Introduction

Sanctuaries in the Snow--the Shrines of Aspen/Snowmass
(including plaques, memorials, displays and miscellaneous items)

This site, Sanctuaries in the Snow--The Shrines of Aspen/Snowmass, covers the mystical shrines hidden in the trees on the four ski mountains of Aspen/Snowmass:  1.  Aspen Mountain,  2.  Aspen Highlands,  3.  Buttermilk, and 4.  Snowmass.  (A book on the shrines is available for purchase too; click on the "Purchase the Book" button to the left.) 

Also, this site gives coverage to various memorials, plaques, displays, and other miscellaneous items existing on the mountains that are not shrines in the strictest sense.  These items include mostly brass memorial plaques, memorial benches, other types of memorials, and statues, but also include other various items such as cabins, shacks, an outhouse, lift chairs, ski boots, alligators, an incline lift, and a bedroom, as well as a noose, a wooden chair, an elk head, walls made of skis, and many other items.

The purpose of this web site is to catalogue and document these shrines and items, and create a written and photographic record of them.  These shrines and other items are a part of the interesting ski history of Aspen/Snowmass, and this web site is intended to help preserve that history.

There is a separate page for each shrine and each item.  On each such page a general description of the shrine or item is first given, and then there are photos of the shrine or item.  There are over 600 photos on this site. 

This site covers the 40 shrines, of which the author is aware, on the mountains of Aspen/Snowmass.  If you know of other shrines, plaques, memorials or other items that are not covered on this site, and if you would like to share information and photos for use on this site, please send such information and photos to AspenShrines@aol.com.   For a list of the 40 shrines, click on the "The Shrines" button, above left.  The author is also aware of 95 memorials, plaques, displays or other miscellaneous items on the four mountains.  For a list of these 95 items, click on the "The Plaques, Memorials, Displays and Miscellaneous items" button above left. 

A good summary and introduction to the Shrines of Aspen/Snowmass appeared in an article in the Aspen Times Weekly of February 18, 2006 (“Find Your Shrine on Ajax” by Kimberly Nicoletti.  See:  http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20060218/RECREATION01/60222004):

“For about two decades, locals have been ducking into favorite hideouts on Aspen Mountain and nailing pictures, license plates, beads, silk flowers, wind chimes and other memorabilia to tree trunks in honor of their particular heroes. The spruce trees and lodgepole pines hide sanctuaries dedicated to musicians, beloved locals, buckaroos, soiled doves and even toys and cartoon characters.”

In an article called "Aspen's Best — Outside" in the Aspen Times Newspaper of September 2, 2006 (see:  http://www.aspentimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060902/ASPENWEEKLY/109030053&template=printart) the following was stated about the Aspen Shrines:  

"The shrines of Aspen Mountain set it apart from virtually all other ski areas.  They add mystique, culture and local flavor to a mountain that's already rich with mining and skiing lore." 

 As of 2006, the official Aspen/Snowmass web site (http://www.aspensnowmass.com) made three different mentions of the Aspen Shrines: 

 3.  In the "Tips For a Great Vaction" section of the official web site the following appears:  "Visit the shrines on Aspen Mountain!  Can you find the John Denver shrine hidden in the trees?  You won't find them on any trail map, but hidden in the trees are tributes to Elvis, Marilyn, Jerry and other deceased luminaries.  Ask a patroller or local to point them out."   See:   http://www.aspensnowmass.com/companyinfo/tips.cfm?id=1248

In an Aspen Times Weekly article of September 1, 2007 ("Aspen's Best," see:  http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20070901/ASPENWEEKLY/70830033&SearchID=73313928557614) the following was said about the "Best Shrine":  

Jerry Garcia has dominated this category in recent years, but Elvis appears to have come back to life.  Other vote-getters in this uniquely Aspen category included John Denver, Jimi Hendrix, Fort Frog, “lady shrine highlands” and “naked lady smoke shack.”  Yankee Stadium made the list, and this one piqued the staff’s interest: “Future Harley Baldwin.” 

The Aspen/Snowmass shrines all started sometime in the 1970's with either the Elvis Presley Shrine or the Jerry Garcia Shrine being the first one, and they have grown from there.  As to which one was first, see the individual pages on this site for the Elvis Presley Shrine and the Jerry Garcia Shrine for more information.  For the most part the author of this web site is not aware of the date most shrines were first created and is not aware of the identity of the person or persons who created each shrine.  If that information is known to the author, and if that person has given the author permission to disclose his or her name, it is noted on the page on this site for that particular shrine.  

Of the 40 shrines, 27 of them are located on Aspen Mountain.  There are 8 on Snowmass, 3 on Aspen Highlands, and 2 on Buttermilk. 

The Subjects of the Shrines

Twelve of the Shrines are to musicians or have a musical connection:  Shrines to The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Buffet, John Denver (two Shrines), Liberace, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Michael Houser of Widespread Panic, and soul music.

Eight Shrines have a sports theme:  Auto racing--Dale Earnhardt.  Football--The Denver Broncos.  Baseball--There are two baseball shrines:  Fenway Park [Boston Red Sox] and Yankee Stadium [New York Yankees]. Golf--There are four golf-related shrines:  Two Shrines honor many deceased greats of the game, another honors Ben Hogan alone, and another Bobby Jones alone.

Nine Shrines are to locals, or persons with a local connection (including one of the most famous locals of them all, Hunter S. Thompson):  Chuck Severy/Todd Olson (one shrine to both men), Eric Smith, Hunter S. Thompson, John Nicoletta, Nicholas Blake Davidson, Raoul Wille, Steve Butts, Christian Daniel Streuli, and Tom Cole.

The subjects of the remaining eleven Shrines do not fall into any neat catagories:  The 9/11 victims, Aspen Ski Hall of Fame members, a dog named Bingo, cowboys (The Buckaroo Shrine), Chicks (The Chix Coup Shrine), pet dogs (The Dog Pound Shrine), pet cats (The Kitty Cat Shrine), Marilyn Monroe (the only Shrine to a female), a children's toy called "Pooper Troopers," the cartoon character Snoopy, and a shrine to Valentines. 

If you are in the Aspen/Snowmass area, watch television station channel 16 (Plum TV) for short segments that cover some of the various shrines. Here are descriptions of six of these segments:

 

1. This one is narrated by "Tim Mooney, Plum TV Ski Correspondent" and he calls it a "shrine tour" and says he will be covering some "select memorial spots."  It is only three minutes long and covers only three shrines/memorials:  The Jerry Garcia Shrine, The Stevie Ray Vaughan Shrine/Cabin, and the Severy Plaques, all three of which are on Aspen Mountain. This segment also includes video footage, but no discussion, of two additional Aspen Mountain shrines: The John Denver Shrine and The Raoul Wille Shrine.  There is no indication as to the date this show was made, but it contains video of the old gondola cars at Aspen Mountain, so it was likely made during the 2005-06 ski season, or before, since the new gondola cars were installed for the 2006-07 season. While at the Jerry Garcia Shrine in this segment Tim Mooney is quoted as follows:  "It’s time for Jerry Garcia. The mama and the daddy of all the shrines on AspenMountain. What a place, what a guy, what a band. I was lucky enough to see the band and be in that whole revolving scene. Wonderful, wonderful time. I brought Bob Wier up here in the summertime. We drove up in a 4-wheel and then he and his wife came over to see the shrine with me. And we were just kinda looking at all the stuff and his wife saw a plaque over there with a picture of all the guys and she breaks down, she gives us a tear right here at Jerry Garcia." 

You may view this video here: http://pdam.plumtv.com/public/marketing_player/2953

(For more information on Tim Mooney, see this page on this site:  http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?75-The-Tim-Mooney-Shack-Aspen-Mountain.)

 

2.  Another segment is entitled “Shrine Tour with Tim Mooney” and he is called the “Shrine Guide.” This one was filmed in either December 2008 or January 2009, and is about 2 ½ minutes long. It covers four different shrines on Aspen Mountain: The Golf Shrine, The Elvis Presley Shrine, The Marilyn Monroe Shrine, and The Steve Butts Shrine. This segment also includes video footage, but no discussion, of two additional Aspen Mountain shrines: The 9/11 Shrine, and The Tim Mooney Shack. Almost half of this segment is devoted to The Golf Shrine and while showing some very good video of that shrine, Tim Mooney is quoted as follows: “Look where we are—golf heaven. Wonderful commemorations of all the illustrious golfers. Payne Stewart, Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Henry Cotton, Tommy Armour. Look at these guys, here in a ski area, in our back yard, our playground. It’s got golf people. There is room for everybody. You can come here and sit down and think about your great golf game, the great places you can play golf, how beautiful it is to tee it up.”    You may view this video here:  http://www.plumtv.com/videos/mooney-shrine-tour/index.html    (For more information on Tim Mooney, see this page:  http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?75-The-Tim-Mooney-Shack-Aspen-Mountain.)

 

3.  Another segment has the same introduction as the prior one described and then shows two different shrines on Aspen Mountain. It was filmed in either December 2008 or January 2009. It is about 2 minutes long, and covers: The 9/11 Shrine and The Michael Houser Shrine. This segment also includes video footage, with no discussion, of several additional Aspen Mountain shrines. You may view this video here: http://pdam.plumtv.com/public/marketing_player/11891   (For more information on Tim Mooney, see this page:  http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?75-The-Tim-Mooney-Shack-Aspen-Mountain.)

 

4.  Another segment shows three shrines on Aspen Mountain:  Raoul Wille, John Denver, and Blondie's Cabin and the Ski Museum.  You may view this video here:  http://pdam.plumtv.com/public/marketing_player/2954  (For more information on Tim Mooney, see this page:  http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?75-The-Tim-Mooney-Shack-Aspen-Mountain.)

5.  Another segment shows three shrines on Aspen Mountain:  The Buckaroo Shrine, the Friedl Pfeifer statue, and the Jimmy Buffet Shrine.  You may view this video here:  http://pdam.plumtv.com/public/marketing_player/4816  (For more information on Tim Mooney, see this page:  http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?75-The-Tim-Mooney-Shack-Aspen-Mountain.)

6. Another segment filmed in January 2010 covers five shrines on Aspen Mountain: John Denver, Raoul Wille, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Jerry Garcia. You may view this video here: http://pdam.plumtv.com/public/marketing_player/15330 (For more information on Tim Mooney, see this page:

http://www.aspensnowmassshrines.com/index.php?75-The-Tim-Mooney-Shack-Aspen-Mountain.)

 

 

      Some Aspen/Snowmass shrines come and go, and others survive for a number of years.  Some of the shrines to celebrities, such as the shrines to Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Jerry Garcia, and John Denver, have loyal fans who have continued to refresh and maintain the shrines over the years.  Others, such as the shrines to Liberace and Dale Earnhardt, existed for while and then disappeared.  In the case of Aspen locals, many are created soon after the person dies, and are maintained for while, but then eventually fade away after a few years and are forgotten.  In the case of other Aspen locals, such as Raoul Wille, Chuck Severy, Todd Olson, and Eric Smith, the shrines are faithfully maintained by friends or family and have lasted a number of years.  Even the shrines that survive for an extended period of time are ever changing.  New items are put up and old items fall down or give in to the elements.  So the Shrine you visit may not look exactly like the photos on this site.  However, all the Shrines on this site exist in one form or another (except as indicated) and at one time or another looked like the photos shown on this site.  All photos on this site are by the author except as indicated.  All photos on the Shrine pages and the Plaques and Memorials pages can be enlarged by "clicking" on them. 

       

      The shrines of Aspen/Snowmass are special.  Find them, look at them, enjoy them, and take your photos.  But please respect them and those to whom they are dedicated, and leave them as you found them.