Aspen to Snowmass
Silver Queen
Ajax Mountain, Aspen, Colorado, 2019
What's New!?
Welp, we moved. Can't say we live in ASSSPEN anymore. To put it simply we lucked out, I mean it... L U C K E D O U T ! We are officially caretaking a property up in Snowmass, (pause) slope side. Brenden will now have to endure a rough 4 minute commute down the hill or a 3-5 minute ski run down to the chairlift.
Settling into the new digs has been a prolonged process. In the midst of COVID and busy catalog work season, we hunkered down with Papa Coon and Nanny Coo-Coo's for a couple weeks in Missouri Heights, took a road trip up to Washington to visit the Sandness clan at their Lake Wenatchee cabin, drove through some smoke, lots of smoke, along the Oregon coast, and got to see Brenden's lifelong friend Charlie. Followed by another move!
The property believe it or not is called The Animal House. We believe it's dubbed the name for some crazy parties back in the 70s. There's an indoor pool they keep at 102 F year round, two 40+ year old jade trees and if that's not enough the two roof top decks with spectacular views will have people talking. We look forward to meeting the guests and getting to know the families who own and enjoy this property. We are excited for the opportunity to learn new things and what it takes to manage a home. We can't wait for the many snowstorms of shoveling and on mountain adventures right outside our door.
Reflection
No goodbyes,
just see you laters...
On our first night in the new place, Brenden and I had some time to reflect. It's pretty special to look back and see where we came from, and how far we've come in such a short time.
Brenden moved to Aspen 9 winters ago. At 19, he packed his car and drove the 2,000+miles alone, knowing he wanted to try and make a go living in a ski town. He didn't know anyone here and had never even been to Aspen. He blindly followed a passion to make a better life for himself.
I moved to the Basalt after college graduation in 2015. My family came out to the valley skiing almost every year since the early 2000s when my brother Kyle was invited to a Challenge Aspen ski camp for the blind. The summer of my freshman year, was when I truly fell in love with Colorado after working as an assistant camp counselor out in Florissant. I quickly knew I wanted the lifestyle Colorado provided. What's the saying:
Come for the winters, stay for the summers.
We came from opposite ends of the country... Brenden born and raised in Washington state, myself born in Illinois, raised in Florida. How is it that people come from so far away and meet in the some-what middle. We came at different times, but for similar reasons. We loved a lifestyle and wanted to make it our own.
Brenden lived up Independence Pass and an old cheap tent for two weeks or was it two months?? haha I tagged along and followed suit of my parents and moved in with them. We were here before our paths crossed.
Brenden loves skiing. Me... ehh, I'm learning to love skiing. But I do love the mountains. What does living in a ski town mean? Sacrifice. First things first, it's extremely expensive to live here. There's a lack of professional jobs outside of the ski industry. In a way, you have to forge your patch to eventually end up in this small niche.
Next thing is there's a lot of turnover, not what you'd think as in the work place, but in the town in general. It is hard to build relationships with people because so many come for a season or two before moving on to the next venture. The thing is the people who want to be here and stay here, do whatever they can finagle their way in, work hard and can to stay put!
Then there's chance or luck. With some sacrifice, hard work, and luck, we hope to make it our long term home.
