Epic Powder on Highland Bowl

Yesterday might have been my best powder day of the year. Tuesday when I went to bed I told myself I would do three laps in Highland Bowl the next day. I woke up yesterday morning and checked the Internet to find that it had snowed overnight. Yes, this was gonna be a good day!

Highland Bowl is certainly the jewel of Aspen Highlands ski resort. It rises to 12,392 feet, 750 feet above the summit of Loge Peak, the top of the highest lift. Then it drops for around 1,450 feet, meaning you get twice as much downhill verts as you have to earn hiking uphill. It's also blessed with a Northeast aspect, meaning with the prevailing winds it can get nice and wind loaded, making for some deep powder some days. Like yesterday.

I arrived at around nine, with plenty of time to take a warm-up run in the Steeplechase area before the bowl opened. My friend Tyler called, and I told him to meet me hiking the bowl, but I never ended up seeing him. No friends on a powder day I guess. I caught the first cat ride up, which takes you about a third of the way up if you catch it, and started skinning up the ridge in a white-out. The hike went quick, and I had first tracks down G-8, one of the longest runs straight off the summit. Man was it good. So good.

One lap finished, I headed back up the ridge, but from the bottom this time because that cat wasn't running. The sun was poking through a bit by now, and the dream of a nice blue-bird powder day was on its way. Thirty five minutes later I was ready to drop off the left side of the summit down Ozone, which in a super thigh burning push I took all the way to the lift. Needed some rest after that one.

After resting for a few minutes I got back on the cat with my friend Amy from ski school, intending to bail early on this lap and jump in well before the top. But as my luck would have it, right as we stepped off the cat a patroller strolled by, saying he was opening the North Woods as soon as he got there. My thighs muscled up for one last push, and I almost ran myself into the ground trying to keep up with the patroller. From the top we skied down the East Ridge to the North Woods Gate. The North Woods cover an amazing flank of the bowl with perfect glades, steep open pitches, and today - epic powder. About seven of us rushed hooping into the woods for fresh tracks all the way down. No more bowl left in me after that run.

What a day - and they're calling for more than a foot again tomorrow!