ASPEN — — The rustic King Cabin, long the headquarters for Ashcroft Ski Touring south of Aspen, is no more.
What will rise in its place, giving nordic skiers a place to check in, purchase a trails pass and rent gear, remains to be seen. John Wilcox, operator of the scenic cross-country ski area at the head of the Castle Creek Valley, is exploring the possibilities.
“I don’t know. We’re looking at a bunch of different options,” he said. “We’re trying to see what we can do.”
The old King Cabin, also the check-in point for those taking a sleigh ride up to the Pine Creek Cookhouse for lunch or dinner, had escaped its fate with a bulldozer for a half-dozen years, but its most recent reprieve from the U.S. Forest Service expired June 30. The agency allowed the structure to remain in use last winter, but the cabin did not meet code requirements and posed safety concerns.
Late last month, the Forest Service had the building demolished; Wilcox paid for removal of the debris. Also demolished was the quaint, nearby outhouse.
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