Aspen

Aspen boomed on silver in the 1880s and collapsed when the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893, falling below a thousand residents by 1930 through what locals called the quiet years - which is why the Victorian street grid survived. Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke arrived in the 1940s with a specific idea: a place combining skiing with intellectual and cultural life. They funded the ski company, the Aspen Institute and the Music Festival, and the town still runs on that combination, with the Institute holding a summer ideas festival. Four mountains operate on one pass, of which Aspen Mountain has no beginner terrain at all. It is among the most expensive property markets in the country.

What's there

• A Victorian grid preserved by collapse - the town emptied after 1893.
• Four mountains on one pass - with Aspen Mountain expert-only.
• The Aspen Institute - part of the Paepckes' plan for the town.
• A summer music and ideas season - alongside the skiing.

When to go

December to March for skiing; June to September for festivals. Several days.

What to expect

It is extremely expensive in every respect. Aspen Mountain has no green runs - beginners must go to Buttermilk. Altitude at 2,400 metres affects arrivals. Holiday weeks are booked out far ahead.

Nearby

Maroon Bells are up the valley; Glenwood Springs is north.

Key facts