The quiet little town of Aspen, Colorado-nestled in the midst of some of the earth's most rugged terrain-has become the unlikely site of jet-set society: luxurious accommodations, world-class dining and entertainment, high-fashion retail, and all the varied amusements available to the ultra-rich.

Much of Aspen's rustic past has been gilded into obscurity; likewise, the historical realities that drove its improbable evolution from rustic to regal, from native pioneer to privileged guest, from working ranch to wealthy estate. What was it like to actually live and grow up in Aspen during this tumultuous, formative period?

The author, born and raised just across Castle Creek from Aspen proper, offers a girl's-eye-view of the town's daily life as the nation recovered from the Depression years, bursting forth into the excess of the '70s and '80s. This rich, warm narrative-supported by a wealth of detail made possible by her meticulous journaling over the years-tracks the author's life in Aspen from her pre-school years through high-school graduation and beyond, detailing the family, friends, personalities, places, activities, events, and social phenomena central to the astonishing evolution of this Colorado mountain town.