Fifteenth Annual Barbecue on the Pass

Indy Pass BBQ

The smell of roasting beef patties to a backcountry skier is like PowerBait® to a trout. At least that’s what it seemed like when around thirty skiers slid into the Upper Hairpin parking area on the west side of Independence Pass, Colorado, grabbed a high altitude Tecate (3.2), squirted mustard on a dog or burger, and chowed down.

This was around the 15th year we’ve hauled a grill and a cooler of carne up to the Sawatch alpine during spring ski season. We used to try inviting a bunch of folks, but that was too mature. More fun to just show up on a Saturday with good corn skiing and see who else is around and willing to imbibe. Story in pictures, much by Dick Jackson of Aspen Expeditions guide service (we thank Dick and his crew for their support of WildSnow!).

There comes a time in everyone's life when they have their first time, on Dynafits. Jess did great, and commented on how solid they felt while skiing. That's a common take as it's hard for many skiers to realize that the smallest binding out there yields a firmer boot/ski connection than just about anything else. Note bemused user of 'other brand' looking on as events unfold.

The man himself. Dick Jackson, owner of Aspen Expeditions premier guide service, looking almost exactly as good as he did decades ago, and perhaps even better if it wasn't for the sunglasses (grin)? Truth be told, the big glasses are a trademark of Dick's, and sure got me smiling thinking back on all the years of climbing and skiing our crew has accumulated around here, and all over the world. Both Dick and I were driving our Manaslus. As the oldest guys there, I hope we didn't mess up Dynafit's youth marketing with our vocal praise of Dynafit's incredibly light but wide ski, but we sure like those things.

Jess again, this time letting gravity do the work.

Yours truly.

Lisa on our second lap. The thought of burgers and dogs was too much for a third.

Always time for a Lisa smile when the corn snow appetizer is perfectly prepared.

Down at the parking lot, we fired up the grill and took turns keeping the carne moving. This is when we test Dave's dexterity and see if he can drink a diet Coke and flip a burger simultaneously. You'd be surprised how hard that is.

A bunch of people ended up hanging out. Carbondale was well represented, with one crew (the guy and young girls to right) even hailing from Milwaukee and just happening to be here on vacation with his two daughters 9 & 11, on Alpine Trekkers for their first taste of human powered vert. Good job girls!.

The Dawson contingent. Missing one third. I think he was doing a summit ski descent of Mount Baker, or some such nonsense.

Great day, y’all be there next year!

9 Responses to “Fifteenth Annual Barbecue on the Pass”

1. Jess Downing June 1st, 2009 9:36 am

   Two words after skiing and hanging in the parking lot: happy feet.

2. nick June 1st, 2009 11:31 am

   Thanks again for the hotdog. Good times.

3. Steve Gayner June 1st, 2009 7:56 pm

   Lou and Everyone,

   Thanks for the good cheer. The girls were stoked with all the positive attention.

   Interestingly, my oldest of the two girls, Micaela, was asked today at school if she was on Wildsnow.com by her substitute teacher. I guess her husband reads the site and thought to ask his wife (Micaela’s teacher) if she had one of those girls in this blog from Milwaukee in her class. Another Wildsnow fan from Milwaukee!

   The Milwaukee Crew
   Aidan, Micaela and Steve

4. Lou June 2nd, 2009 7:06 am

   Hmmm, WildSnow.com, it’s everywhere! Want some stickers? I should have given your girls some at the trailhead, but I’m such a crumby promoter sometimes (grin).

5. Alan Freysinger June 2nd, 2009 9:53 am

   As the other Milwaukee (Shorewood actually) Wildsnow convert I want to tell you that your site is great for getting my fix both winter and summer…….when you’ve got the jones you’ve got the jones!!! And Lou, just so you know, there is actually some backcountry skiing up on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan……with it requiring skinning up and skiing down…..that is quite enjoyable. You look out over lake superior and it is pretty spectacular….even if the vert isn’t. Do I hear road trip and field report????

   teletraveler

6. Kate Howe June 2nd, 2009 10:43 am

   Hey, Lou! It was great to see you again and to meet Lisa and the whole crew! Thanks for the beer! I still haven’t written my trip report… sigh, but I did post a very shaky video of you skiing on our first outing, give it a look! Can’t wait to come down and play some more!
   K

   http://www.skiingintheshower.blogspot.com to see Lou playing in the corn!

7. clark June 2nd, 2009 12:11 pm

   Hey Lou or others who have been up at Indy in the last couple days – any chance there will be some goods left by this weekend? I’m hoping the rain down here is covering the dust a bit and that we can find a bit more corn up high this weekend…

   Any thoughts?

   clark

8. Lou June 2nd, 2009 1:15 pm

   I’d say it’ll be pretty good if you keep your elevation high. That is unless we get a series of scorcher sunny days from tomorrow to Sat., which doesn’t look likely. Another good call is probably Montezuma from upper parking, thought he farther west you get the worse the snirt, so Indy can be a better bet.

9. Jess Downing June 5th, 2009 4:29 pm

   Hey you Milwaukee folk – go find my dad who lives in Bayside and tell him to get back on his skis!! He’s become way to citified since he moved back there…