Whiteout: Lost in Aspen

Conover ( Coyote ) entertainingly assesses his two years in the resort town of Aspen, Colo. He begins his investigation as a driver for the antiestablishment Mellow Yellow Cab Co.--although most passengers are anonymous and often inebriated, he encounters rock group Fleetwood Mac, who sit in his icy taxi as he flags down a truck for a jump start. Conover misses no chance for Aspen's version of enlightenment: He crashes an exclusive party for actor Don Johnson; delightedly acquires Jack Nicholson's ski mask when the actor forgets it at a restaurant; visits too-agreeable singer John Denver, whose sentimentality is mercilessly satirized by locals; and meets gonzo journalist Hunter Thompson. Eventually he signs on as a reporter for the Aspen Times and is nearly seduced by the town, donning trendy recreational gear and looking askance at Denver, Aspen's plebian neighbor. Disillusionment sets in, however, as he researches Aspen's exorbitantly priced and exceedingly popular New Age retreats, witnesses the dangers of outdoor adventure, learns about escalating real estate values and notices numerous reformed idealists. Low-key, objective and unpretentious, Conover avoids cynicism, letting Aspen's events and individuals speak for themselves. (Dec.)