Food and Wine Classic 2010

The gondola is running, Independence Pass is open, the trees are blooming and flowers are back. Yes, it’s almost time to celebrate the official kick off of summer with the annual Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the onset of summer than with this classic event. This year, just as years past, will not disappoint. This event runs from June 18-20. As usual there will be cooking demos, wine seminars, reserve wine tastings, grand tastings, and private grand tastings. These events will be run by wine and culinary experts from around the globe. There are three pass types that are currently still available. The first is the “Grow for Good” pass, which cost $3,100 each. This pass allows VIP access to all events in addition to access to events exclusive for Grow for Good pass holders. Food and Wine will donate $1,000 out of the pass price to the Grow for Good Campaign, which is an initiative that supports local farmers and promotes sustainable agriculture. The next available pass is the Consumer and Trade Pass, which cost $1,185 each. This pass gets you into all the main events. Lastly you can purchase tickets for Friday and Saturday’s grand tastings for $295 per ticket per tasting. Even if you choose not to directly participate in Food and Wine, the summer season and all it has to offer is underway which means there are plenty of great activities to indulge in. Summer in Aspen is short but very sweet, so don’t let it pass you by! We still have some great deals available both for the Food and Wine Classic and the entire summer season. Call us toll free at 1-866-925-2980! www.theinnsbruck.com www.theinnsbruckaspen.com

Cycling/Mountain Biking Around Aspen

Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley are a Cycling and Mountain biker’s paradise. Beautiful scenery abounds whether you are in the wilderness on a challenging mountain bike ride or a leisurely road bike on a paved bike path. There are many rides for each discipline ranging from easy to very difficult. Two of the more popular road bike rides easily accessible from town are the Ashcroft and Maroon Bells loops, both of which are in the “difficult” category. The Ashcroft loop takes you 11 miles up Castle Creek road to a historic ghost town, for a total of 22 miles of cycling. The Maroon Bells loop is approximately 10 miles from highway 82 and ends up at the base of the stunning Maroon Bells. The total distance of this ride is approximately 20 miles. Traffic is limited on this access road during the summer to make this ride even more enjoyable. Two of the more popular mountain bike rides around Aspen are the Government Trail and The Sunnyside trail, both of which are challenging at times from a technical and aerobic standpoint (for me at least!). The Government trail connects Buttermilk and Snowmass. Throughout the ride there are plenty of phenomenal views, wild flowers, and cool sections through Aspen forests. It is important to note that this trail crosses private property at certain points, and portions of it are closed early on for elk migration. The Sunny Side trail is usually accessed by biking up to the four corners region starting from the Hunter Creek valley. My favorite part of this ride is the sun as it peaks through the leaves of the beautiful aspen forest. Towards the end of the ride there are some gorgeous wild flowers and great views of the valley. The Sunny Side trail will take you back to Cemetery Lane right near town. These are of course just a few of the many rides around Aspen. The possibilities are really endless, especially if you are willing to drive out of town a ways. Go to www.aspenchamber.org for more rides. www.theinnsbruck.com www.theinnsbruckaspen.com

7th Annual Chili Pepper and Brew Fest

The weather has been quite nice lately and I can’t help but think of all the fun events coming up as Spring rolls on and Summer is just around the corner. In exactly one month from now, the 7th annual Chili Pepper and Brew Fest will take place on June 4th and 5th on Fanny Hill in Snowmass village. How can I not be excited for an event that combines great music, great chili, and great beer all in one of my favorite places? The Chili Pepper and Brew Fest allows local and national chili aficionados to square off in a competition vying for the “best chili” award as determined by us, the samplers. In addition to all the great chili, those of us 21 or over are allowed to wash down the chili by sampling beers from some of the top microbrewers from all over the country who will be competing for various honors in the “Summer Ale Brew Fest 2010” according to the Chili Pepper and Brew Fest website. And for all you home brewers out there, you are encouraged to compete in the home brewing category. But wait, it gets even better. All of the above will be taking place alongside musical performances by The Kyle Hollingsworth Band featuring special guest Michael Kang of the String Cheese Incident, Brett Dennen, The Wailers, and George Clinton and the Parliament/Funkadelics. This has become a popular event so buy tickets early to secure a spot and save a few bucks! Go to: snowmasschiliandbrew.com for more information. Our current special awards those who book early, so give us a call toll free at 866-925-2980. www.theinnsbruckaspen.com www.theinnsbruck.com