The barn in Aspen early 1970s

When I was in my early 20s I dropped out of college and went to Aspen to be a ski bum. I got a job as a maid at the Vagabond Lodge and met Bill Streeter who had come from NYC to ski for a week. He ended up staying and lived in Aspen for the rest of his life. 

That summer we sold our skis and camped out with friends at the foot of the 14,000 foot high Maroon Bells.

The next winter Bill and I moved into “The Barn” an old, falling down shamrackled place that had been rented by Wilk Wilkerson, a National Geographic photographer and fellow skier. I think the rent for all of us was about $115 a month.

To get to our room we had to climb up rickety steps with no railing and cross a wide plank over the main space of the barn to our room. There was no heat. Our boots froze over night and we walked into town every morning to have breakfast at Andre’s to thaw out. 

Other’s moved in to join us: Mike Pokress, Spencer Pearson, Steve Horowitz. And over the years, long after I had left, the rooms became small apartments.

I found this out recently from a post on a Facebook group, Friends of Aspen from the 60s and 70s. Someone posted “Does anyone remember “the Barn“, where several artists lived when I arrived in ‘72.”

As I read the comments on the post I was shocked to find out that all of the guys I lived with as roommates, including Bill Streeter my boyfriend, have passed away. I’m the only original resident still alive. We were young and adventurous. I thought we’d all live forever.  

The Barn was finally torn down in the 90s. It’s probably been replaced with condos. 

It was a glorious time and a glorious place.