Day 711 — Aspen & the Maroon Bells — Aspen, Vail & Breckenridge

The most photographed peaks in America.

1. 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM· 5h

   The Maroon Bells & AspenLandmarks & MonumentsAnchor

   The twin peaks mirrored in Maroon Lake (reservation required), then glitzy downtown Aspen.

   Bring: layers · water

   Maroon Creek Rd, Aspen, CO

2. 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM· 2h 30m

   The Silver Queen Gondola up Aspen MountainSkiing & Winter SportsAnchor

   Straight up out of the middle of town to 11,212 feet in fourteen minutes. Aspen Mountain has no beginner terrain at all — not one green run, which is almost unheard of — and from the Sundeck at the top you can see why: it falls away in every direction. The mining town underneath it went bust twice before skiing arrived in the 1940s and made it the most famous resort name in the country.

   601 E Dean St, Aspen, CO