Free Gear for EVERY KID in Aspen.

Jeff Gorsuch: Modern Day Santa> Click 4 pix.It was a chaotic scene in the Gorsuch ski shop in Aspen tonight for AVSC Scholarship Night.  100's of pairs of boots and skis were strewn across the store.  The line of happy kids wound out the door as they patiently waited to be fitted for their new gear.  Thanks to AVSC, Gorsuch and Ski Co. every kid in the Roaring Fork Valley that needs ski & snowboard equipment gets it.  Every year, Gorsuch &  D & E distribute about 400 gear set-ups to local kids.  "It's all about community" said Jeffrey Gorsuch.  "It's one of my favorite nights of the year" he added.  You could see the joy in Jeff's face as he greeted each and every little shaver with a huge smile and a hearty, larger-than-life welcome.

Click 4 pix  Free Gear for Every Kid.

AspenSpin knows how Jeff feels.  We've covered several AVSC Scholarship nights and the smiling, beaming faces of the groms never gets old.  Think about it.  You're a little kid...you get to visit one of the fanciest stores in Aspen and get fitted for "slightly used" gear....for free.  In addition to the ski equipment the children are treated to home-made baked goods, psychedelic colored beanies and first class service.  Now that's gnarly.   The parents, the kids, the staff at Gorsuch all throw off an electrifying buzz.   The store was overflowing with excitement, happiness and gratitude. 

AVSC, Gorsuch and Ski Co. have made the following  pledge;   That no child in the Roaring Fork Valley who wishes to participate in skiing or riding should be held back by finances.  The AVSC Scholarship program requires some paper-work...but no child will be turned away.  PRETTY COOL if you ask me.  In conjunction with AVSC Scholarship Night, the National Council of AVSC hosted a little cocktail soiree next door at the main Gorsuch Store in Gondola Plaza as a way  to kick off the season.  AVSC is prepping for a HUGE ski season with 16 members riding with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Teams this Winter.  Also throw in the brand new super-tramp at the AVSC clubhouse and more than 2200 participants ready to ride...and you've got a nice little season planned.  The official AVSC family friendly kick-off event takes place this Saturday at the new Elk Camp Restaurant at Snowmass.   Don't forget AJAX CUP, December 30, 2012, it's always the party of the year.   Click AVSC for all the info.

This event is AspenSpin's favorite.  The exuberance, the exhilaration and the optimism abounds.  The happiness on the faces of the Children (and their parents) is something that you can't buy in a store.  It's real and it's authentic...and it's Aspen. 

Click 4 Pix.    FREE GEAR

Free Gear for EVERY KID. That's Aspen. Click 4 more pix.It's a free gear free-for-all 4 AVSC Scholarship Night in Aspen. Click 4 pix.Willy was working hard...but giving back feels good. Click 4 more pix.These guys make it happen for about 400 kids. Derek Johnson (D & E) Mark Cole (AVSC) and Jeff Gorsuch (Gorsuch). Click to see all the pix from AspenSpin.

Going HUGE: Aspen Style.

Selfie with Julia Mancuso. AspenSpin. Click 4 pix.It was a HUGE weekend in Aspen. The world's fastest ladies came to Aspen for World Cup Ski Racing. Giant Slalom and Slalom were on the docket for America's snow queens.  Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso, Resi Steigler,  new U.S. star 17 year old Mikaela Shiffrin and their Europeon counterparts were ripping laps down Ruthies Run.  The coresponding action in town was siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick.  Our schedule was packed.  The ski races, the VIP tent, parties, sponsor events, the Squaw House, free concerts, fireworks and of course the #1 house party of all-time;

The 27th Annual Ski Tuners Ball.

Photos:  Going HUGE; Aspen Style   +   Ski Tunes & Tycoons

All that off-season training paid off for Aspen Spin as we managed to go hard all weekend.   Unfortunately the ski conditions are currently "less than great", so we excerted most of our energies towards the social scene.  We got  word from the top ( not from G-D, but the brass at Ski Co.)...please don't belittle the conditions...it's bad for bookings.   I guess I didn't realize that being honest was a problem. Sorry.

Mikaela Shiffrin and her Mom. 2 World Cup top 10's and a Barilla feast at Casa Tua. Not a bad weekend in Aspen. The capstone event of the weekend for Aspen Spin was a small private dinner hosted by Barilla at Casa Tua with Mikaela Shiffrin and her family and friends.  Mikaela, who lives near Vail, Colorado is a rising star on the U.S. Ski Team.  She finished 9th in the GS and 7th in slalom this weekend in Aspen.  2 top tens in one weekend is HUGE by any measure...but the fact that Mikaela is still a Senior at Burke Mountain Academy (High School) makes it that much more awesome.  She admitted that she's hoping to get her drivers license this week before jetting off to St. Moritz for the next World Cup stop.  

Mikaela Shiffrin is an incredibly poised young woman and she's ready to explode as the next BIG thing in U.S. ski racing. That's a lot of pressure, but she seems at ease with it.  Spending some time with her and her family revealed a highly motivated, super- focused, well adjusted, superbly trained athlete.  She is mature beyond her years and AspenSpin along with everyone else in the ski world can visualize podiums, gold medals and Wheaties boxes in her future. 

Any way... it was a great weekend.    Check the Pix.

GOING HUGE:  Aspen Style.    &   SKI TUNES and TYCOONS

The World's Fastest Women invaded Aspen for World Cup Ski Racing. Photo: Raifie Bass.Reverend Horton Heat brought his A game to Aspen for a free show.Fireworks over Ajax.The Ski Tuner's Ball in it's 27th year is the unofficial kick-off to ski season in Aspen. The G's always go HUGE.Lindsey Vonn took time to sign autographs for all the kids in Aspen.Appetitie for Destruction crushed it in Aspen.GS Podium in Aspen. 1) Maze / SLO, 2) Zettel / AUT 3) Rebensburg / AUT Photo: Aspen Ski Co. / Jeremy Swanson.

Corduroy Empire

Wut Up? Skiing is on in Aspen. Click 4 pix.Happy Thanksgiving.  Yaaaaay, the ski season is under way in Aspen.  As always,  the lifts in Aspen started spinning on Thanksgiving Day.  There are plenty of things to be thankful for in Aspen, but awesome ski conditions is not one of them.   Aspen Mountain & Snowmass had very limited terrain open for skiing and riding.  Kudos go out to the snow-makers and groomers who got one run open on Aspen Mountain.  It was an "old school" opening day requiring a ride on the little used Little Nell & Bell Mountain lifts to get to the ski able terrain.   Spar Gulch to Little Nell were the only runs open on Ajax. 

Luckily Aspen Spin got out there early, before the crowds and got some super-tasty man-made corduroy.  Spar to the Bar was the run of choice for many.

This weekend should be fun packed with the Women's World Cup racers in town.  Music, events and parties are on the docket...we'll try to keep up.   We're are breaking out the SNOW DANCE every night, lets hope we get dumped on soon.   In the meantime... 

Click 4 Pix.  CORDUROY EMPIRE

First Tracks on the Corduroy Empire. Aspen Mountain Opening Day. Click 4 Pix.The Bell Mountain Chair lift doesn't get much use anymore, but it was spinning for opening day in Aspen. Click 4 pix.

 When home town hero Chris Davenport talks about going BIG. He means it. In-Store at Aspen Sports. Click 4 pix.

The Coach. Bob Beattie and Mountain Man Mike Marolt at Aspen Business Luncheon. Click 4 pix.

Aspen Community Dinner with Aspen T.R.E.E.

Eden Vardy, founder of Aspen T.R.E.E. with Aspen's Mayor Mick Ireland. Click for pix.Thanksgiving dinner for 1500 people.  Niiiice!!!

Almost 4,000 pounds of food was consumed last night in Aspen. All of it locally grown, all of it organic and sustainable and it was  all free for everyone.  Thank you to Aspen T.R.E.E. (Together Regenerating the Environment through Education) for hosting The 5th annual Aspen Community Dinner.

Click 4 Pix:  Aspen Community Dinner

Nutritious eats were served up "farm to table" hot and tasty at Aspen High School by Aspen T.R.E.E. and a large cadre of volunteers and supporters.  Turkey and all the fixin's was grown and raised entirely right here in the Roaring Fork Valley.  The Aspen Community Dinner has quickly become one of AspenSpin's favorite events.  The free feast draws a very eclectic crowd and feeds people from all walks of life.  It's a true community gathering.  The holiday atmosphere and the "open house" feeling creates a mixture of local families, young people, rippers & shredders, and some folks who live right on the edge here in our Valley as well as some of Aspen's most affluent residents.   It's all in good fun and the room is filled with the smells and sounds of a home cooked Thanksgiving meal along with plenty of smiling faces.

We here in Aspen have plenty to be thankful for.  Our beautiful home is surrounded by mountains that  effectively shelter us from some of the harshities of real life.  Plus we recreate harder than almost any other town in the world.  Thanksgiving means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  This year I'm especially thankful for our environment...or what we have left of it. Please read my previous article, The Party Farm.   It's a true story about my fears of climate change or global warming..whatever you want to call it.  I explored contributing to an urban farming project in Detroit (my home town) as a way to take action.  Eden Vardy and Aspen T.R.E.E. helped educate me about farming and sustainable lifestyle practices prior to my trip to Detroit.   Eden gave me a crash course,, the twitter version of farming 101.  The Aspen T.R.E.E. and their small farm off Highway 82 just outside of town is an example of what can be.  They GROW, LEARN SHARE and INSPIRE.  Their mission:  Empower Youth and Community through Positive, Solution Oriented Sustainability and Healthy Food-Shed Education.  

Click to learn more about Aspen T.R.E.E.The Farm-to-Table Community Dinner is something Aspen should be proud of as a community. We are leaders in sustainability...and each and every one of us can help spread the word to friends and relatives.   We are on the forefront of the climate war...and make no mistake...the war is on.  

I especially enjoyed the joy and excitement on the faces of those being served and on those volunteers doing the serving.  Taking part in the Aspen Community Dinner made me feel warm and fuzzy all over.  The fact that opening day for ski season is 2 days from now, there's very little snow and it was sunny and 50 degrees today may have contributed to the warm aspect of it.  But it was a great event and we at AspenSpin support the great efforts of Aspen T.R.E.E. 

Click 4 pix:  ASPEN COMMUNITY DINNER

Volunteers worked the kitchen at the Aspen Community Meal hoste by Aspen T.R.E.E. Click 4 pix.Max and Shlomo and the boys getting ready to chow down at Aspen T.R.E.E.'s FREE Dinner. Click 4 Pix.Willie was cracking up at The Aspen Community Dinner. Fun for All. Click for pix.

Pre-Season Scouting Report: Aspen Mountain

It's almost time to ski and ride in Aspen.  Anticipation for ski season 2012/13 is high.  The Aspen Powder Hounds are chomping at the bit.  Aspen Mountain is a very intimate ski hill with only 673 acres (inbounds).  The gondola ride to the top is about 17 minutes.  Non stop skiing top-to-bottom, 3,267 verts takes about 6 minutes (depending on who you are).  Here's a zoom study, 11/17/12.