PARK Magazine

ESCAPES
Kenneth Mark - Aspen
Aspen Maroon Bells in the Summer
My
Aspen
Insider Tips
BY KENNETH MARK
Rocky Mountain Haven
Aspen is full of interesting people who live
life to the fullest. Locals love to say, “our lives
are better than your vacation.” An avid skier
and longtime Aspen habitue, Dr. Kenneth
Mark is an ambassador for Aspen. “One of
my favorite things in the world is to think
about Aspen, talk about Aspen… and to be in
Aspen,” says Dr. Mark, a top dermatologist
with offices in Aspen, the Hamptons, and
Manhattan. Dr. Mark spends three months
per year in the Rocky Mountains haven, and
he shared his insider’s tips with me.
kennethmarkmd.com
The Vibe
Aspen is very much about the people,
whether they’re living there or visiting, is
passionate about being there. And part of the
magic of Aspen is it’s difficult to get to, so it’s
not an overcrowded place. It’s a real town
that started as a silver mining hub and
evolved into a place with big-city culture
world-class recreation and a small-town feel.
It’s tiny, but you probably have more master
sommeliers that either live there than
anywhere else in the world.
Ski Gangs & Shrines to
Elvis & Marilyn
There are ski gangs, groups of people who
ski together, and I’m a member of the Bell
Mountain Buckaroos, one of the oldest,
founded in 1971 by six guys trying out for jobs
as ski school instructors. To this day, every
Sunday they meet to ski. On Aspen
Mountain, there are shrines, including ones
for John Denver, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and
Jerry Garcia. The Buckaroos also have their
shrine on Bell Mountain.
Cathedral of Rocks & Snow
My favorite mountain is Aspen Highlands.
A lot of people like Aspen Mountain, and it’s
great, I like it, but my favorite mountain is
Aspen Highlands. The terrain is some of the
best in North America. Highlands, as the
locals call it, has maintained a rustic feel. It’s
very spiritual, you’re up there surrounded by
peaks overlooking the Maroon Bells, two
14,000-foot peaks that are bell-shaped.
They’re the most photographed peaks in
North America. It’s like you’re in this
cathedral of rocks and snow and
solemnness.