Aspen Highlands Closing Day: It's not for Gapers

The Aspen Highlands closing day party has morphed into the biggest and best party in the ski world. And it keeps getting bigger.  It's like the perfect storm of on-mountain celebrations.  The costumes, the booze, the music, the drugs and especially the all-out steaziness is beyond compare.

Click 4 pix:  AH, It's not for Gapers.

The Aspen Highlands closing day party has expanded from an intimate locals-only soiree into a regional bacchanalia.   People are now coming from all over the Western U.S. just to throw down.  The wilder the better.  

This years edition blew the roof off the open-air party stadium at Aspen Highlands. Nearly 5000 revelers joined in...an unofficial record.   

Always a highlight... The Aspen Bounce...it's when the jam-packed, pre-fab deck floor recoils to the beat of the EDM and the collective rhythm of the ski and rider tribe. The  Aspen bounce gives dancers a little extra vitality and allows people to send it just a little bit higher. You have to try it out to believe it. The non-stop DJ's at two different venues keep the potency of the party going.  From kids with fake I.D's to seniors with AARP cards...everyone gets their jam on. 

Alcohol is one thing.  There is tons of it all over the mountain.   Whether it's BYO or Champagne at Cloud Nine or Coors light... the fire water is flowing.   The Weed?  There's enough MJ (medical, recreational and black market) to satisfy an army. Other drugs like LSD, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, meth, horse tranquilizers, special K, sizzurp and bath salts are surely being used to enhance the mood.

This party is not for gapers.  It's a year-end ritual that memorializes another great Winter of shredding in Aspen.  Everyone needs to blow off some steam at the end of a long ski season... and they do. It's a well deserved blow out.  The Aspen Highlands closing day party is as close to "anything goes" as you can get.

Sure, many of the revelers dont even see the mountain...thats OK.  Plus we always hear tales of lost equipment, lost phones, lost keys, lost wallets, lost credit cards, lost panties...but thats OK too. Lots of folks pass out and/or barf on the bus...also OK.  People over-indulging and forgetting where they live is part of the cultural experience of AH closing day.  I often set up camp at the Rubey Park bus stop in Aspen as night falls just to see the zombie walkers that get off that Aspen Highlands bus.

By any definition Closing Day at Aspen Highlands is a DO NOT MISS experience in Aspen.

Click for Pix:

Aspen Highlands Closing Day: It's not for gapers.

Photo: Matt Power Click the image for MattPowerphotography.comCloud Nine on closing day...that a jam sesh.

LIGHT it up BLUE Rocks Out in Aspen...hard.

Light It Up Blue in Aspen. Hardest rocking party in Aspen.I gave you guys the heads up.  Light It Up Blue, Aspen was the hardest rocking party of the year.  Light it Up Blue (LIUB), Aspen, in it's 5th year benefiting Ascendigo rocked out...hard last night. LIUB is an international event that raises awareness for autism in conjunction with Autism Speaks.  In Aspen, LIUB directly benefits Ascendigo, a program that strives to enhance the health, life abilities personal growth and social engagement of those who suffer from autism.

Click  Ascendigo for more info.

Special thanks to Julie Royer Manning who co-chaired this years LIUB, Aspen with Stephen Olitsky.  Julie and her family deal with autism every single day.  Julie's daughter Olivia is a camper at Ascendigo's Summer Camp in Aspen. Olivia loves Ascendigo and it's program has directly enhanced her life. Through Ascendigo, Olivia comes out of her special world to ride horses, wake board, river raft and more. She has developed meaningful relationships with the staff and other campers.  According to Julie, Olivia's transformation is "simply amazing".  Olivia is one of 500 beneficiaries of Ascendigo's work in the Roaring Fork Valley.

CLICK 4 PIX.  LIUB ROCKS HARD

Mingling with the band. #liubaspenThe party was first class all the way.  The presenting sponsor, Sentient Jet  and party planner Aspen Eventworks pulled out all the stops. The Hotel Jerome Ballroom was bedazzled in blue.  Celebrity guests included World Champion ski racer Bode Miller and Dr. Jennifer Berman and Dr. Andrew Ordon from the Emmy winning TV show, The Doctors.  The ladies in the house were resplendant in their finest blue cocktail attire.   The guys....meh.  Just kidding, the men looked good too.

The food. OMG!!   It was a baccanahal.  The seafood tower was again the most popular food station. Enough lobster, shrimp and crab to feed an army of hungry philanthropists.   The silent and live auctions had fantastic items...including a ski day with Bode Miller that fetched $17,000.

After dinner and a short program...the lights went down...and THE MONSTER ALL-STAR BAND took the stage.  Composed of hard-rocking members of Fuel, Puddle of Mudd, The Ted Nugent Band,  Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blind Melon.   Leading the rock n roll charge were Derek St Holmes on vocals and guitar, Peter Keys on the 88's and Travis Warren on vocals.  The Monster All-Star's rendition of Cat Scratch Fever may have actually blown the roof off the Hotel Jerome.  They followed that up with Stranglehold which definately had the whole neighborhood jamming out.   In my opinion, the clear highlight was the final number, With A Little Help From My Friends, which had the entire intimate venue dancing and singing along.  

Everyone loved the ear splitting rock and roll and the all-u-can-eat lobster tower, but no one in the room forgot why we were there.  Light it Up Blue, Aspen, Ascendigo and kids like Olivia need our help.   Thanks to a SRO crowd of generous patrons at LIUB, Aspen...kids and adults with autism in the Roaring Fork Valley are the benficiaries.

It was another great night in Aspen, Colorado.

CLICK 4 PIX.  LIUB ROCKS HARD

Bode Miller one of the greatest ski racers of all-time at #LIUBASPENGary DePersia lighting it up Blue in Aspen.Julie Royer Manning, Co-chair of #liubaspen with her PNW crew and her Mom at Light It Up Blue , AspenSallie Bernard and Dr. Jennifer Berman flank (help me out with this guys name) at Light It Up Blue AspenAndy Andersson from Fuel on Lead and Derek St Holmes of the Ted Nugent Band got down in Aspen.It was a jam. Light It Up Blue , Aspen.