Just got back to Memphis from Aspen today and lucky for you folks, posting this TR is one of the first things I'm getting done.
I flew out solo from Memphis last Sunday afternoon to a full moon night in Aspen Colorado - where the beer flows like wine and the beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of the Capistrano. Got picked up from the airport by a CF and could see some people skinning up Aspen for the some kind of full moon night ski club. No pics of that, sorry. After watching Aspen Extreme (thanks to an ex-user of this forum) I felt like I was in the movie as we pulled through town on an empty Sunday night. My buddy is a ski intructor at Snowmass, so you could call him T.J. Burke in a way. After a few beers, we called it a night and got ready for day one of four skiing.
All four mountains were only about 75% open. Snow was very thin... until Wednesday. On to the pics.
My sleeping arrangements for the week
and the view from his place
Day 1 - Aspen Highlands
teams were out bootpacking a lot of the mountain
view of Highlands bowl from top of lift - it was wayyy too sketchy to ski on Monday and only the Main gate and the G's were open. Very little snow out that at that point...
"TJ" on left and me in the gaper helmet
Maroon Bells - 14er
small little rock/cliff huck
There are lots of "shrines" around the mountains in Aspen. this one is called the chair shrine. and rightfully so:
removed potentially bad photo and comment - RMac
view from the chair shrine
hammies at the base
Day 2 - Snowmass
about 2 inches fell overnight
Lift shots
didn't mean to catch this dude's jump
Unhappy to see this
view from the top. if the fog was clear you could see Maroon Bells through here
snapped this from the lift. it's called the Gaper Bowl - apparently because it's the easiest backcountry bowl to get to in the area.
gaper bowl in the background - unskiable hanging valley wall on the right
this was a closed part of Dallas freeway under the lift. looks deep right?
we poached it... the Kastles i was skiing for the week...
aaaand the core shot i put in them during the poach
not my core shot getting fixed, but another. ptex to the rescue
not a lot to see from Tuesday
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The messageboard is now in read-only mode and no new posts or topics can be created. We will leave the messageboard up for historical purposes, but you will not be able to make new posts or comment on existing ones.
We have started a Discord server and hope that you all will join us on there. Technology has changed over the years and maintaining the messageboard has become somewhat of a pain in the butt and Discord offers many features for users, the main one being a very polished mobile app.
We really hope you all will join us on Discord and think you will like the platform. Use the invite link below to join.
https://discord.gg/skisoutheast
Aspen/Snowmass TR 12/11/11 - 12/16/11
Day 3 - Snowmass POWDER DAY
8 inches fell overnight!!
woke up to this view
Fresh tracks all day long. hardly anyone on the mountain
Knee deep in most places
long shot was still closed.. bummer
skies cleared mid day. then back to snow
finished the day with a few runs down hanging valley glade. only part of HV that was open that day. incredible snow through here.
that day made my trip. and that snow was needed BADLY out there. i wish i had taken more pics but visibility was about 40 yards all morning.
Day 4 - Ajax
No new snow but bluebird all day long. Ajax is fun mountain but if you miss the upper lifts, you are stuck with a 15 minute gondola right back to the top.
Lift shots
views from the top
Pic of highlands bowl from the top of Ajax - looked a lot better after the Wednesday snow, but still too sketchy to mess up some skis. The cat was not running and would have been about an hour hike to get all the way around the the Gs. (far lookers left in the bowl where the trees are)
couple of action shots. i have bad form
my buddy looks just like the big lebowski and he got me the hook up on the Kastles
caught some air on this sketchy jump
my attempt.. haha
and finally - the signature speed pose that will be part of all my TRs. started at Cataloochee.
AWESOME trip, was so pumped about getting that snow Tuesday night and the chance to ski the mountains of aspen on the cheap. Cant wait to get back out west in the spring. Until then, hope to see some of you out East some weekend.
8 inches fell overnight!!
woke up to this view
Fresh tracks all day long. hardly anyone on the mountain
Knee deep in most places
long shot was still closed.. bummer
skies cleared mid day. then back to snow
finished the day with a few runs down hanging valley glade. only part of HV that was open that day. incredible snow through here.
that day made my trip. and that snow was needed BADLY out there. i wish i had taken more pics but visibility was about 40 yards all morning.
Day 4 - Ajax
No new snow but bluebird all day long. Ajax is fun mountain but if you miss the upper lifts, you are stuck with a 15 minute gondola right back to the top.
Lift shots
views from the top
Pic of highlands bowl from the top of Ajax - looked a lot better after the Wednesday snow, but still too sketchy to mess up some skis. The cat was not running and would have been about an hour hike to get all the way around the the Gs. (far lookers left in the bowl where the trees are)
couple of action shots. i have bad form
my buddy looks just like the big lebowski and he got me the hook up on the Kastles
caught some air on this sketchy jump
my attempt.. haha
and finally - the signature speed pose that will be part of all my TRs. started at Cataloochee.
AWESOME trip, was so pumped about getting that snow Tuesday night and the chance to ski the mountains of aspen on the cheap. Cant wait to get back out west in the spring. Until then, hope to see some of you out East some weekend.
2014-2015 Days On: Like a billion already.
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mommehK
- Expert
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- Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:06 pm
VERY nice...although I don't think you put up enough pics..ahahahah
I really like the lay of the land in the Gaper Bowl...just looks like it could be sooooooo fun. Don't expect to ever get to see western slopes in person in my life (who knows), so I'll enjoy them through all y'all.
I really like the lay of the land in the Gaper Bowl...just looks like it could be sooooooo fun. Don't expect to ever get to see western slopes in person in my life (who knows), so I'll enjoy them through all y'all.
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jamsandwich
- Expert
- Posts: 2954
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2006 4:43 pm
nice, good stuff. looks like you had a good time. lovin the chair shrine. might want to edit on that photo right quick though...
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teledave
- Expert
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- Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2003 4:56 pm
- Contact:
Best TR of the year. So far.
Plans for 2015: To ski more than you
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davidski
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@mommehK 265031 wrote:VERY nice...although I don't think you put up enough pics..ahahahah
I really like the lay of the land in the Gaper Bowl...just looks like it could be sooooooo fun. Don't expect to ever get to see western slopes in person in my life (who knows), so I'll enjoy them through all y'all.
Very nice indeed, I'm quoting you because since you seem to love this activity/sport/obsession, yes you will make it out west within two years, why not?
RMac, great TR, you nailed it when people were sitting on their hands. That really is a ton of pictures, I'm still digesting them - but way to go
(I would add that the former artist MB would love this report, him being crazy about snowmas/aspen)
I really like the lay of the land in the Gaper Bowl...just looks like it could be sooooooo fun. Don't expect to ever get to see western slopes in person in my life (who knows), so I'll enjoy them through all y'all.
Very nice indeed, I'm quoting you because since you seem to love this activity/sport/obsession, yes you will make it out west within two years, why not?
RMac, great TR, you nailed it when people were sitting on their hands. That really is a ton of pictures, I'm still digesting them - but way to go
(I would add that the former artist MB would love this report, him being crazy about snowmas/aspen)
thanks all. sorry for so many pics. I figured with the lack of TRs elsewhere, I would throw in extras for good measure.
jam - edit the comment, or take down the pic? I'll do both. ha. good call.
@davidski 265063 wrote:Very nice indeed, I'm quoting you because since you seem to love this activity/sport/obsession, yes you will make it out west within two years, why not?
RMac, great TR, you nailed it when people were sitting on their hands. That really is a ton of pictures, I'm still digesting them - but way to go
(I would add that the former artist MB would love this report, him being crazy about snowmas/aspen)
MB def sent me Aspen Extreme along with highlighted trail map. pretty cool move. He'll see these on FB.
jam - edit the comment, or take down the pic? I'll do both. ha. good call.
@davidski 265063 wrote:Very nice indeed, I'm quoting you because since you seem to love this activity/sport/obsession, yes you will make it out west within two years, why not?
RMac, great TR, you nailed it when people were sitting on their hands. That really is a ton of pictures, I'm still digesting them - but way to go
(I would add that the former artist MB would love this report, him being crazy about snowmas/aspen)
MB def sent me Aspen Extreme along with highlighted trail map. pretty cool move. He'll see these on FB.
2014-2015 Days On: Like a billion already.