Growing up in Aspen

When I grew up in Aspen during the early 70’s and 80’s, Aspen was a quaint ski town. Back in the early 1970’s, Aspen’s population surged during ski season, and then in the summer (July and August). The other times of the year, no one was around. You could find a parking anywhere downtown. Only one or two restaurants were open during these Spring and Fall off-seasons. It was special because everyone you saw, you knew. Aspen had that small town feel. I miss those slow times in Aspen when you felt a closer sense of community.
In the early 1970’s, I attended the Lower Aspen Elementary School (The Yellow Brick), just a few blocks from the boundaries of downtown Aspen. I loved riding my bike from our house in Meadowood. Even in Elementary school, we had some unique opportunities in Aspen. First, we had bike carnivals where everyone decorated their bikes and the police came over to do a obstacle course and talk about safety. The school entered a poster contest describing bike safety. It was sponsored by the Aspen Police Department and every student made their own poster with the opportunity to win a new bike as first prize. I won the contest for a new 10 speed bicycle when I was in 2nd grade. Second, John Denver would show up once in a while and play his guitar and sing with us. It is a fond memory singing his classic songs with him when I was a kid. Third, we got to go on hikes and field trips to the park, Hallam lake, and the art museum. Lastly, of course, we got to go skiing a couple days a year as part of school. Afterall, we did live in the best ski town in the world. I skied every weekend in the winter. Summers were spent fishing with my dad and brother.
In the late 1970’s, I attended the Upper Aspen Elementary School (The Red Brick), a block over from the Lower Elementary School and still just a few blocks from the boundaries of downtown Aspen. I liked this school a lot. They had some great team building activities. We played dodge ball at recess. During gym, we played artillery. We had some great school holiday celebrations. During Halloween, we wore costumes, had a haunted house and carnival games spread out in the Gym. We had 50’s days, when we all greased our hair and pretended we part of a different era. Our two class rooms got to run a student supply store that sold school supplies to all the students. Our teachers offered stock in the company and we got to work the store. It taught me a little about running a business. When I was in 4th grade, we took a trip to Marble and stayed at the outward bound school for a week. Our class camped and had a great time. I still skied every weekend in the winter. Summers were still spent fishing with my dad and brother.
In the early 1980’s, I attended the Aspen Middle School, located outside of town on Maroon Creek Road. When I arrived at this school, I was known as Andre Kuhn’s little brother. The Middle School was from grade 5th to 8th and my brother was in grade 6. The biggest event in the Aspen Middle School was their Middle School Marathon. The entire school ran this race that consisted of about 2 miles around the school area.
My brother, Andre Kuhn had won this event against the entire school when he was just in 5th grade. This did not sit well with the 8th graders. My brother ended up winning this event 4 years in a row. When I was in 8th grade, I trained hard and won the Middle School Marathon. Winning the Aspen Middle School marathon was the high light of my Middle School experience. I took a real liking to wood shop class in 8th grade. I built a wood desk that I still have after all these years. The 8th grade outdoor educational experience was an experience I will never forget. We started at Maroon Lake and hiked over Buckskin and Trail Rider Pass to Marble. On the way, we stopped at Snowmass lake for a breathtaking view and had a 24 hour solo period. The highlight was rappelling down a huge cliff in Marble, Colorado. On my 8th grade math final, I received a perfect score and received great recognition at the graduation ceremony. I still spent a great time skiing in the winter and started to race and later began racing cross country skiing, as well. In the summer, I worked landscaping for the Aspen Sanitation District for one summer. Two summers, I worked as a bus boy for Pour La France cafe.
In 1984, I became a freshman at Aspen High School located off of Maroon Creek Road. I ran X-country in the Fall and ski raced in the winter. The highlight of my X-country running career was being part of the State Championship team in 1987. When I was 16 years old, I went to Junior Olympics in Steamboat Springs for Cross Country Skiing and finished 4th and 7th in the country. When I was 18, I went to Junior Olympics in Anchorage, Alaska and finished 3rd in the country. In the summers, I spent a great amount of time training for my ski racing. My freshman year, we went to Canyonlands as our week outdoor educational experience. Our group leaders knew little about camping and we learned a great deal of surviving out on our own for a week. My Sophomore year I went on a bike trip through Arizona for my outdoor educational week. My Junior year, my parents took me to Hawaii during my outdoor educational week. I liked it so much, my parents again took me to Hawaii my Senior year during outdoor educational week. My senior year I had to take First Aid on the weekends because I missed my outdoor education week. I learned the Heimlich Maneuver and CPR. Who knew that me knowing the Heimlich Maneuver would later in life save my wife’s life twice.
Growing up in Aspen is a unique experience. I grew up sheltered from the real world. I never appreciated it as much as I should have. After Aspen High School, I attended the University of Colorado and graduated with a BS from the Leeds School of Business. In 2000, I married Tonya and built us a home right outside of downtown Aspen. Now that I have two kids, Emma and Nik, I realize I want them to have the chance to grow up in Aspen, as well. Aspen has changed since I grew up but is still one of the best places to live in the world. Aspen has recreational experiences and beauty that are hard to find elsewhere. Aspen provides children with a natural and athletic lifestyle. Aspen also has some of the very best schools in the state of Colorado. Feel free to contact me by email roget@aspen-snowmass-realestate.com or by phone (970) 319-9719.
Please contact me now for great opportunities in Aspen Real Estate and Snowmass Real Estate. Please also contact me now for more information on rentals in Aspen and Snowmass Village or see my website www.aspen-snowmass-realestate.com .
I CAN HELP YOU BUY, SELL, OR RENT PROPERTIES.
Roget Kuhn Owner/ Broker-Realtor
“An Honest Approach to Real Estate and Rentals”
Aspen Snowmass Real Estate
303 1/2 E. Main St.
Aspen, CO 81611
(970) 319-9719