End of 2018/19 season

It's been an extraordinarily good snow season. Over 38 feet of snow fell on the mountain ( not all lying for obvious reasons ) and the most snow falling in March since records began.

Last day for me today April 20 ( Easter Saturday ) , last day driving tomorrow and fly to Scotland to join Mary in Inverness on Monday via Edinburgh and Muirfield.

Our side deck

Just doesn't stop - snowiest March ever

Looking out our living room window

The synchronised skiing competition at Ajax - viewed by Mary and me from the deck of Bonnie's ( after an end of season skin and pancake breakfast there ). Our tenant of last year Carolina, a delightful Argentinian ski instructor, was in the winning team , the Aspen Divas. Spectacularly impressive.

Easter weekend and the Ryans in Killarney

A little earlier ( March 21 ) Elin was born in Inverness .....

at the precise moment of birth, I was skinning up to Ski Patrol Hut with fellow bus drivers Brady, Jaimie and Jonathan.  Got the news while drinking bubbly in the hut !

.... and this a few days later

While Mary is in Inverness, we arranged last night this sunset/moonrise skin to ski patrol hut at top of Sam's Knob. This is us starting at the mall corral

An hour and a half and 1500 feet later here we are at the hut which is left open 24/7. Fabulous facility for such an expedition.

Looking across to Big Burn area and top of Burnt Mtn ( Long Shot ) in very far distance on the far left

And visited by a wily fox

Here leaving his mark on a pair of skis - not mine thankfully

... while we celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary, but without the bride whom we're toasting at this moment !

 (Felipe, Jonathan, Nicky, Mark and Jaimie, (Brady an apology!)).

.. and the happy couple earlier in the season - from Cliffhouse , Buttermilk looking across to Highlands and top of the Bowl

The Russell/Townsend visit

Another special week with D & K, Oli and Maggie. Conditions superb for them.  Highlight for me was the day I had with Duncan on the Friday.  We met on the 6.45 bus to Buttermilk, skinned up for the $6.00 breakfast, 5 runs in fresh deep powder on Tiehack, bus to Highlands and 5 or 6 great runs there incl Hyde Park, Mushroom and the Olympic Bowl .  Ever since these early days in Meribel, Flaine, and of course Glenshee, we've had a lot of good ski days together. This one was among the very best. And I can still ( just ) keep up !

Since they left on March 2, it's been snowing almost continually. Hugely relieved to get our flat roof shoveled ( 4 feet taken from it ), and we've had at least another foot of wet snow since.

Martha Stobbs arrived to day ( March 8 ), but with foot in cast ! Lovey though to meet for lunch at Buttermilk and discussing plans for France and Scotland in September where she will join us. A Munro to ensure invitation to the party for the last in 2021 !

The view up to Mt Daly form Powderhorn

Meadow Ranch with - thankfully _ roof cleared

Our side deck - where we sat in lovely shade for all meals with the Ryans last summer

A very special day with " my boy "

Reid and Mary who I happened to meet on chance for a run togetherr on Powderhorn

Reid showing how to tele

Maggie en route to Aspen

D & K

Maggie coming out of ski scool

Where the family stayed in Woodbridge - taken form the driver's seat of my bus - big thrill to drive with Grandad. Certainly was for Grandad anyway !

Sun Valley, ID

Full marks to Mary ........ for remaining a full time seasonal employee ! As part of her package of benefits, she's entitled to 4 free nights ( subject of course to availability and can only be booked one month out ), with partner, in any of the 3 Limelight hotels owned by Skico. Those 3 are in Aspen , Snowmass and Sun Valley , ID.  No brainer for us, so we booked air flights to Hailey,  ID, a few miles from Sun Valley. What a treat that was.  Huge success at tiny cost. 40% off on all meals at Limelight in addition to the free ( huge and luxurious ) room.

Incredibly lucky to fly out of Aspen ( prob only flight out all day ) to Salt Lake City and then diverted to Twin Falls, ID instead of Hailey. A 2 hour bus journey to Ketchum where the Sun Valley resort is located, but no huge inconvenience. Same on reverse journey - due to snow storm - but again no great hassle.

3 fabulous days skiing, one of them a powder day.  Got on " First tracks " one day which included 3 hours with a ski instructor - again free of charge.

Bring on a repeat in 2020 ! An incentive for us both to carry on working , M particularly !

Last pic taken on the evening we arrived back in Aspen . Collected Ben & Fiona Fairfax ( Brisbane , Aus ) from Aspen Square , drove to West Buttermilk carpark and skinned with them up Buttermilk for the full moon excursion and dinner at Cliffhouse. A lot fun and good to see them. Excellent company and a delightful young couple.  They flew out the next day.

Early to mid season 2018/19

Snowwise, the season has lived up to its early  promise. It's been a good winter. Cold temps and good precipitation. About average at the mid season mark. Great conditions consistently since Thanksgiving.

An early skinning start en route to Bonnie's for breakfast.  (This from the bottom of the Lift 1 chair, site of the proposed huge Gorsuch development on which the citizens of Aspen will vote at beginning of March. Two new hotels and new chairlift right down to Dean Street - below this point )

Pooped ! But pancakes and hot coffee beckon.

Back down from the Saturday skin to Bonnie's and now off to Traviata in the HD live from the Met series at the Wheeler

The following week - lower Coffee Pot - en route to Gwyn's, Snowmass

Week after that - back to Bonnie's !

Pay back time - M at work at the Guest Services Desk , Snowmass Mall

Fiona ( Fairfax ) and her husband Ben visit from Brisbane. Here the 4 of us setting off for the full moon skin to Cliffhouse, Buttermilk for dinner.  Pretty special.

Sheila and Richard Evans from Scotland come to stay for 10 days.  Enormous fun . They had to work for this breakfast at Gwyn's. Skinned all the way.

They had to work for this too.  The Highland Bowl hike.  Summit just visible through the trees. No wimps the Evans'.

Powder day on skis at Buttermilk

.... and the following day on our boards at Buttermilk again.  It's so quiet , it's like having your own private ski resort

Bottom of lift at Tiehack

Warm up run at West Buttermilk

Opening night at Base Village

Another full moon skin to Cliffhouse , Buttermilk, this time with Mary and Reid our erstwhile neighbours at Meadow Ranch

Parked on the Big Island at Snowmass Mall.  45 minute loops on the No. 3 route usually provide a nice 10 minute break at the end of each one