By Pender Bauhan

October, 2002, I was born in the Aspen Valley Hospital in Aspen, Colorado, and my roots were planted in this small mountain town. A few days later, my father drove me and my mom home to our house in Carbondale, about thirty minutes down-valley. 

I got my first pair of skis when I was three. My dad hooked me up to my leash, and down the hill I went. When I was five, I was thrust into the ski school system, where I was the only girl in a group of five other boys. The seasons came and went. I skied every weekend and never got tired of it. In August 2010, my parents had some decisions to make. My grandparents and family all lived in Virginia. My parents grew up in Virginia, and I was offered a spot at Collegiate, so we moved back East. I left the great outdoors and Rocky Mountains to come to a region where we would be lucky to see snow even five times a year. 

Aspen Town. Photo credit: Jonathan Ross/Getty Images.

We went to visit our home as often as possible. We would stay with friends and family each Christmas and spring break just to try to grasp the beauty of what we left behind.

On our most recent spring break in March, I really was able to find the true reasons why I love the mountains so deeply and why they will always be a part of my soul. 

The first day, my dad and I drove up valley from where we were staying. The night before, we got a few centimeters of snow, but nothing to be proud of. As we drove through the canyon, the brown and red rock contrasted against the green pine and spruce trees dusted with white snow. The skis and poles clattered in the back. We rounded the corner past the little airport, and before us stood three mountains carved with trails. The mountain closest to us, Buttermilk, might sound familiar, as it is known for hosting the annual X Games. It also is the family-friendly beginner mountain. I started my skiing career going up and down those slopes. To its right is Highlands, home to The Bowl. Only accessible by hiking, it offers some of the steepest, most powder-filled lines in the Aspen Valley. Lastly, towering above the beautiful and elegant town of Aspen, is Aspen Mountain. It is known for its extreme terrain and moguls.

Highlands Bowl. Photo credit: Pablo Monteagudo via Flikr.

My dad and I headed into town. We drove passed all the Victorian-style houses and tried to find a parking spot among the tourists that flocked here for spring break as well. We found one, not too far from the Gondola. We strapped up our boots, grabbed our skis, paid the meter, and headed to the slopes. The fifteen-minute ride up was pleasant. This year, only family and friends could be in the Gondola, due to COVID-19 protocols. After a little small talk with my dad, the two of us exited the Gondola and clipped in our skis.

I was finally reminded again why I love this small ski town and this beautiful sport. My skis carved into the perfectly groomed, untouched slope. I felt the wind across my face and the sun beat down on me. The stress of school and life disappeared, as I reconnected to my mountain roots. 

Aspen was originally a mining town founded in 1879. It was mainly known for its silver deposits, and the Aspen economy soared at the turn of the 20th century. In 1930 when the Great Depression hit, Aspen was affected, too. People stopped mining, and the population dropped exponentially. Coming out of the Depression, Aspen tried to grow, but World War II hindered its ability to fully flourish, as many men were called away to war. 

Fortunately, Walter Paepcke, a Chicago businessman, saw the beauty and wealth in the then-decrepit town of Aspen. He is what made Aspen into the luxurious destination it is. Paepcke was intrigued by art, music, and literature. He wanted to have Aspen to be a place full of creativity and spiritual connection. He founded the Aspen Institute in 1949, whose goal was to bring together great philosophers and artists to collaborate in the nature and environment Aspen has to offer. He also founded the Aspen Music Festival in 1949. This festival is famous for its classical music productions. In the summer, folks gather to hear musicians play intricate and complicated pieces of music. Lastly, what keeps Aspen hustling and bustling most of all, is the Aspen Skiing Company, founded in 1946 by Paepcke, alongside the development of Aspen Mountain. 

What makes Aspen so special is its community guidelines that Paepcke wanted to follow. He wanted to “make Aspen a place to take you out of your usual life, expose you to new ways of thinking through art, culture, science, music and conversation, and send you off to repair the world.” 

An aerial view of Aspen from the slopes of Aspen Mountain. Photo credit: Pender Bauhan.

Aspen might be known now as a place of wealth, but at its core it is about culture, nature, art, music, and sharing thoughts and ideas to make the world a more idyllic place. 

Though I might see the Kardashians, or Oprah, or Leonardo DiCaprio while there, I know that Aspen has more to offer than celebrity sightings, Gucci stores, and fur coats. I go to Aspen to stay down valley with the locals, take in what I left as a kid, enjoy nature and clean air, and immerse myself in the art-filled and tight-knit community that Paepcke set out to create back in the 1940s.