Death by Skiing.

I love skiing.  Skiing and riding are inherantly risky.

2 men died on the mountain near Aspen yesterday.  One, a snowboarder, Gabriel Hilliard, 30 was impaled on a branch riding Canopy Cruiser at Aspen Highlands.  The other, Keith Ames, 43 was buried in an avalanche on Burnt Mountain in the Snowmass side country.  Condolences to their families and friends.

Then today, the news that the entire skiing world was dreading...Sarah Burke, 29 of Squamish B.C. succumbed to the injuries she suffered in training on January 10, 2012.  Sarah was a super star and a pioneer in Women's Super Pipe, a 4 -Time X-Games Gold Medalist.  She was one of the nicest and most professional skiers on the circuit.  Everybody loved her, because she was a sweetheart.   Our prayers go out to her husband Rory Bushfield and her family.  The entire mountain sports community mourns her passing.

Help defray some of Sarah's medical expenses; Click the photo above

While the 3 incidents are unrelated, they all occurred on the slopes.  Pushing the envelope on the mountain is fun and thrilling. Skiing and riding aggressively is part of the fun...I get it.  Too many skiers and snowboarders are dying on snow. Pro's and amateurs alike. Once in a while something goes wrong and a skier or rider doesn't come home.  It seems as if the stakes have been raised in the past couple years and that going BIG is getting.... to BIG.  In bounds or out of bounds.  Please take a moment to reflect on these tragedies and determine your own tolerance for risk...and then dial it back a notch or two.   Have the utmost respect for speed and big air and the snow conditions, because paying the ultimate price is just not worth it.

BE SAFE on SNOW.  

Ames and Hilliard will certainly be mourned.  Sarah Burke touched so many lives and inspired so many people.  She will be missed greatly.  The photos contained below are a small retrospective of Sarah's visits to Aspen and interactions with AspenSpin.

Red Carpet Shot. X Games 3D, the Movie.Sarah and her PVA Cup.

Sarah Burke: Photo Eric Lars Bakke / ESPN Images.Sarah with her dad Gord and pal Eric.Sarah with Sage and C.R. (R.I.P).With her ladies at the Fantasy Factory party for Summer X Games.Autograph sesh. in Aspen.

 Sarah and Dav.Sarah always made time for the media.Sarah was the best of the best. Wall of Fame.The Lady Rippers.Photo: Flip McCrickick /ESPN ImagesPhoto: Eric Lars Bakke / ESPN ImagesSarah ahd Vijay.Summer X with the skiers.

Rest in Peace Sarah Burke. She was the BEST.

Aspen: The Land of FREE.

When you live in a place where the average price of a single family home exceeds $5 Million, getting some FREE STUFF is da bomb.  AspenSpin has fully embraced the swag lifestyle and the 61st Annual WinterSkol weekend in Aspen kept us fully engaged and entertained all weekend without spending a penny.  That's right...we jammed for the entire weekend without dipping into our pocket once.  Niiiiice.

Click 4 PIX.  FREE STUFF in ASPEN

The skiing is still our main focus, and you may have read about the below average snowpack in the Rocky Mountains and the Western U.S. as reported by the NEW YORK TIMES....but it's still plenty fun in Aspen, Colorado.   There's no doubt we could use some snow...but there is nothing wrong with ripping laps on finely groomed cordouroy, feeling the wind and sun in your face, enjoying the awesome mountains that Mother Nature has given us.  Sure some of the double diamonds are closed and many of steeper runs have rocks, stumps and other unmarked obstacles in the way...but that's why they invented ROCK SKIS.

Winterskol 2012 in Aspen. Click 4 Pix.Winterskol is Aspen's annual celebration of Winter that is held during the second week in January.  There was a whole slate of FUN and FREE events...something for everyone.   Winterskol is by far the best thing that the Aspen Chamber of Commerce does.  The locals and tourists both love Winterskol and all the activities are FREE.

We also watched a lot of compelling NFL playoff football.  While TIM TEBOW and the Denver Broncos were blown off the field by the Patriots we simply continued to enjoy Winterskol with absolutely zero cash outflow.   Since there are plenty of New Englanders in Aspen...there were plenty of "friendly rivalries" in the bars of Aspen.  I was a little surprised at the poor sportsmanship displayed by some of the New England fans.  Heads up to the Beantowners ---try winning with class...it's waaaay cool.

CLICK 4 PIX    FREE STUFF in ASPEN

FREE HIGHLIGHTS from Winterskol include:

MEN's and WOMEN's HEALTH  VIP TENT:  Free massages and a sick 02 bar.  Free food and drinks and bags filled with swag... all this at the base of Ajax.

SOUPSKOL:  30 Aspen Restaurants ladling out free soup to thousands of people and a very competitive soup-off, won by Ute City Grill.

KING and QUEEN of WINTERSKOL.  Congratulations to Ted and Christy Sauer Mahon.

THE WHEELER OPERA HOUSE:  Free Shows on both Friday and Saturday Night in the historic venue.

ICE SCULPTURE Comp. FIREWORKS on Ajax,Fashion A DOGGIE FASHION SHOW, Free Kettle Corn and Cotton Candy and the AIR FORCE ACADEMY BAND and CLOWNS. 

In the Soup. Yalonda and Sharon competing at SoupSkol.THE RED ONION serving up hot soup to thousands in Aspen. Click 4 more pix.The King and Queen of Winterskol 2012. Long may they reign. Ted and Christy Sauer Mahon.

Sector 7G jamming for FREE at the historic WHEELER OPERA HOUSE for Winterskol.Over 50 dogs entered the Canine Fashion Show in Aspen during Winterskol. click 4 more pix.

The Dog Days of January in Aspen

COMING SOON.

Gotta go hit the groomers on Ajax.  Click back later today for some sick pix and ridiculous commentary.

Party/ OUT

Sarah J. Burke. Golden Girl

We got some terrible news via social media late this afternoon.  Sarah J. Burke, 29 of Squamish B.C. a professional skier was seriously injured in a demo run at a sponsor event in Park City and airlifted with a respirator to Salt Lake City.

Sarah is a pro's pro...and a very sweet young lady and a pioneer of her sport... skiing super pipe.  She's a 4-Time X-Games Gold Medalist...the first Woman to go REALLY BIG. She's a sponsor's dream... a beautiful sexy blue eyed blonde with a thousand watt smile...who is super-nice to everyone.  She's Canadian..it's hard not to love her.

Sarah Burke has graced the digi of AspenSpin on numerous occasions.

Click 4 pix:   SARAH BURKE PIX

Details are sketchy, but we're under the impression that it's a head injury.  "Very Serious" according to the Vancouver Sun.

Sarah Burke is a BIG, BRIGHT SHINING STAR and we are praying for her full recovery.

Mile High in Denver.

Lack of snow can upset the apple cart in Aspen.  While the uphill transportation, the grooming and the mountain management have all been excellent this year...Mother Nature has not cooperated. 

What do you do in Aspen when the skiing sucks....ROAD TRIP.

AspenSpin skeedaddled it down to Denver just in time for the National Western Stock Show Parade on the 17th Street Canyon.  We also perused the International Sportsman's Expo at the Denver Convention Center.  Carmelo and I found a sweeeeet dog-friendly hotel in Downtown Denver and we wined, dined, hit the movies and recuperated from an active holiday season.  Some people go to the spa to decompress and chill out.  We hit the gritty urban streets of Denver, Colorado.

When you live the swag lifestyle...you got to go where the action is.  The Sportsman's Expo had some decent free stuff, yo...a sick camo lid, floating key chains, a book on extreme survival techniques and tons of beef jerky samples.  The streets of LoDo were bustling as it was sunny and 68 degrees.  A late afternoon game of fetch in the park, an art flick and a late-night Satire Lounge burrito completed the trip.