Aspen Three (Unexpected) Ways
Expand on the classic mountain town with these three unique winter diversions.
BY AMIEE WHITE BEAZLEY & LINDSEY R. MCKISSICK for The Denver Post
1. You Catch It, We Cook It
A successful hunting trip can get messy—unless you’re out on Viceroy Snowmass’ new excursion. You’ll spend a full day stalking pheasant, grouse, or duck; fishing for trout; or shooting clay pigeons with the Aspen Outfitting Company ($1,250), but you get to leave the unsavory bits (field dressing and fish cleaning) to the pros. In this case, that’s Viceroy Snowmass executive chef Will Nolan, who will fire up a feast made from your catch in your condo’s kitchen. The private chef experience starts with Nolan’s how-to about prepping wild game and ends with a multicourse dinner de beast. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
2. Camp Cookout
There are two ways to reach Pine Creek Cookhouse’s knotty pine front doors: by ski or by sleigh. For those seeking to reach supper under their own steam, guides lead a 1.5-mile cross-country trip along the Flynn Trail. The 40-minute trek ($95) through snow-laden pine forests begins at the Nordic Ski Center in the ghost town of Ashcroft and ends with a four-course dinner highlighted by Rocky Mountain elk chops. But if you’re more of a dashing-through-the-snow kind of diner, drop an extra $15 and hop in one of four draft horse–drawn sleighs for a moonlit ride. pinecreekcookhouse.com
3. Under $100
$38: One night at the St. Moritz Lodge and Condominiums (for a twin bed in the dorm room)
$9: Signature oatmeal buttermilk pancakes at Poppycocks Cafe
$0 (and plenty of calories burned): A 4.8-mile round-trip hike (or snowshoe) to the northwest bridge from the Hunter Creek trailhead, two miles from downtown Aspen
$10: The poppers (fire-roasted jalapeños stuffed with cheese, bacon, and shrimp; dipped in buttermilk; and rolled in potato chips) at the new “old-style Aspen” pub, the Buck
$0: Admission to the new Aspen Art Museum, designed by internationally renowned architect Shigeru Ban (he won the 2014 global Pritzker Prize for architecture)
$15: Wood-fired pizza, a craft beer from Aspen Brewing Company, and live music (no cover, ever) at the Limelight Hotel
Total: $72 per day
