Introducing PJ’s Mountain Altar

All the ski/snowboard community welcome!
By Amy Meilen Feb 9, 2025

Welcome to our mountain altar!  We’ve been dreaming of this for a year and we finally did it!

Let me introduce you to PJ.  He’s the youngest of 8 children in a big, blended family.  PJ passed away on March 17th, 2024.  He had a viral infection that ravaged his heart and lungs and he was gone in one afternoon.  This year has gone by in a flash, and every day we’re reminded of how much we love and miss our son/brother/friend. 

PJ loved many things.  First, his siblings and family.  Spending time with them was his favorite thing no matter what, when or how, his greatest desire was being with them.  Second, his friends.  They were all a giant posse, and many spent weekends with us in our Steamboat home–often making their first Steamboat turns with PJ as a guide. Finally, PJ loved to ski/board.  He was a master of grace, form, and control and was often down at the lifts before the rest of us, waiting with his poles in the air and a big smile on his face.  If Steamboat is your home mountain, you’ve seen him skiing.  His favorite runs are tree runs from any lift and any difficulty.  He was on Morningside at age 5, deep in the powder and smiling–even when he got stuck.  We used to feed the birds (from our hands on the lift) and we have many videos of young PJ squealing with delight each time a bird landed on his glove.  His favorite runs often had us wondering who we’d raised…this kid loved the slopes differently than all of our others.  He mastered them and felt good in his body whenever he was there.

A week before PJ died, we were on the mountain together.  This pic is us, prepping for whatever PJ decided was best…a run down Olympian, or Triangle 3 to Cyclone, Kuus’ or 3 o’clock.  There was always a favorite tree run.  We got used to hearing his signature whoops and watching him navigate the trees like they weren’t there.  We loved being on the mountain together, whether just he, his dad and I, or with other visiting family members or friends.  There’s something about feeling good in your skis or on your board and the ability to take friends out and transform them into Steamboat devotees.  PJ’s head and heart felt lighter on the mountain than anywhere else.

Now, we want to share our son with you.  We invite you to sign the  book, take a sticker and press him into a lift pole or on the sticker wall at morningside.  Maybe on your skis (it’ll make you faster, I promise!) or just take it home with you.  Tell people about finding the box and encourage them to find it too.  Spread a bit of our beautiful son’s face all over the place he loved best and allow others to see and feel this smile.  It’s transformative.  

“Skiing is the next best thing to having wings

P’vangelizing (or P-vandalizing??)

Every sticker tells a story. We’ve chosen moments in time to capture, and spread him far and wide.  When we travel, we take his stickers and try to pop him anywhere we can.  He’s with us then, he went.  We encourage P-vangelizing as often as people are willing.

Take a sticker

• PJ in his hoodie
• A robin he painted a few weeks before he died
• Smiling big at home

Ski community

Come to PJ’s altar.  Spend a minute listening to the wind chime–maybe it’s him talking through the music.  Read the journal entries, (add one yourself?) or the messages on the prayer flag.  Feel free to add a bit of yourself–sign the journal, put something meaningful in the box.  We trust that this altar will take on a life of it’s own.  We BELIEVE the altar will be here for PJ’s family and friends for years to come. We believe Skiing brings us together.  This place, it’s wilderness, and snow, it’s trees and animals, all had a special place in PJ’s heart.  Please honor our grief and respect this altar.  Feel free to connect with me.  My email is ameilenpt@gmail.com

Skiing started young

PJ was in strap on skis at age 18mos.  He took lessons at Little Shredders in Boulder CO at age 2 and 3, and by 3 1/2 he was independent on the mountain.  He picked out his first real pair of skis with his beloved minions.  These skis were a lucky find.  By age 6 he asked to learn to snowboard (like his big brothers) and he took lessons to learn that.  Before the season was over, he was proficient with the board.  PJ switched between skis and snowboard depending on the powder, and who he was riding with.  If the boys were out, he was on the board.  If he was with mom or other ski buddies, he took his skis.  

We bought our mountain getaway in 2018.  PJ, dad and mom spent every weekend in Steamboat. It was our family place.  Before PJ was 6 he was chasing POW through the trees on morningside, and feeding the birds crumbs from his pockets.  His favorite runs took us through trees in every part of the mountain.  We called him "PJ, Tree Jay"

Skiing since PJ’s passing has been hard.  We look for him everywhere.  We love watching families skiing together like we once did and it brings us bittersweet memories..  We want his legacy to include this place, these runs, and this great love of the mountains. PJ used to have a T-shirt that said “Kind to all Kinds” and he lived that motto.  A kinder, happier kid didn’t exist.  We choose to go on with that as PJ’s legacy.  A legacy for our son.  We love you PJ, Tree Jay.  

We invite you to join our family in commemorating PJ, in honoring his favorite pastime, skiing at Steamboat.  This outdoor altar space gives us an opportunity to introduce him to you and for you to spread the word.  

Thank you for being a part of our story. Let's create something beautiful together and if you decide to leave something, make sure it fits in the box–we don’t want to create a hassle for anyone at the mountain!

Now go ski. And don’t forget mac ‘n cheese for lunch at Rendezvous!!

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For any inquiries, please contact PJ's mom: 

Amy Meilen

ameilenpt@gmail.com

https://www.pjmeilenmemorial.com