The Last Day

Saturday, March 14, 2026

Avon, CO

The week went by pretty fast - hard to believe it's almost over. Like my song "Just in Time" says, "time files when you're on the run." I spent some time this week reflecting on life, the state of the world, my family, and just how ridiculous skiing is. Human's seem to have an aptitude for the absurd. I mean, strapping boards to your feet and hurling yourself down a mountain at 50 mph? Totally ridiculous. But totally a blast. One of the funnest human inventions ever. Which has been enhanced by high speed lifts, plastic boots, and fatty skis. Love it. All of it.

The wind has died down today and the forecast high for Avon today is 56 - one degree higher than yesterday. Just another swinter day in The Beav. There's snow forecast for tonight that won't do anything for us and will be a temporary patch given the forecast for a heat dome over Colorado next week with potential highs above 80 in Denver by Thursday. It will almost certainly be warmer than Flagler Beach which is forecast for 65 Thursday.

It was cloudy and not that warm today. The first run down Cabin Fever was pretty stiff.  We then went over to the Upper BC Express and took a run down Bitterroot which was also really bad. We then went over to the Birds of Prey. Lower Larkspur was a combination of piles of slush and ice. Our goal was the Cinch lift at the top. The theory was that it would be softer up top. It was, but it was also really windy.

I convinced Cath, Parker, and Garth to attempt synchro skiing. You can view our attempt below.

The rest of the crew peeled off to go ice skate with Chelsea. Cam, Garth and I headed back to Bachelor Gulch. Redtail has a reputation for being a sheet of ice, but it actually wasn't bad. Except for the punks who were straight lining. Not cool.

The three burrutos on Cabin Fever

Cam is starting to get it

Cam attempted to spray me and it didn't quite work

Garth skis the short forest of aspens

Not bad for someone who only has about 10 days under his feet

Garth lords over his domain 

Not much snow left at the Lower Beaver Creek Express

Cam's last turn

Well that's it for skiing. It was a great week with family, fun, and a little snow. Skiing wasn't the best, but that's ok. I'm pretty much over my desire to hammer as hard as I can all day. Even on a powder day. Not that I wouldn't go out myself on a powder day, just that having a friend or two elevates the experience. Now for the final stats:

134,969 vertical feet

158.05 miles

Not too bad. Next up: Widespread Panic weekend. My buddy and old business partner Jim has been coming out for the weekend which is always fun. This is the forth year and the shows are next weekend. I've got a couple posts from previous trips to finish up and may a few thoughts to share when I get back to Flagler Beach. 

That's all for now!

Friday the 13th

Friday, March 13, 2026

The Ritz, Bachelor Gulch

Today is the traditional party at the Ritz. Which happened. But first...

Today was Chelsea's first day on the big mountain. She was ready and excited to ride the bus to the gondola.

 

The main crew took Chelsea up to McCoy Park. Garth and I did three hot laps on Bachelor Gulch to wrack up some vert and get warmed up. The snow was much more forgiving this morning and we were having a lot of fun. We topped out at over 50 before it got too sloppy to be fast.

Garth and I met up with the crew at McCoy Park. Chelsea had done a couple runs which earned her a trip to the Candy Cabin. What a reward! My experience with our kids was that you have to make it fun or they'll hate it. Kayla will vouch that when we attempted to teach her to ski a Hoodoo she hated it. She had to do it on her terms. And so it is.

Parker and Chelsea in the Candy Cabin

The younger Fawcett Clan in front of the Candy Cabin. Brooke, Parker, Chelsea, and Cam.

Chelsea was done after a couple runs (see comment above about keeping it fun) so Garth and I peeled off to check out Harrier again. The bottom of Larkspur was full on sludge which we figured was a good omen for Harrier being less than bulletproof. Harrier is a run off the Birds of Prey lift that nobody skis and can be really great or not so great. Unfortunately it was not so great - pretty stiff at the top but softening up a bit lower down. 

We headed back over to Bachelor Gulch to meet the crew at Mammie's for lunch. I'd seen Mammie's many times off the top of the lift but only discovered it this morning when I went into the restroom to wipe the sunscreen out of my eyes. What I saw impressed me - a giant outside deck with a yurt bar. Plus, they advertised Grateful Dead cover band. I suggested we head over there for lunch and surprisingly the crew agreed (they almost never agree with my suggestions and as for Garth, well, ask him).

Lunch at Mammie's

Live music by the Laughing Bones

Which I was hoping was an ensemble but was a solo guitarist. That was fine given the logistics of getting equipment up the mountain. Plus, he was a talented guitarist and singer with a good song selection: Lyle Lovett, Bobby Wier, Sam Cooke, and so on. Great entertainment for a late winter afternoon in the sunshine. Catherine got Cam and I a spicy marg which was spicy but a little weird. You get what you get and don't complain or not.

Awesome ski art. Have a pawsome day!!

I've only seen Pine Marten's a couple times. They are indigenous to the Pacific NW and I saw one at Willamette Pass and one at Bachelor. They look like weasels only more wintery. Or something.

After lunch the ladies and Parker went down to the Ritz while Cam, Garth and I did hot laps on Bachelor Gulch. We found the baby bumps on Cabin Fever to be just the right amount of mushy to make them fun. 

Garth skis the baby bumps

We were coaching Cam on how to ski bumps and ride a ski. He's a quick study and is starting to get the hang of riding a ski. He's also learning how to ski bumps which is pretty amazing for someone who has skied less than 10 days. I'm impressed. Cam was called down for shots at the Ritz so Garth and I did a couple more laps. It was a lot of fun to be reminded how great skiing mushy bumps is. I don't quite have the quickness or snap I did when I was when I was in my 20s and 30s and 40s and 50s, but I think I'm still pretty ok for a senior citizen.

The party at The Ritz. This is four bottles of wine in - which is where we joined.

The Ritz where wealthy people who have made piles of money from legitimate and other means stay. I'll never know that kind of wealth and can't really relate to it. I figured that out on my last trip to Aspen in the winter of 1986. We went to a bar (don't remember which one) and I learned there was a level of wealth that I would probably never know.

The Ritz

Garth's the man

Wide angle of the party. We're in the cheap zone outside of the main party.

The party lasted until about 4pm at which point the crew had polished off five bottles of wine. I only had one glass which was sufficient for me at that point. I have a hard time relating to the Ritz crowd - it's a level of wealth we'll never know. And even if we did, I probably still couldn't relate.

The party continued after dinner and it got noisy. Garth disappeared and Cam and I went out to stroll around the lake and chill a bit.

Benchmark Lake Reservoir at sunset with geese

It's always a holiday at The Beav

Garth and I added 21,386 of vert today on top of the 95,040 we racked up so far this week for a grand total of 116,426 feet. Not bad and we should be able to top out at over 135k. I'll do a full accounting tomorrow.  I was pretty gassed again but after laying down for 15 minutes I rallied for dinner. Now the entire crew is coming over (~15) which is a lot to deal with. I'll take a shower and have some dinner and look forward to skiing tomorrow and going to the pool with Ari in the afternoon. More on that tomorrow.

Partly Cloudy and Breezy

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Beaver Creek, Day 4

This is my fifth day of skiing in a row. My right hip was complaining last night. I'm trying to decide if it's the hide-a-bed which is lumpy and not too plush, or something I did yesterday. Not sure. Anyway, my sisters and I stretched in the morning, which seemed to help. It didn't hurt when I was skiing so that's good news.

It was warmer today but quite windy. The forecast was for 20-30 mph winds with gusts up to 50. The high in Avon was forecast to be 55. That was all true, but it was colder on the mountain and there was a persistent cloud that would not budge most of the morning. The effect of that was that the snow did not soften up until afternoon. Morning runs were a bit chippy.

Cam starts the morning the Irish way

We started the morning with a couple runs down Bachelor Gulch. The snow was pretty stiff so we went over to Arrowhead hoping it would be softer. It wasn't but a rip down Little Brave is always a gas.

Diane asked for more pictures of me so we complied

The Fawcett's in front of the Bachelor Gulch ski patrol shack

Me with my niece and nephew 

Old but not too slow

The crew had the idea of going to McCoy Park after Arrowhead. The snow was a bit better up there but the wind was blowing harder. This is a small person playground and I can't wait to get Ari up here. It's gonna be fun!

Me and my sisters in McCoy Park with the persistent clouds hovering

We had lunch at Eaton Hall at the top of the McCoy Park chair. It yielded a view I hadn't seen before at BC - Gold Dust Peak on the left and New York Peak on the right. The lodge had limited offerings, including no water fountain. I felt that later in the afternoon.

The entire crew on the deck of Eaton Hall

Quinn and Cam were having dinner at an Italian Restaurant in Vail so we headed back to Bachelor Gulch and I got some more photos. 

Catherine

Beth

Parker kicking up the rooster tail with his twin tips

Most of the crew peeled off around 1:30 but Garth and I hung around to do some more hot laps and get to our 20,000 vert target.

The Piston Bully's that keep the mountain skiable

I had to get a picture of these. They're one of the coolest set of boards I've seen. BC Patrol, Help is on the Way around the Grateful Dead skull. Sign me up for a pair of these.

Tomorrow is the traditional celebration when we get a table at the Ritz and party like rock stars with the rich folk. You can wrack up a $500 tab in the blink of an eye but we usually do on beer of whatever is on happy our and supplement with our own booze. The nerve.  I'll report on that tomorrow. Hopefully it will be warmer and less windy.

Slow Day

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Avon Colorado

We're taking a slow day today. Good thing - I need a bit of rest after racking up 61k in vert over the past three days. The workout routine definitely helped, but between the team meetings (with cognac), the elevation, and the vert, I need a bit of a rest. Plus, I'm a card carrying old person now.

It's cold this morning. It was 24 when I woke up and 28 at 9am. We headed out a bit after 10 and went up to the base today with the idea that the best snow would be up high. Chelsea and Louis came with to do some laps on the baby gondola (only at BC) with Brooke and Parker. The rest of us headed up Centennial and then the Cinch lift to the very top of BC at 11,440'. 

Garth at BC base looking up the Centennial lift

Parker and Chelsea

Garth and Catherine

It was maybe 20 at the top and a bit chilly. It validated my decision to wear my ski jacket rather than the flannel. There will be time for that tomorrow.  The snow up top was really nice.

Beth showing her style 

Cam only learned to ski this season. He's already keeping up like a pro.

Cam

Cam shredding the bumps

The Crew on Piney

Catherine and Quinn show off their synchro skills

It was getting rather windy and frigid after lunch. The ladies left early to go on a shopping excursion. Garth and I continued on with a run down Harrier (not great, in fact, really stiff) and then the long traverse from Larkspur to the top of Bachelor Gulch which is approximately 1.7 miles. My thighs were burning because we had tuck parts of it do to a stiff upslope wind. After that we did a couple of laps down Cabin Fever. It was pretty slick at the top (e.g., icy) but worse in the middle and then a bit mushy at the bottom. We racked up 16k of vert today for a four-day total of nearly 75k. In other words it wasn't really a slow day.

The forecast calls for warm and windy tomorrow. Regardless, it should be a fun day.

Three's a Pain

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Beaver Creek, Colorado

Woke up and my calves were not happy. I attribute that to walking from the gondola to the condo, but it might be skiing related. The main crew hopped the 8:48 and Garth and I opted to wait about 45 minutes for the ice to thaw. That turned out to be a good decision. We ran 7 hot laps on Batchelor Gulch. Conditions were pretty firm to start but to better with every run. Eventually we wandered over to Arrowhead and met up with the crew.

Garth and Catherine in front of the Arrowhead clocktower

I mostly skied today and didn't take a lot of photos. After 11,000 vert in the am, we stopped for lunch. After lunch we did another lap down Cresta and then headed over to hit Screech Owl again. Half the crew peeled off for wine at the Redtail lodge. Garth, Catherine, Parker, and I went up Grouse Mountain to do a lap. Conditions were pretty mushy on the very steep top pitch but were pretty ok the rest of the way down.

After that we hopped the Birds of Prey Express for a final lap down to the Beaver Creek base. We wisely decided to pass on Leave the Beav expecting it to be a sticky, slushy mess. I snapped a few photos of the crew on Gold Dust.

I. Cam, Quinn, and Beth

II. Catherine, Beth, and Quinn all lean left

III. Catherine

IV. Beth

V. Parker

VI. Garth

We then hopped the bus back to the condo.

Quinn and Catherine waiting for the bus (all day)

I was gassed when we got back and took a nap. 

The view from the condo balcony

Garth has a ski tracker and we've skied over 61,000 vertical feet over the last three days. I'm definitely feeling it at this point. Hopefully I'll recover and be ready for tomorrow.