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Blog Entry 34 of 50 Alpenglow
I am a former community journalist at YourHub.com who lived in Vail for two years before moving to Cody, Wyo., where I live now. I mostly use YourHub.com to keep in touch with my former colleagues at YourHub.com World Headquarters in Denver, but I also like photography and post a lot of photos. "You know that every time I try to go where I really want to be it's already where I am." - System of a Down, "Sugar"

Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~VailJoel

Chair 4 at 4 (last day of Vail)

Contributed by: Joel Hunt   on 4/14/2008

As many people know, Vail and Beaver Creek closed way early this year (Vail with an 81-inch base and Beaver Creek with 97-inch base - are you kidding me?).

Last year, I had to work at 1:30 p.m. on the last day of Vail, but I went out in the morning, so as I was taking the Vail bus home to Intermountain, everyone was getting on in their costumes and offering me beers, and I had to say, "Sorry, I'm on my way to work."

This year, despite having a separated shoulder, Ingrid and I made it up to the party. Four at 4 is a big party at the top of Chair 4 at 4 p.m. on Vail's last day. Most of the people I know here were there, and I had about five different groups to circulate around to.

Everybody brings beer and champagne and lots of people dress up in crazy costumes, as you can see in the photos.

It was a great bluebird day, especially considering that Saturday was a powder day and it snowed on and off all day.

Because of my shoulder, Ingrid and I just went up for the celebration at about 3 p.m. and took one run down after "4 at 4" just to get back to the bottom.

At about 5:30 p.m. or so, someone (the ski patrol, I assume) fired off an avalanche canon several times. That's when people started to break up and head down the mountain. Ingrid and I hung out a little while longer and then snowboarded down.

As part of the Spring Back to Vail celebration, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals played at Ford Park on Saturday night. At first, we were on the edge of the crowd where people were constantly pushing through and talking and yelling - not watching the concert so much. Ingrid couldn't see the stage and could barely hear or see the giant screen that was set up, so that was a bummer because she really likes Ben Harper.

Luckily, as the show went on, we were able to keep moving closer as people left, and it got better then. The band played one of her favorite songs during the encore and also did a cover of "Get Up, Stand Up," which the crowd loved.

It was probably 30 degrees by the end of the concert, and you could see the breath of all of the band members as they sang and played. I wondered if they liked it that it wasn't 100-plus degrees onstage like in a normal concert hall or if their fingers were getting cold and stiff while playing their instruments. The guy slapping the bongos (his fingers were already taped up) must have been feeling it by the end of the night.

Anyways, the group sounded good and put on a good live show.

Days so far
Loveland: 3
Copper: 3
Keystone: 2
Vail: 6
Beaver Creek: 43
Total: 57


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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
Submitted By: Nikki Britain
posted on 4/18/2008 @ 6:11:56 AM
Rated Blog Entry
Great photos! I envy your ski days....
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Submitted By: Brendan Leonard
posted on 4/16/2008 @ 4:01:18 PM
Rated Blog Entry
I bet Mark busts out those same gloves every year for the same occasion, doesn't he?
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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Joel Hunt

Cody , WY

Joel Hunt has posted 50 blog entries and 80 comments since joining on 9/14/2005. Joel Hunt's average blog rating is 5.
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