There’s something for everyone in Aspen in autumn

ASPEN» As usual, my wife insists that it’s all my fault.

Some 20-odd autumns ago, Aspen’s three ritziest hotels, the Little Nell, Hotel Jerome and what was then the Ritz-carlton (now the St. Regis), offered fall rooms at plummeting prices.

The discounts began right after Labor Day and ran until Thanksgiving. At the height of autumn grandeur, we booked one night at each, and for one long weekend, my wife and I lodged in golden-leafed luxury.

Finding bargains in Aspen during Colorful Colorado’s most colorful season was something I felt I should share with the world, so I wrote a newspaper travel article revealing the bargain. The story ran across the country, and all three hotels found themselves besieged with a sudden rush of guests.

That apparently doomed the discount. During subsequent autumns, room rates didn’t crash until the last leaf hit the ground.

The discounts may have dimmed, but autumn is still a fine time for us leaf peepers to visit the town named for the hillgilding tree. Arriving via Independence Pass, we’re treated to savory views of mountainous hillsides that look like they’d been slathered with relish and splattered with mustard. In town, golden glades seemingly avalanche down the ski slopes and swamp the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers with a flood of vibrant color.

For many, wearing waders and flinging flies is one popular way to mine the riverside gold. We prefer to pedal beside it on bicycles. The 42-mile long Rio Grande Trail parallels the river from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. It’s all downhill, and with the Woody Creek Tavern and Capitol Creek Brewery providing burger and brew stops en route, we find it to be a truly delicious ride.

Pavement abounds for those who prefer pistons over pedals. The road to the Maroon Bells, accessible by shuttle bus, traverses territory as glitzy as the