It's always sunny and warm in Glenwood Springs

Come the latter half of the summer, most of my days are spent shuttle driving for Blazing Adventures as the water on wild rivers gets lower and lower, and operations shift to other, more dam-controlled rivers.  With the local trips on the Roaring Fork River on the wane, thanks in part to a rapidly melting snowpack and only a few bursts of precipitation since Memorial Day, we have started bussing our clients down-valley to Glenwood Springs, where the temps reach the mid-nineties and the sun blazes down with ferocity.

Photo: Mike Schirf

It’s not very often in the skiing world that the major ski media promotes the up-and-comers of the freeskiing world who don’t hail from the superpipe or slopestyle scene.  Yet the competitive Freeskiing World Tour (read as gnarly cliffs, manky venues and sometimes, billowy powder) has had its share of stars emerge from the ranks of ski bums and college students alike.

'Put up yer dukes!'

Fellow  local shredder and the man behind the lens, Tony Prikryl, is taking his massive collection of photos and selecting the best shots for a gallery showing in Aspen on Friday night (July 16th), along with colleague Blake Hansen.  If you live in the area, please come and check out their new exhibit, titled Terra Firma, and see some amazing images of the natural wonders of our world.

Ready for a Stillwater Preserver Mission

Well, it seems that the last six or so weeks of my life have existed in that place between ‘holy shit, that was awesome!’ and ‘wait, what just happened?’, leaving me in a fluttering state of mind.  Going into it, I knew my time in Canada would pass quickly, but ninety days flashed right on by.  The last few weeks were chock full of new experiences and wild stories.  I had a chance to ski from the summit of Mt. McKenzie and cross Arrow Lake on an inland ferry with my van in the same day.  I drank a boilermaker shot with some Canadian Legion members and skinny-dipped with fellow ski bums Leah Evans and Dersh later that evening.  I swam in hot springs – commercial and natural, with tunnels and diving boards, hot and cold dips – all around the Kootenays , from Ainsworth to Fairmont, Halcyon to Radium. 

This just in from Pat Sewell, fellow Blizzard team rider:

Hello friends!!! I hope this letter finds you all in good spirits and in good health with many powder days under your belts this season! I just wanted to drop you all a line and invite you to the "First Annual Fallen Friends Memorial Bump-Off, Shred Fest, and Fundraiser" set to go off Saturday March 21st at Aspen Highlands! I hope you all can come celebrate the mountain lifestyle that unites us all in honor and remembrance of our fallen friends Johnny Nicoletta, Wallace Westfeldt, Billy Poole, Blake Davidson, and all the others of an unfortunatley long list of fallen friends. The event is a benefit for the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club and is a team formatted new-school bump off and shred fest intended to unite the entire snowsports community. The venue will consist of a unique set of bumps, jumps, jibs, bonks, kickers, and even a ski splash. A venue with something for everyone whether you’re new-shool or old-school. Participants will compete in teams of 2-5 throughout a two hour jam session and be judged based on overall impression, team costume, and various other catergories. DJ Naka G will be spinning live on scene and a party & good times are a sure thing! So come get get your shred on and help raise some money for the kids! Saturday March 21st, Aspen Highlands, Colorado, USA, Earth… Get a team a 2-5 people together, decide a team name and theme/costume, register at www.aspensnowmass.com/springjam or bring $$$ the day of the event, and come ready to shred, party, and celebrate the lives of our fallen friends. $25 per participant. All proceeds going to the Aspen Valley Ski Club. See you all there!!! Do it! Do it!
P.Sewell
PS- Please forward this e-mail to all your friends and help me spread the word!