SELECT Magazine 2020 Collection | Page 19

ild TO Whitewater rafting in Colorado ASPEN, COLORADO Maroon Bell mountains One of the social hubs of Aspen since 1889, where explorers crafted memories from “mild to wild,” the Hotel Jerome, an Auberge Resort, maintains that tradition with a cornucopia of activities. Enjoy the melodies of live music and a chilled beverage at the Jerome’s new courtyard, where an outdoor living room is situated before a backdrop of Aspen Mountain. After this mild pastime, take a turn on the wild side with horseback riding through alpine wilderness, languid valleys and twisting mountain bends; make it a full day trip with a picnic lunch. The excursion will make that cowboy hat purchase worth it. For something more aquatic and adventurous, go whitewater rafting. Begin with challenging Class II-III sections of the Middle Roaring Fork — more suitable for families with older children — then take things up a notch with the action-packed Class IV run at Slaughterhouse Falls. Yes, the name is a bit intense, but this is Aspen. Hyperbole is allowed. Amateur photographers would profoundly enjoy a visit to the Maroon Bells — two of North America’s most photographed mountains. South of Aspen, the twin peaks rise more than 14,000 feet above sea level. Aspen trees adorn the mountains’ hillside like apparel on stone titans. Hiking the mountains in July is one of the best ways to experience this natural wonder, when the alpine meadows are in bloom. CO N TAC T US TO DAY TO R E CEIVE YO U R FR EE VI P AM EN I T I E S | 1 7