Chris Council Photography

Caption: Chef Michel Wahaltere adds brandy to a sausage-and-pasta dish at Gisella on Thursday evening, Dec. 15, 2011, in Aspen, Colo. He says he has been in the restaurant business for most of his life.

Keywords: Aspen, Colorado

Jimmy Demartini plays a fiddle solo while Zac Brown accompanies him in the background on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011. The Zac Brown Band played at the annual Jazz Aspen Snowmass concert series held over Labor Day Weekend in Snowmass, Colo. Micah Davis takes part in the Climate Challenge Snowless Ski Race Saturday afternoon, May 5, 2012, on the Little Nell run on Aspen Mountain, in Aspen, Colo. The events were part of Climate Impacts Day and were designed to raise awareness and “connect the dots” between extreme weather and climate change. 350.org helped sponsor the day with events nationwide — the name reflects the goal of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the current level of 392 parts per million to below 350. Joy West gives Bacchus a kiss while he is straddled atop Apollo at the Canine Fashion Show on Saturday afternoon near Wagner Park, one of the many events that occurred during this 2013 Wintersköl festivities in Aspen, Colo. Seen in the background is Mary Kay Deveraux, also decked out in faux fur, who completed their theme of “Dogs Gone Wild.” They walked away winners in their category of “best multiple.” A man is silhouetted behind an inflating hot air balloon during the annual Snowmass Balloon Festival on Sunday morning, Sept. 18, 2011, in Snowmass, Colo. A brave soul exits the Chesapeake Bay during the 15th annual Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011, at Sandy Point State Park, Md. The air temperature was a balmy 35 degrees, and the water temp was 33 degrees. Over the last 14 years the event has raised more than $16 million for the Maryland Special Olympics. Dyer Hunting, 8, builds a house out of Legos at the Aspen Middle School Lego Showcase event on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 10, 2011, in Aspen, Colo. The event was made possible by a grant from the Education Blueprints Association, and children were allowed to bring home their finished creations. Angel Limon with the mariachi band Los Reyes De Jalisco entertains the happy hour crowd at La Cantina in Aspen, Colo. to celebrate the eve of Mexican Independence Day on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011. Contrary to popular belief, the Mexican holiday falls on Sept. 16 and is completely different from Cinco de Mayo, which celebrates the Mexican army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Will Roush helps out his dog Maddie at the Maroon Bells after she gets stuck in a snow drift on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 5, 2011, in Aspen, Colo. Alan Coleman, foreground, and his son Chris enjoy fly fishing on Wednesday evening, July 25, 2012, in the Roaring Fork River near the bridge on County Road 100, just outside of Carbondale, Colo. Chef Michel Wahaltere adds brandy to a sausage-and-pasta dish at Gisella on Thursday evening, Dec. 15, 2011, in Aspen, Colo. He says he has been in the restaurant business for most of his life. Joey Avellone, 35, enjoys some time underwater on Wednesday afternoon, April 3, 2013, in the pool at the Wildwood hotel in Snowmass, Colo. Darren Cook, a scuba instructor from Grand Junction, assists Avellone, who is a former Marine rescue swimmer who became paralyzed from the waist down after jumping into the water during a training exercise to save a fellow Marine. The activities were part of the annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic. Sarah Siskind & Travis Book play in the intimate venue at Steve's Guitars on Friday evening, Sept. 30, 2011, located on 4th St. in downtown Carbondale, Colo. One of the two resident pigs at the Aspen T.R.E.E. Cozy Point Sustainable Farmyard Education Project in Aspen, Colo. uses his rooting skills on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011 to help till the soil, eliminating the need for a mechanized tiller. Accompanied by traditional drumming, Native American dancer Coleman Dann from Fort Hall, Idaho performs a traditional pow wow-style dance on Saturday, April 7, 2012, in downtown Aspen, Colo. Sugarland performs at Jazz Aspen Snowmass on Friday night, Aug. 31, 2012 under a full moon. Joshua Stephen, 3, gazes up in wonder while trick or treating at Shellie Roy's decorated house in the North 40 subdivision on Monday, Oct. 31, 2011, in Aspen, Colo. Children from throughout the valley descended on the neighborhood Halloween night to take advantage of the safety, closely-built homes and most importantly, the copious amounts of candy. Sled dogs take a break from pulling their guests at Krabloonik on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, in Snowmass, Colo. Charlotte Rudge, visiting Aspen from New York City, takes a tandem flight with Aspen Paragliding pilot Tomek Pegiel on Monday, July 30, 2012. Local sketch artist Austin Kuck draws a portrait of Rick Nelson at Little Annie's restaurant on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011, in Aspen, Colo. The developer who once planned to raze the building said that community sentiment convinced him otherwise. A line of skiers and snowboarders hike Highland Bowl on Tuesday morning, April 16, 2013, shortly after the gate opened, with more than 9 inches of fresh snow being reported by the Aspen Skiing Co. Traffic was backed up past the Aspen Recreation Center early in the morning as visitors took advantage of the free parking, which quickly filled up.