Every year it just seems to get nicer and nicer. We started doing the yearly spring informal BBQ on Independence Pass ages ago with a small group of friends and young children. The celebration of backcountry skiing camaraderie gradually and informally (“informally” is important as we need to be clear this is not an organized or commercial event) grew till this year about 150 people showed up. First one wave in the earlier morning. After that the group dwindled and we were thinking about packing it up, then another wave arrived and the party was on again. We didn’t get out of there till around 3:00 in the afternoon, and we cooked up every burger and frank within 10 square miles. A few photos. Chime in with a comment if you were there. And thanks for showing up! Be there next year!
Lead griller, also known as 'His Blogness.' This shot was taken by guest of honor and owner of Aspen Expeditions, Dick Jackson. Jackson took a hard grounder while paragliding last year and he's been getting hit with medical challenges ever since. It was so special having Dick show up, and even though he's not on skis yet he got out for a long alpine snow hike and enjoyed some of that healing (albeit smoky) alpine air. Best wishes to Dick and healing prayers!
Touring up to Geissler Mountain, Independence Pass. Click to enlarge.
News is that backcountry skiing that morning before we fired up the grill was exceptional corn harvesting. Click to enlarge.
Grill view at Upper Hairpin trailhead on Independence Pass Road, HWY 82, Colorado.
A few links related to this post. First, just to give a nod of support to Dick Jackson here is the click for Aspen Expeditions. Also, remember if you want ski touring info for the Independence Pass region check out BackcountrySkiingCO.com. And finally, enjoy our vast array of news about past Independence Pass adventures and BBQs!
14 comments
Looks like some tasty food and even tastier turns! But where’s the kraut Lou?
Thanks for the BBQ and the great encouragement to my daughter for hiking and skiing instead of Hanging out at the Mall.
We had a great time!
Yeah, thanks for putting all that together Lou. Good food, good company, good skiing. It was a great day up there judging by all the smiles going around. 17 years? That’s amazing!
It was great to finally meet Mr. and Mrs. Wildsnow! Not to mention all the other great folks that took time to chat. Good times. And thanks for letting us cook up our tamales and massive pork ribs on your grill…
See you at next years BBQ!
Steve, the grill will never be the same, but I’m still full, so it was worth it (grin). Yes, see you next year if not sooner! Lou
steve0: Those pork ribs were awesome. I think had beef, elk and pork for lunch at the bbq. I never felt so good, with all that protein I consumed. Makes me want to go out and buy a 30-06 and learn how to use it.
Nice to know that some things remain the same…like great people sharing great times & lines! Thanx & props to the Dawson gang for keepin’ it goin’!!
TXS T!
6th of June and you folks are still skiing and bbq’ing in the parking lot; all we have on the mountains down here in NZ is rain and more rain even though winter is supposed to be fast approaching. I think I’m going to have to emigrate!
Well, at least emigrating to the U.S. is easy, welcome!
Huge slide on the west face of X13271. We skied it three days ago, and went back yesterday. Probably went for about 2000 ft. right from the top of one of the west facing swaths. Too bad, because it was incredible before that…Probably the warm hazy temperatures over the last few days.
Ellen, where is 13271, I couldn’t quickly find it on the topo map…? Thanks, Lou
The conditions up there are still incredible- any idea what the approach to Conundrum hot springs would be like with this amount of snow?
SW of Brumley. In your guidebook, pg. 250!! I put a bunch of pics on Facebook. So wild to be booting up it in the early morning shade, get about two hundred feet above hwy 82, head is down, psyched to be skiing this again, and then look up to see this. Wow. Put a bit of a damper on our ski that day…Lots of cracks in the snow that hadn’t slid.
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