Downtown Crested Butte

Vinotok Festival in Crested Butte

This communal spirit has a legacy. The 19th century, Victorian towns of Crested Butte and its neighbor, the larger city of Gunnison, have a long history in their struggle for utopia: Slavic immigrants, among many others, poured into the area in search of gold. Cattle ranchers followed and to this day, the local cattle ranchers have a direct lineage with the original settlers. Ute Indians clashed with fur traders, miners and cowboys who eventually forced the Ute off of their land. The exuberant landscape and the local architecture are quintessentially Western, and despite the happiness locals tend to exude, the specters of the hardy, fascinating characters who shaped these towns seem to linger. One that stands out: The story of the Utopian Sylvester Richardson, who founded a colony in an alpine valley at 7,700 feet in elevation in hopes of creating a perfect agrarian society. The harsh winters and the short growing seasons gave way to ranching, a lifestyle which still survives to this day. Ranching has not changed much since the 1900s and the Gunnison Angus cattle are famous around the world. One does not have to look back to find interesting characters, however. Just roam around and meet the local visionaries who are shaping the future. Ken Spann, of Spann Ranches, INC., is a fifth generation rancher and a staunch defender of the land. He is known for his work with environmentalists in defining grazing laws in the United States. And there are numerous stories of individuals living here who are fighting against unsustainable growth and development. This is where tales of the “ugly American” do not exist. Here we find the pure, distilled American soul. Lovers of the outdoors and pioneering spirits have made their home here in the vast landscape. They have created very strict rules on land usage and other environmental issues. There are no outdoor signs here. Neither wood-burning stoves nor ambient lights are allowed. And because there are no ambient lights, there are no pollutants in the valley, which makes it a prime spot for amateur and professional astronomers. One visit to the local observatory will have you hooked. Convenience store owners Tom Willis and Tod VanDewalker are the local stargazing visionaries who created a miracle. After a brief conversation on their front porch, they decided that the area really needed an observatory. After galvanizing the community — a job in itself for two people with no background in astronomy — they founded the local observatory in 2001. Built completely by volunteer muscle and money, its environmentally sustainable design matches the perfect Colorado sky. Life has changed drastically for the two store owners since the giant telescope arrived, with nebula, galaxies and meteors taking over their minds.

Aspen Gondola

Carbondale
Nature and culture are also economic incentives for the nearby citizens of sunny Carbondale. Set in the 12,953-foot shadow of Mount Sopris, Carbondale attracts sports enthusiasts from all over the world, especially ones with an attraction for vertical slopes. This small town has banked on all hiking, biking and kayaking possibilities offered by its nearby mountains and rivers, the Roaring Fork and the Crystal. It has also banked on its human capital: The “Bondelians,” as they are known, have a vibrant cultural scene, with several successful arts organizations and its powerful Council on Arts and Humanities. The council’s leadership is responsible for the excellent art on display in nearly every corner of their charming old Main Street. Carbondale is where the visitor’s mind and body are served an equally balanced mixture of sports and culture. Mens sana in corpore sano; a healthy mind in a healthy body.

Downtown Aspen

Aspen
Scenic views after scenic views, we travel thirty miles on highway 82 to Aspen. The road following the Roaring Fork River is an excellent way to experience the varying degrees of fall colors in Colorado. Aspen trees and a few giant pine trees are everywhere, creating a spectacular show during our 30-minute drive. We are suddenly in Aspen, but no high-rises or traffic jams tell us we have arrived in one of America’s most posh urban centers. Like the rest of what I had seen in Colorado, Aspen has an understated, down-to-earth elegance that, once again, reflects the area’s intelligent life. Aspen hosts one of the world’s greatest film festivals. The Aspen Institute is a haven for America’s intellectuals while the city’s streets are heaven for namedroppers: Celebrities roam peacefully as if in their own living room. I closed my eyes and imagined life more than a century ago, when Aspen’s small downtown area was filled with silver prospectors and Ute Indians, who discovered one of the richest silver lodes in the world. Today, it is filled with fantastic restaurants, art galleries and very, I mean very expensive shops. Surprisingly enough, Aspen has a number of classy yet affordable hotels depending on the season. The Hotel Jerome, on Main Street, is a masterpiece in historical renovation. With a fascinating history, Hotel Jerome has a coolness about it that transcends all eras. During the 1870s, crowds with bronchial and respiratory illnesses poured into Aspen for therapeutic purposes. Among them was the ailing wife of Jerome B. Wheeler, co-owner of New York’s Macy’s Department Store. According to the hotel’s historical accounts, Wheeler wanted a hotel “to rival the Ritz in Paris.” The hotel with his name opened in 1889 and did just that, becoming Aspen’s social center. In fact, it was one of the first buildings west of the Mississippi River to have the luxury of electricity in every room. Time, however, was unkind to The Jerome, which saw many years of dilapidation until John Gilmore purchased the hotel in the 1960s and initiated a massive restoration. Its revival could be compared to bringing back the Titanic: Every detail, from the fittings to fixtures, the carved furniture and the original wallpaper was preserved or reproduced, completely reviving the aura of the Victorian establishment. The Jerome Bar and the so-called “Library” are priceless gems. With an Anglo-Japanese décor, both bars are perfect lounging destinations.
A few years ago, Hotel Jerome was flooded with celebrities for the funeral of the irreverent, drug-experimenting writer Hunter S. Thompson, who, according to locals, drank himself into a stupor on a daily basis at the J-Bar, as it is known. Bartenders like to tell stories about how the author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas signed crazy checks and went on mad soliloquies while dignitaries walked by. Only in Aspen can a hallucinating madman like Hunter S. Thompson be at home with politicians, diplomats and bartenders. Perhaps it’s the crystalline, fresh air of the Rockies that spices up the overactive brains and bodies of the fascinating figures who roam this area. Or maybe it’s the good drinks served at the Jerome.