Trees to Skis: Hero's Spruce
Wagner Turns Trees into Skis with the New Hero Spruce Collection
Every resort’s ski patrol has its secret stash—but not every ski patrol is willing to share that stash with the public. After decades of discussion, in the 2023-24 season, the Aspen Ski Patrol finally gladed it, mitigated it, and opened it up to anyone brave enough to test their mettle on the steep, rowdy northeast-facing high alpine terrain known as Hero’s. And, as a cherry on top, Aspen Mountain collaborated with Wagner Skis to give the gladed trees a new life as topsheets for custom skis.
Photo: Matt Power Photography
Hero's Terrain
Hero’s, far skier’s right on Aspen Mountain, consists of 153 acres of terrain that used to be the playground only for patrol and a few hardy locals who weren’t afraid of tight trees and a challenging traverse. Formerly known as Pandora’s, it was renamed Hero’s in honor of the legendary figures who played a part in making Aspen what it is today.
As the first major expansion—doubling the terrain above 10,000 feet—at Aspen Mountain since the Silver Queen Gondola was installed in 1985, the new zone is big news for locals and visitors alike.
“The Hero’s terrain gives lift-serviced access to the snowiest terrain on Aspen Mountain,” said Mak Keeling, Aspen Snowmass’s vice president of mountain planning, who was key in the development of the area.
Trees to Skis
According to Scott Scharin, Aspen Mountain’s snow safety coordinator, the Hero’s zone was in the works for decades, but it was only recently that the Aspen Skiing Company was able to dedicate enough resources to get it done. The zone is steep and was thickly treed, so it took a lot of work to get it cleared and mitigated.
“Because of the nature of the project and how much wood was coming out, we basically got into the logging business,” Scharin joked. “There were acres and acres of wood that made it a jumbled mess out there.”
The Aspen Mountain team took great pains to glade responsibly, using helicopters to haul out logs to avoid dragging them across the ground and disturbing ground cover. “We tried to be judicious with the trees we took, so we worked around the beautiful old growth trees,” Scharin said.
They also repurposed as much of the wood as they could, sending it to Gypsum, Colo., to be milled for log homes and, just recently, giving some of it to Wagner Custom to craft into topsheets for their new Hero Spruce collection. The topsheets, which have the Aspen logo on the tips and come with the option to be hand-engraved by Wagner artist Cie Hoover, are available on all custom skis.
Hero's Spruce Wood Veneers
“They made arrangements for us to cherry pick these sweet Englemann spruce trees that were gladed out of Hero’s,” said Pete Wagner, founder of Wagner Custom. “They are blonde and book-matched, which means each ski is a mirror image of the other, so they’re symmetrical. People have told me they’re the most beautiful skis they’ve ever seen.”
The skis are a fitting tribute to a zone that is itself a tribute of sorts, with runs named after those who came before. There’s CB’s, named after patroller Cory Brettman who got killed in an avalanche in what is now the Hero’s zone in 2008. El Avalanchero Glade is named after patroller Tim “El Avalanchero” Howe, who originally coined the area Pandora’s because he felt it was opening it would be like opening Pandora’s Box, creating danger for powderhounds seeking the fresh snow that gets blown in from the windward side of the mountain. Another run is named E.e.k.! after a beloved patroller Eric Kinsman, who passed away in 2010.
Other names include Loushin’s, which honors the family who owned the original mining claim on which Hero’s now sits; Elli’s, after Elli Iselin, Aspen’s first female ski instructor; and Rideout, named after Percy Rideout, a 10th Mountain Division soldier who was a director of the ski school in the 1940s. And of course, there’s Jim’s, named after the late co-owner of Aspen Skiing Company, Jim Crown.
To further honor those who have passed—and Aspen’s famous shrine tradition—Aspen placed a bell at the top of Here’s To…, a run named precisely for remembrance. Ringing it creates a moment for thought of those who have been lost.
As for a loss of a very different kind, we asked if the Aspen patrollers are mourning the opening of their secret stash after all these years. “We’re not bummed at all,” Scharin said. “We’re psyched to have it opened and safe for everyone to ski.”
Become A Hero
Wagner Custom’s Hero Spruce skis can be purchased here or at the Aspen Collection retail locations at the bottom of Aspen Mountain and Snowmass. Those interested in trying Wagner Custom skis can demo them from the Aspen Collection stores and either purchase them directly or get a custom pair made through Wagner. For more information, give us a call at (970) 728-0107 or book an appointment with one of our ski designers.
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Article by Kimberly Beekman
Kimberly Beekman is the former editor-in-chief of the late, great Skiing Magazine (RIP), and a longtime editor of SKI Magazine before that. She currently uses the title of “freelancer” as a beard to ski powder all over the world. She lives in Steamboat, Colorado, with her wonderful daughter and terrible cat.
