A Guide to Skiing Tree Trails in Aspen with Kids
By Duke Fitzsimmons (8 years old), for Obermeyer
WARNING: This is a borderline stage-dad moment. Skip this week’s Fall Line story if this makes you cringe. We’ll get back to ski stories soon. But this was organic—I promise…
Fall Line is a medium for me to share stories I write. Having a venue to tell stories I want to introduce to this small—but growing—faction of skiing’s coolest people is good for my real job, my heart, and my muse. THANK YOU!
My relation to writing about skiing has evolved over the last 15 years. No longer do I pitch stories to editors in an attempt to pay rent or a mortgage. Now, I only send ideas that I want to write becuase they’re stories I would want to read them, like these recent ones:
However, this Fall Line story is different. It should have Duke’s byline—my 8-year-old son.
This one for a brand (link below) is Duke’s first “published” story. He’s into writing and illustrating right now, and he also loves skiing and photography, among many other things. These passions of his are things I value, too. I’ve tried to build a career around telling ski stories. So, my son and I worked together on a series of blogs for Aspen’s legacy brand Obermeyer.
Obermeyer is all about the family. The brand is based in Aspen. Stories ooze from Klaus and his family every time I get to hang out with them. And, at their heart, Obermeyer is a ski brand. It felt right.
CLICK HERE to check out Duke’s first byline.
Who knows if there will be more. For now, it’s pure joy and fun!
An excerpt from me trying to tee up my boy…
For 17 years, I’ve called the Roaring Fork Valley home due in large part to my love affair with Ajax. I’ve built my life around skiing. So, when my wife and I learned that our family was growing—first with Duke in 2015 and then with Boone in 2018—I was thrilled to share this spectacular place with my boys.
So far, they say “yes” every time I ask if they want to go skiing with me. It’s a dream! Early on, our time skiing was mostly rock’n’roll in the truck, Skittles in the gondi, looking for snow fairies from the chairlift, and frequent hot chocolate stops at the Sundeck, MGR, Cliffhouse, or Elk Camp. Now, though, my wife and I fall asleep sore and tired after chasing Duke and Boone around the mountains during winter. Jump lines through trees, “Mikaela turns” on groomers, smears and smacks on terrain, and bumps—LOTS OF BUMPS—are our boys go-to on Aspen’s mountains. But there is one thing that planted a seed in our sons love of skiing: tree trails!
I decided to tap into my 8-year-old’s burgeoning passion venn diagram that includes storytelling, skiing, and photography. Thanks for reading Duke’s first “published” story. We hope it offers some value, points you in the right direction, and stokes the fire for your family’s ski adventures.
I digress…
This is Duke’s story; so, without further ado, check out my young son’s Mountain Guide piece!