Today, the community is split between old and new. A modern ski development clings to hills a few kilometres away. On the opposite side of the peaks is the starry enclave of Aspen. Sitting in the Roaring Fork Valley, the area contains some of Colorado's finest fly-fishing waters. A few kilometres away, the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area lures campers, hikers and photographers.
Life slows to an easy stroll on horseback amidst Colorado's forested back country.
During World War II, Aspen and its powdery snow attracted soldiers from the Tenth Mountain Division training nearby. At conflict's end, a few discharged GIs returned and began the local ski industry. Financiers realized the town needed activities to attract summertime tourists. They first hosted a Goethe Bicentennial celebration in 1949, a commemoration that attracted Albert Schweitzer for his only visit to the United States. A year later, the Aspen Music Festival and School began.