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

Early season snow

We've been in Snowmass for 12 years now and had, apart from last year, good to very good early season ( Thanksgiving and earlier ) skiing. None has bettered what we've had this year. It's been superb. Another 6 to 10 inches today - Nov 24 - on top of a good base.  Feet, if not metres,  of it on the top half of the mountain.

Skinning up from Divide on campground pre season

M making steady progress - long way to go

Top of Sam's Knob - made it !

After being pulled up from 20 feet below - stopped by tree. Failed to make the right hand turn from Brush on to Owl.  Scene ( and same scenario but fortunately not quite the same result ) of an incident on the No 3 bus that I had some 7 years ago. Unpleasant to put it mildly.

With Jimmy - Aspen ski bum personified

M showing form on Gunners' View

Thanksgiving plus 2

 "270" - ditto