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Hike to Heal takes place Saturday

Courtesy of Aspen Strong Foundation

The third annual Hike to Heal up Smuggler Mountain takes place Saturday morning.

The event is a fundraiser for a relatively new organization in the mental health movement.

The Aspen Strong Foundation launched three years ago to help raise awareness and improve mental health in the Roaring Fork Valley. From the start, Hike to Heal was the organization’s signature event. It starts early in the morning with a hike up Smuggler Mountain. Afterwards, there is a picnic at Herron Park for participants.

Executive Director Christina King said this event really embodies the mission of Aspen Strong.

“Everything Aspen Strong falls back on is the idea of the hike and connecting the community, connecting the resources and creating a place where we can healthily talk about mental hygiene and and just exercise our brains,” she said.

The young organization has grown a lot in three years. One of the main services it offers is anonymous mental health screenings. King said those have grown in popularity. Already this year they have conducted more than 700 from Aspen to Parachute. They hope to double that by the end of the year.

To learn more about the organization and Hike to Heal, click here.