Whole Foods, Frisco, within sight of the endless line of beatdown traffic on I-70. This is the second time in three weeks that I’ve “caught up on work” beside the satanic ribbon of pollution connecting Denver to Vail. The new normal.
Make no mistake, I am part of the problem. Driving solo from Ashcroft, above Aspen, to Boulder, I am it. I am satan. Once upon a time, one could leave early, return home late, and avoid the whole mess. Every year the start time recedes further into the night and the return leg inches closer to “ah, screw it, let’s just crash in Breck.” The new normal.
Poor me, though. I just got out of a hut trip, Markley to Opa’s and back to Ashcroft. A great crew, too. They hauled in a beef tenderloin the first night that must’ve weighed 10 pounds. Bottles of wine. Cognac. Epic stories, no complaining, and they could ski. Right on! If only every trip …
Rob Coppolillo is an internationally certified mountain guide and co-founder of Vetta Mountain Guides, based in Boulder, Colorado.
