Meet Aaron King, Snowmass local and owner of King Yoga.
Iconic Local, Aaron King
Anyone who’s taken a yoga class from Aaron King knows it’s hard to sit still. The meditation part takes practice, but during the higher intensity portions of his vinyasa classes, the music is just too good to not wiggle a little. Given his background, working in the music industry in Chicago and Los Angeles in the ’90s, it’s appropriate that groovy sounds are part of his regular routine.
King left the the music scene to move to Colorado in 2004, but he didn’t leave the music when he opened King Yoga, in 2006, at the Airport Business Center. (He previously ran a studio in Scottsdale as well.) For 12 years, he operated a successful space that drew yogis from all over the valley. But when that studio shut in 2018, a new opportunity opened in Snowmass Village, where he also lives. Now, King can walk to work, running yoga classes out of King Yoga Snowmass, which opens December 2019. The studio fills a void in Snowmass, where there weren’t a lot of options to practice before. And that puts some extra pep in everyone’s dance steps—including King’s.
What do you love about Snowmass? It’s a hidden gem as far as beauty, locals and Zen-ing out on a hike or near a river. It’s about to explode.
What got you into yoga? I was introduced to yoga in ’98 while working in the music industry for six years. It exposed me to so many different styles of music that eventually made their way onto my King Yoga playlists and [into my] classes. Yoga is a miracle drug that gets you so naturally high.
What does your normal day look like? I wake up to the sounds of Phish and brew a strong cup of Red Butte Roasters coffee. Then I rock out a yoga class, then hit the mountain. Snowboarding is my jam. I teach après/evening King Yoga class at the studio, then chill and watch the sunset from my deck. It’s not a bad day.
How long have you been teaching? I’ve been teaching yoga for 20 years and still have such a love for sharing my gifts with others. I found yoga in L.A. in ’98 while working in the music business. It completely shifted the direction of my life in all the best of ways. ‘Yoga Music Life’ became crystal clear to me, and I started teaching after my first training. It was about bringing people together, co-creating a healing and positive vibration of loving kindness toward ourselves and each other, raising our levels of consciousness, and building stronger relationships and communities through yoga.
What is your favorite spot in Snowmass? I love to hike the Ditch and Rim trails. They have views that keep on giving. I also love the Thursday night concerts on Fanny Hill.
What is your best trick for navigating Snowmass? Take the free bus. It’s so easy to get around the village and to Aspen with RFTA. It’s very user-friendly.
What’s your favorite ski run? It’s hard to choose one, but I really like Baby Ruth; it’s superchallenging with fluffy pow in the trees.
Can you tell us one secret about Snowmass? It’s so much quieter than Aspen. There’s less traffic on the roads and hiking trails. But it’s up-and-coming.
What’s your favorite drink? Coconut water
What’s your favorite thing to eat? Avocado sushi roll
Photography by: Courtesy of Aaron King
