Aspen
In the story of Colorado ski resorts, Aspen comes first. Once a bustling mining town, when the silver market collapsed Aspen nearly disappeared. But a few determined skiers cut a trail, built a tiny lodge, put in a ski lift that was an actual boat pulled uphill by a converted Model A engine. By the 1940s, Aspen was hosting national ski races. Lift‑1 went up — the world’s longest and fastest chairlift — and things really began to change. Hotels refreshed. The Wheeler Opera House revived. The Aspen Music Festival and School and the Aspen Institute opened. Visitors arrived by train – not just for skiing, but for music, lectures, good food, and vibrant streets. This old mining town transformed into Colorado’s first true ski resort, a year‑round cultural hub – the blueprint for decades of resort building across the state.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. See more postcards.
