Aspen, Colorado is a city that is covered by large, green, lush Aspen trees and a lot of snow. It is also one of the most popular ski resort areas in the United States with some of the purest, highest, and longest slopes. Aspen is a city that is full of recreation, business, and fine arts where many famous people and other visitors come to get away from hustle and bustle of life and work.
Aspen was founded in 1879 and was officially named a city in 1880. It was originally named Ute City, but was quickly changed to Aspen. It started as a small mining company where miners worked hard to excavate silver from the Rocky Mountains. Silver mining was very successful and it soon became the leading silver mining area in the United States. It was a prosperous industry that attracted and employed thousands of miners. Aspen grew quickly as a result of the silver mining industry. However, in 1893 things changed. The mining industry in Aspen began to fail and thousands of workers were laid off and many of the mines were closed as a result of President Cleveland’s economic collapse known as the Panic of 1893. Eventually, after many wage cuts, the mining industry would recuperate in Aspen, but it never grew to the same level of prosperity that it once knew before the economic collapse. Several family had moved from the area as a result of the lay offs, so there were not very many miners left to fully run the industry.
During the 1930s, Aspen’s focus turned from the mining industry to the recreation industry when the idea of ski resort blossomed. Many investors came to Aspen and were interested in opening ski resorts. However, with World War II happening, this idea was halted, but not forgotten. As soon as the war ended during the 1940s, the investors came back to Aspen and opened their ski resorts. Today, Aspen is a well known ski resort area that is popular for ski enthusiasts of all ages. It has several beautiful ski resorts containing some of the best skiing slopes in the world.
Many famous people call Aspen their home. People such as Antonio Banderas (actor), Jack Nicholson (actor), Michael Douglas (actor), and many more can be seen around area restaurants, shopping venues, and other places throughout Aspen. Aspen is also a popular vacation spot for many actors, writers, singers, and other famous people. Visitors are usually excited to be able to see and meet various famous people around the town.
Because of the fact that Aspen is a major tourist attraction, there are several options in the area for quality car rentals. One can always find great deals on car, truck, SUV, and 4X4 rentals in Aspen. With the several different slopes throughout Aspen, many visitors choose to rent a car to tour and visit all of the slopes.
Weather conditions are a big concern when driving in and around Aspen. There is frequent snow falls and icy conditions. Winter snow storms are also frequent. Therefore, it is essential that you put blankets, flashlights, emergency kits, and other such items in the trunk of your car. Never leave your car in an Aspen snow storm. It is best to pull over and run the car periodically to stay warm until the storm is over and someone comes to help. When it snows in Aspen, whiteout conditions are possible. Therefore always drive with extreme caution. Make sure the tires are good and properly inflated and that the gas tank never lowers half a tank. Many people rent SUVs and 4X4s in Aspen simply because they handle much better in the mountainous, snowy conditions. Car rental agencies in Aspen are great in explaining how to drive in Aspens varying weather conditions. |
