ACES Wild Perspectives: An All-You-Can-Ski Buffet

ACES: The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies offers a wealth of opportunities to learn about the local environment year-round. From guided hikes and snowshoe tours to week-long camps and educational presentations, ACES is the hub for environmental education in the region!

An All-You-Can-Ski Buffet: Covering the Aspen Snowmass Nordic System in a Day

About the Presentation:

Two years ago, Kaya Williams attempted to ski every trail in the Aspen Snowmass Nordic system in a single day for a feature in the Aspen Times Weekly. She covered almost all of the free-to-access terrain, but some loops got skipped for the sake of time, and she finished about 10 miles short of the 60+ miles on the map. For this presentation, Kaya tries to improve upon her previous attempt while documenting the flora, fauna and snow conditions of a diverse trail network that spans from the North Star Nature Preserve in Aspen to the Emma Schoolhouse near Basalt.

About the Presenter:

Kaya Williams is an Aspen-based journalist, skier and runner whose work has appeared in local, regional and national outlets. She loves longform storytelling and long-distance adventures on the trails — and often tries to combine the two. Born and raised in Tahoe, she moved to the Roaring Fork Valley for a journalism job in the mountains and stuck around because she fell in love with the community. This winter, you can find her skate skiing at Ashcroft, schlepping to upbill breakfasts at Buttermilk and writing at some of her favorite libraries and cafes.