"Starwood in Aspen" home sold by Annie Denver

UPDATE: This was not the home built by John Denver in Starwood, as noted in the comments below. Here is a post by Sarah at the blog House Crazy about the original house which, apparently, remained with John until his death. Lots of photos and great background info here for John Denver fans.

John Denver's former wife, Ann Denver (of Annie's Song fame), has sold their Starwood home in Aspen for $7 million.

As reported in the Aspen Times, the four bath, five bedroom, 4,705-square foot home at 2480 McClain Flats Road in the gated community of Starwood was built by the couple in 1985. After their divorce, Annie remained in the home and raised their two children. John Denver died in 1997 while flying an airplane over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

When I read the news, the song Starwood in Aspen started running through my head, a reminder of happier times for the Denver family, and a reminder of John Denver's love of the Rocky Mountains and his desire to return to them as soon as possible while traveling. It is one of the many Denver songs I play on my guitar.

Starwood in Aspen
by John Denver
(From the Best of John Denver collection)

It's a long way from LA to Denver
It's a long time to hang in the sky
It's a long way home to Starwood in Aspen
A sweet Rocky Mountain paradise
Oh, my sweet Rocky Mountain paradise

Springtime is rollin' around slowly
Grey skies are bringin' me down
I can't remember when I've ever been so lonely
I forgot what it's like to be home
Can't remember what it's like to be home

But I think on my lady's sweet memories
I think on my children's sweet smiles
I think on my home in Starwood in Aspen
All my friends and the snow covered hills
Oh, my friends are the snow covered hills

And I tell you I'm happy to be here
To share and consider this time
For I see here the shadows of changes
And a feeling of new friends to find
And I see here some new friends to find

But it's a long way from this place to Denver
It's a long time to hang in the sky
It's a long way home to Starwood in Aspen
A sweet Rocky Mountain paradise
Oh, my sweet Rocky Mountain paradise

Also in Rocky Mountain News.

Driving I-70 in Colorado is like an extreme sport

Rockslide that closed 17 miles of I-70 in Colorado on Monday
caused this damage in Glenwood Canyon.
Photo from The Daily Sentinenal

If you've ever driven I-70 through the Colorado Rockies, you know the beauty ... and danger ... of that area. This week's rock slide that sent huge boulders onto the roadway was just the latest in a long list of avalanches, rock slides, and wild animal sightings that make any drive through those majestic mountains an exciting event, to say the least.

I've not seen it better described than by Anna Basquez in How driving I-70 in Colorado is like an extreme sport who begins by saying:

I write this as a passenger in a car driving in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 amid Colorado's steep, climbing Rocky Mountains. Between the dangerous rockslides, the avalanches, crossing deer and elk, and hazardous weather, including ice and fog, a typical traveler's destination -- winter sports -- won't be the first extreme mountain adventure of the day."

It's a major headache to have I-70 closed because the detour is 200 miles which adds up to four hours onto the trip. There is just no other way to go in those mountains except some dirt roads reminiscent of gold mining days:

I-70 is the main connection between the West Coast and Denver. It runs through the narrow canyon, following the path of the Colorado River, then climbs into ski country. After passing through the resort town of Vail, the road tops out at 11,000 feet before descending to Denver and connecting with the rest of the interstate highway system.
...
In the meantime, motorists are advised to take a 200-mile detour through the northwestern part of the state.

Colorado's Gov. Bill Ritter moved quickly after the rockslide blocked 17 miles of interstate:

Gov. Bill Ritter issued a disaster declaration on Monday afternoon, allowing the state to seek funding from the Federal Highway Administration to help pay for repairs, which could take weeks. An initial estimate of repair costs has not been released.

Alternate routes for travelers are listed here.

Georgetown, Colorado....

The mining town of Georgetown, Colorado -- nicknamed "Silver Queen of the Rockies" -- was begun in 1859 along the banks of Clear Creek near the shore of Silver Dollar Lake. I first visited Georgetown in 1982 and was charmed by its rugged beauty. Four years later John Denver used that location to film the heart-warming movie, "The Christmas Gift," and each year a tribute to him is included in the annual tree lighting ceremony.

Silver Dollar Lake ... good fishin'!

Georgetown Post Office

Listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Georgetown features many Victorian-era houses such as this one.

Another example of Victorian style from Georgetown.

The new Georgetown Visitors Center that opened in 2004.

Photos by SWAC Girl

More of Colorado's national forests....

Rocky Mountain thunderstorms....

Thunderstorm clouds gather over Breckenridge.

Dark clouds and rain in Breckenridge with snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Since we've been in Breckenridge the afternoon thunderstorms are almost like clockwork. Throughout the day the brilliant blue sky begins to have puffy white thunderheads building, and in the late afternoon dark clouds come over the mountains.

Usually between 4 and 5:00, a big clap of thunder reverberates off the mountains and the rain begins ... sail boats on Lake Dillon immediately return to shore and folks on the street seek shelter.

The rain consists of big cold drops and the temperature drops 20-30 degrees which leads to a cool evening and overnight temps in the 40s.

Even now I'm sitting with the window open and the rain pouring down while thunder bounces off the mountains. The smell of wet dirt and evergreen and lilacs blooming outside my window permeate the air.

It's another Rocky Mountain thunderstorm....

Update: We strolled throughout Breckenridge Village this evening until after dark ... and the wind was blowing and it was so chilly we were layered for the coolness. All the restaurants had their outdoor fireplaces going and we stopped at a popular crepe place where we sat around the fire to eat. Low humidity, cool evenings ... I like this weather.

Tomorrow morning I'm hitting the Village early to get more photos of the shops, windows, flowers, houses, and the Blue River that runs through the middle of town.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell

Hello Breckenridge, CO ... elevation 9600'

We've moved to Breckenridge, the Clear Creek area of Colorado, and have spent our time visiting the surrounding areas of Georgetown, Silver Plume, Dillon, Copper Mountain, Black Hawk, Central City, and all points in between. We've been up in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, visited a working cattle ranch, checked out the headquarters of the Colorado River, and seen the Gore Canyon (from above and within) where the Colorado rushes through with Class V whitewater rapids.

Much of this area was discovered and explored by Jim Bridger, the famous Mountain Man who was born in 1804 in Virginia.

From 11,000 feet ... high above Breckenridge.

Mountain stream from melting snowpack beneath the chair lift.

We took the chair lift to the top of the mountain where we hiked a nature trail in the almost-Alpine atmosphere. Breath-taking views (as well as thin high altitude air)!

Photos by SWAC Girl

Rocky Mountain wild flowers....

Photos by SWAC Girl

Backroads of Colorado....

Lunch at the Bridgewater Grill in the Golden Hotel in Golden, Colorado, reminded me of home. The restaurant was on Clear Creek which provides water to Coors Brewery.

Absolutely gorgeous high-mountain lake provided fishing, camping, hiking, picnicking ... and breath-taking views of the Continental Divide.

Can't think of a more beautiful spot to fish....

Mitchell Creek ... feeds into Brainard Lake. Cold!
The water is straight off the snowpack.

Peaceful ... serene ... heavenly ... no amount of adjectives could adequately describe the feeling of being on top of the world. The air was cool and heavy with the smell of evergreens ... the overall quiet was appreciated ... the leftover snowdrifts made the imagination wonder what winter must be like in that isolated corner of the world.

Standing on one of the snowdrifts making a snowball to throw at her cousin....

Photos by SWAC Girl

Colorado Rockies ... celebrate America!

It's a Colorado Rocky Mountain high,
I've seen it raining fire in the sky,
You can talk to God and listen
To the casual reply....
Rocky Mountain high ... Colorado.

-- John Denver

Once panned for gold, the mountain streams are beautiful ... and cold!

Blooming cactus found at 8,000 feet.

Brainard Lake high in the Roosevelt National Forest.
Elevation: 10,300 feet

Estes Park

The Stanley Hotel
Estes Park, Colorado
Setting for the Stephen King movie
"The Shining."

The old mining town of Gold Hill

The best treasures can be found on back roads ... and we've been on many up through the mountains exploring old mining towns, high mountain lakes, glaciers, and more.

Photos by SWAC Daughter & SWAC Girl

Poems, prayers and promises....

I've been lately thinking about my life time,
All the things I've done and how it's been,
And I can't help believing in my own mind,
I know I'm gonna hate to see it end.

The days they pass so quickly now,
Nights are seldom long,
Time around me whispers when it's cold.
The changes somehow frighten me; still I have to smile,
It turns me on to think of growing old.

For tho' my life's been good to me,
There's still so much to do,
So many things my mind has never known,
I'd like to raise a family, I'd like to sail away,
And dance across the mountains on the moon....

I have to say it now it's been a good life all in all,
It's really fine to have the chance to hang around,
And lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire
While all my friends ... sit and watch the sun go down.

And talk of poems and prayers and promises
And things that we believe in,
How sweet it is to love someone, how right it is to care,
How long it's been since yesterday ... what about tomorrow,
What about our dreams and all the memories we share.

Words & music by John Denver, 1971

"The mountains are calling ...

... and I must go."
-- John Muir

Rocky Mountain National Park
Araphahoe Glacier
2 July 2007

(click on photo to enlarge)

Rocky Mountain High ...

... Colorado.

Rocky Mountains
29 June 2007

We've spent the better part of the past week in Colorado for a family wedding ... staying up Boulder Canyon ... along Boulder Creek ... retracing my steps from over the years. One of my sisters attended graduate school in Boulder and lived in Colorado for 15 years so I spent much of my 20s in this part of the world. I learned to snow ski in Aspen when I was 20 ... traisped the mining towns of Leadville and Silver Plume and Georgetown ... enjoyed the wide-open spaces of Wyoming and Yellowstone and Montana ... spent an amazing evening outdoors under a full moon at Red Rocks on the Fourth of July in 1982 listening to John Denver sing ...

... and I'm back for the Fourth of July 2007. The mountains, music, family ... that's what it's all about ... it's a Rocky Mountain high.

Photo by SWAC Daughter