Every month on the night of the full moon, people hike up Buttermilk and have a bonfire and party on top. Obviously we had to partake this month, and I conveniently requested that night off from work. So Callie (who was visiting for spring break!) and I met my friends at the West Buttermilk parking lot, just a bit up the mountain so the hike would be 1 hour as opposed to 2 hours. We strapped our skis into little backpacks, swung them on our backs, and stomped up the mountain in our ski boots, poles in hand. Miss baller Callie took a sled. It was quite a grind. Up and up and only up. But boy was it beautiful! It was a clear night, the stars were out, and the moon was a spotlight leading the way.
After an hour of huffing and puffing and struggling to find enough oxygen, we made it to a warming hut. Some people stopped there, but most dropped their skis and kept going for another 20 minutes to the very top. Once we got there, the bonfires started and the beer cans popped open. It was a wilderness party under the stars, overlooking the mountains and valleys. How perfect is that?!
After star gazing, chatting, and a couple cocktails, it was time to ski down. At 2am, we tumbled down the hill to our skis, clicked in, and rode down (all green trails by the way). What an Aspen tradition!
