Closing Day

The final day of the ski season is always a memorable event. Though some of the traditions have changed over the years, some things are always the same: Wake up late--force the new hires to work, meet the crew in the locker room, dress up in the craziest gear you can find, hit the hill for a few hours, dodge a few snowballs at the top of Chair 4, take heaps of photos, wait for the avalanche bombs to go off, and then ride back down (pants, optional) to the after-party at Mezzaluna.

This year was all of that and more.

FRESH TRACKS
The morning started at the crack of dawn; I was up by 5am--I had a show to do! It was the last episode of Fresh Tracks for the 2007-2008 season; the last look at the Honda Sessions and the Bon Appetit Culinary and Wine Focus segments, the last five-day forecast, the last sponsored snow report. Yes, Vail Mountain would be closing today, with 3 inches of fresh snow overnight and three feet in the past week! Everyday is a powder day here in Vail, Colorado, it seems. Who could believe Vail would stop turning the lifts with a 79 inch mid-mountain base! Ridiculous, I tell you, ridiculous. That's what happens when you get one hundred inches more snow than average; a whopping 463 inches of snow this entire season. Luckily though, today, on this final day, Vail finally had a taste of Spring, with sunshine and blue skies in the forecast.

The last show was a colorful one; one with doughnuts and costumes galore. We signed off triumphantly, in Saturday Night Live style. We sang Wyclef's Fresh Tracks theme song in unison, "Everyday is a holiday..."


SUNDAY BRUNCH
After the show, I joined twenty of my closest friends for a Sunday morning brunch at the Austrian-styled Sonnenalp--all you can eat Brekkie for twenty bucks. We dined in style, dressed to the nines in the latest 80's Gaper Gear: spandex stretch pants, leopard print, neon, one-pieces, it was a trip to say the least.


We celebrated Jayne's annual thirtieth birthday and watched her dance to Madonna's Like a Virgin.

SHORT BOARDS
From there, we were off to the children's center at the top of Eagle's Nest, where we screwed bindings to miniature snowboards. There would be ninety centimeters of fun today (compared to my normal 143). We scorched our everyday stomping grounds, spinning 1's, 3's and 5's while lapping the beginners on Chair 15.



The gang then ventured to Chair 2, pulling a few more tricks out of their back pockets...

It was quite a show to see--so many big people on such little boards and skis.

So many complete and utter wipeouts underneath the chairlift.

But, that's all part of the fun--it's the last day of the season!!!


CHAIR 4 @ 4:00
By 3:42 we were in line to ride up Chair four. We stood among dozens of fellow party people outside the ropes at the bottom of chair 4, ready to join the masses of civilians, gapers and goofballs up top.

A final celebration, before the lifts would turn no more.



TROU(SERS)-DOWN
As the sun began to fall and shadows lengthened across the mountain; after the last avalanche bombs went off and after all our ammo was consumed, it was time to strap in our snowboards and shred Vail Mountain for the very last time.

Some people found more creative ways to get down the mountain,

but the majority of the pack screamed down Ramshorn. At Mid-Vail, the tradition lived on...

We shred so hard, our pants fell down!


Pants fell down along Cub's Way, along lower Columbine, and even Born Free.

Pants fell down and stayed down until the Lionshead skier bridge.

After crossing the finish line, we were then able to reclaim our dignity and celebrate a fantastic season at our favorite local hangout, Mezzaluna.

A tribute to three trou-dropping friends who were unable to be here this year: John Evans, Chiara Krusi, and Dive Burton---WE MISSED YOU!