Basalt

They say people will drive miles to go to a store that remembers their name, what they love.

The absence of ritual and familiarity, they say, breeds anxiety and loneliness. We say the cure is the annual ringing-in of Christmas in the Basalt community, the parks packed with neighbors as bigger-than-life trees are once again set ablaze with color. In this town, Santa comes with real reindeer, and then there's hot chocolate around big bonfires. The Girl Scouts sing, sometimes a little off-key. Every year, same ritual, same faces.

With nearly 4,000 residents in town and more in surrounding hamlets and ranchlands, Basalt and outlying Emma, Willits, and El Jebel are no longer bedroom communities for Aspen, 18 miles away. Old Town Basalt is historic and original, with a charming main street lined with vintage storefronts colored blue, red and orange, now turned into specialty boutiques, cafes, art galleries, and restaurants.

A few miles down the road, there's an old white schoolhouse building on the side of HIghway 82. This marks the turn-off to Emma, one of the last midvalley areas that feels truly rural and remote (yet it's still within radius of a latte!).

Beyond Emma, a few miles further west, are Willits and El Jebel, communities which have grown rapidly over the last decade with new homes, restaurants, shops, a Whole Foods, movie theaters, a performing arts center, and multiple sports fields. Filled with young people, these neighborhoods have a very active vibe and are infectious with energy.

The Basalt area, backdropped by stunning red rock cliffs, Mt. Sopris in the distance, world-class trout fishing, an award-winning golf course, and a reservoir up the road big enough for a sailing regatta, is home to families, retirees, single professionals, salts-of-the-earth. While it's all a rather sophisticated outpost, there remain shades of Mayberry. Good chance the shopkeepers will remember your name, your shoe size; the bartenders, your wine.

OUR TOWN

Local's Tradition: Breakfast at Two Rivers Cafe. Where to Meet Them: In the aisles at Whole Foods. The Sunday Farmer's Market. Crown Mountain Park on weekends. Favorite Evening Diversion: Wednesday night free summer concerts at Basalt River Park. Live performances at TACAW. For Body and Soul: Fahrenheit Body Spa in Willits, or a climb up the Arbaney Kittle Trail. Place to Walk Your Dog: Crown Mountain Park. Surprise: The kids' programs and free events at the Library. The creative talent in the valley on display at The Art Base.

Basalt | Emma | El Jebel Details

Elevation: 6,400 to 6,600 ft.

Climate: Milder than Aspen and Snowmass, especially along the rivers. Average mean snowfall, 61 inches per year.

Population: 4,000 and growing every year.

Schools: Basalt schools (one each: elementary, middle and high schools) are part of the Roaring Fork Schools' (RE-1) district. Some students commute to private schools in Aspen or Carbondale.

Transportation: Frequent bus service to Aspen, Snowmass, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs.

Recreation: Acclaimed Gold Medal fly fishing. Hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, or backcountry skiing in the White River National Forest. Sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing at Ruedi Reservoir. Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course at the private Roaring Fork Club (restaurant, tennis, fitness center and swimming pool also available to members). Incorporated as a town in 1901, Basalt is filled with small fashion boutiques, galleries, and some of the best restaurants in the valley.