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Tag Archives: Aspen
Back From the Backcountry
PASS BEYOND THIS POINT AT YOUR OWN RISK. BACKCOUNTRY RISKS INCLUDE DEATH.
This is the decision that began today’s adventure.
I woke up this morning, slept through my 7 a.m. alarm and ignored texts from my friends insisting I “must be on the first chair”. Last night, Aspen received almost 10 inches of new snow, and it seemed sacrilegious that I was choosing a couple hours of extra sleep over first tracks. Looking back, thank god for the rest—and the Poppycocks breakfast.
I got to the Aspen Mountain gondola at 11 a.m., ready to meet up and ride with some friends who work for Red Bull. But the gondola was closed due to high winds, so I took the long route. Four chairlifts and an hour later, I found my friends at the bottom of the Gent’s Ridge lift. As I was saying my hellos, Ryan received a phone call. Apparently, Red Bull had recently purchased a company cat, and today was its inaugural trip to the backcountry. “We’ve got an extra seat,” he said. “You want it?”
Did he really need to ask?
How’s Your Aspen?
Driving from Park City to Aspen always sounds like a good idea, until you’re four hours deep into a six-and-a-half-hour drive. But that’s what my friend Carrie and I did Monday night. It’s sort of a tradition now.
Carrie, a former member of the U.S. Ski team (and a 1994 Olympian) is headed out to Aspen to cover the Winter X Games for EXPN.com, and I’m headed out for the magazine. All in all, it wasn’t a bad drive. We took the long, southern route and avoided icy roads—and basically all people. There were a couple of hours when we didn’t pass a soul on the road. I have to say, after the craziness of Sundance, it was a welcome pace change.