2020/21 Aspen/Roaring Fork Thread

[Percy Rideout]

I have a nice pack (ArcTeryx Quintic) but I’m basically a resort rat. Obviously, if I need my shovel and probe I wear it. Just vastly prefer to not have it on, especially if I’m visiting another area (like Highlands) and plan on skiing in bounds all day long with only 1 or 2 bowl laps. I rarely wear a pack mountain biking anymore as well.

My 71 year old mother in law always offers me one of those sling things when we visit and I can tell she’s not sure why I politely decline. But, she has skied Aspen twice a week since she moved there in 1970 so I don’t say shit to her. I hope to be that dialed when I’m her age.

Edit: I’m on board with the sunglasses while hiking though!

There are a few groups of ripping old ladies that ski Ajax regularly. I aspire to be in such good shape, and look that good at that age.

[One (+) Sentence]

There are a few groups of ripping old ladies that ski Ajax regularly. I aspire to be in such good shape, and look that good at that age.

Ha! Yep, Sunday’s on Ajax is basically religion in her house. It’s cool to watch her ski - literally zero impact. Use it or lose it...

[N1CK.]

anyone care to offer up some eating/drinking recommendations while in town? Staying in Aspen. Thanks in advance!

[skaredshtles]

anyone care to offer up some eating/drinking recommendations while in town? Staying in Aspen. Thanks in advance!

I haven't been to the Aspen location, but the Campo de Fiore that used to be in Cherry Creek was always *really* good. A bit pricey, though... probably more so in the Land of Milk and Honey.

Oh - and play tourist one day for lunch if the weather is nice and do some people watching on the Ajax Tavern patio right at the base of the gondola. That's a good time...

[rudy]

Nice! Over the next couple of years he will graduate from kid jumping off shit to missile. It’s cool, but it ain’t good for your heart.

Thanks. Funny you use that term. Over the past few months he's constantly saying "piss missile" and then proceeds to point it to the bottom of the run sans turns.

[Percy Rideout]

anyone care to offer up some eating/drinking recommendations while in town? Staying in Aspen. Thanks in advance!

Campo is overrated. The recommendation to people watch at Ajax tavern is good, but they have a dumbass tent set up that blocks the sun and people watching.

White house tavern, Meat n cheese, Big wrap if you want a mid ski day lunch, bonnies on ajax for homemade on mountain dining.

If you want italian may i suggest L'Hostria.

Mi Chola for the bar scene.

[skaredshtles]

<snip>

If you want italian may i suggest L'Hostria.

Damn... that braised pork shank looks good.

[N1CK.]

Campo is overrated. The recommendation to people watch at Ajax tavern is good, but they have a dumbass tent set up that blocks the sun and people watching.

White house tavern, Meat n cheese, Big wrap if you want a mid ski day lunch, bonnies on ajax for homemade on mountain dining.

If you want italian may i suggest L'Hostria.

Mi Chola for the bar scene.

Thank you!

[JaytaeMoney]

Breakfast: Hickory House for sit down, Jour De Fete for quick (chorizo burrito! one block from gondy!), Bonnie's for on mountain (oatmeal pancakes are God-tier)
Quick/cheap lunch: Big Wrap, Grateful Deli, 520 Grill, CP Burger, NY Pizza, Butcher's Block (italian sub)
Relatively reasonable dinner and/or sit down lunch: Mi Chola (Mexican), Meat and Cheese (hipster), J Bar, Hickory House, Home Team BBQ, Jimmy's Bar Menu, L'Hostaria Bar menu (are bar menus available during Covid... idk!)
Dive Bar: Zane's. Would be a good idea to get a Covid vaccine before you go in there. Red O is closed indefinitely.
Splurges: Chicken Sandwich at White House Tav, Double Double burger at Ajax Tav, Dinner at Matsuhisa, Pinion's, Cache Cache, or Steakhouse 316. Normally I'd put lunch at Cloud 9 on this list but, Covid, and if you don't have a res by now then you're too late.

[Shredhead]

It’s pretty hard to go wrong with restaurants in Aspen. Every place is pretty decent.

Yes, L’Hostaria is good and they do still have the bar menu, even as carry out!

I did an experiment and ordered the regular bolognese and the bar menu bolognese. They were exactly the same.
The carry out lasagna is also really good.

Getting reservations might determine where you go. It’s not easy. Good luck getting into Clark’s Seafood.

[N1CK.]

so far I think I can make due with these suggestions. thanks again and keep them coming.
if anyone cares to take a few morning laps next week shoot me a PM. it would be rad to take a mini tour and meet local mags.

[EWG]

Thanks. Funny you use that term. Over the past few months he's constantly saying "piss missile" and then proceeds to point it to the bottom of the run sans turns.

Yep. Sounds about right. Have fun with that.

[Shredhead]

I like seeing all the family pics.

Just curious, how many of you found your significant other in the RFV?

I met my wife at CSU, but we didn’t really connect until ten years later in Aspen.

[leroy jenkins]

OK so sort of related. God I fucking miss Johnnies. Aspen just isn't the same without it. Anyone been to the one in vegas? Is it the same as my idyllic childhood memories?

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

OK so sort of related. God I fucking miss Johnnies. Aspen just isn't the same without it. Anyone been to the one in vegas? Is it the same as my idyllic childhood memories?

I didn't realize they had a location in Vegas, I can still taste the teriyaki cheesesteak. My wife was a week overdue with our oldest and swears it was the cheesesteak she had there at lunch that finally started her into labor; stuffs got mojo.

Edit to add: Wife and I met at CU. She's from Junction and her parents used to have a studio at the Pokolodi so she grew up skiing Snowmass, that's how we ended up here.

[alpinevibes]

I like seeing all the family pics.

Just curious, how many of you found your significant other in the RFV?

I met my wife at CSU, but we didn’t really connect until ten years later in Aspen.

We met and married young, before we came to CO and Aspen. Outliers, amongst our social circles.

[glademaster]

Provided nothing goes sideways in the next 58 days, it looks like I'm buying a house in the area, so I guess I'll be around for a few years at least.

I'll do my best to confine my snow-related bitching to the Colorado Weather Discussion thread.

[Wes Mantooth]

Anyone ski sunset Highlands yesterday? Getting a few lift served laps after a full day at work was pretty awesome. Alehouse looked like a good time afterwards but the crowd/line indoors to get a drink was basically a superspreader event so we bailed

[Percy Rideout]

I like seeing all the family pics.

Just curious, how many of you found your significant other in the RFV?

I met my wife at CSU, but we didn’t really connect until ten years later in Aspen.

Fell in love with a Carbondale girl and got stuck in the Valley...

[JaytaeMoney]

Just curious, how many of you found your significant other in the RFV?

I grew up in the valley and imported my wife from Denver. We also both went to CSU, luckily for me, she did not know me during undergrad and we met thru mutual friends a few years after college.

Hot tip for all of you waxing nostalgic about Johnny's: I heard there's a place in El Jebel that serves up some of the old favorites from the Johnny's menu. Pretty sure it's Panderia San Miguel but I can't say for sure, haven't made it in there yet.

[gretch6364]

Provided nothing goes sideways in the next 58 days, it looks like I'm buying a house in the area, so I guess I'll be around for a few years at least.

I'll do my best to confine my snow-related bitching to the Colorado Weather Discussion thread.

Congrats on taking the first step...I hope all goes well and full congratulations will be in order in 58 days. Exciting time for you!

Curious...where abouts did you end up? Hopefully it gives you a shorter drive and some more days on the hill.

[Shredhead]

Anyone ski sunset Highlands yesterday? Getting a few lift served laps after a full day at work was pretty awesome. Alehouse looked like a good time afterwards but the crowd/line indoors to get a drink was basically a superspreader event so we bailed

I was going to go, but it looked cloudy.
Did west facing exposures get soft?



Congrats Glade.

[funkendrenchman]

I like seeing all the family pics.

Just curious, how many of you found your significant other in the RFV?

I met my wife at CSU, but we didn’t really connect until ten years later in Aspen.

Met my wife in Aspen through a friend (ex-maggot).

[glademaster]

Congrats on taking the first step...I hope all goes well and full congratulations will be in order in 58 days. Exciting time for you!

Curious...where abouts did you end up? Hopefully it gives you a shorter drive and some more days on the hill.

Thanks, man! Plenty that could go to shit between now and closing, but that's all part of it. I get out skiing quite a bit, despite where I live: 2-3 weekdays a week and at least 1 weekend day is very hard to complain about with a full time job (and also part of why I moved back here).

I found a place up the Fryingpan. It needs a little bit of true "work" and more than a little bit of updating, but I think I will be hard pressed to find the same amount of square footage/same size lot for the money in the foreseeable future. Plus, it'll save me 35 miles of commuting a day, while still being up in the mountains.

In other news, I put a gnarly core shot in a ski on Sunday, and had Hamilton repair it and give my boards a tune. Well, I got out on them this morning for some groomer zooming, and WOW. I had two full (automated Wintersteiger) tunes put on them at a different shop previously this year, and I think I'll be taking them back to Hamilton. Grippy edges underfoot, perfect de-tune through the taper, and bases that were slicker than owl shit. Conditions were primo for high speed cruising, but I think I hit my "season top speed" this morning.

[Percy Rideout]

Thanks, man! Plenty that could go to shit between now and closing, but that's all part of it. I get out skiing quite a bit, despite where I live: 2-3 weekdays a week and at least 1 weekend day is very hard to complain about with a full time job (and also part of why I moved back here).

I found a place up the Fryingpan. It needs a little bit of true "work" and more than a little bit of updating, but I think I will be hard pressed to find the same amount of square footage/same size lot for the money in the foreseeable future. Plus, it'll save me 35 miles of commuting a day, while still being up in the mountains.

In other news, I put a gnarly core shot in a ski on Sunday, and had Hamilton repair it and give my boards a tune. Well, I got out on them this morning for some groomer zooming, and WOW. I had two full (automated Wintersteiger) tunes put on them at a different shop previously this year, and I think I'll be taking them back to Hamilton. Grippy edges underfoot, perfect de-tune through the taper, and bases that were slicker than owl shit. Conditions were primo for high speed cruising, but I think I hit my "season top speed" this morning.

We have been looking up the Fryingpan for 10 years now and cant find anything for less than 7 figures unless you're all the way up at Ruedi shores. Wow good find, and/or lots of Daddy's money.

The hamilton guys are the shit. Keep bringing your stuff to them.