The June 5 closing date on Aspen mountain marked quite a lengthy ski season. But there are valley locals who push the extended season to the extreme. On June 20, the longest day of the year, Ann Driggers was hoofing it up Independence Pass, seeking a few more turns.
“Depending on the time of winter or spring you get to experience the most amazing sunrises and, in my opinion, there is no better way to start the day than on top of the mountain watching the sun rise and then skiing powder down before you go to work.”
Driggers promised that her sunset/moonrise run on the pass this week is her actual last day of the season, though she said that about a month earlier as well.
“I can’t just be lying there in bed thinking about what I’m missing out on, so I have to go,” said Driggers.
Matt Lanning is another Aspen local pushing the definition of “ski season.” Lanning skied 215 days this season - 210 of them were consecutive - much of it was in the backcountry.
“How I didn’t get sick, how I didn't get hurt, how I didn't just say I need to sleep more than I need to ski, that's just pure stubbornness,” said Lanning.
Nope. #stillnotoverit. Another brilliant day on the pass w @goldenbean39, @mishkin9189, and @emlande, who shows us some fine form on the firm spring snowpack #endlesswinter #everydamnday #day205 #betterfirmthanisotherm A photo posted by Matt Lanning (@mattlanning) on Jun 4, 2016 at 1:03pm PDT
Speaking on top of Ajax on SkiCo’s final day of operations, Lanning said there were probably only four days of bad skiing during his streak. But chasing the snow into the spring and summer meant some significant sleep sacrifices.
“In April and May, if i wasn't riding a lift somewhere and I wanted to get out and get up to a certain elevation and ski at 9 o'clock, I would get up between two in the morning and four in the morning.”
Driggers and Lanning both coaxed friends into joining them on their early morning adventures.
“I have a list of people I like to call victims who will come with me,” joked Driggers. “But usually it doesn't take them a lot of persuading. They’ll go once or twice and they will realize how much fun it is.”
Quite the light show for our solstice turns yesterday evening. The lightning cracked and the thunder rolled, causing us to cut slightly short the pole section of our Solstice Pole Pedal Paddle. Still, fun turns were had and it was awesome to see the storms rumbling around the high peaks across the valley. #lettheoutsidein #stiomountain #solsticeski #polepedalpaddle #indypass #coloradolive A photo posted by @anndriggers on Jun 21, 2016 at 11:23am PDT
Throughout their long season, the adventurers documented the changes they saw on area peaks such as Independance pass, Mt. Sopris, Star Basin and Mt. Hayden. The snowshoe hare changed its color and then changed back, a rock became a jump and then a rock again.
And each early morning spent seeking fresh powder came with that unbeatable sunrise.
