works-in-progress. Huntsman is best known for commissioned pieces that include baseball legend Reggie Jackson and performer Marcel Marceau.
Joel Soroka Gallery
400 E. Hyman Ave. • Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-925-3152 Fax: 970-920-3152
Fine art, vintage and contemporary photography.
Magidson Fine Art
525 E. Cooper Ave., Aspen, CO 81611
970-920-1001, www.magidson.com
Exhibitions include original works by: Mark Cesark, Aaron Fink, David Begbie, Richard Carter, Eva Cellini, Paul Pascarella, Candice Eisenfeld, Michael Kessler, Claudia Meyer, Linda Prince, and William DeBilzan.
Omnibus Gallery
422 E. Cooper Ave. • Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-925-5567
One of the world's largest collections of original, rare and vintage posters. Primarily from the late 1880's to World War II.
Pismo Gallery at Aspen
433 E. Cooper Ave. Aspen, CO 8161
Phone: 970-920-1313 www.pismoglass.com
Colorado's largest selection of fine art glass in all price ranges - from very affordable gifts to museum quality collectables.
Rachael Collection
433 E. Cooper Ave. • Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: 970-920-1313 Fax: 970-925-8039
Contemporary glass art gallery.
Toklat at Ashcroft
P.O. Box 1048, Aspen, CO 81612
Phone: 970-925-7345
Museums and Historical Activities
The Aspen Historical Society (www.aspenhistory.org) offers a variety of activities and historical tours throughout town and around the valley, as well as information about historical exhibitions. The Society is located at 620 West Bleeker Street; for more information on the week’s activities, call (970) 925-3721 or (800) 925-3721.
 Winter
Since Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass Mountain will be in full operation, be sure to bring your ski equipment, including cross-country skis. Rentals are available and equipment should be rented immediately upon your arrival. There are four areas in the Aspen/Snowmass complex:
Aspen Mountain (AJAX): This is the original Aspen ski area. It contains the most difficult and varied terrain. Bottom lifts are in downtown Aspen. The six-passenger "Silver Queen" gondola takes about 16 minutes to get to the top of Aspen Mountain.
Aspen Highlands: Now operated by the Aspen Skiing Co., Highlands offers a variety of beginner through expert terrains and is often less crowded than the other areas.
Buttermilk Mountain: This area is a great one for getting your ski legs back and has the most extensive beginner and intermediate terrain.
Snowmass Mountain: The largest of the four ski areas offers skiing for beginners to experts.
Lift Tickets
Your lift ticket is transferable to all four mountains. The mountains open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 3:30 p.m. Full day lift or half-day lift tickets may be purchased at the area where you ski.
Ski Instruction
Check individual mountains for ski school times and individual instruction. If you are a beginner and have never been on skis. For more information on rates and times, please go to www.aspensnowmass.com/schools
Ski Equipment
Skis, boots and poles can be rented at the ski areas or from local shops. If you plan to rent equipment, we advise you to call a shop immediately after you arrive in Aspen to be certain your size is available.
Cross-Country Skiing (Ski Touring)
The Aspen/ Snowmass Nordic Council has free groomed trails at the Aspen Golf Course, Aspen Club, Rio Grande Trail, Aspen High School, and between West Buttermilk and Snowmass. Rental equipment is available in most sport shops.
Ashcroft Ski Touring offers over 20 miles of groomed trails for cross-country skiing. They have rental equipment and group or individual lessons (970) 925-1971. A gourmet lunch is served at the Pine Creek Cookhouse from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. by reservation (970) 925-1044. Travel time to Ashcroft by car is approximately 30-40 minutes.
Snowmobiles
T-Lazy 7 Ranch offers snowmobile rentals for their 18 miles of snowmobile trails to the Maroon Bells, and a full-day guided trip to the ghost town of Independence, which includes lunch. Call (970) 925-4614 for information.
Dog Sled Trips/Restaurant
Krabloonik, located in Snowmass, offers 2-1/2 hour dog sled trips at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Lunch is included at both times. Advance reservations are required. Lunch only, by reservation, is available from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Call (970) 923-3953 for further information.
Snowshoe Walks
The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) offers naturalist-guided snowshoe walks at its preserve at Hallam Lake in Aspen as well as at the summit of Aspen Mountain. Call (970) 925-5756 for information.
Ice Skating
Aspen has three ice-skating rinks. The Aspen Ice Garden is an indoor ice-skating rink located at Hyman and Second Streets (970) 920-5141. The Aspen Recreational Center (ARC) is located at 0861 Maroon Creek Road, also has an NHL indoor rink as well as many other recreational activities including 6-lane lap pool, family pool with lazy river, 32 foot climbing tower, cardio & weight rooms (970) 544-4100 or aspenrecreation.com.
The Silver Circle is a smaller outdoor rink located at 430 East Durant, across from the Ruby Park Bus Stop (970) 925-6360. Hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
Swimming
The Aspen Meadows has a 25-meter outdoor lap pool for its guests. Please advise the front desk at the Health Center if you are planning to use it so that the pool can be uncovered. Institute participants and members of their immediate family only are allowed to use the Aspen Meadows swimming pool free of charge.
Walking
The Aspen Meadows has a walking path beginning behind the Meadows and continuing along the Roaring Fork River. The Rio Grande trail allows you to walk or cross country ski as far down valley as Basalt!
Fishing
There are four major trout streams and several small lakes in the Aspen area. The Roaring Fork River has a “flies only” section adjacent to the Aspen campus. Rainbow and brook trout are predominant.
Movie Theaters
Isis, 406 East Hopkins, (970) 920-3456
Other Activities
Please ask the front desk at the Aspen Meadows for information on skiing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Additional information can be obtained from the Aspen Chamber Resort Association in the Wheeler Opera House, 328 East Hyman.
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