You are all invited to bed down at my place, albeit in sleeping bags on either air mattresses or futon (I've enough for all) or a futon. By the time you've all arrived I should also have built a couple of twin beds. My place is small, and sleeping will be dorm-style, but we won't be spending much time there anyway. Your money is better spent upon beer and bail. If, however, any of you desire more privacy and are willing to offend me and alienate the other group memebers, then reasonably-priced (for Snowmass Village) accommodations are available at the lodges Pokolodi, Stonebridge, and Mountain Chalet. Let me know if that is what you'd like - I might be able to get a discounted rate - but you can always wait until you get here to make the decision.

I'd like to rent a backcountry cabin for one of the nights. Margy's Hut, my first choice, is in the mountains past Hunter's old place. I've stayed there on a ski trip, and its wonderful. Unfortunately, its only available on Monday night, and it's about an hour drive from my place so it would make for a rushed morning: we'd need to leave the hut at ~ 9am in order to get you to the airport a couple of hours before your earliest departure (4:45). Cost is $28 / person.
http://www.huts.org/hut_details/margy_hut_details.html.

Another option is any one of the Shrine Mtn Inn huts. I've never been there but the website makes them seem quite lux (flush toilets! sauna!). They offer the advantage of being a short drive from the highway, about mid-way to the Denver airport from Snowmass, and would make sense only for Friday night or Monday night. Currently, there is a hut available for either of those nights. Cost is $39/person. http://www.huts.org/hut_details/shrine_hut_details.html.

I should reserve one of these ASAP. Have you an opinion about this?

Transportation options:

Entrusting you four with a rental car and directing you into the Rocky Mountains would be like sending off a canoe full of naked Ned Beatty's down the Chattooga River - entertaining for the fortunate spectator, to be sure, but certain fodder for a lifetime of nightmarish flash-backs for those of you who survive. I wouldn't mind making the 9 hour round-trip to Denver one time. But how to get you back to Denver? A shuttle van costs ~$80/person, and I'm not sure about its schedule; a one-way car rental costs ~$88 for a Taurus to $113 for a Caravan mini-van, according to Travelocity.

Alternately, you can take your chances of being corn-holed and gutted by partially-toothed hillpeople and rent a car in Denver (~$140 for a Taurus to $205 for a Caravan) for the trip, but it would be wasted while you're here - I've got a full-size pick-up that can carry us, plus there's public transit around Snowmass, and into Aspen.

The logistics of transportation dovetail with the cabin decision. Again, please share yr opinions ASAP so we can move forward.

Usually the weather in mid-September is moderate, but cooler than where you all live. Check the weather forecast before you leave (Aspen, NOT Denver). Once the sun goes down the temperature plummets. Dress in multiple light layers so that you can adapt to the rapidly changing weather or temperature that goes with altitude change. I usually start with a base of shorts and t-shirt, layering over that with fleece and/or waterproof shell as the conditions change - this serves me well until the snow starts flying regularly, in late October. The Area Tour would include short hikes on potentially muddy trails, so you'll want to bring appropriate footwear. I'd still like to go rafting - the water level will be way down, the rivers very mellow, and its a great way to spend half a day. The leaves will be changing color by then - they're usually off the trees by the first week of October - and it should be quite beautiful.

What to bring?

Polarfleece jacket, wool sweater or the like (NOT cotton, because it doesn't insulate when wet)
Polarfleece pants or non-cotton long underwear bottoms
Something warm to change into when that first sweater and bottoms gets wet
Rain jacket and rain pants (esp. helpful for rafting)
Hiking boots, or sneakers that can get trashed
Wool socks, 2 pair (again, for wet-weather insulation, plus a spare)
Shorts (it can be quite warm in September as well)
Typical casual wear, for a foray into Aspen, etc., not included in the above

Don't overpack, and don't buy anything special for the trip that you wouldn't use back home. I've a few extra jackets, lots of wool socks, daypacks, etc. We can work it all out with little extra expense for you.

My cell is 970.379.0802
My name is Bob