End of season

2011/12 season went out with a bang. After apparently the worst season for 35 years we got a dump of nearly a foot the night before the closing day. Wow ! Fabulous and Mary ripping it up as usual ! Last week a busy one . I had chance to work most of it and took it. Deck virtually completed. Duly christemed with a beer with Beige. Pics to follow .

Keith and Fiona's visit - March 21 - April 2

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We had a superb visit from Keith and Fiona Griffiths/Smart. So many of our friends from UK have talked of coming out and with exception of Harry and Ian , Bill , Greg and Di Desson and John McIver and now Keith & Fiona , none have done more than that in a 6 year term. So congratulations. We just loved your visit. We get a huge kick out of tour guiding on the mountains and bike trails, the eating and drinking spots and in sharing this beautiful and exhilarating place with our family and friends.

Particular memories of the Keith and Fiona visit were
The sheer terror on faces of you both as we descended to Tiehack at Buttermilk on first afternoon. Ambitious for 1st day. No problem though !
The delightful breakfast at Gwyn's followed by a ` testing ` descent to the Elk Camp Gondola, Keith managing ( with less terror I hope ) one further run from top of Elk Camp chair.
The bike ride down to Carbondale via Old Snowmass and the Rio Grande trail.
The skin up to Gwyn's ( Keith checking altimeter at every opportunity - useful for getting regular breathing stops ! ) - a fantastic effort given he was borrowing my tele gear with nothing like the heel lift available on A/T gear , for our 2nd 2 hour long breakfast.
The delicious dinner courtesy of Keith and Fiona at the Wild Fig in Aspen.
The numerous dinners Fiona prepared for us at home after long days working for Mary and me.
And finally the hike on the Rim Trail culminating in a yoga session on the Yin Yang looking up to Mt Daly, Capital Peak and Snowmass Peak. The largest bear seen in Snowmass for some time was narrowly missed, he appearing right in front of one of our buses on Sinclair Drive soon after we'd been there.

Gaby's boarding takes off - April 8

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Planter on new deck completed brilliantly by Tim - but neighbour Beige here admiring his handiwork. Mary's happy.

ee

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Annual Buddy Ski day

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Local boarding instructor and good friend Ronnie gave us a wonderful gift of 2 hours of his hugely valuable time in helping Gaby to get going with his boarding. And Gaby did quite magnificently. Doing 180's and all sorts of tricks that Ronnie taught him (and us!). Here he is demonstrating superb toe edge technique. This was a free day for all Little buddies with their Big Buddies at Buttermilk with lunch provided in the middle of the day. It was Gaby's wish to switch to skis in the afternoon and here he is on the terrain park. It was this Rainbow that proved my undoing this time last year with almost disastrous consequences. Needless to say there was no repeat from me this year despite rather ghoulish encouragement from Mary and Gaby!

La poudreuse

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Another epic powder day. And , rarely this year , coincided with day off for both of us. Wow! Pics speak for themselves. Mary ripping it up !

Gwynn's for breakfast

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Typical Saturday morning. Day off for me , but sadly not for Mary 9 seen above on car parking and traffic control duties at the Tree House. I skin up to Gwynn's where I am well looked after by Emma among others for a healthy ( usually ! ) breakfast in the smart diningrom up there. Takes me now an hour and a half so if I can get away from the mall by 7.30 , I'm up there at opening time of 9am - having seen not a sole. On this occasion above I put Private Eye and the local paper in my pack giving me a very pleasant hour's read. Then back to Two Creeks via Long Shot - see view from top looking south to Maroon Bells. 3rd pic shows the 3/4 way down sign after 4 miles of brilliant skiing. No 3 bus back to Meadow Ranch 3 minutes away and in time to get the hard working Mary's lunch ready. 5th time I've done it this season. Repeat this Saturday I hope.