Cheers of “Winner! Winner!” erupted as I dipped into the fluffy goodness. As the celebratory sounds faded, I floated off in the cold smoke of mid-winter snow that had somehow arrived in late March. I smiled and thought to myself, “How the hell did I end up here?” 

My inbox is a scary place—a constant stream of spammy messages, all to separate me from money, time, and dignity. So when an email with the subject “You Won a Trip to Eleven Scarp Ridge Lodge” arrived one afternoon, I was skeptical. My skepticism is strong, but my curiosity is stronger. Thank god for that. Somehow the stars aligned, my number picked, an email sent, and my curiosity piqued. 

Author and lucky winner, John Webster.

A little over a month later, I arrived in Crested Butte on a cold, snowy afternoon. Navigating the snow mazes that are winter CB streets, I pulled up to the Lodge. Outside, the former Croatian saloon appears like a classic old west structure. The inside does not. Minutes after arriving, I had a warm boozy cider in hand, and our host Zoe was taking me through the property. I tried to play it cool as I ventured from one room to the next. Somewhere between the indoor saltwater pool, sauna, steam room, and rooftop hot tub, I stopped trying and enjoyed the rest of the tour, mouth agape in awe. 

One by one, the others arrived. I was the only civilian, as the rest of the crew had a professional connection to The Ski Journal. But after a few drinks, hot tubbing, and deep conversations about the original Salomon 1080s, we were all fast friends. 

Snowy, happy people outside of the Irwin Lodge. Our crew and cat.

I woke up early the next day with Christmas morning feelings. Following the scent of bacon and coffee, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen where Chef Jeff was waiting, ready to create whatever our hearts and tastebuds desired. 

Breakfast was gourmet, but the real luxury arrived in front of the Lodge in the form of a Tucker Snow Cat. Essentially a party bus on treds, the Tucker had cozy seating, a sound system, and TV so we could watch ski movies on the hour ride up Kebler Pass to the Irwin Lodge (for the record, the ride down was Aspen Extreme). Arriving at the Lodge, we were greeted by our guides, Billy Rankin and H-Baumm. These are the kinds of people who every skier looks at with envy. Full of knowledge, smiles, fist bumps, and an overwhelming respect for the mountains, we were in the best of company and the safest of hands. 

I could tell you that the Irwin Lodge was just a simple yurt in the wilderness for bagged PB&Js and frozen water bottles. But that would be a lie. I am not talented enough with words to express my feelings towards the Lodge. Full of classic concert posters, comfortable couches, and rocking chairs, catered with gourmet food, a fully stocked bar, great music, and always a roaring fireplace, it’s fancy as hell without being the least bit pretentious. It’s perfect.

Natalie Krewin from Rygr Media slashing anything untracked.

A full immersion experience for Andrew Marshall from The Ski Journal.

After all the luxury, food, and comfort, you might have forgotten we were here to ski. Luckily for us, as spoiled as we were, our whole crew only had one thing on their mind. The snow globe had shaken, leaving untouched slopes brimming with possibilities. And while we enjoyed our gourmet breakfast, the Irwin Lodge’s snow safety team had been out on the hill using everything up to and including explosives to ensure our zones were safe and ready to be skied upon arrival. Billy and H gave us some quick direction, and we were off. Billy has a funny way of finishing every briefing with the same “alright, have fun” before he turned and effortlessly laid down lines to guide us safely home. 

There are moments of pure joy and moments of endless gratitude. Then there are moments when those emotions overlap. Open zones of untouched powder bring those feelings together for me. The unending smiles and cheers let me know the rest of the crew shared these sentiments. The funny thing was that everyone seemed caught in the dilemma of wanting to charge into the run while also wanting to watch everyone else charge into the run. Several times despite everyone’s stoke level, Billy and H had to remind us not to be shy, to step up and get in it. 

Keile Kropf from Backbone Media grew up racing and it showed.

Guide, leader, forecaster, and legend, H-Baumm enjoying the perks of the job.

Three days filled with seemingly endless deep powder turns. We moved from zone to zone, skiing runs with names like “Cocktail Shots,” “Party Hats,” and “Ski Heroes” (named for Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard). Each of us laying down our signatures in turns only to move on to the next. I wanted to return to areas, to ski them better, to take a different route, but Billy kindly reminded me that we were the last group of the season, and as far as he was concerned, there was absolutely no reason to ever ski a tracked run. You can’t argue with that kind of logic.

Three days in, and somehow Billy was still pulling out runs with fresh light fluff, but all good things must end. With tired legs and full hearts, we said our farewells. I had arrived nervous, not knowing who I was spending time with or what I was getting into. I was leaving with new friends, an unforgettable experience, and some of the best skiing I had ever experienced. In this world, it’s ok to be skeptical, but always balance skepticism with a strong sense of curiosity. You never know where it will take you.

Matt Miller from K2 in between clouds of cold smoke.

Click to check out the cat playlist made by the entire crew.