The steep uphill climb is great for the ultra-athletes getting in their mountaineering loops, but for the many thousands of trips made by mere mortals either walking or driving South Aspen Street in the winter the street is just one long, steep, slippery bumper-car ride.

Something needs to be done to prevent the inevitable freight truck or car losing control while delivering supplies to either the World Cup Finals or trying to get to Aspen Skiing Co.’s Lift 1A, Shadow Mountain, Skier’s Chalet housing, Michael Brown’s future lodge, Aspen Street’s townhomes under construction, Juan Street residents and Gorsuch’s pending application.

As part of Michael Brown’s lodge approval, a platter lift has been approved to be tightly squeezed in between his buildings landing on the southern border of his property. But with no viable connection to the new proposed Lift 1A, it’s basically “a platter lift to nowhere.” Mr. Brown’s development approval also includes one dump truck filled with sand to sprinkle on South Aspen Street.

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At 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Planning and Zoning Commission will review the Gorsuch Haus application. Since there is no viable access from either Dean or Gilbert streets up to Lift 1A, the application is proposing a rubber-tired solution up South Aspen Street, but Gorsuch has opened up their property to allow bringing Lift 1A further down the Mountain. But it requires the cooperation of Michael Brown’s development.

Perhaps South Aspen Street should be snowmelted, or a lift or some uphill mechanical system could start at Dean Street and run up South Aspen Street to Lift 1A if Michael Brown’s project cannot be connected directly to Lift 1A.

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Toni Kronberg

Aspen