Australian Yoga Journal - April 2016

music and uses cheeky terms for the poses,

mostly coined by the males in her classes.

“I did this to help a lot of the guys I knew

become interested in yoga, and it just went

from there!” she explains.

She says, “At Aspen’s recent annual

X Games championships, I held special

classes for a bunch of guys, including some

Australians. They did really well! But you

don’t have to be a champion to benefit from

yoga in this ski town. It helps everyone to

ski better.”

Skiing and snowboarding are, of course,

great winter pastimes in this tiny Colorado

town.

The four mountains, accessible by free

buses that zip around the area every few

minutes, are Buttermilk (which is ideal for

beginners) Highlands, Snowmass and Ajax.

Each has its own personality and charm; all

offer great snow, quality chairlifts and good

service, and restaurants with panoramic

views.

When it comes to accommodation in

Aspen, there’s no shortage of luxury hotels

to choose from. The five-star Little Nell

resort, perched at the base of Ajax, is the

only hotel in Aspen with ski-in, ski-out

access. Within seconds of walking from

their rooms, guests are at the gondola,

being handed their skis and a newly baked

muffin from their obliging ski concierge.

The hotel’s 92 luxury rooms feature heated

floors, fireplaces, giant elegant bathrooms

and super-comfortable king beds. I also

especially enjoy the range of complimentary

snacks in the mini-bar. In the morning, it’s

worth going out to the balcony in your robe

to survey the first skiers trundle towards the

mountain in the crisp, early air.

“A growing number of our guests are

into yoga and they love that they can just

walk out of their room, hop on the gondola

and do a morning class up at the Sundeck,”

the hotel’s public relations manager, May

Selby, says over tasty salmon nicoise salad

and truffled French fries at Ajax Tavern

beside the Nell.

The Little Nell, named after one of the

town’s original madams from the mining

era, also boasts the popular apres-ski bar,

Chair 9. Here ageing billionaires compete

with strapping lift operators for the

attention of ski bunnies; again, fabulous

people watching!

The St Regis Aspen Resort, at the base

of Ajax mountain, is also a well-known

place to stay. In its large, welcoming foyer,

with elegant yet relaxed décor, you can sit

by a blazing fireplace, sipping on your hot

chocolate or cocktail, and feast your eyes on

the passing parade of glamorous guests.

While some are dressed to the nines in

their furriest finery, others will wander past

in Gucci tracksuits cuddling their pooches

(yes the hotel is dog-friendly) or in a robe,

fresh from the hotel spa.

(The resort offers its health-conscious

guests a three-day ‘Mountaintop Reboot’

programme, which includes a daily delivery

of cold-pressed juices, customised massages,

yoga, and fat-biking.)

During my stay here, I head to the

Remede Spa for a massage, and am soon

being pummelled into oblivion by Aanya, a

Colorado woman with the Midas touch.

She swiftly targets some tender points and

gently suggests I adjust the way I sit at my

computer, before her words stop making

sense and I feel my mind relax. I’m dimly

aware that she’s caking my feet in paraffin

wax, then massaging my scalp with

lavender oil. Aanya then leads me into the

spa’s dimly lit lounge, where I lie in

comfort, hooked up to a supply of oxygen

to help me adjust to the altitude.

Back in my large and airy suite

overlooking Ajax, I feel like a princess as I

sip a Californian red and watch some

American TV; though it takes a few flicks of

the remote control before I can find a

PHOTOS: PETER RIGBY

EXPERIENCE

travel

88

april 2016

yogajournal.com.au