ESCAPES
Kenneth Mark - Aspen
My Aspen Insider Tips FROM KENNETH MARK
Aspen Maroon Bells in the Summer
Rocky Mountain Haven Aspen is full of interesting people who live life to the fullest. Locals love to say, “our lives are better than your vacation.” An avid skier and longtime Aspen habitue, Dr. Kenneth Mark is an ambassador for Aspen. “One of my favorite things in the world is to think about Aspen, talk about Aspen… and to be in Aspen,” says Dr. Mark, a top dermatologist with offices in Aspen, the Hamptons, and Manhattan. Dr. Mark spends three months per year in the Rocky Mountains haven, and he shared his insider’s tips with me. kennethmarkmd.com The Vibe Aspen is very much about the people, whether they’re living there or visiting, is passionate about being there. And part of the magic of Aspen is it’s difficult to get to, so it’s not an overcrowded place. It’s a real town that started as a silver mining hub and evolved into a place with big-city culture world-class recreation and a small-town feel. It’s tiny, but you probably have more master sommeliers that either live there than anywhere else in the world.
Ski Gangs & Shrines to Elvis & Marilyn There are ski gangs, groups of people who ski together, and I’m a member of the Bell Mountain Buckaroos, one of the oldest, founded in 1971 by six guys trying out for jobs as ski school instructors. To this day, every Sunday they meet to ski. On Aspen Mountain, there are shrines, including ones for John Denver, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and Jerry Garcia. The Buckaroos also have their shrine on Bell Mountain. Cathedral of Rocks & Snow My favorite mountain is Aspen Highlands. A lot of people like Aspen Mountain, and it’s great, I like it, but my favorite mountain is Aspen Highlands. The terrain is some of the best in North America. Highlands, as the locals call it, has maintained a rustic feel. It’s very spiritual, you’re up there surrounded by peaks overlooking the Maroon Bells, two 14,000-foot peaks that are bell-shaped. They’re the most photographed peaks in North America. It’s like you’re in this cathedral of rocks and snow and solemnness.
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3/11/22 2:56 PM