Brush Creek (we think) pouring mud into Roaring Fork this morning...

Quiet, brown and warm Friday eve. Snow and AH manana.

One more weekend in the land of giant wrapping walls of snow.

Tracks in the bowl set early by a hardy few. Now it is glue.

Fresh snow greeted early arrivals, now it is dripping off the trees.

Marg Man pouring for all hikers on bonus sunshine Sunday.

Two-stroke margarita brilliance at Bowl Top.

Up the ridge early, snow was like thick silk under fog. AH in full winter mode.

If you are left in town you are here...

Deep in the Bowl today

Photo courtesy of Aspen Skiing Co.

Dumping hard here

Three to seven inches this afternoon. Three to five tonight. Snow is coming out of the fire hose today. Word from the Highlands powder posse was that it was, as expected, sick, epic, fat and bottomless in the Bowl. Patrollers were thanking those in attendance for coming up and encouraging them to take two laps in the Bowl. Wow. Great day for those who could get out and the weekend skiing and riding should be super-fantastico.

Theory: the more you want to be on the beach, the more it snows.

Powder morning in Aspen, Colorado. And the posse has its way at AH.

Highlands Powder Posse

SkiCo is inviting qualified folks to come skiing a day early at Aspen Highlands, which will be open for a late-season weekend this Saturday and Sunday. Here's the text of the SkiCo press release: "Aspen Highlands invites skiers and riders to join the Powder Posse tomorrow, Friday, April 17. Skiers and riders are needed to prepare the mountain for the general public for this weekend’s extended season. Those interested need to be at the base of Highlands at 10 a.m. and come no later than 10:30 a.m. when the Exhibition lift closes for the day. The Posse will ski/ride part of Highland Bowl and Steeplechase. Attendees can leave the mountain at any time and should bring a lunch and water as there will be no food service on the mountain. No beacons are needed. No passes are needed but skiers/riders will be asked to sign a waiver. For more information, please call 970/925-1220." And you know, it might just qualify for public service hours ... and the forecast is calling for up to seven inches by the morning.

Wintry Highlands with one nice set of turns down Golden Horn and T-Bowl.

Hey, I'm trying to work on my tan here, but nooo.

Reflections Monday night of a red sunset over a dark river.

Sliding into off-season

It was a fairly nice day in Aspen, although the sight of the dust-covered mountain looming over town seemed like a giant billboard for a trip to a tropical clime.
The weather forecast is doing its part to produce travel-related economic stimulus. Rain-then-snow showers expected tonight with one-to-two inches overnight. Another two-to-four inches on Thursday, another one-to-three inches on Thursday night, and another one-to-two inches on Friday. That’s up to ten inches by Friday afternoon. Hmmm. Okay, it is good for backcountry skiers but the lounging lift lizards will only be frustrated. There is lots of off-season activity underway, including a resurfacing of the North of Nell building. But so far, the immediate construction pace doesn’t seem quite as frenzied as in years past. Which, depending on where you stand, can either be a good thing or a bad thing. But it is for certain more of a quiet thing.

Fruits of off-season labors, somewhere in Western Colorado.

Closing day ... Already heading west toward sun, warmth, rock, sand and river. It was a solid ski season.