Stoked on Volkl

Rippin' Skis 2011 Volkl Kendo from Gorsuch.The 3" rule was in effect in Aspen yesterday.  Everybody at AspenSpin got the day off to ski the 3 inches of POW  POW on Ajax.  Our friends at GORSUCH SKI SHOP made the day a little more special by busting out a brand new pair of 2011 VOLKL KENDO skis.   Gorsuch is always ahead of the curve when it comes to new equipment and they shared the wealth with AspenSpin by letting us rip the sick new 2011  Kendos.---an extension of the famous Volkl Mantra line.

Lifestyle Shot with the 2011 Volkl Kendo.Lets just say we're are stoked on Volkl.  Our quiver of skis is already pretty full, but we're gonna make room for the Kendos next year.  We rode the 177's, 88mm underfoot (127-88-109) with a slight kick tail---a slimmed down version of the Volkl Mantra.  These sticks are so responsive that they actually turned themselves----for real.  We took a few groomers to get the feel.  The Kendos are extremely stable (full vertical side-wall) and super quick turning.  They felt a little stiff at first, but once we got used to the ultra-engaging shape --these 2 planks rode like a finely tuned race car.  We eventually took them into more challenging terrain-- The Dumps, Super 8 Gully, Henry's, Corkscrew etc. We avoided all rocks, stumps and obtacles (as we promised Jared).  These bad boys gave us everything we needed. High performance does not even begin to describe a ski that converts flawed technique into downhill energy and confidence. If you're looking for an all mountain ski that's substantial, yet zippy and can take you anywhere on the mountain-- put the Volkl Kendo on your list for 2011. 

Kendo means "way of the sword" and according to Andy-Party, these boards "carve dat sh*t up".

Ed Cross, Canadian Racer, Travis Dawson and Johnny Aspen hanging with the Kendos.

2 Germans, One Swiss. Face time w/ the Volkl Kendos.

Aspen Highland Bowl

Earn your turns, bro.   The Aspen Highland Bowl is the closest thing to backcountry skiing within the confines of a ski resort.  Mac Smith and his crew of dedicated ski patrollers at Aspen Highlands have created the best in-bounds skiing in the world.  There's one catch, you have to hike up about 1000 vertical feet to get at it.  The Loge ski lift lets you off at about 11,000 feet and the top of Aspen Highland Bowl is just 2000 steps away.   Live-a-little --- take a lap.

Get after it---but don't poach our lines.   Learn more, click ASPEN HIGHLAND BOWL.

Vince Lahey, TV Star and Big Mountain Skier greets A. Party at the top of Aspen Highland Bowl.

Happy to be alive after 2000 steps at 12,000 feet. Aspen Highland Bowl.

You never know who you'll meet at the top of Aspen Highland Bowl. NASCAR racer Brian Vickers (left) and his crew, including Dave from Campo.

The Best POW.

POWDER is best served DEEP.  Aspen finally got a real storm.  It was a major DUMP.  We lost track of the inches but Feb 19-22 were the 4 best days of the season. The crescendo being Monday -February 22.  Over a foot fell on Ajax Sunday night and the ASPEN POWDER HOUNDS got after it, early and often.  We all got a case of the Mondays ---ALL DAY LONG.  It was light and deep and totally stompable.  All the usual suspects were out on Ajax as the 12" rule (nobody works) was in effect.

We overheard certain someones complaining about getting "snowed in".  Its the people getting snowed out who should be upset.

POW Day on Ajax. A Team

 Corey and Sascha. Laps on 6.

Snowy Dog. Photo: Daniel Bayer / ASC

Vince eyeballs the S1 Cliffs.

 Vince and Yale stomping tricks in Walsh's

First Tracks: Aspen

Yeah, dude, Git Sum. It finally snowed double digits in Aspen. AspenSpin scored a first tracks hat trick, getting early access to the Gondola Fri. Sat. and Sun.  First Tracks....anybody can do it-- you have to sign up in advance--- and be there at 8 a.m. First Tracks is a hidden gem.

Twenty-some inches of POW POW fell on Ajax this weekend. We claimed our share. Its been a difficult season POW-wise so it was so sweeeeeet to get some softness. It felt like 2007 for a minute.

John Miller is a dedicated first-tracker. The host of Miller Time on Aspen TV, Channel 19 (Thur. 8.30 am), John does first tracks every day. He's raising money for The Buddy Program one lap-at-a time.  A-Spin woke up at dawn and got to sample the untracked with Miller and the early shift---THREE DAYS in a ROW.  Click the pix to ENLARGE.

John Miller (center)and his FIRST TRACKS crew. Adam, Hess, Paul and Paula

Skiing legend Klaus Obermeyer ripping FIRST TRACKS at 90, with Andy-PartyThe POW Crew waiting for the last bomb to blow.First Tracks /POW Day #3. Party, Miller, Paula

Aspen Writers' Foundation

Jared Diamond surveys the SRO crowd in AspenDiamond told cautionary tales of societies past and present.The Cultural options in Aspen are vast.   

Aspen Writers' Foundations' 13th Annual Winter Words is one of the most interesting lecture series presented in Aspen.

Tonight we attended a talk given by JARED DIAMOND, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Guns, Gems and Steel.  In addition to the Pulitzer, he's won the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and the National Medal of Science.  WOW, he's pretty accomplished, and interesting too.

A renown Prof. at UCLA, Diamond wowed the SRO crowd with his fascinating tales of societies past and present.  Listening to Professor Diamond made A-Spin yearn for school dayz.  We're gonna have to make due with a POW Day tomorrow.

Click 2 learn more about JARED DIAMOND, WINTER WORDS and ASPEN WRITERS' FOUNDATION.   

Click the pix to enlarge.

Reading is Sexy. Lisa A. Consiglio Exec. Director of Aspen Writers' Foundation

    Jared Diamond about to sign a ton of books in Aspen at Winter Words. AWF.