Om on the Range: How Colorado Became a Hub of Tibetan Buddhism | Politics | New West Network

When the Dalai Lama appeared in Aspen last weekend, it was filled with plenty of only-in-Aspen sorts of moments. He met with likely Republican presidential candidate John McCain at a private West End home where McCain was also hosting a fundraiser. Speaking in front of an audience at the Aspen Institute, the first question from the crowd came from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

There is another side to this place, though. Sure, Aspen is famous for its glitz, but the surrounding Roaring Fork Valley, and Colorado as a whole, is an epicenter of Tibetan Buddhism, Western style, and the Dalai Lama’s visit tapped into that enthusiasm.