The Final Spin

The Final Spin. Aspen Closing DayAnother super-epic ski season in Aspen, Colorado is officially etched in the tablets of time.  2010/11 will go down in the scrolls as a very good year.  While not fantastic (think 07/08), the snow was pretty consistent all year.  We did score plenty of late season POW that had the locals calling for more.  Today, Easter Sunday was Aspen's official closing day.  The Power of Four is shutting it down after 150 days of fun.  Aspen Highlands played host to the now traditional raging party to cap off the season.   Over the past 5 years the Aspen Highlands Rave has become the #1 party in skiing.  You could argue with A-Spin about that--but you would be wrong. 

Click 4 PIX.  THE FINAL SPIN

It been a wild 5 year ride at AspenSpin. BIG fun was experienced.   Everyone has their own definition of "living the dream", but Aspen Spin has been willing to document and share ours on the internet.  A-Spin is the real deal, it's authentic.  You can't fake skiing every day and partying every night. We could bore you with stats, but what for?  After 5 years of pointing, shooting and posting we now measure our hits in the millions.  We've collected more t-shirts, stickers and chapstick than anyone in captivity.  We have the maximum number of facebook friends, we hit every single POW Day and we were the first to tweet in Aspen.  WTF? Who knew.

Everyone is media now.  Anbody with an i-phone thinks they are John Cameron Swayze.   Photos  <click> are now so easy to share <click>.  A-Spin was just a little ahead of the curve.  It's unclear what's next for us.  Another summer in La Jolla for sure.  Next Fall....dunno?  We'll probably be back for more, but we will need DOG-FRIENDLY housing and that always presents a problem.  Aspen landlords are a funky bunch, greed and paranoia about their sh*tty condos from 1965 make them tough to deal with.  Owning a sh*tty condo from 1965?---thats one option, but "no thanks" even at the current "discounted" prices.  Migrating down-valley?? Traffic jams and road rage---thats in our past.  We'll see what shakes out.

Until we meet again, THANK YOU ASPEN for being AWESOME.  Stay that way.  The POW, the PIX and the PEOPLE have made Aspen a great place to be for 8 years (5 with A-Spin).  Aspen is the "Capital of Skiing". The natural beauty, the open space, the bedazzling Rocky Mountains of Colorado combine to make the entire Roaring Fork Valley a special place; to be treasured. 

To all our people, the spinners; have a fantastic Summer....we'll see ya on-line...or off. 

Click 4 Pix.  The Final Spin.

A.Party / OUT

  

 

 

Squirm Night in Aspen...a non event.

Say what you want about Aspen politics, or we'll say it for you...its boring.   Squirm Night 2011 was basically a non-event.   6 candidates vying for 2 city council seats had their chance to perform in front of the media, the public and a live TV audience.  Run-on questions were followed by run-on answers with very few salient points made.  It always seems like the same faces on the dais and in the audience which leads to very few "new ideas" being discussed.  Board memberships, meetings, studies and hypothetical questions were debated for 2 minutes at a time.  It really doesn't matter who gets elected, its going to be same ol' same ol' in Aspen politics.  Lots of talk and lots of ill will.  We'll go on record to endorse Steve Skadron for re-election.  He works hard, he has the city's best interest at heart and he deserves to continue, although why he would want to is beyond comprehension.  As for the other seat on city council... pick 'em.  All 5 of the other candidates seem to have a real desire to get involved, they all love Aspen...but none of the others distinguished themselves so you pick'em.

As for the Mayorial candidates.  Andrew Kole...no comment, why bother.  Ruth Kruger...she seems a little loose on the details, not a good starting point.   Mick Ireland appears poised to retain his position of Mayor of Aspen.  Mick gets a bad rap---his impatience gets in his way---but he's doing the best he can.  The "pro business" crowd that wants bring him down has lost sight of what should be a primary goal of all Aspen residents---to enjoy a beautiful day.

We thought Squirm Night would result in a packed house.  On the contrary plenty of seats were available. Squirm Night appears to be a microcosm for Aspen politics.  All talk.

The 6 Candidates vying for 2 city council seats. You pick 'em.

Mayorial Candidates....are we having fun yet? 

Ajax: Over and Out

Ajax Closing Day 4/10/11Aspen Mountain shut it down in style yesterday with a POW POW party second to none.   AspenSpin declared the 6 inch rule in effect...and our entire staff got the day off (with pay) to shred, to get social and to celebrate another super-siiiiiiiiiiiiiiick ski season in Aspen.  Loyal A-Spinners will recall that day #1, waaaaaay back on November 24, 2010 (AVSC Day) was a snowy POW day too.  Our last day of the season, April 10, 2011 brought icy cold winds and a fresh dumping to Ajax.  The mostly local closing day crowd was expecting sunny skies and warm temps....but old Ullr will play his tricks.  Surprise.....a thin layer of freshies on top of the coral reef ---or in some places ice-rink style concrete.  

4 pix.  WINNING and BI-WINNING

It was another great season all around in Aspen.  Our auditors are still crunching the numbers, but A-Spin , who hit every single POWDER Day this year, calculates that we had between 20 -25 legit Pow days with 8-10 Epic ones.   Ajax Mountain is always groomed meticulously for  the upscale tourists, but it was the non-groomers that really shined throughout the year.   Our favorite runs skied great from Nov to April.  Bell Mountain, The Dumps, Walsh's and Trainor's skied like it was mid-winter...allllll season long.  We did experience a heat wave  in March when sunny temps exceeded 45 degrees for 11 days straight...but that was followed by some huge Spring storms. It was no 07/08...but it was waaaaaaay better than last year.  We don't measure skier visits...we measure face shots---and there were tons for everyone. 

Click 4  closing day pix: 

WINNING (on mountain)  

Bi- WINNING (off mountain)

Speed Kills...and it chills at SchneeTag.

As always the party scene in Aspen exceeded expectations and this season did not dissapoint.  There were no bomb threats, no reality TV crews, no power failures...it was just good clean fun.   The World Cup led into Christmas led into Winterskol, led into Presidents Day, led into Spring Break led into closing day.  It was a like a huge weekend but it lasted 5 months.  Sheeeeez we're tired, but as predicted....we finished strong. Basically, by every measure we killed it, on mountain and off.

 See the closing day pix. click WINNING (on mountain). and Bi WINNING (off Mountain).

Closing Day on Ajax included the 40th Annual Bell Mountain Buck Off, The Red Bull Schnee Tag pond skim and a raging indoor /outdoor rave at The Sky Hotel.  The sh*t went out of control one more time.  Its hard to describe the energy in words--so click the pix.  WINNING.   We're not quite ready for ski-hab yet, Aspen Highlands is still open for 2 more weeks.  We gonna hydrate and get ready to rock it for Aspen Highlands closing day on April 24.   Until then, we're gonna try to keep the black side down.

Bi Winning...its what we do.

Hooters Snow Angels in Aspen.

Hooters Snow Angels in AspenThe Hooters Snow Angels Fashion Show is the biggest day of the year for AspenSpin.  Disclaimer: We don't bring the Hooters Girls to Aspen, we just shoot 'em while they're here. 

2011 marks the 3rd annual Hooters Snow Angels "swimsuit fashion show in  the snow" in Aspen.  Every year the Hooter's event supports organ donation awareness by donating $10,000 to The Chris Klug Foundation.  This year's bikini pageant took place at the luxurious pool at 39 Degrees at The Sky Hotel under sunny skies and before a packed house. The bikini bash was taped live for TV for Fox Sports.  Exposure for Aspen on National TV....what do you think?

Its been a long, cold snowy winter in Aspen.  With a ratio of 7 guys for every girl in Aspen...it can get especially chilly.  12 beautiful Hooters Girls strutting around in bikini's is always a welcome site in the Roaring Fork Valley.   So here they are...2011 Hooters Snow Angels.

Click  Hooters Girls in Aspen

 

Adam Dennis R.I.P.

The Aspen Community sadly lost another brother yesterday to avalanche. 

Adam Dennis , 38, was a skier, a biker, a photographer, a great guy and the entirety of Aspen mourns his untimely death.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his friends during this time of ultimate sadness.   

Adam was the greatest.  He was quick with a smile or a joke, always friendly, happy and upbeat and a true gentleman.  One of the strongest skiers and most talented photographers in Aspen, Adam was always 100% ready to earn his turns, to drop into the POW, to help a friend or to follow Widespread Panic across the globe.   Aspen will not be the same without Adam Dennis.

R.I.P. Adam Dennis.  YOUR SPIRIT WILL LIVE FOREVER.

R.I.P. Adam Dennis. 7/11/72- 4/4/11 Photo: Zach Lentz (via FB)