2020/21 Aspen/Roaring Fork Thread

[grskier]

Aspen area peeps, curious what schools are like in the valley. Wife is applying for a job in Aspen, so I started browsing schools in places like Carbondale and Basalt, and was surprised to see that they rated really poorly. Do you have to be in Aspen proper to have access to good schools?

It's about demographics.

We love the Basalt Schools for our kid so far.

There are plenty of private options too.

[Iowagriz]

I work a lot with her on various terrain to help turning...but has not been successful with any braking. Thanks!

2nd on Edgey-Wedgey... used them a lot when I taught (but that was 30yrs ago)

I also had lots of luck making games with kids. Red light, green light or follow the leader with varying turns and speed control. Treats for doing a good job (lifesavers are easy).

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[JaytaeMoney]

She has a dozen days in and does really well, can turn and the direction she wants...but she refuses to slow down. She just wants to go straight and I don’t want her to get hurt and lose her fearlessness.

I could have written this pretty much verbatim. We are having the same issues with my daughter who turns three this month. I guess I'll put the edgie wedgie on, we used it last year but I never put it on the new skis this year because she was a lot more stable right out of the gate this season. But yeah... loves speed and refuses to turn unless there's an obstacle.

Aspen area peeps, curious what schools are like in the valley. Wife is applying for a job in Aspen, so I started browsing schools in places like Carbondale and Basalt, and was surprised to see that they rated really poorly. Do you have to be in Aspen proper to have access to good schools?

I'm a Basalt High grad, I was in the Basalt school system from 1st through 12th grade. Pretty sure I turned out ok. I think there was a period around 2012ish where the Basalt and Carbondale schools were really bad. I have heard they are much much better now and I had a great experience (which might be irrelevant at this point since I'm a fossil in my mid-30s)

All that said, I bought a place in Snowmass Village instead of further downvalley. SMV being in the Aspen School District was a big part of that decision. But I also have a lot of friends who have done the exact opposite i.e. grew up in Aspen/ASD and now live DV and their kids go to Basalt/Carbondale.

[glademaster]

My dad just taught me how to snowplow by having me ski between his knees when I was really little.

That, and he also drove home that I had to ALWAYS be 110% in control while skiing. Even flirting with the limits of being in control was unacceptable and admonished. Having that message instilled in me from literally day one of sliding on snow was invaluable, and still influences my skiing style today.

[Kinnikinnick]

In order to get my son to turn more, i made it a competitive game

“Bet that I can make more turns down to X than you can” :

He makes more turns with thise tiny skis than I could with long skis


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[gretch6364]

Thanks everyone. She is in this odd place of being super stable and honestly able to ski pretty fast and still be stable....she can steer I guess is the better word when she wants too...but she just has not figured out the speed control yet. My son was similar...but more timid. AVSC really helped him, but she kissed the cutoff.

I have an older edgy wedgy that was given to me...gonna put it on next time out.


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[alpinevibes]

Aspen area peeps, curious what schools are like in the valley. Wife is applying for a job in Aspen, so I started browsing schools in places like Carbondale and Basalt, and was surprised to see that they rated really poorly. Do you have to be in Aspen proper to have access to good schools?

I work at the largest private school in the valley, our students are half aspen, half Basalt-Carbondale. It's a great school and great education, but $25-35k if you pay full rate. We have a lot of scholarship money that can change that drastically.

Basalt and Carbondale schools are solid, but as GR alluded to - it comes down to demographics. Many upper-middle and upper class families in the midvalley know that with ACDS, Waldorf, CCS, and ACS, they have options at their disposal for non-public options. Certainly not all, but many choose to send their kids to other options if they can. Up here, ASD was rated as top-level about 10yrs ago, but has slipped some since. It's not bad, but not as strong or universally praised/supported by the community. There's still a lack of unity between leadership, teachers and the wants and/or biased demands of parents

But... skiing - I snuck in two bowl laps yesterday afternoon. Ozone and Steep and Deep skied soft or chalky. Some rocks, but plenty obvious. Better turns then I expected, despite the Ikoneers packing the bootpack.

[Shredhead]

Up here, ASD was rated as top-level about 10yrs ago, but has slipped some since. It's not bad, but not as strong or universally praised/supported by the community. There's still a lack of unity between leadership, teachers and the wants and/or biased demands of parents.

My son’s girlfriend was born/raised and then taught at ASD. It’s maybe dropped a little, but not anywhere near, what a small, but extremely vocal group of parents portrayed. Total witch hunt.

The bitch that spearheaded the removal of the Superintendant, rented one of my houses.
She was the most miserable cunt, I’ve ever dealt with. Happiest day of my life was at the end of the lease and they asked if the could stay.
Sure, 4x the current rent, bitch!

The school district has some issues. But it has so many resources and so many opportunities for student, that you have to consider it.

I would rent a place in Snowmass until you figure out what’s the best situation for your family. I don’t think I’d want to buy a free market unit right now.

[gretch6364]

To be honest, it’s more about the family and the kid then the schools. The top kids at Basalt are still getting into Ivy League schools. Aspen has its own problems with drugs, pressure, etc.

Also, let’s be honest, when is the last time anyone in an interview after your first 5 years in a profession asked you anything about where you went to college?

Unless you are Ivy League, the college you went to is not opening doors left and right. Plus, out West, you college matters way less then out East. CU and CSU are not exactly name dropping colleges.

We plan to send our kids to Basalt. I think the private schools are amazing for kids that have learning difficulties, but otherwise, I don’t see them giving anyone a leg up.


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[Danno]

Thanks for all the feedback. If my wife gets closer to getting the job, I may circle back with more questions.

[MakersTeleMark]

https://www.aspentimes.com/news/pitk...indoor-dining/

Pitkin County, however, must show a 14-day decline in the skyrocketing incidence rate that hit 3,000 per 100,000 population last week and stood at 2,934 on Monday before the county will go back to Orange level restrictions, according to local epidemiological data.

“Three-thousand in a 14-day period is extremely high,” said Josh Vance, the county’s epidemiologist.

The highest incidence rate in the state – the closest second Monday was Bent County at about 2,500 – means one in 35 Pitkin County residents is currently infected with COVID-19, said Jordana Sabella, interim public health director.

[uglymoney]

Stay safe guys. I owe the fine mangs in this thread a fist bump for bitch slapping me some local perspective and steering us away for next week.

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[Foggy_Goggles]

I neither local nor fine but thanks for pumping the brakes for a hot minute. I'm hoping that once our 1a and 1b vaccinations are complete and we get past this holiday surge we can all feel a bit better about ski vacation (I'd love to take one) but time will tell.

[Percy Rideout]

Hope everyone is getting out this weekend. We could really use snow. I have other work to do, but might go again tomorrow just in case the worse happens.

Today was first day of AVSC and my five year old only had one other kid in his class. Snowmass has been so empty...the affidavit really seems to of scared a lot of tourist away. There is plenty of room for social distancing.

Anyone have some good videos or tips on teaching my three year old how to pizza/slow her speed down? Should I try the edgy wedgy?

She has a dozen days in and does really well, can turn and the direction she wants...but she refuses to slow down. She just wants to go straight and I don’t want her to get hurt and lose her fearlessness.

I have done some work with leashes...but mostly just ski with her and a hockey stick. Flat areas she just goes on her own. Today she skied down funnel bypass top to bottom and can ski for 2 or 3 hours straight.

I was going to get her a lesson (too young for AVSC) but they ski for like half an hour...then just play the rest of the time in the Treehouse.

I work a lot with her on various terrain to help turning...but has not been successful with any braking. Thanks!


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did you come into Four Mountain Sports Aspen looking for a leash last week?

[whipski]

Aspen area peeps, curious what schools are like in the valley. Wife is applying for a job in Aspen, so I started browsing schools in places like Carbondale and Basalt, and was surprised to see that they rated really poorly. Do you have to be in Aspen proper to have access to good schools?

I'm 10 yrs out of the valley but back then the resort economy was very dependent on Hispanic worker bees and flooded the schools with nonenglish speaking kids. G-wood and C-dale struggled because the #'s were so high. I think gentrification leading to higher housing costs has eased the issue mid valley. Also those families with bilingual members adapted, realized the American dream and dramatically raised their standard of living. I found the Latino community in general to be genuine, hardworking, friendly and entrepreneurial.
Friends with kids up and down the valley seem to have done fine and gone onto higher education and or careers. The Waldorf and CRMS pvt schools were also very popular with some of my friends.

[Danno]

Thanks Whip. We'll see if the wifey gets an interview. Not thrilled with the idea of going from being single income house poor to being double income house poor, but if that means I get to live in the valley I'll take it.

[gretch6364]

did you come into Four Mountain Sports Aspen looking for a leash last week?

Nope, not me.


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[grskier]

Thanks for all the feedback. If my wife gets closer to getting the job, I may circle back with more questions.

Hit me up on FB IM or PM me here when you guys get close, can show you around the valley.

[grskier]

Thanks Whip. We'll see if the wifey gets an interview. Not thrilled with the idea of going from being single income house poor to being double income house poor, but if that means I get to live in the valley I'll take it.

That's the spirit.

[whipski]

The CRMS kids skiing switch on tele's at Highlands impressed the heck out of me

[Shredhead]

I was impressed by the one legged chick skiing switch on Aspen yesterday.

Anyone win the Coffee Place lottery?

[grskier]

I’ll need to check the results, but the way that Snowmass does it we’d be 12th in line at best for the places that only had 16 applicants.


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[Shredhead]

i hope you’re in. I rode by there today and think it would be a really nice place to live!

[alpinevibes]

i hope you’re in. I rode by there today and think it would be a really nice place to live!

GR and I were in the third tier lottery, with 37 in the first tier and 7 in the second tier getting draws and dibs before our chance. Third tier is non-SMV PitCo locals. It would take a unit being passed on by up to 29 additional families to then get to our group, which has had its own lottery draw. Very thorough


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[Shredhead]

Thanks for the clarification. What about the new units going up on Castle Creek?
Are those pure rentals?