Meet your Liftie: Michael Johnson
Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times
Name: Michael Johnson or “MJ”
Where you from: New Jersey
Lift location: Highlands Thunderbowl or Exhibition, usually.
Years as a liftie: First season
What brought you to Aspen? I was doing trail work all year before the wintertime in Colorado and I needed a winter job. I didn’t know how to snowboard when I moved out here in November and now I can. I moved out here to snowboard and have a job.
Where do you live? Across the street from Aspen Highlands
What has surprised you about Aspen? It’s been sort of what I expected, but I didn’t know there were four mountains in the area or about the Highland Bowl.
What did you think about the Bowl? I hear it’s an unusual thing for a mountain like this to have, but it was awesome to hike up there and be able to snowboard down. I thought I was going to do the Bowl at the end of the season, but I guess just going out every day I got better.
What’s your best night out in Aspen consist of? Probably some concert at Belly Up that’s not super expensive and then hit the bars afterwards. I go to Escobar or Silver City. The shows at Belly Up are pretty cool.
Have you had a memorable interaction with a guest? A local named Beavers gave us a Banquet with peanuts and a 10 dollar bill attached to it. He’s really cool.
What’s your best tricks for staying warm? Buffs really help, having something around my neck.
How do you choose the music to play at your lift? I am playing the music right now! It has to be appropriate, but I put stuff that I like or stuff that I know lots of people know and like. I have like Johnny Cash and EDM music and then I’ll have like rock music. All kinds of stuff.
Here’s how to cut down your own Holiday Tree
If you are feeling a bit more adventurous or strapped for cash this year, cutting down a holiday tree might be the way to go.
