Nestled within the glacially-carved Elk Mountain Range, Aspen is set on an alluvial plain in the Roaring Fork Valley 7,908 feet above sea level.

The Ute Indians were the first known visitors to the area, establishing summer camps in the subalpine valleys. By the 1870s, adventurers and fortune seekers of European-American descent were crossing high passes in search of mineral wealth. Later, these same mountains inspired the ski pioneers and cultural legacy of the mid-20th century.

The exploitative opportunities that first drew people to Aspen were coupled with an intense appreciation for the beauty of the natural environment. Today, that beauty continues to inspire and awe the human spirit and to raise issues of ecological preservation, urban sprawl, and community character in the face of population growth and land development.

What role does the "land" play in your concept of what Aspen is today?