[a]
[b]
[g]
[h]
[c]
[i]
[j]
[k]
[intro]
TA L E S
All the doors had been kicked in and the windows were teetering inward from
FROM
years of battering winds and neglect.
THE
Snowdrifts piled up in the middle of
CRIB
t h e f l o o r o n t h e s e c o n d s t o r y, w a r p i n g the floor below it. The hardwood floors
[bonnie belle cabin]
downstairs waved up and down from
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[a]
[b]
[g]
[h]
[c]
[i]
[j]
[k]
[intro]
TA L E S
All the doors had been kicked in and the windows were teetering inward from
FROM
years of battering winds and neglect.
THE
Snowdrifts piled up in the middle of
CRIB
t h e f l o o r o n t h e s e c o n d s t o r y, w a r p i n g the floor below it. The hardwood floors
[bonnie belle cabin]
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downstairs waved up and down from
[d]
[e]
[f]
[l]
constant exposure to moisture. Mice
and it was all I could think about the
We’re still a good way from our long-
turds lined the walls and corners and
following eight months until it was a
term goal, but with two snowcats, access
there may or may not have been a bear
r e a l i t y.
to Silverton Mountain’s helicopter and
living in there. It might seem strange
Sure it was going to take some work, but
endless terrain, we are slowly creating
that after this initial inspection I knew
myself and partners Skylar Holgate, guide
our own paradise and trying to share it
I had to buy this place. This was it and
extraordinaire, and longtime friend, Chris
with the world.
t h i s w a s m y o p p o r t u n i t y. I t w a s p a r a d i s e
Harell, we were up to the challenge.
C o - O w n e r, P r o f e s s i o n a l P h o t o g r a p h e r
- AARON DODDS
[a]-[l] photos:andrew miller [c]:adam dowell [e]:adam dowell [i]:jules reymond [j]:mike basich [k]:mike basich [l]:adam dowell
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[bonnie belle cabin]
[b]
[e]
[a]
[d]
[f]
[g]
NO
Last year was my first time going
wishing they had babes. Speaking of
BABES.
to the Bonnie Belle Cabin. It's the
b e i n g a l i t t l e t i p s y, I r e m e m b e r G i g i
chilliest
e v e r.
and I were up riding one day on this
Great little spot for escaping our
little hip and were feeling a little bit
c r a z y s o c i e t y. W h e n y o u g e t u p t h e r e
buzzed up. We had this genius idea
you are free to do anything, matter
of trying to do a double handplant,
of fact, I even shot a gun. I think
or as Gigi calls it, "How Eagles Mate"
I'm the last person in the world who
o r t h e “ D o u b l e D e c k e r.”
would ever shoot a gun, yet, I sure
couple of tries, but we finally ended
did, and it fucking hurt my ears!
up getting the shot and it turned
I've heard rumors that there have
out pretty cool. We were stoked! I'm
been strippers who snowmobiled up
excited that I've been introduced
to the cabin and stayed for a couple
to the cabin because now I want to
days, but what happens at the cabin,
make it a ritual to go there at least
stays at the cabin. There sure as
o n c e a y e a r. I f y o u e v e r m a k e i t b e
hell were no babes when I was there.
sure to go to Montanya, the local
Just a bunch of dudes smoking weed
r u m d i s t i l l e r y, a l t h o u g h y o u m i g h t
and drinking a bunch of brewskis,
not make it out alive.
JUST DUDES LU K E M I T RA N I
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and
coziest
cabin
It took a
[c]
[h]
[i]
[j]
I linked up with my Dragon teammates
We called it the "double-decker".
Wolle Nyvelt and Luke Mitrani in the
It was a fun interlude to the season
s o u t h o f t h e R o c k i e s l a s t w i n t e r.
not knowing if anyone has done that
We met in Silverton, Colorado and
trick in snowboarding yet. Great
headed up to the Bonnie Belle Cabin,
trip
shaped a small spring quaterpipe
the quarter in the heat of the sun,
M AT E
out of a wind lip and Luke and I did
shooting the shit, drinking beers and
GIGI RĂœF
h a n d p l a n t s o n t o p o f e a c h o t h e r.
seeing the stars!
[a]:luke mitrani//aaron dodds [b]:aaron dodds [c]:gigi ruff//aaron dodds [d]:aaron dodds [e]:luke mitrani//aaron dodds
[f]:luke mitrani//aaron dodds [g]:andrew miller [h]:gigi ruff//aaron dodds [i]:gigi ruff//aaron dodds [j]:gigi ruff/luke mitrani//aaron dodds
HOW E AG L E S .
-
snowmobiling,
sessioning
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[a]
[c]
A NEW MISTRESS ROBBIE SELL
[f]
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[g]
[bonnie belle cabin]
[d]
[e]
Best shit I’ve taken in a long time,
shots from the AR-15 just around
sitting
the bend after ripping pow all day
a t
in
that
outhouse
t h o u s a n d - f o o t
looking
p e a k s
w i t h
long. There used to be this chick in
nobody to bother me, well, other
D e n v e r, b u t n o w m y C o l o r a d o l o v e
than the party posse blasting off
i s B o n n i e B e l l e .Â
[h]
[i]
[j]
[a]:mike basich//andrew miller [b]:andrew miller [c]:andrew miller [d]:andrew miller [e]:andrew miller [f]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds
[g]:robbie sell/kyle kennedy//aaron dodds [h]:andrew miller [i]:andrew miller [j]:mike basich//andrew miller
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T H E D E A D LY
As I sit here at my desk trying to
start a small war and cases of booze.
SAN JUAN
t h i n k o f a g r e a t B o n n i e B e l l e m e m o r y,
Everyone was hyped to start shredding,
with Dodds sending me message after
so I started lapping everyone on sleds,
message about lagging on writing
as I was too haggard at this point to
a
time
even think about snowboarding. By
that keeps popping into my mind is
the time lunch came around, I was in
potentially the worst time I have had
real bad shape. We got back up to
u p t h e r e , w h i c h s t r a n g e l y, h a p p e n s t o
the cabin and there were people out
b e a p r e t t y f o n d m e m o r y, a s w e l l .
front shooting high-powered firearms,
Dodds and the Bonnie Belle crew asked
helicopters flying over head, Caesars
if I wouldn’t mind helping out running
being mixed up, fern getting rolled,
sleds for the Snowboarder Magazine
and me, laying in the back bedroom,
crew that was rolling into town to
unable to fucking move.
show some clients a good time. Oddly
At this point, I knew I had to get the
enough, I also happened to be one of
fuck out of there because the night
those clients. They rolled into Silverton
was just going to get worse. I asked
and pretty much immediately started
the crew if they really needed me and
to send it. The evening ended with
thank fucking God they told me to get
close to 15 San Juan Cosmos at the
outta there. Nic Drago and I left the
Grand Imperial and Ryan Field stiffing
sleds and rode out the gauntlet, not
t h e b a r t e n d e r. ( n i c e l i f e , F i e l d ) .
before I was on all fours, projectile
Morning came early and Drago and I
vomiting in the middle of an avy path,
woke up not really feeling that bad.
telling Drago to just leave me.
(still drunk). We met the crew for
In the end, I made it out and back
breakfast where I ordered two scoops
to the house where I laid in the fetal
of cookies and cream ice cream, steak
position for 18 hours, nursing myself
and eggs and a cup of coffee. A big
back to health. I won’t even go into
mistake.
the antics that went down that night
We proceeded to get everything up
or the following day up there. For that
to the cabin: about eight haggard
y o u c a n c o n t a c t S k i n n y.
assholes,
Go fuck yourself.
COSMO A L E X PAS H L E Y
little
something,
enough
the
only
ammunition
[a]
[a]:alex pashley//aaron dodds [b]:aaron dodds [c]:hana beaman//christy chaloux [d]:alex pashley//aaron dodds [e]:aaron dodds [f]:hana beaman//christy chaloux [g]:aaron dodds
[b]
PLAIN AND SIMPLE LIVING HANA BEAMAN
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to
[c]
[bonnie belle cabin]
[d]
[e]
[f]
[g]
I wish it could have been a week or a month.
board missions in 60 mph winds, the drying
had over the past decade. The distance from
The three days I spent up in the Bonnie Belle
ra c k t h at r e s e m b l e s a m o b i l e o f s n ow g e a r
civilization might only be eight or nine miles -
Cabin were nowhere near enough to satisfy me.
h a n g i n g f ro m t h e ce i l i n g , H a n g i n g o u t w i t h
gnarly miles - but you feel as if you have been
Forget the epic riding and the breathtaking
f r i e n d s a r o u n d a f i r e a n d t a l k i n g . Ac t u a l l y
transported to a different place. It ’s a good
views. It was the way of life and the memories
talking. Not Tweeting, Facebooking or texting
reminder of priorities and a little more of how
that really got me. Fireworks, midnight split-
about the days events and other good times
life should be. Man, I gotta get back there.
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[bonnie belle cabin]
[b]
[c]
[a]
[d]
A mid-winter snow drought in Jackson drove me
and even an outhouse across the way with the
and Alex Yoder a few hundred miles south to
coldest toilet seat in the Rockies. The snow was
Silverton, Colorado. Although the neighboring
decent, but that doesn't mean it was safe. After
state tends to follow the dry winters trend, we
a fun day of ripping the noboard and hitting a
remained optimistic. Upon arrival, we met up
few features, we stumbled on some untouched
with Alex Pashley, Nic Drago and Aaron Dodds.
pow, glistening in the falling sun. Pash and I
After finding crusty snow on Red Mountain Pass,
began to sled up to this little shelf above the
we h e a d e d u p to h i g h e r e l evat i o n fo r a few
run while Dodds set up for some slash photos.Â
nights at the Bonnie Belle Cabin. I was stoked
A few days before, the snowcat had triggered
to go spend some time up in the mountains,
a huge slide while pushing the cat road just
away from civilization.Â
down the face from us. As we were doubling
B E LOW
The cabin was equipped with carpeted
up, I kept my eye on the weary cornice atop
B L A K E PAU L
b e d ro o m s , a k i tc h e n , d i n n e r t a b l e, co u c h e s
the ridge above us. The run wasn't extremely
LO O K OUT
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[a]:blake paul//aaron dodds [b]:alex yoder//aaron dodds [c]:jules reymond//andrew miller [d]:andrew miller [e]:blake paul//aaron dodds
[e]
steep but definitely something to keep watch
road. I looked back at the face and the snow
on. I looked back down at the road for a second
was still moving, but soon slowed and came to
to see where Dodds was setting up, then back
a stop.
up on the cornice. All of a sudden, the whole
Back at the cabin, there was a good view of the
cornice ripped off and a rushing river of snow
whole scene. The avalanche looked a lot smaller
and icebergs was flying straight down at us.
compared to when it appeared to be breaking
"Slide! Slide! Slide!" I yelled over the roaring
right on top of us. From the cabin you could see
sled engine, Pash quickly replied, "Hold on!" We
where the debris covered the sled track where
dipped the sled, turned away from the charging
we could've been caught. It didn't look like there
s n ow a n d g u n n e d i t . I l o o ke d b a c k a n d t h e
would have been enough snow to completely
whole slope had broken to pieces, still slabbing
bury us, but it still aroused a haunting feeling.
down. Pash kept his hand on the throttle and
Luckily the slope had small shelves staggered in
we outran the slide and dropped back onto the
it which seemed to slow the moving snow.
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[bonnie belle cabin]
[a]
[b]
[c]
[d]
SWISS
On our last night at the Bonnie Belle
After a good laugh from the squad,
CHEESE
Cabin, after a sick week of private
we hit the hay to wake up to our last
pow fields and kicker spots, the cabin
b l u e b i r d d a y.
filled with a dark, gray smoke and it
Now the challenge - how to make my
became very difficult to breath. No
b o o t f u n c t i o n a l ? T h e a n s w e r, d u c t
one could figure out where the smelly
tape. We put the boot on my foot
smog was coming from and the air
and proceeded to mummy wrap it in
quality was going downhill until,
layers of tape. It actually worked and
b i n g o ! To m y e x c i t e m e n t , o n e o f m y
I was able to hit a couple cliffs before
boots had tipped over and was leaning
losing all circulation in my foot.
directly against the extremely hot
such cliff, I had been scoping from the
wood stove. By the time I got to my
top and looked pretty sweet. Dodds
boot, the shell and liner looked like a
wa s b e l ow, hy p e d o n h i s a n g l e a n d
fine chunk of Swiss cheese. There were
it was on. The cliff was jumped, the
holes all over my boot and what was
photo was snapped and it turned out
left of it looked like a marshmallow
to be my first cover and the cover of
that had been aflame for 20 minutes.
Snowboarder Magazine's photo annual.
To m e , t h e m o s t u n i q u e p a r t a b o u t t h e
science, It's the only backcountry cabin
professional guidance and your own
Bonnie Belle, besides the terrain, is
in Colorado able to offer heli shredding
p r i v a t e h e l i c o p t e r. - S k y l a r H o l g a t e ,
that you can have the adventure of a
through Silverton Mountain and you can
C o - O w n e r, S i l v e r t o n M o u n t a i n G u i d e
lifetime without needing a PhD in snow
take on these amazing mountains with
B O OT S C OT T Y A R N O L D
[a]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds [b]:aaron dodds [c]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds [d]:scotty arnold//aaron dodds
One
[outro]
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