PARK Magazine

Aspen Mountain Club
Atop Aspen Mountain sits the Aspen Mountain Club,
the resort’s most prestigious private club. This place’s
exclusivity is inherent – the number of members is capped
at 350 – and the membership medallion is the town’s
ultimate status symbol. Members enjoy perks like access
to ski the mountain before it opens in the mornings – essentially
having the entire mountain to yourself. Like the
best clubs, the venue is not overly pretentious; upon entering,
members check their snowy boots and don slippers.
The daily buffet offers gourmet cuisine and exquisite
wines. Annual fees are $6,000; however, the initiation
fee will set you back $220,000. thelittlenell.com/occasions/weddings/venues/aspen-mountain-club
Caribou Club: Founder Harley Baldwin
The late and sorely missed art dealer and developer
Harley Baldwin founded Aspen’s exclusive Caribou Club
in 1990 as the city’s first members-only club, bringing to
Aspen world-class cuisine. While dining inside the ultrachic
club, guests are seated underneath its charming
antlered chandeliers and surrounded by important art
including the Cowboy and Indian series by Andy Warhol.
Members can also be seated in the Wine Room, where
the clubhouses its 5,000 bottles of wine. The club is now
owned by Baldwin’s partner, gallerist Richard Edwards
who also runs the Baldwin Gallery, the best in Aspen.
When I was in town, they had a genius show by New York’s
Will Cotton featuring cowboys and pink horses. Maintaining
Harley’s high standards are his long-time collaborators
and friends Billy Stolz and Louis Velasquez who have
been with the club since its inception. caribouclub.com
Andy Warhol Returns to Aspen
My pal Andy Warhol loved Aspen and owned a ranch
outside of town. I used to take him skiing on the bunny slope
at Buttermilk, he was a terrible skier but liked the towns
nightlife. Now, The Aspen Art Museum is presenting Andy
Warhol: Lifetimes, a major new retrospective of Warhol’s
oeuvre. The exhibition, which features over 200 pieces,
focuses on some of his lesser-known works, exploring his
early inspirations and his role as a gay artist. The show will
run through March 27, 2022. aspenartmuseum.org
Casterline|Goodman Gallery
Casterline|Goodman is another top gallery worth checking
out. Among the artists they represent are wildlife photographer
David Yarrow and 25-year-old German contemporary
artist Alexander Höller aka ‘The Emotion Artist’
who’s work will be shown through April 15 th , 2022. casterlinegoodman.org
Will Cotton’s Airborne
Summer Festivals
In the summer you can hike, bike, climb, and go rafting
all with that beautiful Rocky Mountain backdrop. There
are lots of fairs and festivals in the summer including the
Intersect Art Fair, Aspen Music Festival, the Food & Wine
Classic, and the Aspen Ideas Festival. aspenideas.org
Aspen Food & Wine Classic
The Aspen Food & Wine Classic features cooking demonstrations,
wine tastings, and panel discussions with
renowned chefs and vintners. This past summer Martha
Stewart, restaurateurs Andrew Zimmern, Bobby Stuckey,
Guy Fieri, and Stephanie Izard, and wine experts Mark
Oldman and Belinda Chang were all there. classic.
foodandwine.com
Aspen Music Festival
The Aspen Music Festival, founded in 1949, brings 400
classical music events to the Rocky Mountains over eight
weeks each summer. The mix includes orchestral, solo
and chamber music performances and operas, there is
also a school component, with masterclasses, lectures,
and children’s programs. Aspenmusicfestival.com