bonnie belle cabin feature - issue 3.6

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

p h o t o w a s s n a p p e d a n d i t t u r n e d o u t

t o b e m y f i r s t c o v e r a n d t h e c o v e r o f

S n o w b o a r d e r M a g a z i n e ' s p h o t o a n n u a l .

[d][c]

[a]

[ b o n n i e b e l l e c a b i n ]

[ o u t r o ]

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To m e , t h e m o s t u n i q u e p a r t a b o u t t h e

B o n n i e B e l l e , b e s i d e s t h e t e r r a i n , i s

t h a t y o u c a n h a v e t h e a d v e n t u r e o f a

l i f e t i m e w i t h o u t n e e d i n g a P h D i n s n o w

s c i e n c e , I t ' s t h e o n l y b a c k c o u n t r y c a b i n

i n C o l o r a d o a b l e t o o f f e r h e l i s h r e d d i n g

t h r o u g h S i l v e r t o n M o u n t a i n a n d y o u c a n

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p r i v a t e h e l i c o p t e r. - S k y l a r H o l g a t e ,

C o - O w n e r, S i l v e r t o n M o u n t a i n G u i d e