It keeps on keepin on. The winter that wouldn't let go.

4 huge powder days in one week, and all after the lifts have closed. This is the winter that wouldn't let go, and for powder hounds, it has been a fantastic...ahem...spring. The week started with the closing of Aspen Highlands, the last of the Power of 4 to call it a year. The powder in The Bowl was incredible but the big story was the party, a non-stop, 10 hour celebration of the end of an awesome season. But for me the week was just beginning.

I was fortunate enough to get an invite to the Eiseman Hut north of Vail at the foot of the Gore Range. Tess Weaver, contributor to Powder Magazine, was doing a story on the 10th Mountain Huts, and the Eiseman was the chosen destination. Billed as one of the most Alpine of the 10th Mountain system, the Eiseman did not disappoint, there must be almost 600 inches up there with the hut being almost invisible among the depth of the drifts and cornices. Along with Tess to make the trip a true "hut trip", several Aspen locals and a couple of out-of-towners made the trek. Snowmobiles were used to haul extra gear to the hut, but when the machines encountered epic conditions (can I say that cause we were "close" to Vail?) and side hills, they were abandoned a mile or so from our destination. With light waning, the 11 trekkers made their way up the final pitch with the aid of a GPS that took us right to the door in a dead heat with the dark. Tess shouted Hallelujah!, and the anxiety of looking for the hut was replaced with the exuberance of finding it. Party on!

The next morning we awoke to 10" of fresh on top of fresh. Stability was always a question, so we kept it safe doing hot laps and building a big kicker OVER the hut. Colter Hinchliffe, Greg Ernst, Willie Volkheisen and Derek Koster threw big over the hut to the oohs and ahhhs of the neophytes like myself. Once again the celebration of an amazing season was in full swing, topped off that night with rousing games of Egyptian Rat Screw and BB target practice in the wood chopping room until 3:30am.

Sleep was definitely in order but Colter was on a mission and the 6am roust only partially worked. Finally out the door, another 10" of fresh awaited. The radio barked...."Siiiiiick" and I went to work. A couple quick laps on the steeper side of the ridge behind the hut proved to be my best lines of the season, shared with Steamboat Nordic coach Josh Smullin. The smiles could not be removed from our faces, even as we dug fresh paths for the snowmobiles to get out, and back to the Red Sandstone Creek trailhead. Chris Tatsuno(Tats), Mike McCabe, JF Breuger and Derek piloted the machines out, while Colter and Willie got a tow on the back for fun. The stoke just wouldn't subside and the group left each other to their separate ways vowing to "do this again next year".

Upon returning to Aspen I went into a mini hibernation to recover from the extended Highlands Closing that we took on the road. My knees were tired and the fatigue was too much to take advantage of the sun. I did manage to hook up with a few friends for some afternoon Bocce but the forecast said snow and we knew spring was not really here yet. Sure enough, by Saturday morning the Bocce lawn had been covered in another fresh 14" of fluff, GAME ON ONCE AGAIN, It's still not over. The calls went out and this time it was KDUNK, Brad Yule, Natalie and myself, joining hundreds of other Aspen locals to shred all four mountains of Aspen/Snowmass without the aid of a single lift. While snowmobiles and skiers shuttled each other up Bell Mountain, we skinned up Spar Gulch. 2 laps on Backside of Bell to Gents to Jackpot proved to trump my earlier lines at the Eiseman Hut just days prior. UNBELIEVABLE was heard all day, and the Apres smiles and stories live on in my mind as proof of the best day of the year, yes that's right, on April 30, 2011.

The forecast is finally calling for more seasonable weather starting mid-week, just in time for many scheduled float trips by all those same powder hounds. Truly blessed are we in the mountains of Colorado. We are reminded every day how lucky we are and if you haven't noticed....slow down, take it all in, and notice the smiles. A big thank you to Tess Weaver for the invite to the Eiseman Hut and to all of the Eiseman hut trippers, it was an adventure I'll never forget. And special thanks the Aspen/Snowmass for finally closing for real and leaving the sick pow to those of us who could actually earn our turns, that was indeed special. Old Man Winter...that was one of the best yet, glad you hung in there. Mother Nature....we're ready for spring, give us your best shot!