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 Ajax Cup: Aspen's Ski Race

The 2nd Annual AJAX CUP Weekend to benefit AVSC is underway.

12 highly competitive teams are ready to compete for The Ajax Cup.  The celebrities, the Olympians, the pro racers, the adaptive racers, the amateurs and the AVSC kids have all been handicapped for time and the lineups are set. The ski racing kicks off today at 10 a.m. on the Little Nell run at the base of Ajax. You can watch the pro skiers rip super fast laps on the GS course.  

AspenSpin will be snapping and posting pix from The Ajax Cup pre-party, at the race and of course at the #1 après ski event in all of skiing.

The Ajax Cup festivities began with a Welcome Party at Caribou Club where the smack talk between racers was pretty thick.  Everybody wants to get their name engraved on The Ajax Cup and take home the prestigious Ajax Cup belt buckle. Each 8 skier team is comprised of a Head Coach (a decorated racer with National Team pedigree, the Captain (organizer), 4 competitors and 2 AVSC student-athletes. Pro athletes include Chris Davenport, Chris Klug, Casey Puckett, Jake Zamansky, David Chodounsky, Wendy Fisher, Kim Reichhelm, David Stapleton, Kristina Koznick, Katie Monahan, Chris Anthony and Gella Sutro.

The Sponsor lineup is stacked too.  Aspen/Snowmass, Kjus, Gosuch, Bombardier, Fiduciary Trust Intenational, Caribou Club and Rowland + Broughton.  The Ajax Cup is a new tradition in Aspen, but it has quickly become a de rigueur event on the social scene.

AVSC will reach 2,100 children this Winter. Skiing and snowboarding helps build self-confidence and shows kids that they can overcome challenges on and off the hill.   AVSC kids  learn core values of COMMITMENT, TEAMWORK and INTEGRITY.  Click for more info: AVSC.

Click for Photo albums:

THE AJAX CUP WELCOME PARTY

THE AJAX CUP RACE  (Race Day in Aspen)

The AJAX CUP APRES SKI PARTY   (Party of the Year).

Jeff Gorsuch proudly displays The Ajax Cup, An Aspen Tradition.The Ajax Cup pro racers are ready to grab bragging rights in 2011.AVSC racers from team Casa Tua. Click for pix.The pre party for The Ajax Cup on Aspen Mountain to benefit AVSC.

 Team Go Fast with Stapes, CDY, The Bucksbaums and Coffey. Click 4 more pix.Team Caribou finished Top 10 at the 2011 Ajax Cup Race on Aspen, Mountaain to benefit AVSC Everybody was a winner at Ajax Cup. But Team Ganzi will have bragging rights for 2012.

Freestyle in Aspen

Dennis Basso Freestyle: A benefit for the Aspen Art Museum  12/28/11

Aspen, Colorado is a great place to visit during the holidays. The natural beauty and the winter sports are the most obvious draw, but the people watching is WORLD CLASS.  There is an extremely wide spectrum of tastes and styles being displayed on and off the slopes in Aspen.  From fine furs to gore-tex, from the bling of exquisite jewelry to the utility of duct tape.

Click 4 sick pix;  FreeStyle in Aspen.

The Dennis Basso Freestyle is always a highlight event on the Aspen holiday social calendar.  The guest-list reads like a who's who in the art world. Many freestylers are also the chief benefactors of the soon-to-be built Aspen Art Museum.  Like peacocks displaying their plumes, the upscale freestyle crowd waited patiently for the photogs at the step and repeat.  Glamour pix. The narcissism was palpable.

This year's event had a special glow.  The newly remolded St Regis played host to glamorous array of guests.   The hors d'oeuvre were succulent, the champagne was plentiful and the auction items were priceless.  Models, hot chicks and rich guys were everywhere.  Security was upgraded to red. AspenSpin got into the mix. We went FREESTYLE in ASPEN. We didn't bid on the $144,000 necklace but A. Party worked that room like a hard-packed  bump run.  Very carefully, at top speed and always moving forward.  We got some sick pix, we hope you agree.

Click  FREESTYLE in ASPEN

Lance was FREESTYLIN'It got FlyGarza Family FreeStyle.Dennis Basso FreeStyle.Lisa,/ Kenny / Greer

Trombone Shorty Blows the Roof Off The Wheeler

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue blew the roof off The Historic Wheeler Opera House last night in Aspen.  Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews brought the "Supafunkrock" to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and packed the house at The Wheeler.  

The action on the dance floor at The Wheeler was furious...that's right, the first 5 rows of seats were removed  to allow the SRO crowd to move and groove to the New Orleans inspired beats of TROMBONE SHORTY and ORLEANS AVENUE.