Skiing in “warm” weather and bright blue skies

Today the breakfast was fried eggs that were only palatable if you were really hungry, and I was. After the usual exercise of putting on multiple layers of ski clothes and the two knee braces I am now wearing, we headed out from our ski in, ski out hotel to the new detachable sixpack lift. When we got to the bottom of the slope we were told that it was not working. This gave us a chance to take the new mini-gondola back up to Snowmass mall just above our hotel. The picture is from a gondola car looking at three going the other way and across from our hotel. It is a strange gondola as the cars are in compact groups of three. Most gondolas detach from the main cable so that they are going slowly when one climbs aboard. They then reattach to the main cable and continue up the mountain at a greater rate of speed. This is the best of both worlds, slow entry and rapid up the mountain. However, this gondola changes speed so that when a cluster of three cars reaches the terminal all the gondolas slow down. Once the passengers are loaded, they all speed up again until the next group of three reach the terminus. This technique must be less expensive but it all seems to work.

Now back at the village mall we skied across the slope to another lift to get to the Burn area by taking two additional lifts. Once up there it was beautiful with azure skies, the occasional white fluffy cloud and pine trees with branches bending under a heavy burden of fresh snow. The picture is of the snow bunny with whom I have been sleeping with the view from the top of the Burn in the background. On one run we started out above a cloud, skied through it and then out the bottom.

The Mexican meal last night was affecting me. At one point, I felt as if I might float off the slope because of the gas. There were occasions when I believe it helped to propel me down the slope. Part way through the morning we headed over to the Elk Camp area which was a mistake because everyone else was there. Some how it isn’t right to complain while enjoying such a beautiful experience. For lunch we went to Gweyn’s which is located at the top of the High Alpine lift and admired the view while noshing on our traditional tuna melt. Then over to Two Creeks for a few runs and back to the hotel and Jacuzzi. After the heat therapy we went to the mixer in the hotel lobby for wine and unhealthy food while enjoying a roaring fire in the fireplace.