Assspen

[Barb]

1 hour ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Have you done the surface lift at the top of Snowmass?  When I was there I did Gawdys a few times. Might be above your ability level but that’s a fun run. 

I assume you mean the cirque, this area

 

I have not done it.  I have not even explored a fraction of Snowmass yet, it’s huge.

 

 

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

1 hour ago, Barb said:

I assume you mean the cirque, this area

 

I have not done it.  I have not even explored a fraction of Snowmass yet, it’s huge.

 

 

 

What about the hike to blue trail I believe long shot it’s skiers far far right and ends at the lower village.  I did that when I visited and wow that’s a great long long run and says 1/4 of the way and 1/2 of the way and 3/4 of the way…I wanna get back there might even stay down valley where it’s a little lower and cheaper accommodations. The campground area is rad..that’s like a mini Hobacks. 

Edited February 17 by GrilledSteezeSandwich

[Barb]

I have some friends coming next weekend so maybe we will explore more. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

@Barb you’d probably enjoy this!!!

 

 

[Johnny Law]

On 2/17/2024 at 1:44 PM, Barb said:

I assume you mean the cirque, this area

 

I have not done it.  I have not even explored a fraction of Snowmass yet, it’s huge.

 

 

 

Personally I think AMF and Gowdys are the best, the center punch can look a bit wild but is 200 yards of fury and then your in the ditch. 

Atomic is probably the real expert but the out of all that stuff is essentially a long ditch unless you stay up on the walls. That's alot of traffic in a small area so it gets beat and is often way more effort than the good stuff up top. 

The possible, hanging valley side I think is better steeps for a bunch of reasons. 

[Barb]

Took a picture of the cirque (which is closed) for @GrilledSteezeSandwich today at Snowmass

 

me

Natalie

when our legs were tired we went over to Elk camp to check that out. Mellow terrain, lots to explore and softened up snow. It was 43 degrees when we left. Think my lips got sunburned today. 

[Barb]

What a beautiful day!  Sunshine and temps in the high 30’s on the mountain. Got to Snowmass about 9:15 and parking was a breeze. My neighbor is talking me into splitting the cost of a parking pass w him next season. Gets you free parking at Highlands and a lot at Snowmass with no shuttle required that I have never been to. With no pass it’s $25. 
 

Went over to Big Burn and took a warm up run on Sneaky’s 

snow was crunchy. Then hit the little bumps towards the bottom 

Then on Jeff’s advice went over to Sheer Bliss lift. And just as he said, I skied right into it and shared a chair with no one. I think I started on the Sheer Bliss trail but then merged onto a bump trail.  That was a long, lot of bumps. No picture of it. 
But here is a pic of people waiting for the cirque lift poma 

 

The snow off Sheer Bliss was less crunchy. But toward the last 1/3 of the bump run the troughs were pretty scraped off and icy. 
 

Went to the bottom and took the Elk Camp Gondola to the top and skied one run down to the base. One thing about Snowmass is the runs are super long. I’m must have banged my watch and shut off the tracking but before I went to elk camp it was over 6000’. Top to bottom of elk is probably another 3000’ + 

one of these “runs” is from Snowmass mall to the lift which is about 100’. 
 

Love my commute, never any traffic heading home. Blaring the 80’a tunes

 

This view right before the Marble turn off is really beautiful but a picture doesn’t really do it justice. 

My plan is to suffer a bit and uphill Tiehack tomorrow. My cardio game is sorely lacking. 

Edited March 19 by Barb

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Nice report and how much does the parking pass cost?

[Barb]

5 minutes ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Nice report and how much does the parking pass cost?

I think it’s about $600, so $300 if we split it. 

[Barb]

This guy has some pretty good POV videos from all the Aspen mountains. He just posted this one of Sheer Bliss today. 
 

 

Edited March 19 by Barb

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

@Barb I really need to get back to Aspen…I had pretty bad altitude sickness when I was out there more than a decade ago and also stayed at Johnny styles house near campground lift at snowmass and only had supper in town once.  There’s like 80 restaurants I wanna eat at all of them. I might have to bite the bullet and force myself to go next season maybe stay in Carbondale since it’s lower.  

[Barb]

Carbondale would have some cheap lodging options. And it’s only about 6200’ elevation. I could swing by and pick you upon my way to the mountain. I met Johnny Styles, we was super nice. 

Edited March 19 by Barb

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

8 minutes ago, Barb said:

Carbondale would have some cheap lodging options. And it’s only about 6200’ elevation. I could swing by and pick you upon my way to the mountain. I met Johnny Styles, we was super nice. 

I saw Basalt also.  Johnny style is nice, I hate staying at peoples houses.  That was the last time I think except when I stays with brother in laws family in Tahoe and they’re a bunch of assholes.  Keep all the stoke going!!! We need it.  
 

Oh maybe you can give me a ride to the mall lol

Edited March 19 by GrilledSteezeSandwich

[Barb]

I’d give you a ride to the shuttle lot and you can slum it and ride the shuttle with me. Basalt will be more expensive as it’s closer. 

Edited March 19 by Barb

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

10 minutes ago, Barb said:

I’d give you a ride to the shuttle lot and you can slum it and ride the shuttle with me. Basalt will be more expensive as it’s closer. 

Ok save money for the fine dining. Might even buy a sweater vest for that trip so I don’t look like a tourist or those fleece vests ski shop employees wear and turtlenecks usually I wear tourist t shirts my parents gave me or blue shirts with random grease stain but gotta class it up for Aspen. 

[AtomicSkier]

Yes I was in Aspen recently.  Skied with @Barb.  Was great seeing @Barb.  Skied two days at Snowmass, two at Ajax (lapping the new Heros terrain constantly), a day at Highlands for Cloud 9, and a quick session at Buttermilk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Barb]

Pic #2 is amazing! Where is that? 

[AtomicSkier]

1 hour ago, Barb said:

Pic #2 is amazing! Where is that? 

That's from the top of Gowdys looking into the Cirque.  BTW, the photo you posted for GSS from Feb isn't the Cirque, that's the Hanging Valley Wall.  

[Barb]

Ok thanks. Still getting my bearings. 

[Barb]

Hi my name is Barb and I am a ski town all star hat addict. 

I believe this one makes 6. I wanted to break in my new hat and grr we some cardio so I went to Buttermilk to uphill. It is not yet opened. There was what looked like a groomed section (as wide as a groomer truck) in the center. But since it snowed last night about 5”, I decided to follow the path of the “main” uphill route that is signed. 

 

 

 

I didn’t go too far, maybe 2 steep head walls?  Broke trail the way up and down, which was fun.  I have a nagging injury from my dog pulling me down on the ice. But it was a sunny day, about 25 degrees and I saw one human when I was coming down.  Still gonna log it, i was on snow for over a mile so it counts. 
 

[Shadows]

A groomer truck.

Cmon barb

[Barb]

Yeah, I realized that was wrong as soon as I typed it 😂

[Barb]

Got my first day in on Snowmass today. Good base compared to this time last year. I took lift alone but for the first one out of the base. Very quiet. 
 

Having some knee issues so I was taking it pretty easy. Overall great first day, blue skies, relatively warm and got a baby bump run in too, my favorite. 

 

 

 

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

1 hour ago, Barb said:

Got my first day in on Snowmass today. Good base compared to this time last year. I took lift alone but for the first one out of the base. Very quiet. 
 

Having some knee issues so I was taking it pretty easy. Overall great first day, blue skies, relatively warm and got a baby bump run in too, my favorite. 

 

 

 

 

Have you skied Long shot at Aspen Snowmass yet?   Interesting him to blue square trail that’s super super long 

[Barb]

I heard about it. On my list for this season. Also went in halves on a parking pass with my neighbor. It’s good at Highlands and a lot at Snowmass I have never been to. On other side of mountain, but that lift doesn’t open for a while.