Here there are no blindingly bright lights. No flashing billboards, gaudy musical acts or Elvis impersonators crowding the streets. There are no honking taxis, or bumper-to-bumper traffic as far as the eye can see. Instead, there are perfect mountain views, blue skies, fresh, clean air and skiers and snowboarders enjoying perfect powder conditions. This isn’t Las Vegas; in fact it’s just about the furthest thing from it.  It is Snowmass Village, Colorado. However, beneath this serene surface there is just one thing Las Vegas and Snowmass Village have in common, and that is a deep and abiding love for poker.

On March 9, the 2^nd Annual Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tournament the Snowmass Village card sharks will really come out. For just a $100 donation players can join in the tournament to win the Grand Prize and a trophy. For smaller winners, there will be cash prizes, trips, golf and much, much more. Along with receiving complementary wine, beer and Hors d’oeuvres, players will play with the best of the best poker players in Snowmass Village.

For those wanting a little less competition and a little more of a friendly learning curve, there will also be a Beginners Tournament. Entrance to this event costs just $50, and also includes prizes. All donations will directly benefit non-profit organizations in the Roaring Forks Valley, as well as worldwide organizations associated with the Rotary Club. This year’s Texas Hold ‘em will take place at the Silvertree Conference Center in Snowmass Village.

The Rotary Club in Snowmass Village has taken a direct interest in the eradication of Polio worldwide, and has been actively working toward this end. In conjunction with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rotary Club has worked since 1988 to provide money for research and sweat equity in countries where Polio still affects children. The Snowmass Rotary Club has also participated in the 2011 Dictionary Project with the aim of providing every 3^rd grader with their own personal dictionary.

It is here within the charitable arm of Snowmass Village’s love affair with poker that one really sees the distinguishing characteristics of this community. Unlike Las Vegas, or other glitzy poker cities, Snowmass Village throws their cards in for a good time, but more importantly for a good cause.

Join the fun, and while skiing or Snowboarding through town to collect your Poker Run cards, or between hands in the Texas Hold ‘em contest, click here to see condos, homes and residences in the Snowmass Village and Aspen area. Make a difference in your world and your community while having the time of your life!

Next Tuesday, February 21^st, Snowmass Village will hold its 29^th annual Mardi Gras celebration. One of the phattest fat Tuesdays outside of New Orleans, the Snowmass Village festival will have all the Mardi Gras musts, like a Crawfish boil, a Mardi Gras parade and bead throw. But it just wouldn’t be Snowmass Village if there weren’t just a few extra special additions to the day, like the insane, hilarious and incredibly challenging Mother of All Ascensions race and après ski like only Snowmass Village and Aspen can do.

Snowmass Village prides itself on its family friendly atmosphere, offset with just enough adult fun to keep people on their toes. Not surprisingly, the children are a major focus of the Snowmass Village Mardi Gras. Beginning at 1 p.m. the bead throw will commence. Mixed in among the 24,000 bead necklaces, the King Cake necklace will entitle its finder to a piece of King Cake and a chance to win the Jagermeister snowboard.  Later in the afternoon mask making and clown and face painting will keep the children busy until the Mardi Gras Parade takes center stage.

This year’s parade theme, ‘Lift Your Spirits,’ is sure to capture the imagination of float builders. For those that best embody the theme, the cash prize will be $200, beyond the float reimbursement costs. A prize for best costume is also offered this year, along with the traditional prize for best float.

Every year the excitement around this event builds, the floats get more elaborate, the costumes more fantastic and the parties bigger. All through town food and drink specials and great music will entice Mardi Gras celebrants to extend their celebration well into the evening. Snowmass Bar and Restaurant Après Ski will be the official headquarters for Mardi Gras partying, with local acts, Damain Smith and Jes Grew. Venga Venga will be having its own fete, featuring a DJ, more beads and hot drink specials. Meanwhile Cedar Avenue Blues Band will play at Big Hoss Grill on the Snowmass Village Mall. And just a hop, skip and jump away, The Blue Door will proudly host the Jagermeister Party, with giveaways, live music and a long night of Mardi Gras fun.

Of course all of this fun is mild when one considers that the biggest event of the day will take place at the first crack out of the box at 7 a.m. The Mother of All Ascensions is a strictly local insanity in which costumed athletes race up Snowmass Mountain in the one of the most challenging snowshoe races in the country. While technically considered a snowshoe race, hiking boots, telegear or track skis are also acceptable race gear. This 1,741 vertical rise will celebrate all extremes, from ‘Best Time,’ ‘Worst Time,’ and ‘Best Costume.’ Year after year the costumes improve, as do the times of the ascents. With this in consideration, cash prizes totaling $15,000 are awarded in a variety of categories. Many also consider this race and excellent training exercise for America’s Uphill contest.

Spend Fat Tuesday in Snowmass Village and experience all the excitement and fun of New Orleans with the added excitement only Snowmass Village could add to the mix.  Of course this kind of fun is addictive, so between the Mother of All Ascensions and the Mardi Gras Parade, take a moment to click here to see homes, residences and investment properties in the heart of the fun!

It seems as though the Holiday decorations were just taken down and the Christmas tree was just put away, but none-the-less it is still time to think about planning your Spring Break get-away. Fortunately Spring Break is Aspen and Snowmass Village’s specialty.  With seven fresh inches of snow on the ground in the last twenty-four hours and a 30 – 60 inch base on the four mountains, the conditions are perfect for a beautiful, snow-filled Spring Break.

From March 16^th until the 25^th the calendar in Aspen and Snowmass Village is absolutely packed with great events. Beginning with the CORE Party with Railroad Earth, this block party in downtown Aspen will set the tone for a fantastic week. Railroad Earth is socially concerned band, voicing the political, ethical and moral questions of our time in a slightly Woody Guthrie vein. This event is free and open to the public.

On a lighter note, the Fallen Friends Memorial Event will take place on Aspen Highlands the following morning for its fourth year running. In this fun event, costumed skiers and snowboarders help raise money for the AVSC scholarship funds, in a tribute to those skiers and snowboarders who have been injured or killed in the past few years on the mountain. Judges will scrutinize teams in a variety of categories and select the winners. For those who would rather enjoy the show from down below, Merry Go Round will provide food and beer specials during the competition.

Meanwhile, just across town and a littler later in the day, the KickAspen Big Air Invitational will kick off its 13^th year of ski and snowboarding competitions on Aspen Mountain on the evening of the 17^th.  Proclaimed the best regional ski and snowboarding competition, The KickAspen Big Air Invitational will feature not only exciting on-snow excitement, but photography from David Benjamin Sherry and $2 Bud Light in the Bud Light Beer Garden as well.

The fun doesn’t stop there, the Aspen Klug Camp and the Terrain Park Boot Camp will offer spring breakers inexperienced in snowboarding the opportunity to learn with the pros over Spring Break. Aspen Klug Spring Snowboard Camp will take place from the 18^th-20^th on Buttermilk Mountain. For the past 11 years, Klug Camp has helped snowboarders of all ages and abilities the opportunity to get on the snowboard and to improve their skills or even simply learn how to snowboard.  Likewise the Terrain Boot Camp on the 17^th and 18^th as well as on the 24^th and 25^th will take snowboarders to the Terrain Park and teach tricks, sliding skills and tricks.

To mix things up and keep the nightlife fresh, the Wailers will take the stage on the evening of the 18^th with classics from Bob Marley and the Wailers in the Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series in Snowmass Village. Another Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series will take place on the 23^rd, with the artist yet to be announced.

Last but not least, the Helly Hansen Battle in the Bowls will take place on the 25^th of March on Aspen Highlands Mountain.  In this competition, teams of two will race to ski/ride the bowls of Aspen Highlands with the best time. The course, designed by Chris Davenport, promises to tough, but allows competitors to complete the course in any order or route so long as they complete every bowl on the course.

Don’t miss your chance this spring to get on the mountains and in the excitement of Aspen and Snowmass Village! Indulge your case of spring fever; click here to see homes, residences and condos in the area today.

Just days ago the 7908 Aspen Song Writers announced the finalists from 6 regions throughout the entire state for the 2012 Colorado’s Best Song Writer Competition. This competition and the enormous talent it recruited has served as the perfect preface to the annual Song Writer’s Festival. Every year, talent from around the world descends on Aspen to share their music and their art in a personal and intimate setting. This acoustic experience allows fans and fellow musicians to hear famous songs from virtually every genre in the context they were originally conceived. It is also an event that celebrates the often forgotten art of song writing.

The 7908 Aspen Song Writers announced the contest in the first week of the year, and the response was immediate and overwhelming. While many talented artists submitted their work, the winners were limited to Harley Ellis of El Jebel, CO, Eric Delaney, Steamboat Springs, CO, Matt Holliday from Meeker, CO and Elli Gauthier, Avon/Vail, CO. These artists will compete in one last contest for the opportunity to perform during the festival.

The 7908 Song Writing Festival will commence on March 21^st with the New Americana genre and performers, Darrell Scott and Adam Ailjala and Ben Kaufmann from the Yonder Mountain String Band.  Thirteen performers in all will take the stage during the festival throughout the five days of the festival. Thursday, the 22^nd will feature ‘The Two Sides of Austin,” illustrating the diversity of the music scene in the eclectic Austin, TX. James McMurtry and Bob Schneider will represent the Lone Star State. Friday will feature Southern California music traditions; The Berklee Songwriters Circle and JD Souther and Carrie Rodriguez will perform their work along with the Blue Sky Riders. On the 24^th, the theme of the day is, ‘Masters of the Hook.’ Authors of such hits as, “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover,” “Best I Ever Had,” and artists who promise the future of R&B. Sunday, the 25^th is not to be missed, new artists Angel Snow warms the stage up before festival creator John Oates and Sam Bush take the stage with some featured guests, Matt Nathanson will end the show on his day off from his tour with Kelly Clarkson.

Founding partners of the 7908 Aspen Song Writer’s Festival, John Oates and Gram Slaton, set out in 2009 to connect listeners to their music on a more intimate level. In a mini-series, “The Stories Behind the Songs,” Oates and Slaton realized their deeper ambition – to create the shortest distance between songwriter and audience. This mutual project was the naissance of the Aspen Song Writer’s Festival. Together they have expanded this original idea into five fantastic days of musical discovery and enjoyment.

The name 7908 is, of course, the elevation of Aspen, CO, but for Oates and Slaton it has a deeper meaning. According to their website, “It’s also a state of mind, where imagination is heightened, ideas run freely and friendships are forged for a lifetime.”

With those words, Oates and Slaton capture the fundamental draw of Aspen and Snowmass Village ~ imagination, inspiration and friendship. Embrace the Aspen/Snowmass Village state of mind; click here to see residences, condos and investment properties that will make your heart sing today.

It has been called the greatest winter mountaineering challenge in America; it starts right at the base of Snowmass Mountain and crisscrosses all four of the mountains in Snowmass Village and Aspen. It is The Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race and one glimpse of the course reminds one of the indomitable nature of the Rocky Mountains.

The race will kick off March 3^rd, 2012 at 6 a.m. at the Base Village in Snowmass Village. From here racers will skin up Snowmass Mountain, skin or ski across Snowmass and across the ridge to Buttermilk Mountain, where they will ski down toward the Tiehack parking lot toward Aspen Highlands. Once over the ARC bridge racers will head up Thunderbowl Lane, into Thunder Bowl to the top of Highlands Bowl. From here, racers will follow three trails leading to the Midnight Mine Road on up to the Sundeck on Aspen Mountain. Finally, skiers will head down the mountain with the course behind them and only the finish line before them.

Much easier said than done – only mind-over matter and extensive skiing, skinning and mountaineering experience will get these racers to the bottom of Aspen Mountain with the complete course behind them. Last year’s winners, Brian Smith and Bryan Wickenhauser completed the course in 6 hours, 13 minutes and 7 seconds. However, the Aspen Times reported Smith saying, “This is one of the biggest challenges on skis. I can’t imagine anything tougher than this.”

Even members of the U.S. Mountaineering Team found the Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race to be a challenge last year. Coming in third place, Max Taam and Chris Kroger were just minutes behind the first and second place teams, but just as glad to reach the bottom. By the end of last year’s competition thirty-seven teams failed to finish the race at all.

While competitors are advised to train, and required to have a partner as well as carry their own beacon, shovel, probe, helmet and weather gear, inevitably the mountain sometimes proves to be too much. The Website for the Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race reminds participants that the course is a self-sustained race, with only one aid-station. It does offer racers the option to do half of the course if they are unsure of their abilities.  All racers who plan to go the full course must have reached mid-mountain by 9 a.m.

For those concerned about accidents on the course or on the mountains in general, the Aspen Historical Society will host a talk on mountain rescue on February 25^th.  The discussion will focus on the history of the Aspen Mountain Rescue team, its practices and policies and how it is has transformed throughout its long history. Racers preparing for the Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race may find this discussion helpful in their preparations and informative in their approach to the mountain on race day.

Here in Aspen and Snowmass Village the four mountains call out to challenge the outdoorsman and women throughout the state, the nation and the world. Heed the call; embrace the Power of Four. Find your home today in the shadows of these mountains; click here today to see homes, residences and condos in the Snowmass Village and Aspen area.

Greg Rulon and Greg Didier

The glass is half-full in Snowmass Village, and as Greg Rulon, long-time resident and real estate agent in Snowmass Village, reminded the Aspen Business Journal this week in an exclusive interview, it’s getting fuller by the moment.

Last fall The Westin announced it would take over the Silvertree Hotel, renaming it The Westin Snowmass Resort. This has been a dream a long time in the making, as back in 2004 The Westin had its shoe in the door of the original Base Village voter-approved agreement. However, in a series of unfortunate events that seemed to have surrounded the Base Village, The Westin did not make the final cut. Fortunately, neither Snowmass Village nor The Westin were deterred, as the opportunity for the Silvertree opened up, the Westin jumped right back in the mix.

With its impending arrival, The Westin seems to have brought with it a breath of fresh air, and a sizeable investment in the community. “You can feel the optimism coming back,” Greg commented. The economic downturn, and its ugly side effects have finally become a thing of the past, as new visitors have begun flocking to Snowmass Village for the great snow and a truly family friendly experience.

Rulon reminded the ABJ, “Snowmass mountain is the mountain. If you ski two weeks a year, that’s the mountain for you. It offers something for everyone, every family.” With the influx of new visitors Snowmass Village, Base Village and the Snowmass Mall are all experiencing exciting growth. New restaurants have opened their doors this winter season, and as Greg pointed out, “Business begets business.” Every business in town benefits the others; Snowmass Village has always had to compete with the high society, restaurants and entertainment of Aspen. However, companies like The Westin that carry a certain level of prestige will help Snowmass Village to continue to build its own reputation for elegant and comfortable accommodations. Places like Sneaky’s and Base Camp are packed for après ski, while the Base Village and Village Mall provide excellent shopping and dining.

Rulon, of course sees room for growth in the community for more engaging activities to retain skiers in the Snowmass Village after the lifts close, however he predicts, “Snowmass will succeed. The Silvertree renovation is part of that; Base Village is a part of that. The critical mass and energy is important. It’s got all the bones…”

In recent weeks, investors and homebuyers have been putting some meat on those bones. Rulon has seen a huge increase in the number of showing and offers through his office noting, “I have had more showings in the last few weeks than in the last four months combined.” Part of this increase in activity is the improvement of the national economic outlook. Another contributing factor has been the bottoming out of the market in Snowmass Village. There are great homes and investment properties to be had, at a fraction of their price just a few years ago. The market in Snowmass Village, as it has everywhere else in the United States, has adjusted away from the inhibitive prices of $2,800 a square foot into a more reasonable, but still exclusive price range.

Rulon sees the Snowmass Village as a puzzle, one in which the pieces are truly coming together for a seamless combination of home and community, beautiful nature, fantastic skiing, convenience, good food and fun for everyone. For your own piece of the puzzle in Snowmass Village click here to see the homes, residences and condos in the Snowmass Village and Aspen area.

A glance around the city of Aspen reminds one of all the reasons for the enduring popularity of Aspen. In this quaint mountain town, posh and exclusive shopping meets intellectual and artistic stimulation, offset by incredible athletic opportunity year-round, all in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Beyond the fantastic culture and beauty of Aspen, another phenomenon has occurred as well. In Aspen, Colorado, the home of your dreams is truly a reality.

In Aspen, you name it – it’s here, from leather walls, theatres, indoor gyms, saunas and spas, outdoor heated pools, full tennis and basketball courts, guest-houses and horse stalls ~ anything the heart could desire can be and is found in the homes here.

These incredible homes have resulted from careful planning on the part of city planners since Aspen’s inception. Zoning laws and Mother Nature limit land development to 13% of available land. As a result Aspen is insured against over development.

Last spring The Wall Street Journal reported that Aspen emerged from the economic downturn as the most expensive city in the country to call home. In its piece, The Wall Street Journal cited a study from the San Francisco-based Altos Research in which the median price for a single-family home in Aspen exceeded homes in the Hamptons, Beverly Hills and Palm Beach.

The Wall Street Journal also commented on the role of the continuing influx of wealth flowing into Aspen, remarking that this wealth ensures the relevance of Aspen in the world of fashion, culture and influence and home design. Longtime residents like Goldie Hawn and Lance Armstrong, in combination with new residents like hedge-fund millionaires, Russian billionaires, and other foreigners support homes of this caliber over the long-term. Unlike other real estate markets in the U.S., this sustained interest from celebrities, international visitors, and even royalty, in visiting, partying and living in Aspen helps to maintain home values.

Despite the economic hiccup of 2008, homes and properties in the area continue to sell for millions of dollars, and not at all uncommonly for tens, twenties and forty millions of dollars. While nationwide the average home value was down 31% in 2011, Aspen grew 17% in 2010 from its rock bottom home price.

It is universally understood that Aspen is a Mecca for the rich and famous, however the young and aspiring have found their own niche in this city. The abundance of wealth creates job opportunities in retail, investment, design and even charitable organizations.  These young professionals have also benefited from the culture, art and experiences Aspen offers them. Young professionals may be initially drawn to Aspen for its ‘hipness,’ but end up becoming drawn into deeper and more meaningful relationship with Aspen.

Due to the incredible nature of the homes and properties in Aspen, an excellent real estate agent is a must. Greg Rulon and his team have served the Snowmass Village and Aspen area for over thirty years. Let him introduce you to the home of your dreams! Click here to learn more about Greg and his team and check out the remarkable homes, residences and condos in the Aspen and Snowmass Village area today.

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”   ~Abraham Lincoln

This quote resonates with the skiing and winter sports community this week, with particular poignancy in Aspen and Snowmass Village, as the countdown to the 2012 ESPN Winter X-Games finally winds down to zero and athletes prepare to compete for the title of X-Games Champion.  As events kick off tomorrow at the base of Buttermilk Mountain, the focus will not be on ‘who is there,’ but rather on ‘who is not.’ The absence of Sarah Burke, the vivacious freestyle skier, and one of the brightest stars in the sport, will be acutely felt – in every turn, every run and every moment.

Late last week Burke lost her fight against a brain injury, less than a week away from the commencement of Winter X-Games. Her injury was sustained while practicing on the half-pipe in Park City, Utah.

Although only twenty-nine years old, Sarah Burke like Lincoln, lived many years within her short life. A pioneer of super-pipe skiing, Burke redefined the sport of skiing, and the role of women within this sport. She, as a teenager, would sneak onto the snowboard half pipes with her skis after the snowboarders had left the mountain. As she experimented with new skiing techniques she also envisioned a completely new kind of skiing.

So strong was her ambition, she was able to create an entirely new sport, and ultimately played a role in introducing it to the X-Games competition. Sarah pushed beyond her titles of first place in the 2001 US Freeskiing Open in the half-pipe, the first world champion in the FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships, and four freestyle gold medals in the Winter X Games to incorporate women’s half-pipe in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Sarah was passionate about freestyle and half-pipe skiing, willing to compete against any competitor – even men, and tirelessly promoting it through film, discussion on display.

Burke had been a favorite for medals this weekend in Aspen in the freestyle skiing competitions and half-pipe competitions, as well as in the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. Her memory and her contributions will be remembered in a tribute on Thursday, January 26^th. ESPN will air the memorial early in the evening broadcast. Several athletes are expected to speak about her influence in the sport and about her as a person, friend, wife, athlete and competitor.

In a remembrance posted to their website, ESPN has recorded the thoughts and reflections of fellow skiers, X-Games participants and friends of Sarah Burke. Ashley Battersby, a fellow competitor remembers, “She had a smile for everyone. She had a heart of GOLD. She left the sweetest memories for all of us to hold.”  Burke’s beautiful smile and fantastic smile has long made her one of Aspen’s most beloved personalities. Like Battersby, many

Sarah Burke’s agent created a fund to assist Sarah’s family in covering her medical bills from the accident, totaling over $200,000. To date the fund has reached its goal. All additional money will go toward her memorial service and to establish a foundation in her memory. Stickers reminding skiers to ‘Believe in Sarah,’ and ‘Remember Sarah’ are for sale. Proceeds from these sales will also contribute to the foundation and memorial. Without a doubt, many a helmet and skis will don this simple memorial this week at the X-Games.

Athletes and residents alike on and off the slopes will sorely miss her shining presence, for a long time to come.

Greg Rulon and his team offer their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sarah Burke. May she rest in peace.

In 2005 Bob Beattie was inducted into the Aspen Hall of Fame with a lifetime’s worth of titles, accomplishments and experiences, from head coach of the United States Ski Team, President of the World Wide Ski Corporation, founder of the World Pro Racing Tour to commentator for ABC’S ‘Wide World of Sports.’ But the title Bob Beattie is most proud of is his title as member of the World Pro Skiing Foundation Board of Directors.  In this role, Beattie has enabled children who would not have otherwise experienced skiing to try the sport, and in some cases to fall in love.

It is this tremendous accomplishment that will draw skiers from every skill level and age to the slopes of Aspen and Snowmass Village this coming March for the World Pro Skiing Foundation Tribute Honoring Bob Beattie. This weekend of events and special gala dinner will honor Bob Beattie’s work within the ski community as a whole, and specifically within the ski community of Aspen and Snowmass Village. Beginning on Thursday, March 29^th, racers and guests, such as ski legend Billy Kidd and Andre Arnold, will gather for a VIP party at Limelight Lodge. In this intimate gathering, Beattie will reconnect with his old friends, colleagues and professional skiers.

Friday morning, March 30^th, Aspen Highlands will host the racers for the first skiing portion of the event, allowing them time to train on the mountain along side Beattie’s new protégés, the Aspen Valley Ski Club Kids.  After lunch at the base of the mountain, and an afternoon of personal time, the gala will get underway at the famous Hotel Jerome. Here cocktails, a delicious dinner and party will celebrate Bob Beattie’s legend. Music from Starwood will take guests back to the ‘70’s.

Saturday will dawn with the head-to-head races on Aspen Highlands in which racers match up in the most unlikely combinations; a former pro, a kid and a member of the public face off for the Reunion Cup Championship. Once the skiers are all down the hill, John Oates will perform at the base of the mountain. The weekend will draw to a close celebrating the 75^th year of Aspen Valley Ski Club. This celebration will be open to the public, professional skiers and special guests.

The Aspen and Snowmass Village communities will raise their glasses to Bob Beattie, the tremendous impact of his work, and all the work achieved by the World Pro Skiing Foundation during these unforgettable 75 years. While there is a history so deeply engrained within the ski community, the outsider might wonder at their ongoing connection through the years and their continued commitment to skiing, youth skiing and ski communities. However the highs and lows, the deep love, astonishing victories and the years of work come to life when one takes the time to glimpse through the photo album listed on the World Pro Skiing Foundation website. Over seven decades of American ski history unfolds through these shots. It is the kind of history that endures, builds legends and legendary skiers.

There is not a professional or serious skier in North America who does not owe some aspect of their career or experience to Mr. Beattie’s lifelong dedication to the sport. Join Aspen and Snowmass Village in thanking him for it all! As a resident of Colorado for more than 30 years, Beattie knows where the skiing is best; the people are the most remarkable and the quality of life unbeatable! Click here to see homes, investment properties and condos in the Aspen and Snowmass Village area today!

Great powder and fabulous skiing and snowboarding may be the first thing that comes to mind during the winter months when one thinks of Aspen and Snowmass Village. However, Aspen and Snowmass Village take pride in not being a one-trick-pony.

Resort towns throughout the world are often guilty of advertising their strengths, drawing visitors to their towns, and then offering an entirely one-dimensional experience, with limited activities beyond their main draw. Aspen and Snowmass Village have almost the opposite problem – there are so many things going on, it’s hard to know where to start.

Fortunately, the four big mountains in the area offer a pretty big hint. As a result, they are generally the first place visitors hit. However, those without considerable skiing and snowboarding experience often find they are too sore and tired to ski all day, everyday of their visit. Even the hardcore winter sportsmen and women have to concede and take a break when the sun sets. As visitors hobble off the mountains at the end of the day, or for a brief hiatus, they will find every month of the year there are stimulating, cultural and downright fun things to do in and around both towns.

For example, never one to take itself too seriously, this February the Wheeler Opera House will host its second consecutive Aspen Laff Festival. The Wheeler Opera House is an experienced comic host, considering their 13 years as the featured site for HBO/U.S. Comedy Arts Festival and their 3 years as the home to the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival.

Hilarious stand-up comedians such as Maria Baford, Keith Alberstadt, Sarah Tiana, Bobcat Goldthwait and Hippieman, Phil Palisoul, and Ben Bailey will take the stage starting February 22^nd and continuing through the 25^th. In addition to these already well known comics, The New Faces Finals on Saturday will showcase the freshest, most hysterical talent 2012 has to offer. Full festival passes are available for a screaming deal, only $125 for eleven full acts over the course of four full days. Opening night with comic Tom Simmons and the New Faces Final are both free and open to the public, all others will require a ticket.

No subject will be considered too sacred during these laugh-filled days. The line-up promises enlightening perspectives on parenting, Wall Street and our nation’s current economic debacle. While the subject matters will vary widely, every comic invited fits the one common requirement – individuality. The Aspen Laff Festival considers unique and out-of-the-box humorists their signature mark. Many of these comics have written for comedy shows, famous actors and actresses, but the jokes and thoughts to be shared on-stage during the Laff Festival won’t be heard on the average cable comedy special. This is a unique and totally Aspen/Snowmass Village

If you are seeking more than just a superficial experience, take a closer look at the diverse activities and festivals happening in Aspen and Snowmass Village.  While you’re at it, pop in for a good laugh at the Aspen Laff Festival, and then click here to see homes, condos and residences in the heart of the action!