It's senior year comrades.
We've been through a lot in these hallowed halls, come a long way since those pissant freshman days. So much older and wiser now.
There are so many things you learn as you grow up here. Like the sneak-through the alley between Bruno's and Eric's for example. Or how good the croissants are at the French place at the ABC.
But few things compare to the personal growth one experiences as you get to know the secrets of Ajax.
It's been said that Aspen Mountain is complex, like a shot of espresso or a fine merlot. It does not make itself known to you immediately, but instead, is a relationship that builds over time.
Like your co-worker's dog that shows you no love at first, Ajax may scorn you when you first meet. She is, after all, a demanding companion. There are very few easy lay-ups here. Upon first glance, only the most obvious parts of Aspen Mountain are obvious. The mountain may even seem boring at first. And how many times must we ski Little Nell, only to get back on the same gondola?
But like that dog that warms up to you over time, so to does Ajax. Typically, the romance starts slowly. It begins the first time you discover the joy the Face-to-6 lap, where a simple top to bottom is vertically enhanced with a jaunt up the F.I.S. lift, then a run down the Dumps.
As you learn more ways to link together steep terrain - Walsh's to Jackpot, anybody? - you discover what so many already know. This entire mountain is good fall line. And with cutoffs like Margarita Parkway, and that sneaky goat path that takes you from Silver Queen to skier's right of Super 8, you can get greedy with it. Ajax does not mind if you get a little greedy.
Sophomore year, I learned that Bell Mountain never ends, so long as you cut right or left in the right places.
Junior year, I could honestly say that Ridge of Bell was my favorite run on the mountain.
Now it's senior year, and the name of the game is aggregating all you have learned in the past. Plus there are a few new tricks, like how the gut of Jackpot may be the longest, most consistent fall line in town.
We are spoiled here at Aspen Mountain High School. Our rivals over at St. Highlands Secondary like to point out that we are overly pampered by the gondola and the lack of anything that requires the commitment of the Bowl. But lets get our facts straight here people: This is Aspen. Being pampered and spoiled is what makes this place great. If I wanted to freeze my ass of on a chairlift, I could probably do that in New England.
Snowmass is basically middle school, so there is no need to compete with them.
All this begs the question, what are we going to do after our senior year?
There is an obvious answer to this: Remember the super seniors in high school, and how cool they were? The same guys who after their super senior year became super duper seniors? The same guys who after super duper seniordom bought you beer in the parking lot of 7-11? This is clearly our destiny. College is for chumps.
Where's Wacko is getting ready for the pep rally. E-mail him at curtis@aspendailynews.com
