We love our aspens! They provide for us a perfect ski playground.

Naturally spaced to perfection, inviting us to make plenty of turns in the powder snow shaded just enough by the white branches that it remains soft and fluffy much longer than snow on open slopes of similar aspect, the elevation our aspens thrive in also helps to make them the perfect setting for dancing down a mountain. They become as much a dance partner as a person at those moments. Make no mistake they lead and we, as skiers must follow, each turn a dance step, each opening a chance to add our track to the dance.

I can close my eyes as I write these words and picture the alpenglow lighting up the trees in colors that no one should ever try to name. The snow providing the matting for aspen framed scenes that only last as long as the sunset we are skiing in.

We leave our ‘brush strokes’ on this painting knowing that they will be invisible to the eyes of others, hidden by the thin canopy of branches.