D, K and O's visit

They arrived conveniently 2 days after Mary and I finished working for the season but inconveniently for them given ski lifts had just closed . Undaunted though, we got them kitted out on skis and skins and had a short skin up Adam's Avenue and an equally short ski down.  And not even a suggestion of complaint from wee Oliver on D's back.

Following day , a skin up Ajax with D and back in time for pancakes at Meadow Ranch. Nearly a major catastrophe with my ( nearly new ) Dynafit touring binding falling apart at the top of the ski down. Heidi to dinner at night and some hugely entertaining music with D on the new piano , Heidi and Mary on violins and me contributing on oboe where timing skills and puff permitted. K and Oliver were the brave ( and seemingly quite appreciative ) audience.

Carbondale on bikes the next day down Rio Grande trail  with Granny Moon i/c Oliver and a delightful lunch in Old Smiddy. Chatty bridge in evening. Transfers one step too far for M & K - D please note!

Cosi Fan Tutte HD Live from the Met at the Isis on Saturday Oliver behaving and sleeping beautifully ( for the most part ) in the aisle with grandad poised to bolt for exit on emission of any sound. And a cordon bleu anniversay dinner for M & I cooked by D & K with exquisite bottle of Napa valley Merlot in evening. Neighbours Reid and Mary came in for quick drink before dinner bringing with them fresh Maryland crabcakes for appetiser.

They're now preparing for tour of Utah and Arizons Nat Parks before making their way to Corvallis , OR where they start their new life. Meanwhile M & I depart in 2 days time for Asheville, NC and  Scotland and Ireland.

Wonderful to have become so well acquainted with our 3rd grandchild. What a little gem.

John Foster to stay

First morning and not a hint of fatigue or altitude sickness.  And a powder day to boot

Top of Cirque poma lift

Error here.on my part. This according to the grooming sheet was supposed to have been groomed.  See John in dead center coping with difficult fresh snow conditions on Upper Green Cabin. Sterling effort.

Top far horizon - dead center  - was where we were 20 or so minutes before. Good effort for 1st day.  Next was at Ajax and then on to bikes ........

Setting off for Basalt and Carbondale via the Rio Grande bike trail

Skinning , skinning and more skinning

Every single powder day this season has come on a working day for me. Rats !

Has meant though that I've taken full advantage of the fine, but sans poudre, conditions on my days off with skinning up on Snowmass and Ajax always trying to find a new way up each time. Last week on the 3 days off, I did the beautiful early morning skin to Bonnies on Ajax with Mary ( day before she cracked her knee cap - more later ), Up4Pizza at top of Big Burn and Gwyns respectively. Some random pics.

On way up to Gwyns looking back to the Roaring fork valley in the distance

Couldn't resist a quick run down before a Gwyns' breakfast just as the Alpine Springs lift opened at 9. Only 3 inches or so of fresh snow and so technically not ' a powder day' . Pretty nice nevertheless.

M  approaching the junction of Copper and Spar Gulch on Ajax soon after 7

Bonnies in sight 1hr 45 mins later. Pancakes beckon - again!

Made it with 3 mins to spare. Ski patrol chase hikers / skinners off the hill at 9....

but hardly necessary given the empty slopes in background

The descent into downtown Aspen

Had a most enjoyable day at Snowmass with Jimmy Stone whose mother is in Deerfield, Asheville with Betty.  Jimmy a v long standing Aspen ski bum with a huge knowledge of every hidden powder stash on all 4 mountains days after snow has fallen. Here below in the wilds of Hanging Valley Glades - taking a break

Meanwhile poor Mary was not just working, but finishing her day in the on mountain health clinic with stitches in a head wound and a cracked bone on front of her knee cap. A work injury having tripped on one of the ski transfer trolleys in the crowded base Village corral. No op required fortunately and no ligament or meniscus damage.  Just a brace for 6 weeks . Here with crutches at 270 and defenceless against a snowball throwing Gaby.

We had a 3 day visit from James ( Cooper ) Black an old friend of my former bus driving colleague and bowl buddy Peter who is bravely recovering from endless treatments in Grand Junction.  Cooper  from Arizona at aged 76 was competing in the NASTAR races at Snowmass and most impressively won his 75 to 80 class ( course setter - Olympic gold medalist at Sochi Ted Liggety ).  Well done Cooper! Peter & Linda we look forward to seeing you next week and catching up