Mountain Mayhem: Ski season send-off at Bonnie’s

They say, “Many hands make for light work,” but on Aspen Mountain every spring, many hands also make for a classic outdoor celebration that a few friends and I co-host, affectionately referred to as Bonnie’s Bash.

On Saturday, April 4, the annual event reclaimed its rightful place on the deck of our favorite mid-mountain haunt, proving that even a fickle winter can’t keep the tradition down. Just days before the party, we weren’t sure it was even going to materialize due to the thin coverage on the slopes, prompting Bonnie’s to temporarily close. I consulted with the Aspen Weatherman Ryan Boudreau, who assured us there was a “100% chance of snow” on the horizon and it would all work out as planned. Sure enough, nearly a foot of freshies was delivered by Friday, making way for a sunny Saturday and ideal conditions for the fête.

The mastermind behind the annual gathering, Sarah Manning, started hosting the party more than 20 years ago. I won’t spell out exactly how old that makes everyone who has been a part of it, but all are just as energetic now as in the early days. This round was a true communal effort:

Jim McPhee, a local hero of a snowcat driver, hauled our equipment from the base of the mountain to the loading dock at Bonnie’s. A crew of creative co-hosts led by Lea Tucker with sidekick Sari Tuschman, pitched in by designating select tables as VIP zones with spring linens, floral centerpieces and clementines, plus stapling daisy chains out of construction paper to festoon the space (inspired by similar crafts hanging throughout the interior of the restaurant). The talented Troy Selby built a stage that morning and rigged up my Pioneer deck and a trio of speakers, featuring my new personal favorite: the Fender x Teufel Rockster Air 2. If you’re looking to host your own amplified alpine event (or just have the best sound at the barbecue), it is a total game-changer with deep bass and a Bluetooth connection — you can find one on Amazon.

DJ Cali Star and I played back-to-back from high noon until the ski patrol arrived to kindly remind us that all good things — and lift hours — must eventually come to an end. In other words, it was time to shut off the sound system and ski down.

Before it was over, though, everyone paused to pay homage to Brigitte Birrfelder who runs Bonnie’s and had quietly observed her birthday the day before the bash. When we lured her outside to be recognized on the mic, she dropped the news that we have one more year before her lease wraps up. Cali and I exchanged glances and agreed there was only one song left to play: Daft Punk’s “One More Time.”

And with that, save the date for the third or last Saturday in March 2027 for one last time to celebrate.