Oh frivolous, frivolous debauchery, where have you taken me? I am on skis, surrounded by magnificent snow-covered mountains - but I seem to be skiing uphill. This has me confused. All around I see leprechauns, a mountain goat, a dirty pink Easter Bunny holding a bucket of beer and tequila, a guy wearing a garbage can filled with- yes, garbage. It gets stranger: clowns, the Statue of Liberty, a gorilla, the Muppets Grover and Animal, the Ambiguously Gay duo from SNL sharing a single pair of skis. Even Martha Stewart is here, sporting her black and white prison stripes. I seem to be dressed as a giant bottle of 1554. Is this heaven or is this Ale? Wait, there is a beer in my hand. This must be the annual Al Johnson Uphill-Downhill ski race in Crested Butte, Co.
The AJ has been taking place annually since 1974, in honor of the Butte's most intrepid mail carrier, the late Al Johnson. No mountain pass was too high and no mailbox too far for old Al, who delivered the goods to snowed-in cabins on telemark skis. (He dressed-up as a mailman.)
Today, the race attracts hundreds of costumed skiers intent on seeing who can have the most fun. It is a blue-eyed soul celebration of the good life, complete with a post-race dance party. There is a chance for everyone to be exactly who they are, or want to be, or admire, or ridicule.
The race begins just below the Headwall on Mount Crested Butte, ascending 800 vertical feet to the ridgeline, where the costumed racers turn and ski down a very steep portion of the North Face. Most spectators gather at the bottom, cheering as costumes fly apart mid-descent.
New Belgium is proud to be the beer sponsor. We brewed a special beer just for this event, called A.J. It is deep amber, with a thick malt body balanced beautifully by an earthy but bright hop profile of grapefruits ripening in the sun. The beer matches Al's fortitude nicely. It is only available on tap in select locations.
The New Belgium team was dressed as a mixed six-pack, natch. Although we did not win, we were not last either. I think we succeeded in trouncing the two guys sharing the single set of skis. Riding shotgun with the NBB crew were the winners of our "enter to win a trip to the Al Johnson contest". Drawn randomly from blank entries, Richard and Bev hailed from Kingman, Arizona. A more agreeable couple could not have been found had we tried, and I think it is safe to say that they enjoyed drinking A.J. at the Al Johnson just as much as anyone did.
Next year we hope to see you or your doppelganger there.
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