When I lived at Norway Lodge in the 1970s, Lift 1 was a vibrant community. The day they moved that lift up the hill they killed three lodges: Norway, Skiers Chalet and eventually Holland House.
I remember skiing under the old Lift 1 with my friends, showing off to my mom as she was riding down the hill on the lift above us. We were hotdogging and whooping and showing off for her. Now every time I ski to Lift 1A, I think what this place needs is a good bar. I want to bring back the vibrancy to a place I have great memories of. It will be different because Aspen is now a five-star resort, but it will still be good.
There are good reasons for bringing the lift down. People will be able walk to it from around town and from Rubey Park, where all my downvalley friends get off the bus. Also, I’m tired of busy days when the lift line at the gondola runs down the stairs, past the Little Nell Hotel and all the way to the Sky Hotel. A second portal at Dean Street will fix that.
My biggest fear is that if the Lift One plan loses the neighborhood will end up like the top of Mill Street, where races used to end and where ski club racers and ski instructors used to land after flying off the Willoughby Jump. Now it’s just houses and nobody goes there.
Please vote “yes” for Lift One.
Kirk Baker
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