Every adventure has its kickoff. Some are grand, others simply a means to calm the mind. Participants call them rituals: wearing lucky socks, eating PB&J sandwiches, chugging a beer or two, and even the rush to poop right before the gun. Yeah, I said it.
Jeans, spandex speed suits, falling snow, skinny skis, Wick, and the Dynafit crew. We are all set to nachtspektakel in style!
Nachtspektakel was Dynafit’s kickoff event to ease the stress of a looming challenge, aka The Grand Traverse skimo race, by mixing libations, delicious food, and a casual evening ski tour.
The pros and bros are off!
I needed some nachtspektakeling in my life after a two hundred mile harrowing ice road drive to Crested Butte, including a rock slide induced flat tire and wholly consuming a second grader’s Halloween candy stash en route.
A friendly CBMR staff member made sure to put some fresh Colorado beer on snow for the thirsty nachtspektakelers. Aspen mountain guides led us to the source.
Tech and jeans. Yep we all nachtspektakel in style.
Wick points out his favorite stashes on CBMR after several Dale's Pale Ales.
Trend setters were everywhere.
Dynafit and nachtspektakel infusing Euro traditions across the U.S. of A.
Course volunteers for the 17th annual Grand Traverse uphilled all night long.
The Ten Peaks warming hut had amazing snowy views of Crested Butte in the distance.
US Ski Mountaineering Team Champion, J Marshall Thompson, Skiing Magazine editor, Sam Bass and son, with Dynafit Communication Manager Eric 'Hende' Henderson made the trek to Ten Peaks to get their nachtspektakel on.
Race tactics, avalanche conditions, and tales of an epic winter thus far washed down easily.
Future skimo racers both agreed that earning your turns is actually fun.
A Chinese downhill ensued to the base.
The evening concluded with a film from OR and Dynafit nestled in downtown Crested Butte in the Majestic Theater beside ski pornographer's Matchstick Productions office.
Benedikt Böhm, Dynafit CEO, shared film and slides from his 2012 expedition to Manaslu with locals, tourists, and nachtspektakelers alike.
The literal translation is “night under the stars” but Crested Butte News quoted the party as “long ski poles and über athletes tangled up in a flesh mass of humanity.” Only after reading the article by Amanda Hugandkiss with quotes by Phil A. Mignon and Brian Vickenhasen did I realize I picked up the annual April Fools edition.
Maybe the obituary for “Telemarking” above the article gave it away but one thing is for sure, if a nachtspektakel comes to your mountain town you’ll be in for a grand ol’ Euro time!
(Note, nachtspektakel is often enjoyed mostly or all in the dark of night. In this case the event included festivities in Crested Butte so the timing was earlier, though still evening.)
Joseph Risi was raised on pasta and meatballs in the “backwoods” of Long Island before seeking higher education in the mountains of Vermont. Always looking for adventure, building treehouses, working too many odd jobs around the world he now lives in the Aspen area of Colorado.
