THURSDAY, 1 P.M.: Gwyn’s High Alpine is a bubbling stew of skiers and snowboarders with freshly matted helmet-hair, rosy cheeks, wide eyes, and even wider grins. Outside, a long-overdue snowstorm swirls and whirls across Snowmass — a scene visible from most spots inside the mid-mountain lodge outlined in glass windows galore.

The bar, overlooking the slope just below the Alpine Springs lift, is standing room only. Straight ahead, the airy marketplace-style cafeteria bustles with customers deciding whether to bother going any further than the legendary soup bar to stations offering burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Upstairs, patrons gasp in gratitude upon seeing owner Gwyn Knowlton’s glider plane hanging still from the rafters. Downstairs in the window-walled lounge, folks sip hot chocolate, stretch out on plush sofas, and gaze off to the powder-dusted Rock Island cliffs beyond. Continue Reading