Lovingly known as “The Grand Dame of Aspen,” Elizabeth Paepcke was born on August 28, 1902.

After moving to Aspen and establishing the Aspen Music Festival and School and the Aspen Institute with her husband Walter, she wanted to do something for the environment that sustains us all. Motivated by “The Aspen Idea” of harmony between mind, body, and spirit, Elizabeth donated her 25-acre property to ACES, dedicating the site to environmental conservation and historical preservation.  

Elizabeth Paepcke at Hallam Lake. Photo from the Aspen Historical Society Cassatt collection.
Since Elizabeth’s generous donation of the Hallam Lake property, ACES has established three environmental science education sites in the Roaring Fork Valley. From our elementary school environmental education curriculum to our community field programs for adults, ACES strives to continue Elizabeth’s wish of connecting people to nature through meaningful, hands-on exploration.

As Elizabeth Paepcke once said, “Many things become possible when people work together towards a common vision.”

It is only with you that ACES can continue making a significant difference in environmental science education and inspire environmental stewardship on both a local and national level.