Aspen's Highlands: The Stepchild
The hike up Highland Bowl is responsible for more in-shape Aspenites than Pilates and peer pressure combined. The workout is grueling: a 35-minute trudge up a ridge that rises more than 700 vertical feet to 12,392 feet above sea level. Even the sight is tiring: a steady stream of skiers and snowboarders kicking their toes into a treacherous staircase, labored breath swirling around their helmeted heads. Their goal is the top of the 220-acre diamond, heart-stoppingly steep and possessive of its powder.
Dek:
Aspen 's Highlands is the swanky resort town's overlooked mountain. And that's a good thing.