Best Closing Day of All Time (and I don't mean the Party)

Aspen: Closing Day = POW Day.For the entire ski season in Aspen we've been Jones-ing for the POW.  Sure we got a little taste. A foot dropped directly on the ground in early December, and we did get those 4 snowy days in a row in February....pretty siiiiick. Other than that, not much  more than a dusting in the snow department.

THE POW PIX    and    THE PARTY PIX

Today is closing day in Aspen. Most people had already hung up their sticks weeks ago.  Temps had been 60 degrees or warmer for like 40 straight days.  In what seems like a true irony, last night it nuked continuously.  12"-15" up top was the call and almost a foot in town.  Whaaaaaaaaaaaat???   Your're kidding me, right?? It was the second dryest March in Colorado history and I had already packed away all my warm gear...and my ski quiver (including my fatties) was tuned and ready for next year.  Yesterday on Aspen Mountain there were more brown spots and exposed rock beds than I had ever seen during any ski season.  There were even a couple "stop and walks" on the cat tracks. But today, on closing day....a legit POW Day???

Click 4 pix.  THE POW PIX

The Bond of the POW.When I went to bed it was full-on dumping. This morning I awoke very early in anticipation.  I broke out the Carmelo-meter (my dog) to accurately determine the snow depth and POW quality.  Turns out it was siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick.  My dog and I got some serious POW time at the base.  She was freaking out with joy and eventually (after an hour) Carmelo agreed to get back on her leash.  I then geared up quickly and pulled out my new side-stashes and hit the Gondy. All the usual suspects were there.  I tried not to think about the turf that was oh so close underneath.  It was no time for an injury.  Freshies and copious face shots were claimed.  It was a fabulous way to finish off a less than awesome season.  105 days...not a bad score.

THE PARTY at Aspen Highlands...it was decent.  Not like in years past.  If you ask me..something was off a beat.  Maybe it was the early closing (originally AH was to close on April 22).  Maybe it has evolved into such a BIG event that the expectations are unobtainable.  Maybe its just the party people and many of the hard core skiers and riders skipped it?  Maybe it has jumped the shark?   Sure, everyone was drinking their faces off and had their onesies on, but it just wasn't on par with past years. 

I did what I do...I took tons of sick pix.  

Click 4 Pix:  THE PARTY PIX.

!2"-15" of Fresh snow on Closing Day in Aspen. Click 4 POW pix.

4 miles high. The bus ride to Aspen Highlands. click 4 PARTY PIX.The Aspen Highlands Closing Day Party. Has it jumped the shark? Click 4 PARTY PIX.Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle at Aspen Highlands. Click 4 PARTY PIX.

(Almost) Off Season.

Art Start at The Red Brick Click 4 pix.Ski Season 2011/12;  Measured in inches....it was pretty sh*tty....but measured in fun....pretty darn good.  The ski season is coming  to a close in Aspen,but AspenSpin is sprinting to finish and still snapping pix like crazy.  Click the links to see our handiwork.

ART START:  It's the annual kids art show. Original artwork from children at all four Aspen Schools (K-8) is selected by their teachers for display at The Red Brick Community Art Center in conjunction with Art Start.  Witnessing the excitement of a young child when they find their own work on the wall and then showing it off to their parents is a wonderful experience.  All the kids were there for the glory as well as the pizza, soda and art.  Click ART START for more pix.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP of SYNCHRONIZED SKIING:  Every year Synchro teams from all over the World come to Aspen to vie for the title of World Champion.   Teams of 8...(men and women) ski in formation looking for the perfect combo of style, speed and synchronicity.  The year the team from BEAVER CREEK took home top honors defeating the 2-Time defending champs.. Aspen Demo Team.  The competitors are mostly high-level ski instuctors who train together vigorously all year.  Aspen mountain can barely contain all the egos at one time...but it's definately fun to watch.  CLICK: ASPEN SYNCHRO

ASPEN JUNIOR HOCKEY 40th Anniversary.   Aspen is a hockey town.  Kids and adults keep the two rinks going 24/7.  Aspen Junior Hockey was started in 1972 by local legend John McBride.  McBride who played for Princeton and was a member of the U.S. National Team back in the day started the program with just 12 kids.  This past season 323 children played with AJH.  Aspen has produced State Champs and some excellent players over the years.  The 40th Anniversary Alumni Game was a raucous, fast paced affair that ended in a tie.   Mr. McBride, now 74, laced up his skates to play for the Green squad, but he was taken out of the game by the goon tactics of the Yellows. In what is the most bone-headed play of all-time, McBride suffered a fractured fibula and dislocated hip when he was taken to the ice on the opening faceoff.  Everybody in Aspen wishes him a speedy and full recovery.  The after-party for parents and coaches took on a life of its own. CLICK 4 PIX: ASPEN JUNIOR HOCKEY 40th Anniversary.

The BEST 2 INCH POW DAY of ALL TIME.  After getting skunked for snow in March, April is showing off its POW.   We got 2 legit inches on Thursday Night and it turned the skiing into a super-fun thrill ride on Friday.  We got a dusting on top of the concrete-like base that had been melting and freezing for weeks.  The combination worked and several die-hards (AspenSpin being one) were seen shredding the gnar.  In fact its snowing right now.  5"-9" are expected for closing day.  CLICK:  2 INCHES of HEAVEN.

Aspen Junior Hockey celebrated 40 Years with an Alumni game and HUGE Party. click 4 pix.Aspen Demo Team trying to three-peat, came in a close 2nd. Featuring extreme athlete Nick Hill. Click for pix.Aspen Junior Hockey Squirt B parents. Clcik for more pix.The BEST 2 inch POW Day of ALL-TIME on Aspen Mountain. click 4 pix.Eco-Fashionistas at Art Start at the Red Brick. Click 4 pix.

Schatz Family BLOWS up in Aspen.

(Dateline):  Aspen, Colorado

Schatz and Allison in Aspen. Click 2 ENLARGEMichael Schatz is a modern day Mike Brady.  He and his fiancée Allison and their matched set of kids hit the BIG Time in Aspen.  They did it all, they were skiing and boarding and biking and hiking, and fishing and dishing...and that's just during the day.  I'm guessing the Go Pro footy from Schatz' head-cam is siiiiiiiiiick.  Tasting a little of the Snowmass Nightlife never hurt anybody either....right?.  Alas, on Monday,  Schatz headed back to the Merc. where he slings futures around like they were Krispy Kremes.  Everyone at AspenSpin is "Tebowing" for a bull market.

Go. Shatz Go.Avery, Aaron and Alden...The A Team in Aspen.Schatz and his posse.In the Fort at SnowmassAspenSpin wants to see that Go Pro footage. I'm guessing its compelling video content.

The Fishing is siiiiiiiiiick in Aspen.

Back 2 Back Parties

AspenWeather.net. Plan your POW Day. Click 4 pix.It was a nice little Tuesday during the off season (almost). 2 parties in one night at the same place, Sky Bar.

The first soiree was in honor of Phil Le Roux, a 10 year Aspen vet and one of the top ski instructors at Aspen / Snowmass.  He's pulling the plug.  Guernsey's heading to Verbier to start his own ski and guiding company.  We wish him the best of luck on his new entrepreneurial adventure.   Click the pix to see yourself on FaceBook;  BACK 2 BACK Parties.

Thew second bash was the unofficial kick-off for AspenWeather.net.   Ryan Boudreau and Cory Gates are blowing it up BIG time on the internet.  Their weather site is stroming Aspen.  good luck to those guys as they try to predict the weather and help "plan your POW Day". 

Some of you may have seen my comment on FB about Wagner Park being closed for 3 months as an accommodation for The Food and Wine Classic (a 3 day event).  I'm calling bullsh*t on that.  I remember when people came to Aspen for the NATURAL BEAUTY, the RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES and the LAID BACK VIBE.   Now we need to offer Veuve Cliquot and Fireworks to attract the crowds.  I've opined before about the economic impact of some of our special events.  I keep hearing how "great" they are for the community. Tell me,  how great are they?  Let's put a number on it.  How many room nights, how many growlers of beer, how many fly fishing trips.   What's the true economic value?   No one loves events more than AspenSpin...but at what cost?  And for whose benefit. Follow the dollars.  Do the numbers, City of Aspen, before you tell us how "great" the events are and use our resources...you should measure the impact.

I give Aspen / Snowmass credit for tweeting honestly about today's high winds, lightening and the Gondy being on hold. When I saw the Limelight tweeting about the snow...I had to laugh. 

37The Limelight Hotel ‏ @LimelightAspen

"A little birdie just told us that it's snowing on top of #Aspen Mtn right now. There's a bit more winter out there yet! @AspenSnowmass "

Maybe it will snow this weekend?  We're counting on it.

Phil "Guernsey" Le Roux and his boys. Good luck in Verbier, mate.Amanda showing her Aussie Mates...how its done Aspen Style. Click 4 pix.

For the Love of Snow

Aspen Mountain melting fast. 4/9/12 Click to Enlarge.I'm worried about the snow. 

Maybe the POW season in Aspen was just an aberration...like '76-'77, but I'm concerned about the future.  Climate change seems to be happening a lot faster than Al Gore said it would.   It's been 60 in Aspen almost every day for a month...very unusual.  The 2nd dryest March on record in Colorado.  I've spent 9 full ski seasons in Aspen and this one was by far the worst.   The skiing was adequate and I commend the Aspen Skiing company and their mountain operations crew for keeping up the conditions on Aspen Mountain so skiable.  For the amount of snow we received...it was pretty good.

I've been holding this in all Winter.  Sure I got in 102 ski days (and counting).  Sure its still fun, but the POW is my passion.  Hard-packed icy bumps...not really my thang.  By my count we only had 6 legit POW days all season.  Compare that to '07-'08 and '08-'09 when there were at least 40 POW days per seaz.  The lack of BIG storms, the freaky wind events, the mist and fog that used to fall as snow...it all scares me.

I've always been a worrier and a planner.  College, then awesome work experience ( if you can call being a CPA awesome), top MBA school, eventually finding the right place at the right time on Wall Street.  All that worrying and planning eventually paid off for me.  I sweated the small stuff.  Since I moved to Aspen, I let go of some of the worries. I started planning my life one-day-at-a-time. No schedule, no obligations.  Life was sweet...skiing every day, partying every night.  Nothing to worry about...i'm living the dream.

But now I'm worried.  Climate change is real.

I googled climate change and the top 3 entries came up as follows.  Read for yourslf.

Environmental Protection Agency

 Wikipedia

 NY Times

I'm scared.  So I stopped drinking bottled water.  I now tote my groceries in a cloth bag.  I hardly ever drive my car.  I recycle.  I've tried to embrace a more simple life-style.  Less consumption, and more awareness of the environment in every step I take. 

These are baby-steps.  Can one person make a difference?  I don't think so...but everyone has to pitch in starting NOW.   We all need to work together ASAP.  There are huge governmental agencies and thousands of non-profits devoted to climate change...but are they finding a solution?

This is not just an American issue...it's a global problem.  So wherever you are, I urge you to take baby steps STARTING NOW.  Do the little things to cut your consumption back.  Don't let your private jet fly home empty. Don't use your air-conditioning when its cool and breezy outside.  Don't water your lawn in the heat of the day.  Whatever, sweat the little stuff...do it for the love of SNOW.