The Art of Après

If you are involved with skiing (or snowboarding), chances are you have heard the phrase “après ski.” Perhaps you are savvy enough to know “après” means “after” in French, and that it’s pronounced “ahh-PRAY.” Or perhaps, like the guy I overheard on a chairlift at Copper Mountain, you are in the dark as to “why people keep saying ‘ah-prez ski.’”

Après ski is both a verb and a noun. The après ski, or simply “après,” has become as much a part of skiing culture as skiing itself, and as such has become an institution in its own right. To say après ski is as simple as drinking with your buddies after skiing would be analogous to saying skiing is simply strapping two planks to your feet and going down a snowy hill.

From the greenest novice to the most seasoned expert, to après ski is to relax, be with friends, celebrate the mountain and, in some cases, celebrate that you are still alive at the end of the day.

And just as there are types of skiers—Snow Bunnies, Powder Hounds, etc.—so too are there different types of après-skiers. If you like a candle/fireplace-lit ambience, great wine and want to be seen, find Sweet Basil in Vail Village. Boasting an extensive wine list, inventive cocktails, a small but well-curated beer selection and menu items such as organic Loch Duart salmon, Sweet Basil is the pick for the well-coiffed après-skier. Sweet Basil is also perfect for those who enjoy the après part of skiing more than the actual skiing.

Or, if you prefer cheap beer, rowdiness and spectacular people watching, the best place to go for a no-frills après is A-Basin. If you require a roof over your head to après, the Sixth Alley Bar is known for its bloody Marys (including a bacon bloody Mary) and cheap margaritas. The Alley has $1.50 tacos for those who save their money for gear. Pretension doesn’t exist here, and you will get respect for being able to shoot the breeze, tell some good jokes or talk gear like a gearhead.

But in my book, the best après is found in the parking lot at A-Basin, specifically at The Beach. “The Beach” is a strip of parking spots facing the mountain reserved in advance. The spots hold two cars each and have shared picnic tables. It is the perfect setup for an après-ski barbecue. There is absolutely nothing better than sitting outside after pounding the slopes, soaking in the sun, watching stragglers bomb down
the front side.

Skiing is about being outside, and it is often nice to keep that outdoor element going once the physical challenge is gone. Après skiing in the parking lot at A-Basin is essentially celebrating having been outside all day by being outside even longer. To me, that is the pinnacle of après ski excellence.