Potbelly Perspectives: The Range Traverse

The Range Traverse: Circumnavigating the Roaring Fork Watershed on Foot

by Tait Andersen

Wednesday, February 16, 6-7pm | Hallam Lake.

Advance Registration Required | Free for members, $5 for non-members

In the summer of 2020, with a full season of wilderness guiding canceled due to COVID, 28-year-old Tait Andersen lit out for the range. Beginning at the Thomas Lakes Trailhead, Tait spent ten days alone traversing a 180-mile loop around the Roaring Fork watershed. He wore a backpack designed and sewn by himself, he carried no map or camera, he followed land features instead of trails and trusted his route-finding to a collection of memories built over his lifetime through forays into these peaks he calls home.

Along the jutting spine of the Elks, the huge rolling buttresses of the Collegiates, and the intimate basins of the Sawatch, Tait wandered through places magical and inspiring, dodged huge storms, and fed a few mosquitos, all the while delving deeper into what it means to call this place home. Join Tait for stories from the trip and philosophizing about our relationship with the natural world around us.

About Potbelly Perspectives

ACES’ Potbelly Perspectives speaker series features Aspen locals and visitors who share their exciting accounts of world travel and adventure through images and stories. This series provides an opportunity for community-building and story-telling that engages Aspen locals and visitors alike.

COVID-19 Protocols

To help keep our community healthy, attendees ages 13 and older will be required at check-in to show proof that they have received the complete Covid-19 vaccine or a negative Covid-19 test on a specimen taken no longer than 72 hours prior to the event. Photo ID will also be required for verification. No information will be stored or copied to ensure privacy is protected. 

For proof of vaccination you can use:

• CDC Vaccination Card. A digital photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable.
• Vaccination Record or other official immunization record, including from your healthcare provider. A digital photo or photocopy of this card is also acceptable.

For proof of a negative test you can use:

• Written proof of a negative Covid-19 test from a licensed healthcare provider that includes the date and time of the test as well as the result. A digital photo or photocopy is also acceptable.

Individuals who do not have proof of vaccination or a negative test result will not be permitted entrance. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status. All individuals age two and older are required to wear a mask indoors when within six feet of another person at all times except when temporarily eating and drinking. Mask wearing will be strictly enforced.

With questions or comments about this program, please contact Molly O’Leary, ACES Events Manager, at moleary@aspennature.org or call 970.925.5756.