Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
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their fathers, hiking on snowshoes or skins at night, and staying up past their bedtime. They hike together to the warming hut at the top of the West Buttermilk chairlift. A potbelly stove sits in the corner of the hut. Twister and other board games are on hand, hot chocolate is made, and the families gaze at the views while standing in the moonlight and watching for shooting stars. A lasting memory is made. ack on the east side of the mountain, the ascent to the full-moon party is upbeat and positive. Aspen folk look forward to the climb with friends, the cold wind in the face, and the warm fire that beckons from the top of Buttermilk. After topping out, the full-moon party often becomes a full-on party. It's on these nights that the descents from Buttermilk are the most memorable—when whiskey is passed and the reveling escalates, the mountain moonshine makes everyone a little loopy. Lubricated professional skiers, who earn their living ticking off neverbefore-skied peaks in distant locales like Alaska and the Alps, struggle stepping into their bindings. Buzzed Aspen skiers, who normally garner hoots from the chairlifts as they lace high-speed turns down expert Ajax terrain, crash in catastrophic ways on full-moon nights, leaving a yard sale of goggles, gloves, and ski poles in their wake as they tumble down blue-square Buttermilk trails. But more often than not, skiers and riders, fortified with warming brown liquor sipped by the fire, get to experience the freedom of arching turns in the moonlight. Surrounded by friends and propelled by screams of delight, familiar runs like Racer's Edge on the east or Larkspur on the west feel new and unique during virgin moonlit descents. "Skiing in the dark after celebrating the full moon is the best sensation ever," says Volckhausen. "You use your skis like a cat uses its whiskers, and that makes it a new challenge. It's humbling." Katrina DeVore, a well-known Aspen skier, agrees: "The ski home is always fun. It is such a cool thing to experience these mountains we are so familiar with in a new light—literally." Aspen Skiing Company has taken an interest in the full-moon parties recently. Less concerned about overindulgence and more focused on safety, Ski Co. is beseeching the full-moon partiers to respect their mountains. "Every time there's a full moon we know people will be heading up Buttermilk," says Aspen Skiing Company's Jeff Hanle. "That's fine, but people need to be responsible for themselves and their friends, and they need to be respectful of their surroundings. We don't want to be cleaning up beer bottles or fire holes on the mornings after full moons. And safety is really the primary concern. In the early season when we're making snow there is a lot of snowmaking equipment, hoses, and people working on snowmobiles up there. Even with the moonlight or a headlamp, skiing downhill at night is a dicey affair." For those who have been doing this for years, it's about sharing a unique experience with friends, and there seems to be a disconnect among the new crowds heading uphill at night. "It's really embarrassing to see the lack of respect people have shown recently. The full-moon parties aren't supposed to feel like 'a party at the moon tower,'" says Volckhausen, alluding to the classic line from the film Dazed and Confused. "The whole point of being out there is to appreciate the wilderness, the moon, the snow, and your friends." So next time the moon over Aspen is full, radiant, and arresting, and a noise is heard from the top of Buttermilk, rest assured: you're not imagining things. Those are howls you're hearing, inhibition escaping from locals and lucky tourists raging on the moonlit mountaintop. AP The Silver Queen Gondola takes revelers up 11,000-plus feet to the Sundeck restaurant atop Aspen Mountain. Full-Moon Fêtes on Aspen's Four Mountains Buttermilk boasts an unrivaled experience for those willing to hike and shiver, but there are myriad opportunities to party under the stars. The annual Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club (AVSC) Nordic Bonfire Dinner is an absolute nighttime must-do in Aspen. Cross-country skiers and snowshoers ski a candlelit course lined with stations that serve hot drinks and delicious hors d'oeuvres, soups, and desserts from local restaurants. All proceeds from the night benefit the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club's Nordic programs. AVSC, 970-205-5100; teamavsc.org At just under 11,000 feet, Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro at Aspen Highlands is one of the most elevated dining experiences around. And every Thursday night during ski season, Cloud Nine hosts dinners for the public. A snow cat whisks guests uphill in the evening to the European-style alpine ski hut where fondue and raclette are dished, and Glühwein is poured. Aspen/Snowmass concierge, 970-923-8715; aspensnowmass.com Every Friday night during winter, families flock to the new Elk Camp restaurant at Snowmass for the Ullr Nights party. S'mores by the fire, hot chocolate for the family, ice skating on Rayburn's Pond, and the sledding hill are just a few ways families can honor Ullr, the Norse god of snow. Aspen/Snowmass concierge, 970-923-8715; aspensnowmass.com Throughout winter, the Sundeck restaurant atop Aspen Mountain hosts Full Moon Dinners. Live entertainment accompanying dinner at 11,212 feet make the Sundeck a great spot to soak it all in. Plus, riding the Silver Queen Gondola at night is a must! Aspen/ Snowmass concierge, 970-923-8715; aspensnowmass.com aspenpeak-magazine.com 177 172-177_AP_F_Moonlight_WIN13_SPR_14.indd 177 10/29/13 1:27 PM