Wheeler Farm Loops

AM/PM - Lift skiing at Aspen Highlands, with 2 x Highland Peak hikes [1450']

PM - Skinned up Aspen Mountain w/ Andrea [3250'].

Basically a reverse of yesterday with better ski conditions (the snow actually froze overnight) and bonus bootpacking.

AM/PM - Ski tour w/ Andrea: Castle Peak! [4700']. The 4700 doesn't really do justice to the effort that went into this adventure. Starting from Ashcroft, its a long haul back to Montezuma Basin and ultimately up to the North side of Castle. But it was worth every step. Fun to ski a 14,000+ foot peak again... I haven't skied off the summit of a 14er since skiing Castle in May 2010 and then moving to Utah about a week later. My theory (which I know is wrong) is that being up that high gives me more energy. I think the proper condition/diagnosis is "alpine stoke" :-)

I wrote up some more here... I'm talking about a little place called Aspen.

AM - 8 miles.

PM - 8 miles (4 w/ Andrea).

AM - 10 miles.

PM - 10 miles (5 w/ Andrea).

AM - Solo dawn patrol powder 6-pack at Alta: Fred's Trees x 6 laps [7000']. Upper LCC got 40" of snow in 4 days just after the lifts stopped turning for the season... incredible timing! I have no action shots to prove how amazing this was... just the memories in my heart of deep snow and consistent face shots which in some cases led to tears of pure joy (both emoji and real). Among the best turns of the entire season. Swift. Silent. Deep.

I was so happy that, 8 hours after I finished, when I finally arrived at my hotel in Manhattan, I wasn't even grumpy about all the travel!

AM - 10 miles. North on the Hudson River Greenway.

PM - 6 miles. South on the Hudson River Greenway to Battery Park.

AM - 11 miles. Central Park.

PM - 5 miles. Back home!