Proz

Not sure the date on this one, but definitely a Saturday. Skinning up to the upper lifts was the only way I could afford to ski while filming 20 Saturdays. I brought a bunch of credit card debt to our new marriage and could tell my wife was disappointed her husband was so undisciplined with his finaces and even more so when I charged a couple hundred more dollars I didn't have for the video camera and tapes for this project that made no sense. I remember a conversation that went something like if you buy a lift ticket for each of your precious 20 Saturdays that will be another $2,000 we can't afford to make payments on. So I committed to stop spending money we didn't have. I broke out the skins and started walking up to the upper lifts where SkiCo didn't check lift tickets. I wasn't going to let a little thing like having less than no money get in the way of my dream.

I had worked for SkiCo for six years and the four mountain pass that came as a benefit was sorely missed. But the life experience as a lift op, the friends I had made, the mountain knowledge I had picked up was invaluable. I was cash poor for a long time and very poor in every way since arriving in the valley so not having any money was not something new. When you're a local in Aspen you learn there are more things more valuable than money. The barter system amongst friends was a lively economy. Being the F&B manager at the Hotel Jerome opened a lot of doors and filled a lot of glasses for me. Working lifts in Snowmass got me fresh lines in areas hidden from most Joeys off the street. But seriously it was the constant generosity of friends that raised the standard of living to immeasurable heights.

The hike were long hard and awesome.This route from the Top of Wood Road took me straight up to Sheer Bliss and by chance I ran into my old friend and mentor Robert "Proz" Proznitz. Almost the senior most experienced lift op in Snowmass. He usually worked the dark side but had like more than twenty years in Snowmass Lifts and the dude knew what he was talking about. And he was funny. He was a friend to everybody but always took most of the rookies under his wing and show the the ropes. I think he did it because he genuinely liked meeting new people showing them the tricks of the trade. And they way of the mountain,

Here's Proz cutting some powder on the Bliss.

Proz's friend obviously a new rookie in Lifts was struggling with the foot of fresh powder that had fallen the night before, Proz will get him in shape, but mentions there are no friends on powder days when he almost takes us out. 

Proz mentions that we are by the tree. I knew exactly what he was talking about. The tree that killed Rick Hemple. I had never seen it. I was working that day and had breakfast with Hemple that morning, breakfast burritos at the Uhllerhoff and he was so excited to be finally working ski relief. Hard to believe a few hours later he'd be gone. When the call came on the radio I followed it to the patrol channel and it sounded horrible.Collided with a gnarled and ugly tree that took his life. Bad day for Snowmass. Really bad day    for Proz he and Hemps were really close.

Proz shows what he's made of on Powerline is tough line in good conditions this day it was a little rough,

Took Big Burn up again with Proz. Mel was working my old ski relief route. I was wondering if he'd be on T4 to end the day. Makes for a good long run to end the day. 

He's there and looks a bit surely, but it's Mel a consummate lift operations professional so I pull out the camera and take a shot, 

Mel is the man. Says it's Saturday. Says he got fresh tracks this morning before anybody! A skiing lead lift operator's work is never done.

This post is dedicated to the memory Richard Hemple who died on duty skiing relief for Snowmass Lifts Operations in 1997. God bless and keep him, Amen.

So in almost every way for nearly 20 years I've been totally alone on this whole 20 Saturdays thing. I did win over a bunch of friends and well wishers along the way, but it was obvious to everyone except me that nothing was ever going to come of it. This next clip will make my point. The first clip of this post was me skinning  up on one of the first powder Saturdays Thought it'd be a great shot, but this clip illustrates how pathetic and futile Keythink's one man production company really was.