ASPEN SKI TRIP
| We wasted no time getting to the top of the first ski area, Buttermilk.
The Aspen mountains consist of 4 separate areas. Buttermilk, Ajax, Aspen
Highlands and Snowmass. The backdrop for all the areas is the spectacular soaring
peaks in Maroon Bells Wilderness Area.
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Buttermilk says it has the worlds largest terrain park which is 2 miles in
length. It has tons of jumps, rails and a big halfpipe. Below, Eric rides a
rail.
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| We were blessed with 5 inches of fresh powder that first day. Jeff
enjoys the fluffy stuff in the aspen glades.
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We stayed at a condo resort called The Gant. It is in downtown Aspen
and our unit had a nice view of the bottom of Ajax Mountain and the gondola. We
spent 4 nights here.
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| We visited Aspen Highlands on the second day. Below is Eric on a
tough double diamond run called Soddbuster.
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Our goal at Highlands was to take on the infamous Highlands Bowl.
The first part of the trek found us taking a snowcat to the dropoff point for a long
grueling hike to the summit.
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| This was a popular hike and we shared the views with many other people.
Below is Jeff along the hike. Eric, and his oxygen tank lungs, can be seen
about mid-way up the ridge.
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We made it to our point of descent! Pyramid Peak and the Maroon
bells grace the skyline. We are way up over 12000ft at this location.
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| After all the hard work we took time to make a toast to a successful
descent. This toast was made with our camelback nozzles. Gatorade in the
camelbacks was a mainstay of all of our days of intense snowriding.
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Here we go! Jeff can be seen on the first leg of the long and steep
double diamond descent into the Highlands Bowl.
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| Our line had a pitch of 40 to 45 degrees. Below, Jeff calculates his
next move.
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Below, Chris is loving life as he pounds down the steeps.
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| On day #3 we visited Ajax Mountain. We found some great groomed
cruisers here that were pretty steep. Below is a shot of Jeff hauling down
"America's Downhill" which is the run that often hosts world cup ski races in
Aspen.
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The afternoon of day #3 and all of day #4 was spent sampling Snowmass's
3500 acres of ski terrain. Below shows Eric defying gravity on his hoverboard.
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| Great view of the backcountry behind Snowmass.
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Call us crazy, call us fools. We don't care. We wanted to make
our last run of the the trip be one for the ages. Off went the shirts and we cruised
down into the Snowmass base area with fond memories of another great trip!
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