Top five most-read stories last week

Stories in this list received the most page views on aspentimes.com from Aug. 26-Sept. 2.

1. Most expensive house for sale in America hits Aspen market 

The most expensive house for sale in the country hit the housing market in Aspen last week — a 74.1 acre property listed at $300,000,000.

The property’s residence, referred to as the Little Lake Lodge, has 18 bedrooms, 20 full bathrooms, and four partial bathrooms. It was built by California billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick, who co-own The Wonderful Company and founded the Aspen Institute’s Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies. The Resnicks bought the property, located at 161 Stillwater Road off Highway 82 heading toward Independence Pass, from the Benedict family. 

“It’s a legacy property,” said Brenda Wild, broker and owner of Aspen’s Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Signature Properties and the Aspen Chamber Resort Association’s real estate representative. “A parcel that size next to downtown Aspen is just unprecedented.”

– River Stingray 

2. Backpacker rescued on Aspen’s Four Pass Loop 

A fallen hiker was rescued on the Four Pass Loop on West Maroon Trail Sunday evening by Mountain Rescue in Aspen.

The hiker was in a remote section of the backcountry in the mountains at 11,200 feet, a press release confirmed, about five miles from Maroon Lake.

– Staff report 

3. Aspen Skiing Company CEO discusses values with local ski, snowboard club 

Not every youth skier is going to make the World Cup, and not everyone is going to podium. 

But what they will do is take home life-long lessons and a skillset that will prepare them for success in the outside world. That was the message Aspen Skiing Company CEO Geoff Buchheister delivered to Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club parents at Wednesday’s “Stewardship Series,” hosted by the club once per month.

“I’m here to actually share with a lot of you that many of our kids are not going to make those podiums,” Buchheister told parents seated in Willow Creek Bistro at the base of Aspen Highlands. “But what participation in this does, in my opinion, is it creates a couple of things that are useful for the rest of your life.”

– Skyler Stark-Ragsdale 

4. Update: Road open after bike accident closes Castle Creek Road 

Update 5:30 p.m.: Castle Creek Road is now open again at mile marker 6.

Castle Creek Road will be closed around mile marker 6 following a bike accident, PitkinAlert announced at 2:54 p.m. Monday.

– Staff report 

5. Ascending star Grace Bowers brings fresh sound to JAS Labor Day experience lineup 

At 19 years old, Nashville-based guitarist, singer, and songwriter Grace Bowers is experiencing a meteoric rise that will bring her to the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience stage at 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 31, at Snowmass Town Park.

She will be performing alongside musical powerhouses like Imagine Dragons, Lenny Kravitz, and Luke Combs.

Her first show under her own name took place at the 2023 Newport Folk Festival. It was later that same year that Bowers began seriously writing her own music and forming her band: Grace Bowers & the Hodgepodge. Surprisingly, she is the first musical person in her family. 

– Jennika Ingram