Mountain Rescue Aspen
Founded in 1965, Mountain Rescue Aspen is one of Colorado’s oldest search and rescue organizations, providing essential services to Pitkin County and surrounding areas with a fully volunteer-based team. Following a generous donation from a rescued family member, Mountain Rescue Aspen engaged Charles Cunniffe Architects to design a new, state-of-the-art facility.
Strategically located across from Pitkin County Airport, the two-story facility ensures quick access to Highway 82 and air support. It includes a spacious training area, locker rooms, a command center, a map room, an emergency operations center, a caretaker apartment, and a boardroom. The attached four-bay garage houses rescue vehicles, trailers, ATVs, and snowmobiles, while an exterior training tower supports vertical rescue and equipment testing.
Echoing Aspen’s mining heritage, the facility combines varied roof heights, slopes, and materials, using low-maintenance, durable finishes like corrugated metal roofing, wood timbers, and reclaimed snow fence siding to create a practical yet timeless design.
