It’s Snowing in Colorado

A Much-Welcomed Snowstorm Today in Colorado

Hooray! It finally feels like winter today. It’s hard to say how much we’ll get out of this storm but whatever it is, we’ll take it. Yes, I’m addressing that big white elephant (mastodon, perhaps?) in the room. Yes, I’m writing about the ski situation in the U.S. so far this season. Yes, I’m finally posting a blog after more than a month away!

Posing with Rich, My Supervisor, My First Day Back to Work in December (Yes, we all have lots of fun together and make sure that our clients do, too)

And guess where I’ve been? I’ve been skiing my butt off here in Telluride, Colorado. Actually, my butt’s still there albeit a bit tighter. Although boy, is it sore—it is the biggest muscle in the body, isn’t it? Enough about my derrière. Obviously the skiing has been more than acceptable for me to be out so many days this past month. Granted I’m a ski instructor yet outside of the super busy period around the holidays, January typically slows down a lot. Ski and snowboard instructors only have work if there are people to teach. Despite the usual January lull and a less than stellar ski year, the mountain still buzzes with skiers and boarders of every level. And they all seem to be having a great time.

Skiing with My Little Rippers at Christmas

Saying Goodbye

Why wouldn’t they? It’s been sunny and warm most days since nearly the beginning of the season. Yes, this spring-like weather has been freakish and worrisome, especially since it seems to be happening all over the States. (Let’s hope it gives even the most fossil fuel-consuming folks among us reason to pause, particularly since many think this strange weather pattern signals the future of winters to come.) Fortunately even with a less-than robust base, our snow in Telluride has held up well. The coverage has been slight, although the quality of the snow has been excellent. (Even though many days have felt spring-y, our cold nights have preserved the snow’s wonderful wintertime texture beautifully.) Most of the mountain has been open since Christmas and the many people I’ve chatted with have enjoyed a fantastic time. With bluebird days, spectacular scenery, play in the fresh mountain air, a fabulous mountain and town, how can you not love Telluride? Sure, extra snow would be appreciated but it doesn’t seem to be making or breaking most people’s vacations.

Indeed, ski patrol has been spending more time sweeping the slopes with hockey sticks to flick off bothersome rocks than doing avalanche control these past weeks. But those rocky, thin and bullet-proof, hard-packed sections are more the exception than the rule. Someone from New York summed it up to me pretty well the other day, “Your conditions are far superior to anything we experience back East, even during one of our good years.” That comment flooded me with memories of childhood ski days with my family punctuated by frozen toes and fingers, icy slopes and steely-grey skies at various ski areas in Vermont, western Massachusetts and northern New York. It was fun and wonderful but oh-so hard going. Thank goodness my Dad eventually discovered Colorado, a fortuitous happening that changed the course of history for the ski aficionados of my family.

“I guess I temporarily forgot what most ski experiences look like outside of the West,” I replied to my chairlift companion. “My love of winter—combined with my need for sun—is why I moved to Colorado ten years ago,” I added.

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This winter we’ve all been well served in the sun department. Have no fear though—February, March and April usually rank among our snowiest months. Best of all as I post this story, the fluffy white stuff is now blowing sideways outside my window. Tomorrow just might be a really big powder day, and that’s something I never experienced all those years skiing back east.

Oh, how we become spoiled here in the West. Keep in mind that even during so-so times, most Colorado ski resorts offer a ski and snowboard experience above and beyond most people’s expectations.

Thank you to Jeremy Swanson and Aspen-Snowmass for the top photo. As of noon today, it already snowed over six inches in Aspen. The remaining photos were taken in Telluride, mostly on my iPhone.

Note that I teach  children and adults in privates and adult groups. My next Travel Fun radio show airs Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30 p.m. mountain time on KOTO and it will be all about teaching skiing and riding. Noah Sheedy, Director of Telluride Ski & Snowboard School, Doug Morrison, Director of T-ride’s Adult Program, and Frank Martinez, Director of T-ride’s Children’s Program, will be my guests. I’ll also be posting this interview as a podcast on my blog.

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