Mountains to Denver Saturday

We wake to no snow.  It's a winter wonderland.

 

Snowmass access road and the road to Glenwood Springs is snow covered but passable.

 

 

None of the nightmare scenarios of last evening materialize.  Vail Pass is slow but moving at least 40 mph. There are no closures, no stoppages and relatively light traffic.

We make Denver in time to rendezvous with Crystina and Henry at Biker Jim's for exotic and enormous hot dogs.

 

Partying company at Biker Jim's, we first stop at First Draft, a place with a wall of beer taps each with it's own tablet describing the beer and brewery.  Your First Draft debit card delivers individual pours or tastes.

 

Next stop is Epic Denver. Nine bottles of Smoked & Oaked later, we find our way to the Airport Marriott.

 

For the record, the vertical climb from Aspen Highlands to Cloud 9 is 2785 feet.  The similar climb to the Lynn Britt Cabin at Snowmass is only1036 feet.  Why do we forgo the snowcat ride right outside our window for the drive to Highlands.  It's 2.7 times the vertical and a French sit down dinner versus an American dinner with the same course structure but far less quality. Our cat ride is a half hour.  The ride to Lynn Britt Cabin is 15 minutes.  The Cloud 9 menu is far superior; and the cost differential is $15!