Skiing’s best party you’ve never heard of
An underground party hosted by skiing legends on top of Aspen Mountain to nurture ski racing's next gen
Roaring Fork Valley
Apres Productions/World Cup Dreams Foundation
Franz Klammer waited patiently at the base of the gondola. He wore jeans, ski boots, and a flannel. He held his skis in one hand. As partiers started to queue up, he asked if anyone had an extra headlamp. The tight-knit group of skiers arrived at the base of Aspen Mountain, headed uphill for an underground party.
It was the first year of World Cup Dreams Foundation‘s Ajax fundraising event and Klammer — debatably the greatest skier in history — was invited conversationally on the day of the party. He agreed to join the crew at Bonnie’s that night.
“In the first year, we hosted the Bonnie’s event, Franz Klammer came out of the woodwork to support America’s Downhill,” says former American downhiller and current executive director of World Cup Dreams Foundation (WCDF) Tommy “BZ” Biesemeyer.
“Franz was in Aspen; so, we asked him to come at the eleventh hour, and without hesitation, he agreed to attend,” continues BZ. “Following instructions, he showed up five minutes early at the base of the gondola. It was epic. After the dinner, he said there were athletes in Austria who would have benefited from WCDF because even when he was a kid cost held kids back from their goals.”
BZ recently retired from a 12-year career with the US Ski Team. He was a hard-charging American downhiller who represented the United States in the PyeongChang Winter Winter Olympics and on two World Championships. He also was a US National Champion in downhill. Now, BZ’ ethic and energy centers not around Wengen and Hannenkham but World Cup Dreams Foundation. The US Ski Team charger now serves as the executive director of WCDF.
“As a former beneficiary of WCDF, I wanted to pay it forward to help athletes achieve what they deserve,” he says.
That’s why the party on Ajax raged into the night.
Aspen is a mountain town that knows how to party — always has, always will. A lot of Aspen’s partying is selfish and destructive or superficial and performative. BZ’ takeover of Bonnie’s is different. It’s generous and philanthropic, rootsy and underground.
This annual party is hosted by him on behalf of WCDF along with the people at Aztech Mountain and Performance Ski. They turn Ajax’s beloved Bonnie’s — the iconic mid-mountain pancake and strudel spot — into a Tio Bob’s-esque private venue for revelry. Picture The Peach Pit After Dark a la Beverly Hills 90201, but way better and at elevation!
At Bonnie’s that night, local legend Peter McBride raised his glass to acknowledge the event’s success. The community rallied. They tapped into old-school Aspen culture to support athletes’ World Cup dreams. Others at Bonnie’s included Ted Ligety — two-time Olympic Gold medalist, five-time Giant Slalom Crystal Globe winner, five-time World Champion, and WCDF board member; Steve Nyman — three-time World Cup Winner and WCDF board member; Marco Sullivan — World Cup winner, four-time Olympian, and WCDF board member; and Chris Davenport — big-mountain skiing legend. It was a special night.
The party/fundraiser was not confined by rules. People raged, business was done, good wine was shared, and funds were raised. Skiing’s multidimensional layers were honored: local ski bums, ski patrollers, renowned photogs, affluent hedge fund managers, recreational skiers, and world-class racers shared a table and stories. It was a curated room in the coolest way.
The Bonnie’s event provided guests the chance to take snowcats or skin up, where Brigitte Birrfelder and her team at Bonnie’s cooked a European-themed dinner served family style paired with wine from NYC-based Master of Wine Grant Reynolds. Following the food and flowing wine, the shortlist of guests skied down into Aspen’s city lights. Their turns were blurred by booze and illuminated by headlamps.
The fete’s framework allowed guests to tap into something that has never been done before: dinner with friends at Bonnie’s over exceptional wine and night skiing. The suspected imbalance amongst guests was bridged because of the shared passion in mountain life and the common interest to invest in our nation’s racing development. The ski town culture was ignited.
“When I was racing in Europe, we used to hike up the local Rodel Bahn track to feast on scnhitzel and kaiserschmarn and then Rodel down under the star-lit sky. That was where the idea for our Aspen party was rooted,” says BZ.
The Bonnie’s party brings people together by sharing the passion to seek adventure. It honors old-school Aspen and ski racing’s best attributes — two things that need to be protected. The party is simple: Climb a mountain, drink fine wine, loosen your pants button, and ski down beneath the star-lit sky. The simplicity of the event provides an experience. The party pays it forward to ensure the cost of the sport does not eliminate opportunities for athletes who have a World Cup dream.
Says BZ: “Skiing is increasingly becoming a financial barrier for families to participate. WCDF serves as a vehicle to bridge the gap for kids to maintain our nation’s talent pool financially. World Cup Dreams Foundation mentors kids to push their boundaries. We cannot afford to lose our culture that rewards perseverance and grit. That is what we represent.”
This is Part II of Fall Line’s storytelling this week driven by Tommy “BZ” Biesemeyer.
Skiing’s best party you’ve never heard of
“In the first year we hosted the Bonnie’s event, Franz Klammer came out of the woodwork to support America’s Downhill,” says former American Downhiller and current Executive Director of World Cup Dreams Foundation (WCDF) Tommy “BZ” Biesemeyer.
