There is a difference of opinion as to whether the Elvis Presley Shrine or the Jerry Garcia Shrine was the first shrine on Aspen Mountain.
According to an article in the Aspen Times Weekly newspaper from Feb. 18, 2006 titled “Find your Shrine on Ajax” by Kimberly Nicoletti, the Elvis Presley Shrine was the first shrine erected on Aspen Mountain. The same thing was said in an article by Anita Rosenberg in the Summer or Fall of 2006 issue of AspenPeak magazine. A placard in one of the Silver Queen gondola cars at Aspen states that “Elvis Presley Boulevard started out with a street sign from Memphis that was nailed to a tree on a traverse.
Fans soon began adding Elvis paraphernalia to the tree — pictures, Mardi Gras beads, a Tennessee license plate and more. The King's birthday (Jan. 8) is celebrated at the shrine each year.” Rachel C. Goddard/Roberts designed the layout and compiled the historical facts and photographs for these placards which are featured in all of the 147 gondola cars at Ajax.
One of the other placards states, “The shrine in honor of Grateful Dead front-man Jerry Garcia, created in the early 1970s, is believed to be the first. The Elvis shrine began as a way-finding sign someone put in the trees on Back of Bell in order to find their way back to the lift.”
Presley died in 1977 and Garcia in 1995. It's known that Paul Wade started the Jerry Garcia Shrine in 1995-96. It is not known who installed the Elvis Presley Shrine, or when.
Presley's shrine includes the famous photo of him with President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office taken Dec. 21, 1970, a Tennessee license plate that states “1-Elvis”, another license plate that states “That's Rock-N-Roll — Elvis”, a green and white street sign that states “Elvis Presley Blvd.”, a “tow-away” sign that states “No parking any time except Elvis fans,” and various other photos and items.
One unique thing about the Elvis Presley Shrine is that it is one of the few shrines to have been shown on any official Aspen and Snowmass trail map. For a number of years its location has been shown on the trail map for children which is called the “Kids' Mountain Guide.”
David Wood ([email protected]) is the author of the best-selling book about the Aspen shrines, Sanctuaries in the Snow — The Shrines and Memorials of Aspen/Snowmass. He donates all of his profits from book sales to a local charity, The Trashmasters Scholarship Fund. The book can be purchased in Snowmass Village at Snowmass Sports, the Stew Pot, Sundance Liquor and Gifts, the Village Market, and 81615, as well as at various locations in Aspen.
According to an article in the Aspen Times Weekly newspaper from Feb. 18, 2006 titled “Find your Shrine on Ajax” by Kimberly Nicoletti, the Elvis Presley Shrine was the first shrine erected on Aspen Mountain. The same thing was said in an article by Anita Rosenberg in the Summer or Fall of 2006 issue of AspenPeak magazine. A placard in one of the Silver Queen gondola cars at Aspen states that “Elvis Presley Boulevard started out with a street sign from Memphis that was nailed to a tree on a traverse.
Fans soon began adding Elvis paraphernalia to the tree — pictures, Mardi Gras beads, a Tennessee license plate and more. The King's birthday (Jan. 8) is celebrated at the shrine each year.” Rachel C. Goddard/Roberts designed the layout and compiled the historical facts and photographs for these placards which are featured in all of the 147 gondola cars at Ajax.
One of the other placards states, “The shrine in honor of Grateful Dead front-man Jerry Garcia, created in the early 1970s, is believed to be the first. The Elvis shrine began as a way-finding sign someone put in the trees on Back of Bell in order to find their way back to the lift.”
Presley died in 1977 and Garcia in 1995. It's known that Paul Wade started the Jerry Garcia Shrine in 1995-96. It is not known who installed the Elvis Presley Shrine, or when.
Presley's shrine includes the famous photo of him with President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office taken Dec. 21, 1970, a Tennessee license plate that states “1-Elvis”, another license plate that states “That's Rock-N-Roll — Elvis”, a green and white street sign that states “Elvis Presley Blvd.”, a “tow-away” sign that states “No parking any time except Elvis fans,” and various other photos and items.
One unique thing about the Elvis Presley Shrine is that it is one of the few shrines to have been shown on any official Aspen and Snowmass trail map. For a number of years its location has been shown on the trail map for children which is called the “Kids' Mountain Guide.”
David Wood ([email protected]) is the author of the best-selling book about the Aspen shrines, Sanctuaries in the Snow — The Shrines and Memorials of Aspen/Snowmass. He donates all of his profits from book sales to a local charity, The Trashmasters Scholarship Fund. The book can be purchased in Snowmass Village at Snowmass Sports, the Stew Pot, Sundance Liquor and Gifts, the Village Market, and 81615, as well as at various locations in Aspen.
