The Power of 4

First time ever for this ski mountaineering race from Snowmass Base Village to bottom of Lift 1 in middle of Aspen via High Alpine , top of Hanging valley Wall, Robertos, top of Elk Camp chair , summit of Burnt Mtn , col between Snowmass and Buttermilk , summit of Buttermilk, Tiehack and trestle bridge over Maroon Creek, summit of Highland Bowl, foot of Highland Bowl , bottom of Temerity lift , Congo trail to bridge over Castle Creek , up the olld miners road on west of Aspen Mtn , and summit of Aspen mtn . Around 11,000 feet of climbing and over 24 miles !

Jane and I , after dropping Mary at work at 7am , watched approx 60 pairs ( you had to do it in pairs `cos of the back country skiing aspect ) start at 7.15 all with skis ( some A/T and some like Joahnnes tele ) and skins at foot of the Village Express. Included among the elite of the ski mountaineering fraternity was Joahnnes and Alan Feder ( good friend of the kids and of Highland ski patrol ). Johannes has only been skiing for a couple of years and of course had only been a week at this altitude ( or indeed at any altitude given they had come straight from Aberdeen ).

Jane and I then drove to Tiehack and watched them ski down from summit of Buttermilk - 2 hours for the eventual winners and 3 1/2 hrs for J & A . They then had to face the enormous challenge of ascending the Highlands ski area right from Maroon Creek to summit of bowl . Winners did it in the staggering time of 1hr 45 mins. Johannes blew a gasket as he neared the top of the Loge peak chair and spent the next hour recovering in the ski patrol hut at foot of the ascent to the bowl . A phenomenal effor ton his part. They were going to miss by some considerable margin the cut off time at the Congo trail and so they were never going to be able to complete the course anyway . A huge relief to us all as the descent on Congo trail to Castle Creek was steep , Aspen tree lined and a very tight . Serious injury was likely if he had attempted it . The severe disadvantage he faced was that the downhill ski sections for probably all the other competitors provided relief and time for a breather. It was as much , if not more , of a challenge for J as the ascents especially the Hanging Valley Wall and Burnt Mtn descents.

Winners ( in green hats at start in pic above - Olympic standard ) did whole course in 6hrs 15 mins . Nothing less than incredible.

Pics are mostly self explanatory except that pic of the tiny snow pandas at top of Buttermilk were giving J & I huge entertainment as we waited for J & A . Also J & A at the finish of the race at bottom of Lift 1A in Aspen - they had to collect their gear from there which rather optimistically they had had forwarded there ! J had significantly regained composure and colour by then - when we had seen him 3 hours earlier at top of Loge peak lift he was a ghastly shade of pale.

A day he'll never forget . Neither will we .