Foodstuff: Pancake progressive
A food-focused ski day

Katherine Roberts/Courtesy photo
I am a terrible skier.
Despite years of dedication to locals’ clinics, getting out and about on one of our fair mountains two or three times per week during ski season, and practicing drills alongside small children at Panda Peak (with less shame than I probably should have), I’ve realized I’m mostly in it for an excuse to dine and drink in the sunshine.
So when I casually mentioned I’d never gotten up Aspen Mountain early enough to try a locals’ favorite, the pancake at Bonnie’s, I could see the wheels turning in my frequent dining companion’s head. As he is an accomplished skier, it became clear to him that a metaphorical carrot would need to be dangled before my eyes in order for us to transition from eating together to shredding together.
“I have an idea. You’re going to love it!” he exclaimed with just enough enthusiasm to immediately put me on the defensive. I suspected this would not end well for me. “Let’s get a Bonnie’s pancake, but let’s also get A LOT of pancakes,” he continued.
I’ll admit, I was intrigued (cue dangling carrot).
A week later, we set out in Stio for what I would eventually dub a “Pancake Progressive,” sampling this breakfast classic across town, one cake at a time. We decided upon four locations up and down the valley and the mountain, where we would have a single pancake to split between us, then determine a winner based upon very unscientific, yet delicious, parameters. The sweet treats ranged from simple to sophisticated and were also a broad range of prices, anywhere from $6 to $26 (as some establishments required the order by the plate, as opposed to the cake). Another requirement was that these were all dishes I’d never tried before.
We started in Basalt, at Two Rivers Café, with its lauded cinnamon-swirl pancake, essentially a scrumptious sticky bun flattened into a pancake and topped with a swirl of icing. A good way to begin, as I knew my own personal version of Everest lie ahead when it was proposed we ski to Bonnie’s via a route I’d never done before. What can I say — I’m a creature of habit.

We arrived in Aspen, hopped on Lift 1A, and made our way to mid-mountain. I may have yelled (loudly and repeatedly) at my pancake pal, regretting the athletic elements of this epicurean adventure. Nonetheless, once we hopped in line for the famous Bonnie’s breakfast, made with oatmeal-packed batter and topped with the requisite BYO syrup, I was excited to dig in, and the longtime locals’ haunt delivered.

We cruised down the hill to get swanky for a second, ordering the popular lemon souffle pancakes at Element 47 inside The Little Nell, resplendent with raspberry syrup and powdered sugar. I also decided to reward my successful Spar Gulch ski with a spiked hot cocoa, naturally.

Nearly full and our ski boots swapped for shoes, we ambled through town to finish our progressive at Poppycock’s Café, which was packed with hungry families and hung-over besties in beanies. The grand finale was another oatmeal pancake; we upgraded to the macadamia nut version and gobbled it up.

I won’t tell you what won the day, as I’d encourage you to have your own pancake progressive — it was the perfect way to spend a morning and support our local restaurants. Between the variety of locations, vibes, and price points, you’re sure to find something for any taste and budget. And you’re likely a better skier than I am, so there should be more pancakes than pizza — hardy, har, har.
Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who is currently testing the limits of the zippers on her ski kit. She can be reached via her marketing and communications firm, Carington Creative, at katherine@caringtoncreative.com.