The season isn’t officially over just yet, but one season finale tradition has come and gone. Every year on the last day of April a group of friends from The View, one of Alta’s few community buildings, throw a party.
April 30th, a usually predictable good weather window, looked to be stormy this year with snow blowing in the morning and winds whistling around the mountain. But the festival gods smiled down and by lunchtime it began to subside and the sun arrived in time for setup.
Heidi and Mark, two View residents, are at the center of each year’s party. The tradition began a couple decades ago in the dark days before cell phones and social centered media communication. They sat outside in the sun drinking wine and generally enjoying themselves when they were joined by a couple other folks. Snow, ski, repeat, and “Boom” the next year some more residents and friends joined in.
Skiers, never people to let a good time opportunity go to waste (witness Alta ski resort’s annual Frank classic). The event has grown into having a band, food trucks, and Mark’s semi famous and secret recipe “Markgaritas”.
With the weather threatening, neighbor Jim offered up his garage to protect the band from possible inclement weather and electrocution. Your correspondent knew it was going to be a good gig when the local musicians launched their set with the Grateful Dead’s Shakedown Street.
What’s this have to do with you loyal reader of this space? Well, it’s too late to join everyone this year, though Snowbird intends to keep spinning the bull wheels on the tram, Little Cloud and Mineral Express through Memorial Day. But next year you can join us all on the street for food, friendship, past powder reminiscence, and music.
Canyon Blog would love to share the name of the band but can’t seem to recall it. Must have been the Markgaritas.