Survey: Aspen is full of snobs

ASPEN ” The resort town has been overrun with surveys of late, and when it comes to development, opinions are many. But a recent poll by historic preservationist Les Holst might have yielded important insight: It appears Aspen is full of pretentious snobs.

“I think Aspen has always, in some people’s mind, had that image,” Mayor Helen Klanderud said. “That’s not new.”

Holst distributed the poll during a wine and food festival in June. Among other questions, the group asked, “What do you like least about Aspen?” Among the answers were:

– Snobs

– The handful of pretentious people

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– Rich snobs

– Fakeness and social climbing ” materialism vs. conservation

– The rich Californians

– Many snobby, pretentious people

– Too much money

– The prices

– Sometimes too elitist now with Prada, etc.

– Pretentious people

– Traffic, and rich people who feel entitled to special treatment

“Everything is a matter of opinion,” Klanderud said. “If that was their experience here, I’m very sorry to hear that. I hear many other comments on how friendly people are.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a number of respondents answered “nothing” to the question about what they liked least about Aspen, with many indicating that they “like it all.”

Others apparently didn’t like anything about the town. Among the other responses to the question of what people liked least about Aspen: the town, the mountains, construction, rude people, smells, noise, no restaurants open late and poor service at restaurants.

The mayor is quick to point out that the survey garnered a lot of positive responses about town as well ” even from those who claimed Aspen is pretentious.

The same person who said Aspen is “sometimes too elitist now with Prada” also said that what makes Aspen special is the “lovely small town feel” and “wonderful weather.” That person also said the town is “awesome and friendly.”

Klanderud said that is the overwhelming impression she gets from visitors.

“You only have to run into one person you did not have a good experience with to leave a bad taste in your mouth,” Klanderud said.

Others said Aspen is full of friendly people and called the town “beautiful, restful,” “quaint,” a “heavenly place to live,” “serene, peaceful,” “charming,” “magical” and “virtually unspoiled.”

Vail Daily, Vail, Colorado