Snowboarding isn’t just a sport; it’s a culture, a lifestyle, and a language all its own. If you’re new to the snowboarding scene, you might find yourself bewildered by the slang and lingo that seasoned riders throw around. Fear not,…
Dan Galleri, mountain host at SolVista Basin, doesn’t know what it’s like to wait in line to get in the parking lot at a ski resort. “If I showed up at a ski resort and had to wait in line,…
If you happen to ride a lift in Aspen with a ruggedly handsome man who, in a German accent, quizzes you about your ski clothes — “Are zay warm?” “Do zay fit well?” “Are zay functional?” — it may be…
For all of my Colorado-born life, skiing has meant several things: Getting up early, throwing the skis in the car, fighting the Interstate 70 traffic and then schlepping same skis from the car to the slopes. Skiing, in general, meant…
When I look back at my first attempts at skiing, I wonder how I ever made it past the snowplow. I was on long, straight heavy metal skis, wore borrowed boy’s lace-up leather boots, Stephen Bradley hadn’t invented grooming yet,…
Colorado ski towns are often known for high prices, especially during their winter primetime. But vacationing in a mountain getaway doesn’t have to break the budget. The Winter Park-Fraser Valley area, 90 minutes northwest of Denver and surrounded by the…
Perched atop a sloping hillside above the town of Avon, Colorado, The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch hotel melds luxury accommodations with the majestic spirit of the Rocky Mountains. Opened in 2002 with 180 rooms, The Ritz is nestled into Bachelor Gulch…
During the long nights of winter, nowhere does the full moon shine brighter than in Colorado’s high country. Tucked away from city lights, the silvery moon hangs like a lantern in the black sky, providing enough illumination for doing just…
Beyond the sleepy hamlet of Lake City, pavement ends and the forest road I follow turns to dirt. Mountains define our state and provide its identity. Within Colorado’s rectangular borders, the Rockies thrust their highest summits. Peaks form backdrops for…
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa is as close as one can stay to Beaver Creek Ski Resort. In fact, the ski lift is just outside the door where the ski valet hands guests pre-warmed boots. Upon entering the…
At resorts and ski areas in Colorado, and across the country, lift operators make the chairs go ‘round. So don’t duck the ropes and don’t grumble when they ask for your pass on an icy day. Just smile, help your…
Smile! It’s springtime in the Rockies, when snow is deep, temperatures are mild, days last longer and sun shines stronger. Best of all, you can sleep in while the snow softens to a cushy carpet and ski or ride later…
In 1965, Sherman Poppen bolted two skis together to make a snow-riding surfboard for his daughter. Dubbed a “Snurfer,” the design achieved instant popularity, and a manufacturer sold more than a half million of them the next year. The new…
A rich blue sky envelops me. Sun streams onto my face. The air holds still and clear. Nothing invades my space — no trees, no structures and no people — just the sky and pristine snow, soft under my ski…
Wolf Creek is the snowiest spot in Colorado. No matter how much snow the rest of the state gets, you can bet Wolf Creek has more. Its lucky location at 10,300 feet on top of Wolf Creek Pass takes an…
Snow – it’s the stuff boarders and skiers dream of – and it has arrived in Colorado’s mountains, where the slopes are getting ready for business. To celebrate the end of Colorado’s snow fast, Copper Mountain ski resort will host…