Aspen

Aspen's climate is characteristic of high altitudes with low humidity and intense sunshine. Sunglasses and sunscreen are recommended for all seasons.

Summer
Aspen's summer weather is warm and dry with temperatures occasionally as high as 90 degrees during the day. Brief afternoon showers are frequent, so bring a raincoat. Evening temperatures drop to 50 degrees and below; a lightweight coat or warm sweater is a good idea.

Fall
Aspen's fall weather is generally warm and dry, although cold spells do occur, and it can snow in the surrounding mountains. Daytime temperatures can reach the high 70's, dropping to the 30's at night. A warm sweater or lightweight coat is still a good idea for evenings. The last two weeks of September and the first of October are noted for their fall color beauty.

Winter
Aspen is renowned for its warm winter sun. Daytime temperatures range from 20 to 40 degrees in town and from 10 to 30 degrees on the mountain. Once the sun goes down, the temperature drops dramatically.

Spring
Aspen's spring weather ranges from warm to cool both day and night. Showers and snowfalls are possible; so don't forget to pack a jacket.

The City of Aspen provides and operates 26 public parks, the Wheeler Opera House, the James E. Moore municipal swimming pool, an 18 hole golf course, two tennis courts, four ball fields, two ice skating rinks, a summer program for children and manages 266 acres of open space. Not to mention over 200 miles of Nordic skiing/walking/biking paths and unsurpassed beauty enjoyed by locals and visitors. Check out the City of Aspen Parks and Recreation opportunities.

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Program purchases have protected approximately 8,200 acres of open space lands, and over 20 miles of trails. The Program has assumed responsibility to restore and maintain another 491 acres of County Open Space (such as the North Star Preserve) and 15.04 miles of Pitkin County trails acquired before the program started (such as the Rio Grande Trail). In total, the Program's stewardship includes 8,700 acres and 35 miles of trails. Aspen is also home to the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association and the Alfred A. Braun Hut System. Aspen in the winter offers the best of Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowmobiling, ice-skating, sleigh rides, snowshoeing and more. The summer months offer a haven for outdoor enthusiasts for golfing, biking, hiking, fishing, tennis, horse back riding, racquetball, jeep tours, whitewater rafting, paragliding, air ballooning, windsurfing, and sailing.

Aspen has the widest array of arts and cultural events in the state. The city offers an eclectic life style appealing to a wide variety of people from the most physically active to those seeking to enjoy the cultural arts and intellectual pursuits.

Aspen is home to the following organizations and seminars:

ARTS & CULTURE, MEDIA

Anderson Ranch Arts Center

Aspen Art Museum

Aspen Choral Society

Aspen Community Theatre

Aspen FilmFest

Aspen Gay & Lesbian Ski Week

Aspen Music Festival & School

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

Aspen Stage on the Air

Aspen Theater in the Park

Colorado Mountain College Center for Excellence in the Arts

Food & Wine Classic

Free Summer of Music

Grass Roots Television, Inc.

Grassroots Aspen Experience

Heritage Aspen

International Design Conference

Jazz Aspen Snowmass

Red Brick Council for the Arts

Wheeler Opera House

ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

Aspen Center for Physics

Aspen Global Change Institute

The Aspen Institute

Aspen Wilderness Workshop

Aspen Writer's Foundation

CORE

Environmental Research Group

The Given Institute

Independence Pass Foundation

Leadership Aspen

Rocky Mountain Institute

White River Interpretive Association

The Windstar Symposium

World History Association
CIVIC, HEALTH, YOUTH, RELIGION

Aspen Jewish Congregation

Aspen Center for New Medicine

Aspen Junior Golf

Aspen Sister Cities

Aspen Valley Community Foundation

Aspen Valley Medical Foundation

Aspen Valley Ski/Snowboard Club

Aspen Youth Center

Buddy Program

Challenge Aspen

Henry Crown Fellowship

Mountain Rescue - Aspen

Neighbor to Neighbor Foundation

Response

Seniors Independent, Inc.

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

Valley Partnership for Drug Prevention

Young Life

Taxes

Sales Tax within the City of Aspen is 8.6 percent (2.9% state, 2.2% city, 3.5% county)

The City of Aspen assesses an additional 1 percent sales tax on lodging.

Real Estate Transfer Tax: One-half percent is assessed on all purchases of property within the City of Aspen corporate limits, plus 1 percent is assessed on all real estate transactions over the first $100,000 (deed restricted units excluded).
Population

City of Aspen: 5,914
Male: 3,165
Female: 2,749
White: 5,615
Hispanic/Latino of Any Race: 363
Mexican: 252
Puerto Rican: 5
Cuban: 5
Other Hispanic: 101
Black: 26
Indian/Alaskan: 14
Asian: 86
Hawaiian/Pacific: 5
Asian Indian: 2
Chinese: 30
Filipino: 9
Japanese: 20
Korean: 12
Vietnamese: 10
Other Asian: 3
More Than One Race: 71
Other: 97
Median Age/City of Aspen: 36.7

Wheeler Opera House

Attraction type: Opera; Landmark/point of interest
Krabloonik Dogsled Rides

Offers dog sled rides and lunch for families in Snowmass Village in Aspen. Attraction type: Ski area
Ashcroft Ghost Town
Once a prosperous silver mining town, the silver disappeared, the people moved out and the ghosts moved in. Twelve empty buildings stand as an eerie reminder of the community that was. Attraction type: Ghost town
Silver Queen Gondola
For great views of the surrounding area, hop aboard this popular gondola that takes 18 minutes to get to the top of Aspen Mountain. Attraction type: Tram
Grizzly Lake Trail
A three-mile hike through scenic woods leads you to sparkling Grizzly Lake, an ideal spot for a picnic. Attraction type: Hiking trail
Ashcroft Ski Touring
Attraction type: Cross-country ski area
Crater Lake Trail
This easy, one-day hike from Maroon Lake is a great outing for the entire family. Attraction type: Hiking trail; Lake
Independence Ghost Town
Visitors can tour the remnants of this former mining town, deserted in the late 1800s after a severe storm knocked out supply routes. Attraction type: Ghost town
Aspen Club & Spa
Attraction type: Health club; Spa
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
Educational programs to learn about the environment. Attraction type: Educational site
Grottos Trail
Attraction type: Hiking trail
Maroon-Snowmass Trail
Attraction type: Hiking trail
Mid-Way Creek Trail
Attraction type: Hiking trail
Smuggler Mountain
Attraction type: Hiking trail; Biking trail (mountain)
Hotel Jerome
Attraction type: Architectural building

John Denver lived most of his life in Aspen.

Bill Joy has a house in Aspen, and is a frequenter of the city's Zélé Café.

Hunter Thompson lived in the Aspen area, where he was involved in land use regulation and once ran for Pitkin County Sheriff.

Harold Ross was born in Aspen.

Mariah Carey has lived in Aspen for the last few years.

Kevin Costner maintains a residence near Aspen.

Goldie Hawn has been a part-time resident for several years.

Martina Navratilova, tennis star

Several members of the rock band The Eagles.

John Oates, musician

Jimmy Ibbotson, member of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Jack Nicholson, actor

Michael Douglas, actor

Michael Eisner, former CEO of Disney