Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) announced in late November that its wilderness retreat facility in the Castle Creek Valley, the Catto Center at Toklat, was reopening to the public after a major renovation of the historic structure. In a conversation with The Sopris Sun, ACES CEO Chris Lane said that the nearly three-year project, begun in the fall of 2021, was “99% complete,” with mostly outside work left to be finished.
Located 11 miles south of Aspen on Castle Creek Road, across from Ashcroft Ghost Town, the original cabin was built in the late 1940s by Stuart and Isabel Mace, who called it Toklat (an Inuit word meaning “headwaters of a glacial valley”). At various times, it was run as a wilderness lodge, restaurant and art gallery, as well as serving as the Mace’s home. The family also had a renowned sled dog business — what later became the now-shuttered Krabloonik enterprise.
The Maces were among the founders of ACES, and Stuart became its first naturalist. It was the family’s wish that Toklat be passed on to ACES. With the help of the Catto family and other donors, the organization acquired the facility in the early 2000s, giving the building the name the Catto Center. It became a locale for retreats, ACES member events, nature-oriented classes in summer and snowshoeing outings in winter, with staff naturalists living there year-round.
Over the Mace years, a hodgepodge of additions grew around the original structure, creating a funky yet charming maze of rooms and dead-end passages. Notable was a large, unheated, barnlike room that was usable in warm weather but not so — other than for storage – when it was cold.
What to do with Toklat was, as Lane described it, “talked about for a long time” — actually, some 13 years. In the end, it was decided to remove nearly all of the add-ons and rebuild it with much greater functionality, while retaining the structure’s overall likeness (including its funky charm).
“We took the two historic buildings and restored and protected them,” Lane said, noting that, of the materials from the demolished parts, “Everything was reused or recycled,” and adding, “We did not increase the footprint” of the structure.
It was not a cheap undertaking. Lane shared that the original bid of $6.7 million ballooned to “in excess of $9 million” in expenses because of factors like inflation, materials costs and supply-chain issues. But, as he noted, “It’s a forever project and is going to be around for a long time.”
In addition to increasing the usable space for programs and events, the second floor was built out to accommodate several resident naturalists. A new all-electric commercial kitchen was installed and two cabins were built: one for the Toklat steward and another for potential use by a visiting expert or scholar. Major infrastructure upgrades included replacing plumbing and heating systems, an aging mini-hydroelectric plant and installing rooftop solar panels.
Although Toklat remains connected to the electric grid, Lane said that the goal is for it to become carbon-neutral; which will be possible because of its tie-in with Holy Cross Energy and its goal of providing 100% energy from renewable sources by 2030. He stated that Toklat plans to add backup battery storage “in the next five years.”
Lane and Jim Kravitz, ACES’ naturalist programs director, both discussed the organization’s use of Toklat going forward. Lane said, “The biggest goal is to have a place surrounded by wilderness where people can gather and have a retreat space.” Kravitz used characterizations like “organic interactive” and “a catalyst for eye-opening experiences,” further saying, “That place really does a number on people. They become disarmed from wherever they are.”
Trevor Washko is the current steward, whose involvement with Toklat dates to the mid-1990s. He recounted to The Sun the Mace family’s long and deep involvement with Aspen and the Castle Creek Valley, characterizing Toklat’s role as a “touchstone for the community” and “cornerstone in the Valley.”
Both Lane and Kravitz envision Toklat’s wider uses, in addition to those by ACES, seeing it as a venue for events such as two major workshops held there recently by the Aspen Global Change Institute. Kravitz, however, echoing Washko, emphasized the desire for Toklat to also “interact with the [local] community … [where] everybody feels at home — a place for everyone.”
ACES is planning a “10 Days of Toklat” reopening celebration — including recognizing its 75th anniversary — kicking off with a winter solstice bonfire on Dec. 21, and continuing with daily open houses through Dec. 30. More information, including RSVP links can be found at www.aspennature.org/activity/10daysattoklat