The Roaring Fork Valley is home to plenty of first-chair fanatics who get up early and hit the snow before the lifts even start loading.
But thanks to all the recent snowfall, you can find smooth turns and even some fresh tracks late into the afternoon this week.
Victoria Alexander, from Houston, was just heading up the Silver Queen Gondola at Aspen Mountain for her first run on Monday around 3 p.m.
On a good day, she says she’s on the mountain before noon, but New Year’s Eve celebrations and a few late nights turned into late starts, too.
Alexander has been skiing here since the '90s, when some friends encouraged her to take the trip to Aspen.
She had “never skied before, had no clue what a snowy mountain was like” when she made that first trip, but that didn’t deter her from the sport.
“I was afraid of freezing, I was afraid of falling, but I took lesson after lesson after lesson,” Alexander said. “I was determined to learn, and I love it.”
