AVSC 75th Anniversary Party

The Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club (AVSC) officially celebrated it's 75th Anniversary with a major blow-out bash at Bumps Restaurant at Buttermilk.    AVSC is the largest local Winter Sports Club in the country. This season AVSC reached 2,175 participants, provided 675 scholarships and donated 300 sets of equipment.  AVSC offers competitive and recreational programs in Alpine, Nordic, Freeride, Snowboard and Adaptive disciplines.   AVSC has produced 23 Olympians, 19 X Games Athletes,  19 members of the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and countless numbers of U.S. Ski Team competitors and collegiate athletes. 

75 years is an amazing acomplishment.  Click 4 pix: AVSC 75

Everyone in Aspen is aware of AVSC's young athletes.  They stand out on the mountain... buzzing around in a variety of distinctive uniforms, ripping up the terrain with skill and speed.  While the competitive teams are known for their success,  the mission of AVSC is to "Provide all youth in the greater Roaring Fork Valley an opportunity to develop as athletes and as people through Winter sports". The History of AVSC is illustrious.  The club started in the Winter of 36/37, 10 years before Aspen Skiing Company.  Learn more  about the club, click TEAM AVSC.

AVSC is an exhaulted member of the Aspen community and it was no surprise that AVSC went BIG for their 75th.  Everybody was there.  Hands were shaken, backs were slapped and kisses and hugs were prevalent.  Families with 3 or 4 generations of AVSC participants filled Bumps to capacity.  Awards were given for Athletic Achievement, Vision, Family, Community Impact, Volunteerism and more.   The award winners are a who's who of Aspen's A-Team. The Marolts,  Bob Beattie, Jeff Gorsuch, Dick Butera, David Stapleton, Aspen Skiing Company, Gretchen Bleiler, Andy Mill and others.  

AVSC also announced their plans to raise $15 million.   $7.5 mil for the Bob Beattie Perpetual Endowment Fund to provide for under privileged kids.  The other  $7.5 mil for is training facilities, tramps, ramps, foam pits and hopefully a nordic jumping site.   AVSC has already received pledges for more than $5mil, so they are well on their way.

It was a great night.  Click 4 pix.  AVSC 75

Gretchen Bleiler (with her husband Chris) received the AVSC Athletic Excellence AwardAspen Ski Co. CEO Mike Kaplan accepted the Most Valuable Partner Award from AVSC. Click 4 pixWold Cup Skier Wiley Maple and his dude Sam met some AVSC ladies at the 75th. Cllick 4 pix.Olympian Andy Mill kept it light as he accepted an Athletic Excellence Award. click 4 more pix.The entire Marolt Family recieved the Legacy Award at the AVSC 75th. Click 4 pix.

Fallen Friends and Protect Our Winters

If you've been to Aspen, Colorado than you know our Valley is one of the most beautiful places in the world.  The majestic Rocky Mountains, the roaring rivers and the high alpine forests provide us with the beautiful natural amphitheater in which we live and play.

Whether you are a local or a tourist it's easy to understand the attractions of Aspen.

 Saturday AspenSpin attended fund-raisers for two extremely important issues, Fallen Friends and Protect Our Winters.  They are issues that affect us locally but have global implications.  At A-Spin we tend to focus on the good times... but these two subjects are becoming increasingly crucial in mountain communities across the globe.

Clic 4 Pix:  Fallen Friends & Protect Our Winters

FALLEN FRIENDs is a memorial event at Aspen Highlands to honor those skiers and riders who have paid the ultimate price. Many of our friends have lost their lives...sure, it's doing what they love, but it's not worth it.  Fallen Friends is a blow out party "for the brothers who aren't here", but it's small compensation for the pain and sorrow of losing a loved one.  Aspen and other ski towns have lost waaaaaaaaaay to many young people to the mountains. Skiing and riding have always been inherently risky endeavors...the syndrome of "pushing the envelope" has created an increasing number of fatalities in the mountain and action sports communities.  We get it...going BIG is fun.  An adrenaline rush is a great feeling.  Sending a previously un-skied line or hucking an un-huckable cliff might get you sponsored or get you a starring role in a ski flick.   AspenSpin will say it loud and clear.  IT'S NOT WORTH IT.   Think before you go.  If it seems to sketchy...it probably is.  RESPECT MOTHER NATURE because she can take you any time she wants to.  Nuff said. 

PROTECT OUR WINTERS.   AspenSpin is not a climate change expert and we cannot solve this immense  worldwide problem with our little blog. But we can help raise money and awareness to fight climate change.  All of us on earth have a COMMON GOAL to find a solution to PROTECT OUR WINTERS (POW).  Chris Davenport and Jeff Halverty along with The Regal Nightclub gave back by throwing an informational fund-raiser.  Click the POW link to find out how you can help.  Act locally... start doing the little things at home. Recycle and re-use.  If we all work together we can Protect Our Winters and keep shredding.

Enough preachin'.  Click my SICK PIX....thaz wut i do.

FALLEN FRIENDS               PROTECT OUR WINTERS

HBO's Jon Frankel and POW Host Chris Davenport at the Protect Our Winters Event

The Silver Rush

The USOC brought out the A-Team for Silver Rush.SNOW MAGAZINE pulled out all the stops in Aspen last night to present the inaugural SILVER RUSH Event and Gala to benefit the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).  Silver Rush was structured as a fast moving mobile cocktail party including 7 separate in-store events  thorough-out down-town Aspen, topped off with a Gala party with dancing, drinks and a silent auction at The Baldwin Gallery.

Click 4 pix.  SILVER RUSH

Donors, Olympians and well-heeled party guests were feted with food and drinks throughout the core provided by Aspen's finest restaurants.  The night was warm and clear as Silver Rush patrons strolled through Aspen and mingled at their favorite retails stops including Caribou Club, Gorsuch, Buccellati, The North Face and others.

Olympic Champions Dawn Harper (reining 110 meter Hurdle Gold medalist) Evan Lysacek (reining Men's Olympic figure skating champion) and Nate Holland (2 time Olympic Snowboarder and 6-Time X games Gold medalist) took time out from their training to celebrate with a who's who of Aspen's glitterari and to raise money for the USOC.

There were a few of speeches and a wee bit of a fund-raising push from the USOC...but Silver Rush was a night filled with food, drinks, dancing and fun.  Everyone had a blast.   Snow Mag's Editor-in Chief David Gibson, Founder and Publisher Barbara Sanders and the entire staff including Daniel Swinford, Maggie Strassel and Julie Wilson put on an awesome soiree that went late into the night.   Aspen socialites mingled with Olympic Athletes to create an atmosphere that can only be described at mountain town chic.  "It was an extremely successful event" shared Sanders as the night wound down.  "It was a beautiful crowd, I can't wait for next year" added  Swinford.  AspenSpin could see the wheels turning for a bigger, better Silver Rush next year.

Click the pix:   SILVER RUSH.

Dawn Harper Gold Medal Hurdler, Evan Lysacek, Gold Medal Figure Skater and Nate Holland who plans to win Gold at Sochi in 2014. click 4 pix.The Snow Mag team pulled out all the stops for Silver Rush.in aspen. Click 4 pix.The Shot-ski made an appearence at The North Face in-store event. Click 4 pix.

7908: Music at Elevation

The 3rd annual 7908: Aspen Songwriters Festival is underway at The Historic Wheeler Opera House.  7908 (Mar 21-25) is always a highlight and this year it includes 5 days of fun and music at 7908 feet above sea level in Aspen, Colorado.  7908 is a joint venture between John Oates and The Wheeler and showcases some of the finest singer / songwriters in America.  It's music that elevates your soul.

Keep clickin' AspenSpin for daily photo updates. 

4 pix Click:  7908: Music at Elevation.

For tickets and info:  Click  7908 Festival Info

This year's festival includes some new stuff.

*The Colorado Songwriter's Competition

*The Berklee Songwriters Circle from Berklee College of Music

*Live Webcasts on Stageit

*Several Free Shows

Jam Session. Darrell Scott got some musical support from Sam Bush, John Oates and Bryn DaviesDarrell Scott and his Doppelganger. clcik 4 pix.Adam Aijala and Ben Kaufmann from the Yonder Mountain String Band. Click 4 pix.

Skiing with Haute Hippie

At AspenSpin we are inundated with P.R. inquiries...about 25 per week.  The vast majority of them are irrelevant to our viewers.  Hello??? We don't do advertorials about diapers, batteries, video games or nutritional supplements.  We stick to our core competency...skiing every day and partying every night.

When I was contacted by Haute Hippie...something clicked. I thought to myself, "it's a super-cool name, I wonder what they do?"  The initial contact was a friendly and personal invitation to attend their in-store event during Aspen Fashion Week.  Haute Hippie / Haute Hoodie...I wasn't even sure where the store was located, or what their concept was all about.  We made a few calls to our fasionista network. Turns out all the stylish ladies know about Haute Hippie.  "It's awesome" said one of my NYC friends.  "Their stuff is so cool" exclaimed another fashion forward friend from Cali.  A third call revealed the same thing... Haute Hippie is a very, very hot name in fashion.

Click the pix:   Skiing with Haute Hippie

Haute Hoodie in-strore even in Aspen.The Aspen concept store is a joint venture with Gorsuch and is located in The Little Nell (next to Dennis Basso).  We decided to check it out.  WOW.  Haute Hippie and it's related line Haute Hoodie are more than just labels ... Haute Hippie is a lifestyle.  The small retail space was filled with garments that looked stylish, comfortable and luxurious...plus the sales-person, Alex is smoking hot.  I took a few sick-pix and I was on my way.

I received a text, Jesse Cole, Co-founder and Co-Creative Director of Haute Hippie and Haute Hoodie was in Aspen on a boys trip.  Do I want to meet him?

Jesse who's main vocation is finance co-founded the HH fashion lines with his wife Trish Wescoat Pound.  Trish is the designer and Jesse is the muse. I learned a lot, Haute Hippie is a true labor of love.  It's about producing chic, elegant and comfortable clothes that can be dressed up..or dressed down.  It's about the deluxe knit fabrics and a sophisticated mind-set.  HH is designed for and inspired by global nomads, people on the go.  It's clothing that can function in a vast array of world-wide arenas. HH is for times when you want to experience ultra comfort...but you still want to look cool.   Jesse explained that Trish is a "rock and roll bohemian and a global gypsy" and upon further review of her collections,  it became clear that Haute Hippie and Haute Hoodie truly reflect that ethos.  Jesse's passion for Trish and their co-creation was evident and real. He explained that HH was inspired by music, travel and experiences.  "They should be your favorite Sunday clothes" he added.

Haute Hippie / Haute Hoodie crew in Aspen. click 4 pix.Skiing with fashionistas is not normally AspenSpin's M.O., but Jesse and his boys were interested in a "tour of Aspen Mountain".  WTF??, they seemed pretty chill.  So the next day we skied.  It was a gorgeous, warm, beautiful bluebird day in Aspen... and the Noooo Yawkers were keepin' up pretty well.  Jesse, Mikey the C.,  David and I hooked up with Greg the Hedgie and his foxy wife Tara.  The Snow started to soften up so we pushed it a little.  We took runs through The Dumps, we tackled the Ridge of Bell and the Shoulder of Bell.  We all had a great time. I showed them my world and I learned about theirs.

So I'll say it... I'm a HUGE fan of Haute Hippie.  You can't fake authenticity.  Haute Hippie and Haute Hoodie are authentic lifestyle fashions that are inspired by love. The love between Jesse and Trish...as well as a love for life, a love of new experiences,  a love of music, a love of style and comfort and a love exotic places.  Haute Hippie is already blowing up in upscale, contemporary fashion circles.  HH has been featured in publications such as Elle, W, Cosmo, Vanity Fair...and now AspenSpin.  So if you see me bopping around Aspen wearing a stylie and comfortable Haute Hoodie poncho, you'll know where it came from.  If you dig it...give me a "wut up"? and I'll pass it on to Jesse and Trish.  You can get HH at Saks, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and other fine stores...or right here in Aspen at the HH concept shop at Gorsuch at The Little Nell.