ISSUE 3.5 73 PAGE TALES All the doors had been kicked in and the windows were teetering inward from years of battering winds and neglect. Snowdrifts piled up in the middle of the floor on the second story, warping the floor below it. The hardwood floors downstairs waved up and down from FROM THE CRIB [a] [g] [b] [h] [j] [k] [i] [c] [bonnie belle cabin] [intro]
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ISSUE 3.5 73 PAGE
TA L E SA l l t h e d o o r s h a d b e e n k i c k e d i n a n d
t h e w i n d ows we r e t e e t e r i n g i nwa r d f r o m
y e a r s o f b a t t e r i n g w i n d s a n d n e g l e c t .
S n o w d r i f t s p i l e d u p i n t h e m i d d l e o f
t h e f l o o r o n t h e s e c o n d s t o r y, w a r p i n g
t h e f l o o r b e l ow i t . Th e h a r d w o o d f l o o r s
d ow n s t a i r s wave d u p a n d d ow n f r o m
F R O M
T H E
C R I B
[a]
[g]
[b]
[h]
[j] [k]
[i]
[c]
[ b o n n i e b e l l e c a b i n ]
[ i n t r o ]
74PAGE JANUARY 2013 snowboard-colorado.com
TA L E SA l l t h e d o o r s h a d b e e n k i c k e d i n a n d
t h e w i n d ows we r e t e e t e r i n g i nwa r d f r o m
y e a r s o f b a t t e r i n g w i n d s a n d n e g l e c t .
S n o w d r i f t s p i l e d u p i n t h e m i d d l e o f
t h e f l o o r o n t h e s e c o n d s t o r y, w a r p i n g
t h e f l o o r b e l ow i t . Th e h a r d w o o d f l o o r s
d o w n s t a i r s w a v e d u p a n d d o w n f r o m
F R O M
T H E
C R I B
[a]
[g]
[b]
[h]
[j] [k]
[i]
[c]
[ b o n n i e b e l l e c a b i n ]
[ i n t r o ]
ISSUE 3.5 75 PAGE
c o n s t a n t e x p o s u r e t o m o i s t u r e . M i c e
t u r d s l i n e d t h e w a l l s a n d c o r n e r s a n d
t h e r e m ay o r m ay n o t h av e b e e n a b e a r
l i v i n g i n t h e r e . I t m i g h t s e e m s t r a n g e
t h a t a f t e r t h i s i n i t i a l i n s p e c t i o n I k n e w
I h a d t o b u y t h i s p l a c e . T h i s w a s i t a n d
t h i s wa s my o p p o r t u n i t y. I t wa s p a ra d i s e
a n d i t w a s a l l I c o u l d t h i n k a b o u t t h e
f o l l o w i n g e i g h t m o n t h s u n t i l i t w a s a
r e a l i t y.
S u r e i t wa s g o i n g t o t a ke s o m e wo r k , b u t
mys e l f a n d p a r t n e r s S ky l a r H o l g a te , g u i d e
ex t ra o r d i n a i r e , a n d l o n g t i m e f r i e n d , C h r i s
H a r e l l , w e w e r e u p t o t h e c h a l l e n g e .
W e ’ r e s t i l l a g o o d w a y f r o m o u r l o n g -
t e r m g o a l , b u t w i t h t wo s n owc a t s , a c c e s s
t o S i l v e r t o n M o u n t a i n ’ s h e l i c o p t e r a n d
e n d l e s s t e r r a i n , w e a r e s l o w l y c r e a t i n g
o u r ow n p a r a d i s e a n d t r y i n g t o s h a r e i t
w i t h t h e wo r l d . - A A R O N D O D D S
C o - O w n e r, P r o f e s s i o n a l P h o t o g r a p h e r
[a]-[l] photos:andrew miller
[c]:adam dowell
[e]:adam dowell
[i]:jules reymond
[j]:mike basich
[k]:mike basich
[l]:adam dowell
[d] [e] [f]
[l]
76PAGE JANUARY 2013 snowboard-colorado.com
L a s t y e a r w a s m y f i r s t t i m e g o i n g
t o t h e B o n n i e B e l l e C a b i n . I t ' s t h e
c h i l l i e s t a n d c o z i e s t c a b i n e v e r .
G r e a t l i t t l e s p o t f o r e s c a p i n g o u r
c r a z y s o c i e t y . W h e n y o u g e t u p t h e r e
y o u a r e f r e e t o d o a n y t h i n g , m a t t e r
o f f a c t , I e v e n s h o t a g u n . I t h i n k
I ' m t h e l a s t p e r s o n i n t h e w o r l d w h o
w o u l d e v e r s h o o t a g u n , y e t , I s u r e
d i d , a n d i t f u c k i n g h u r t m y e a r s !
I ' v e h e a r d r u m o r s t h a t t h e r e h a v e
b e e n s t r i p p e r s w h o s n o w m o b i l e d u p
t o t h e c a b i n a n d s t a y e d f o r a c o u p l e
d a y s , b u t w h a t h a p p e n s a t t h e c a b i n ,
s t a y s a t t h e c a b i n . T h e r e s u r e a s
h e l l w e r e n o b a b e s w h e n I w a s t h e r e .
J u s t a b u n c h o f d u d e s s m o k i n g w e e d
a n d d r i n k i n g a b u n c h o f b r e w s k i s ,
w i s h i n g t h e y h a d b a b e s . S p e a k i n g o f
b e i n g a l i t t l e t i p s y , I r e m e m b e r G i g i
a n d I w e r e u p r i d i n g o n e d a y o n t h i s
l i t t l e h i p a n d w e r e f e e l i n g a l i t t l e b i t
b u z z e d u p . W e h a d t h i s g e n i u s i d e a
o f t r y i n g t o d o a d o u b l e h a n d p l a n t ,
o r a s G i g i c a l l s i t , " H o w E a g l e s M a t e "
o r t h e “ D o u b l e D e c k e r . ” I t t o o k a
c o u p l e o f t r i e s , b u t w e f i n a l l y e n d e d
u p g e t t i n g t h e s h o t a n d i t t u r n e d
o u t p r e t t y c o o l . W e w e r e s t o k e d ! I ' m
e x c i t e d t h a t I ' v e b e e n i n t r o d u c e d
t o t h e c a b i n b e c a u s e n o w I w a n t t o
m a k e i t a r i t u a l t o g o t h e r e a t l e a s t
o n c e a y e a r . I f y o u e v e r m a k e i t b e
s u r e t o g o t o M o n t a n y a , t h e l o c a l
r u m d i s t i l l e r y , a l t h o u g h y o u m i g h t
n o t m a k e i t o u t a l i v e .
[g]
[d]
[b]
[f][e]
[a]
[ b o n n i e b e l l e c a b i n ]
N O
B A B E S .
J U S T D U D E S
LU K E M I T R A N I
ISSUE 3.5 77 PAGE
I l i n k e d u p w i t h m y D r a g o n t e a m m a t e s
W o l l e N y v e l t a n d L u k e M i t r a n i i n t h e
s o u t h o f t h e R o c k i e s l a s t w i n t e r .
W e m e t i n S i l v e r t o n , C o l o r a d o a n d
h e a d e d u p t o t h e B o n n i e B e l l e C a b i n ,
s h a p e d a s m a l l s p r i n g q u a t e r p i p e
o u t o f a w i n d l i p a n d L u k e a n d I d i d
h a n d p l a n t s o n t o p o f e a c h o t h e r .
W e c a l l e d i t t h e " d o u b l e - d e c k e r " .
I t w a s a f u n i n t e r l u d e t o t h e s e a s o n
n o t k n o w i n g i f a n y o n e h a s d o n e t h a t
t r i c k i n s n o w b o a r d i n g y e t . G r e a t
t r i p - s n o w m o b i l i n g , s e s s i o n i n g
t h e q u a r t e r i n t h e h e a t o f t h e s u n ,
s h o o t i n g t h e s h i t , d r i n k i n g b e e r s a n d
s e e i n g t h e s t a r s !
[a]:luke mitrani//aaron dodds
[b]:aaron dodds
[c]:gigi ruff//aaron dodds
[d]:aaron dodds
[e]:luke mitrani//aaron dodds
[f]:luke mitrani//aaron dodds
[g]:andrew miller
[h]:gigi ruff//aaron dodds
[i]:gigi ruff//aaron dodds
[j]:gigi ruff/luke mitrani//aaron dodds
[h]
[i]
[c]
[j]
H O W
E AG L E S .
M AT E
G I G I R Ü F
78PAGE JANUARY 2013 snowboard-colorado.com
[a]
[f]
[b]
[c]
[g]
A
N E W
M I S T R E S S
R O B B I E S E L L
ISSUE 3.5 79 PAGE
[h]
[d]
[i]
[e]
[j]
[a]:mike basich//andrew miller
[b]:andrew miller
[c]:andrew miller
[d]:andrew miller
[e]:andrew miller
[f]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds
[g]:robbie sell/kyle kennedy//aaron dodds
[h]:andrew miller
[i]:andrew miller
[j]:mike basich//andrew miller
B e s t s h i t I ’ v e t a k e n i n a l o n g t i m e ,
s i t t i n g i n t h a t o u t h o u s e l o o k i n g
a t t h o u s a n d - f o o t p e a k s w i t h
n o b o d y t o b o t h e r m e , w e l l , o t h e r
t h a n t h e p a r t y p o s s e b l a s t i n g o f f
s h o t s f r o m t h e A R - 1 5 j u s t a r o u n d
t h e b e n d a f t e r r i p p i n g p o w a l l d a y
l o n g . T h e r e u s e d t o b e t h i s c h i c k i n
D e n v e r , b u t n o w m y C o l o r a d o l o v e
i s B o n n i e B e l l e .
[ b o n n i e b e l l e c a b i n ]
80PAGE JANUARY 2013 snowboard-colorado.com
A s I s i t h e r e a t m y d e s k t r y i n g t o
t h i n k o f a g r e a t B o n n i e B e l l e m e m o r y,
w i t h D o d d s s e n d i n g m e m e s s a g e a f t e r
m e s s a g e a b o u t l a g g i n g o n w r i t i n g
a l i t t l e s o m e t h i n g , t h e o n l y t i m e
t h a t k e e p s p o p p i n g i n t o m y m i n d i s
p o t e n t i a l l y t h e w o r s t t i m e I h a v e h a d
u p t h e r e , w h i c h s t r a n g e l y , h a p p e n s t o
b e a p r e t t y f o n d m e m o r y, a s w e l l .
D o d d s a n d t h e B o n n i e B e l l e c r e w a s k e d
i f I w o u l d n ’ t m i n d h e l p i n g o u t r u n n i n g
s l e d s f o r t h e S n o w b o a r d e r M a g a z i n e
c r e w t h a t w a s r o l l i n g i n t o t o w n t o
s h o w s o m e c l i e n t s a g o o d t i m e . O d d l y
e n o u g h , I a l s o h a p p e n e d t o b e o n e o f
t h o s e c l i e n t s . T h e y r o l l e d i n t o S i l v e r t o n
a n d p r e t t y m u c h i m m e d i a t e l y s t a r t e d
t o s e n d i t . T h e e v e n i n g e n d e d w i t h
c l o s e t o 1 5 S a n J u a n C o s m o s a t t h e
G r a n d I m p e r i a l a n d R y a n F i e l d s t i f f i n g
t h e b a r t e n d e r . ( n i c e l i f e , F i e l d ) .
M o r n i n g c a m e e a r l y a n d D r a g o a n d I
w o k e u p n o t r e a l l y f e e l i n g t h a t b a d .
( s t i l l d r u n k ) . W e m e t t h e c r e w f o r
b r e a k f a s t w h e r e I o r d e r e d t w o s c o o p s
o f c o o k i e s a n d c r e a m i c e c r e a m , s t e a k
a n d e g g s a n d a c u p o f c o f f e e . A b i g
m i s t a k e .
W e p r o c e e d e d t o g e t e v e r y t h i n g u p
t o t h e c a b i n : a b o u t e i g h t h a g g a r d
a s s h o l e s , e n o u g h a m m u n i t i o n t o
s t a r t a s m a l l w a r a n d c a s e s o f b o o z e .
E v e r y o n e w a s h y p e d t o s t a r t s h r e d d i n g ,
s o I s t a r t e d l a p p i n g e v e r y o n e o n s l e d s ,
a s I w a s t o o h a g g a r d a t t h i s p o i n t t o
e v e n t h i n k a b o u t s n o w b o a r d i n g . B y
t h e t i m e l u n c h c a m e a r o u n d , I w a s i n
r e a l b a d s h a p e . W e g o t b a c k u p t o
t h e c a b i n a n d t h e r e w e r e p e o p l e o u t
f r o n t s h o o t i n g h i g h - p o w e r e d f i r e a r m s ,
h e l i c o p t e r s f l y i n g o v e r h e a d , C a e s a r s
b e i n g m i x e d u p , f e r n g e t t i n g r o l l e d ,
a n d m e , l a y i n g i n t h e b a c k b e d r o o m ,
u n a b l e t o f u c k i n g m o v e .
A t t h i s p o i n t , I k n e w I h a d t o g e t t h e
f u c k o u t o f t h e r e b e c a u s e t h e n i g h t
w a s j u s t g o i n g t o g e t w o r s e . I a s k e d
t h e c r e w i f t h e y r e a l l y n e e d e d m e a n d
t h a n k f u c k i n g G o d t h e y t o l d m e t o g e t
o u t t a t h e r e . N i c D r a g o a n d I l e f t t h e
s l e d s a n d r o d e o u t t h e g a u n t l e t , n o t
b e f o r e I w a s o n a l l f o u r s , p r o j e c t i l e
v o m i t i n g i n t h e m i d d l e o f a n a v y p a t h ,
t e l l i n g D r a g o t o j u s t l e a v e m e .
I n t h e e n d , I m a d e i t o u t a n d b a c k
t o t h e h o u s e w h e r e I l a i d i n t h e f e t a l
p o s i t i o n f o r 1 8 h o u r s , n u r s i n g m y s e l f
b a c k t o h e a l t h . I w o n ’ t e v e n g o i n t o
t h e a n t i c s t h a t w e n t d o w n t h a t n i g h t
o r t h e f o l l o w i n g d a y u p t h e r e . F o r t h a t
y o u c a n c o n t a c t S k i n n y.
G o f u c k y o u r s e l f .
[b][a] [c]
[a]:alex pashley//aaron dodds
[b]:aaron dodds
[c]:hana beaman//christy chaloux
[d]:alex pashley//aaron dodds
[e]:aaron dodds
[f]:hana beaman//christy chaloux
[g]:aaron dodds
T H E D E A D LY
S A N J U A N
C O S M O
A L E X PA S H L E Y
P L A I N
A N D S I M P L E
L I V I N G
H A N A B E A M A N
ISSUE 3.5 81 PAGE
[f]
[d] [e]
[g]
I wish it could have been a week or a month.
The three days I spent up in the Bonnie Belle
Cabin were nowhere near enough to satisfy me.
Forget the epic riding and the breathtaking
views. It was the way of life and the memories
that really got me. Fireworks, midnight split-
board missions in 60 mph winds, the drying
rack that resembles a mobi le of snow gear
hanging from the cei l ing, Hanging out with
fr iends around a f i re and ta lk ing. Actual ly
talking. Not Tweeting, Facebooking or texting
about the days events and other good times
had over the past decade. The distance from
civilization might only be eight or nine miles -
gnarly miles - but you feel as if you have been
transported to a different place. It ’s a good
reminder of priorities and a little more of how
life should be. Man, I gotta get back there.
[ b o n n i e b e l l e c a b i n ]
82PAGE JANUARY 2013 snowboard-colorado.com
A mid-winter snow drought in Jackson drove me
and Alex Yoder a few hundred miles south to
Silverton, Colorado. Although the neighboring
state tends to follow the dry winters trend, we
remained optimistic. Upon arrival, we met up
with Alex Pashley, Nic Drago and Aaron Dodds.
After finding crusty snow on Red Mountain Pass,
we headed up to higher elevation for a few
nights at the Bonnie Belle Cabin. I was stoked
to go spend some time up in the mountains,
away from civilization.
Th e c a b i n wa s e q u i p p e d w i t h c a r p e t e d
bedrooms, a kitchen, dinner table, couches
and even an outhouse across the way with the
coldest toilet seat in the Rockies. The snow was
decent, but that doesn't mean it was safe. After
a fun day of ripping the noboard and hitting a
few features, we stumbled on some untouched
pow, glistening in the fall ing sun. Pash and I
began to sled up to this little shelf above the
run while Dodds set up for some slash photos.
A few days before, the snowcat had triggered
a huge slide while pushing the cat road just
down the face from us. As we were doubling
up, I kept my eye on the weary cornice atop
the ridge above us. The run wasn't extremely
[b]
[c]
[d][a]
[ b o n n i e b e l l e c a b i n ]
LO O K
O U T
B E LO W
B L A K E PA U L
ISSUE 3.5 83 PAGE
steep but definitely something to keep watch
on. I looked back down at the road for a second
to see where Dodds was setting up, then back
up on the cornice. All of a sudden, the whole
cornice ripped off and a rushing river of snow
and icebergs was flying straight down at us.
"Slide! Slide! Slide!" I yelled over the roaring
sled engine, Pash quickly replied, "Hold on!" We
dipped the sled, turned away from the charging
snow and gunned it . I looked back and the
whole slope had broken to pieces, still slabbing
down. Pash kept his hand on the throttle and
we outran the slide and dropped back onto the
road. I looked back at the face and the snow
was still moving, but soon slowed and came to
a stop.
Back at the cabin, there was a good view of the
whole scene. The avalanche looked a lot smaller
compared to when it appeared to be breaking
right on top of us. From the cabin you could see
where the debris covered the sled track where
we could've been caught. It didn't look like there
would have been enough snow to completely
bury us, but it still aroused a haunting feeling.
Luckily the slope had small shelves staggered in
it which seemed to slow the moving snow.
[e]
[a]:blake paul//aaron dodds
[b]:alex yoder//aaron dodds
[c]:jules reymond//andrew miller
[d]:andrew miller
[e]:blake paul//aaron dodds
84PAGE JANUARY 2013 snowboard-colorado.com
[b]
[a]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds
[b]:aaron dodds
[c]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds
[d]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds
O n o u r l a s t n i g h t a t t h e B o n n i e B e l l e
C a b i n , a f t e r a s i c k w e e k o f p r i v a t e
p o w f i e l d s a n d k i c k e r s p o t s , t h e c a b i n
f i l l e d w i t h a d a r k , g r a y s m o k e a n d i t
b e c a m e v e r y d i f f i c u l t t o b r e a t h . N o
o n e c o u l d f i g u r e o u t w h e r e t h e s m e l l y
s m o g w a s c o m i n g f r o m a n d t h e a i r
q u a l i t y w a s g o i n g d o w n h i l l u n t i l ,
b i n g o ! To m y e x c i t e m e n t , o n e o f m y
b o o t s h a d t i p p e d o v e r a n d w a s l e a n i n g
d i r e c t l y a g a i n s t t h e e x t r e m e l y h o t
w o o d s t o v e . B y t h e t i m e I g o t t o m y
b o o t , t h e s h e l l a n d l i n e r l o o k e d l i k e a
f i n e c h u n k o f S w i s s c h e e s e . T h e r e w e r e
h o l e s a l l o v e r m y b o o t a n d w h a t w a s
l e f t o f i t l o o k e d l i k e a m a r s h m a l l o w
t h a t h a d b e e n a f l a m e f o r 2 0 m i n u t e s .
A f t e r a g o o d l a u g h f r o m t h e s q u a d ,
w e h i t t h e h a y t o w a k e u p t o o u r l a s t
b l u e b i r d d a y .
N o w t h e c h a l l e n g e - h o w t o m a k e m y
b o o t f u n c t i o n a l ? T h e a n s w e r , d u c t
t a p e . W e p u t t h e b o o t o n m y f o o t
a n d p r o c e e d e d t o m u m m y w r a p i t i n
l a y e r s o f t a p e . I t a c t u a l l y w o r k e d a n d
I w a s a b l e t o h i t a c o u p l e c l i f f s b e f o r e
l o s i n g a l l c i r c u l a t i o n i n m y f o o t . O n e
s u c h c l i f f , I h a d b e e n s c o p i n g f r o m t h e
t o p a n d l o o k e d p r e t t y s w e e t . D o d d s
w a s b e l o w , h y p e d o n h i s a n g l e a n d
i t w a s o n . T h e c l i f f w a s j u m p e d , t h e
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