Christmas Break

Colorado!

Last week started my holiday break and my annual pilgrimage out west for white room. This year Colorado has had an amazing early season. Loveland Mountain reached 100 inches 3 months earlier this year, than last year. With pow on our minds, Chris, Kyle, Dave and I headed west December 26th for a week long road trip to find the white stuff.

This is why we don't let Chris Drive

 Our first stop was Monarch Mountain, just outside of Salina Colorado. It was a long 14 hour drive but when we got there, there was a nice snow base on the mountain. This was my first time back on the skis since thanksgiving, I’m not counting Hidden Valley days, and the legs felt great! It was also the first time skiing in the new boots, since I down sized to a 26.5 size, well worth it! 

Monarch Mountain

The first day was great except Chris was feeling a little under the weather, but I’m not complaining because on the hike up to Mirkwood Bowl, I stayed with him instead of going to the summit. It sucks being a flat lander and trying to hike at 10,000+ft. Once we got on the back side it was deep but clearly skied up, in our option, it wasn’t worth the hiking up for another run.

Dave getting some air

After monarch, we headed up Hwy 24 to Buena Vista, Colorado. Which is the whitewater center during the summer months but in the winter, the Arkansas River was barely running with snow all on both sides of its banks. After spending the night in BV, we continued up Hwy 24 to Copper Mountain.

Copper Mountain

Copper Mountain is known as a racers resort because they groom almost every run and with it being still early in the season, groomed runs are usually your only options. This was Dave’s first time at Copper, we told him to follow and not to get lost. Well…. After the first run we lost Dave. 

Copper Base

Chris and I weren’t too worried about him, but Kyle being the good brother, said we should go looking for him. After looking for him on one run, we saw the back side of the mountain was open. So all three of us headed that way, needless to say the back side is a place Dave would surely never find us, so much for Kyle being the good brother.  Copper was a great day full of fast runs.  On our way back to Georgetown (home base) it was lightly snowing!!

Copper's Super Pipe

Snow!!

At 6:30am, I got the text, 9.5 inches at Winterpark, POWDER DAY!! The drive up Berthoud Pass was slow but steady, and once we got to the Marry Jane side of Winterpark, it was all powder! 

Smearing Powder

Making our way to Panoramic express, I ducked down into the tress. While skiing, I saw a gap in the snow, not knowing what it was I braced for impact and came to a stop. With skis on one side and my arms holding on the other side, it was a running creek. Yelling back “Creek! It’s a Creek!” I was too late and in a row, Kyle then Chris hit the creek too. After getting water on our boots and skis, which ended up being a big mess, everyone ended up ok and dry. 

POW!

We then headed to our secret pillow rock. Chris and I found this rock during last year’s spring break, the rock is along a run but hidden in the trees, it’s about a 5ft drop. As, we came on it, it was clear no one had tried it since the new snow. I scouted and packed the drop down for Chris, as he was the first one to send it. It was buttery smooth. We spent the rest of the days in the white room and the trees. It was a great day. We even shut winterpark down for the day.

Dropping the Pillow

Kyle getting air time

The next two days were spent at Copper and then Winter park again. Chris hit a bender while trying to throw a 180 off of a jump at copper and by the 5th day at winter park, all of our legs were shot! It was a great trip with a great crew. The snow was good and in two weeks should be even better when I’m back out there. Until the next adventure.

The Crew

Ice in the Mustache

 

Bumps!!