Snowmass Fun

Just a short FREE bus from the Innsbruck is Snowmass village, where many great outdoor adventures await you. The Elk Camp Gondola is open this summer providing easy access to a variety of great on-mountain activities. From the mid way point of the Gondola, you would have access to miles of hiking and mountain biking, guided nature walks with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, disc golf, a climbing wall, and private fishing tours on a hidden lake. If you are interested in accessing the top of Elk camp, there is the option to continue to the top via the Elk Camp chairlift up to an elevation of 11,300 feet. The top of Elk Camp gives a uniquely beautiful view of the iconic Maroon Bells and Elk mountains. From the top of Elk Camp, visitors can either take the lift back down to the bottom or hike down on the newly cut Summit Trail. Snowmass is especially appealing to mountain bikers. Mountain bikers are permitted to bring their bikes on the Elk Camp Gondola this summer, which provides easy access to over 40 miles of mountain bike trails for all ability levels. There is everything from mellow jeep roads to technical single track, to advanced downhill sections complete with man made obstacles. There are some great restaurants in Snowmass after you’ve worked up an appetite with all that hiking and biking (try the Philly cheese steak at Zane’s Tavern).

Two Local Favorites

This week I would like to highlight two weekly events that everyone looks forward to in Aspen. For starters, there is the Aspen Farmers Market, which takes place every Saturday from 9 AM until 3 PM. The market takes place on a portion of Hopkins Ave. between Galena and S. Hunter, then runs south down a portion of S. Hunter Street, where it then turns back West through a portion of Hyman Ave. between Galena and S. Hunter. The market features all sorts of fresh Colorado produce and meats, flowers, jewelry, artisan works, and much more. Strollers are treated to live music while they look around at all the wonderful goods. Fresh food is the perfect way to feed your active Aspen lifestyle! This great weekly event will be taking place every Saturday until October 16th (one day after my birthday…hint). Next up I would like to introduce you to Blue Grass Sundays atop Aspen Mountain. This event will take place every Sunday until September 5th from noon until 3 P.M. There is no cost for admission as this is an open air event taking place just outside the Sundeck Restaurant with sweeping views of the incredible Elk Mountains. There is a cost to ride the Gondola, though you can circumvent this expense if you are feeling ambitious by hiking to the top and riding the Gondola down for free. In addition to the free concert, there are other activities up top, such as disk golf, euro bungee, a rock wall, an obstacle course, a sand box, and a free guided nature walk compliments of the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. The nature walk leaves every hour, on the hour, from 11 AM to 3 PM. Food and beverages can be purchased at the Sundeck or you can pack some of the fresh goods you bought the day before at the Farmers Market. See you there!

Snowmass FREE Concert Series

We are about to kick off a fun filled weekend here in Aspen. There is of course the fun associated with Independence Day…..the parade, fireworks, and classic American Barbeques. But tonight, July 1, is also the official start of the Snowmass FREE concert series. On every Thursday from today until August 19th, there will be free concerts in Snowmass compliments of the town of Snowmass Village and Jazz Aspen Snowmass. These concerts will take place at the end of the Snowmass Village mall on Snowmass mountain. The shows start at 6:15 and end at 8:30. As in years past there will be an eclectic variety of music, with genres ranging from Reggae to classical Jazz. Patrons are permitted to bring in a cooler with food, though alcoholic beverages must be purchased once inside the fenced-in venue area. For people who wish to bring pets, there is a designated pet area from which to enjoy the concert. Snowmass is just a FREE short bus ride from the Innsbruck. So why not come and enjoy FREE live music in a venue surrounded by natural beauty? For a complete schedule of concerts, go to: Call us toll free at 1-866-925-2980 or visit us at:

Boogie's Bash for the Buddies

Want to attend the summer’s hottest party in Aspen? Want to have an amazing time in the name of supporting a great cause? If so, you should consider attending Boogie’s Bash for the Buddies on July 2nd. This is one of the most popular social events of the summer, where all proceeds go towards supporting the Buddy Program. The Buddy Program is a mentoring program that pairs adults in the Roaring Fork Valley with youth from Aspen to El Jebel. The concept is simple yet extremely important for the valley’s youth. The mission statement of the Buddy Program is to “strengthen the community by guiding and inspiring the youth through mentoring.” According to mentoring.org, the following are known benefits of mentoring programs: Improving self-esteem, keeping young people in school, helping to improve academic skills, leading young people to resources they might not find on their own, providing support for new behaviors and attitudes, increasing young people’s ability to seek and keep jobs, and enhancing parenting skills. This year’s Bash for the Buddies, as in years past, will be held at Boogie’s Merry-go-round ranch at 1650 McClain flats road. The theme is “our children, our future.” The dress is Italian chic (whatever makes you feel good). There will be cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, both silent and live auctions, and a seated dinner. For further information and for purchasing information, go to www.buddyprogram.org. www.theinnsbruck.com www.theinnsbruckaspen.com

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