Aspen/Snowmass Living

The Aspen/Snowmass area is known for its multitude of outdoor, cultural and educational activities.

Town of Aspen

Aspen is widely recognized as a mecca for art galleries, restaurants and a variety of concert, theatre and ballet venues. Art Museum has received national acclaim. The town hosts many music, film, art and food festivals during the summer months and at other times during the year. There are a number of educational institutes, forums, seminars and expositions held in Aspen. Every summer the Aspen Institute sponsors the Aspen Ideas Festival – an event that attracts the leading thinkers from around the world.

Mountain scenery

The Ranch has commanding views of Mt. Sopris, a nearly 13,000 foot mountain that dominates the landscape in the valley from Glenwood Springs to Snowmass. The Ranch sits in the Elk mountain range where there are seven fourteeners (14,000 foot, plus peaks) and which is widely considered to be one of the most scenic parts of the state. The Ranch is situated within 2 hours from the Sawatch mountain range where there are 15 fourteeners – the greatest concentration of fourteeners in the Continental United States. Two of the most scenic mountain drives in the west are the drive to Independence Pass (one hour from the Ranch) and the drive to Cottonwood Pass (two hours from the Ranch).

Equestrian activities

Hiking

There are 4,000 acres for hiking on the Ranch and available adjacent lands, as well as numerous hiking opportunities in the surrounding area – everything from easy strolls, to scenic mountain lake hikes and more advanced mountain summit hikes.

Cycling

There are mountain biking routes on the Ranch and throughout the valley. The Snowmass ski mountain offers downhill mountain biking for the real mountain biking enthusiast. There are first-rate road cycling routes at the front entrance to the Ranch and several of the top routes in the state (such as the road to Independence Pass) are located in the valley. Aspen is an annual stop for the USA Pro Challenge (the professional cycling tour).

Tennis

There are two outdoor hard surface tennis courts on the Ranch for use by Ranch residents and their guests.

Hunting

With the appropriate governmental tags and under the supervision of the Ranch Manager, elk and deer hunting is permitted on the Ranch for homeowners and their guests.

Fishing

There are stocked trout ponds on the Ranch for catch and release fishing. The Frying Pan river (in nearby Basalt) is nationally known as one of the top fly fishing locations in the country.

Water activities

The Roaring Fork river (just minutes from the Ranch) offers kayaking and class II – IV whitewater rafting, the Colorado river (35 minutes from the Ranch) offers kayaking and class I – IV whitewater rafting, and the Arkansas river (1 hour to 1 ½ hours from the Ranch) offers class III – V whitewater rafting. There are also an abundance of boating and water sports activities at the Ruedi Reservoir (about 40 minutes from the Ranch).

Skiing

There are trails on the Ranch for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.  There is a greater diversity of alpine skiing in the Aspen/Snowmass area than practically any other area in the United States. Ski opportunities include:

Golf

There are several first rate private golf courses that are ranked among the top courses in Colorado, including the Roaring Fork Club (less than 10 minutes from the Ranch), the Maroon Creek Club (20 minutes from the Ranch) and Aspen Glen (20 minutes from the Ranch). Public courses include the Aspen golf club (20 minutes from the Ranch), the Snowmass Club (20 minutes from the Ranch), River Valley Ranch (20 minutes from the Ranch), Ironbridge (35 minutes from the Ranch) and Lakota Canyon (50 minutes from the Ranch).