Full Moon Ullr Fire (photo: Katrina Devore)

The winter season here in Aspen has started on a slower note this year, with a big snowfall before Thanksgiving and next to no snowfall since then.  This has made for a different approach to December skiing.  Upon my arrival back from the East Coast, I’ve been hiking for some turns, mostly just to build up some leg strength for the long season ahead.  The downhill portion of the experience has been a good amount of groomer skiing – about as fast as my baggy Trew Gear will let me go – down runs like the infamous Spar Gulch and Copper Gulch on Ajax.  I’ve seen more carving and racing skis on my friends skis than I’d ever imagine, as the off-piste isn’t really begging to be skied yet.  So, groomers it is and people have just been flying down the hill.

With a dearth of new snow, the call was made to gather atop Buttermilk for a sacrificial bonfire to appease the Norse God Ullr.  With Ullr being the god of skiing and hunting, everything from old pairs of skinny skis to collected bacon grease was offered to the fiery pit, in part with some theatrics to complete the effect.  It is like the mountain town equivalent to the burning of tires and plastic coolers to mark the end of the Indy500, supposedly to appease the race car gods.  We even wrote our wishes down on scraps of paper and burnt them in hopes of their coming to fruition.  Coinciding with the full moon, the hike up and the ski back down were perfectly lit for some early winter antics and some squirrelly turns.  Hopefully, Ullr’s patronage has been sparked, and the snow will start to accumulate in its fluffy depths.

Pat Sewell to Faceplant (photo: Jeremy Swanson)

Just found this photo online from our opening day at Highlands.  We wanted to get some slash turn shots on the cornice at the top of Highlands Bowl for the AspenSnowmass #contentcrew, and after a few slashes Pat Sewell came in oozing with style.  As you can see, it ended well for him – surprisingly there were no rocks – and he got back up grinning like the stoke monkey he seems to be.  Haha…classic!

This week, I’ll be the live-in chef at the POC house in Breckenridge for the first stop of Winter Dew Tour.  We have  some athletes competing in the park and pipe, and I’ll be lending my burgeoning cooking skills to the team.  Bacon, eggs, lasagna, burgers and spaghetti will be the name of the game this week, and after our enormous shopping frenzy at Costco, we should be stocked for the week.  It’ll be great to connect with my jibbing counterparts and maybe I’ll pick up some shred tips throughout the week.  With guys like Tucker Perkins, Joss Christiansen, Walter Wood and more, it shouldn’t be too difficult to learn that backflip I keep thinking about.  After last season’s Freeskier ski test and my first backflip attempt, I can truthfully say I’m at least halfway there!

Workin it for the cameras...say 'Cheese'!

The Merry-Go-Round restaurant hosted their grand-reopening after a swanky renovation over the summer.  Hundreds of Aspen ski bums and socialites made their way up Highlands’ Exhibition lift for a free lift up to the shindig.  Even then, some cardio-oriented folks were still out hiking and skinning their way up the festivities.  Once inside the historic on-mountain building, the smell of gourmet food and the sound of happy revelers greeted us and people were ecstatic about the new decor.  Pictures of Highlands skiers over the decades filled the only walls that didn’t have huge glass window panes, with Pat Sewell’s likeness just about everywhere one could look.  Yours truly had a few choice shots (thanks Markewitz!), but really, today was about the food.  With the menu prices once again outside of this ski bum’s budget, this was a great opportunity for me and many of my fellow ski bums to taste the gourmet offerings.  Everyone’s hands were full of mini plates chock full of eggplant parmesan, pork loin with sweet potatoes, meatballs, tuna burgers, margarita pizza and more.  Free beer tickets were being passed around like poker chips, and the dessert table was swarmed time and time again as cookies and pastries disappeared like Tickle-Me-Elmo on Black Friday.

After the grubfest, the members of AspenSnowmass’ very own #contentcrew rendezvoused for the one and only lap of the day.  Newcomers Casey VandenBroek and Joe Risi joined veteran members G.R. Fielding, Meredith Mckee and myself for some slap-happy photos and video by the likes of Jeremy Swanson and Matt Hobbs.  As it was late in the day and the sun was quickly disappearing, we sniffed out the last remaining rays of light on the slope and made some early season magic happen.  Nothing like low-incline rollers and some slash turns to kick off a new season of shredding.

Thanks for the iPhone photos Meredith!

Yours truly, bottom right.

The most talked about new feature at the Merry-Go-Round

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!