Club Colorado  

This blog comes to CSCUSA from Kristen Lummis, editor and founder of BraveSkiMom.com.

Ski resorts look different when viewed through someone else’s eyes.

Last month, I joined two friends, Betsy and Uschi, for two days of skiing at Purgatory (a.k.a. Durango Mountain Resort). Betsy is a long-time Purgatory skier who knows the mountain inside and out. Uschi is an accomplished adaptive monoskier and instructor.

My-two-ski-buddies,-Betsy-and-Uschi,-at-Purgatory

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This blog post comes to CSCUSA from Amber Johnson, editor of MileHighMamas.

I’ll admit it: I wasn’t a fan of Spring Skiing until recently. I had previously viewed it as a hot, slushy mess but at the end of last season, I looked at the bluebird sky, basked in the balmy temperatures, sailed down the mountain in my t-shirt (sorry, no bikinis here) and thought, “How have I missed out on this all these years?

Spring on the slopes is a non-stop party as temperatures and people thaw. If that is not enough of a draw, here are some tips for making the most of your spring skiing experience.

1). Sunscreen. If you weren’t slathering your sun protection on your face before, do it now. The sun is exponentially more intense and if you’re like me, your winter tan a.k.a. bone-white skin is highly susceptible to burning.

2) Layers. I’ll admit it: I packed for my spring ski trip the same way I would have in the dead of winter with long johns and my warm clothing. Ditch the heavy stuff but keep in mind it’s still chilly in the morning. By afternoon, you’ll be removing most of it.

3) Hydrate. Between the blazing sun, the altitude and the dry air, you’ll be surprised how quickly you fall victim to dehydration.

4) Gotta wear shades. For me, my goggles get waaaay too hot in the spring. Whether you stick with them or opt for sunglasses, remember your eyes need to be more protected than ever out there.

5) Change your skiing style. The snow is heavier in the spring so keep your weight more balanced on each foot. Don’t push through the snow and instead slice through it like a knife. Be sure to go a bit faster so you don’t get weighed down.

6) Speaking of skis, make they are tuned correctly.  A warmer-temperature wax will keep your skis from sticking to the snow.

7) Here comes the sun. We worship the sun during spring skiing so be sure to follow it around the mountain. The best runs have full sun exposure to soften up the slopes for epic carving conditions.

The following was submitted to the Denver Post by National Ski Areas Association President Michael Berry, but it is unclear whether it will be published by the newspaper.

To the Editors:

In Karen Crummy’s three part series on ski safety, billed as an “investigative” series, Ms. Crummy and the Denver Post do a terrible disservice to readers by what they omit in their coverage, and, in turn, reveal the bias and predetermined conclusions underpinning this distorted piece of journalism. Readers, especially skiers and snowboarders, deserve more from the Denver Post on a series dedicated to Colorado’s favorite pastime.  Quite frankly, so does the ski industry, especially in light of their significant efforts on slope safety. (continue reading…)

This blog comes to Colorado Ski Country from Kristen Lummis, founder of BraveSkiMom.com

In the past, when I’ve written about skiing and riding safety, I received some comments that skiing with me might be “boring” or a “bummer.”

I beg to differ.

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This blog comes to Colorado Ski Country from Amber Johnson, editor of MileHighMamas.

As a mom, I have a lot of discussions with my peers about teaching my kids to ski. My fellow skiers understand the benefits (health, fun, active lifestyle) and even my non-skiing friends don’t question these and instead cite drawback reasons like “it’s too difficult or expensive.”

But never once have I been asked, “Don’t you think it’s too dangerous?”

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Some of our readers may have seen the Denver Post series supposedly about ski safety and the industry here in Colorado. In this response letter, National Ski Patrol Executive Director Tim White weighs in on behalf of ski patrollers.

To the editor,

Since 1938, the nonprofit National Ski Patrol (NSP) has dedicated itself to serving the public and outdoor recreation community. As a testimonial to its good work, NSP received a federal charter from the U.S. Congress in 1980. Today, NSP is made up of more than 28,000 paid and volunteer patrollers nationwide. For all these decades, skiers and snowboarders have come to know ski patrollers as dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to make the slopes safer and who often put themselves in harm’s way to rescue those who have become hurt or lost on the slopes. (continue reading…)

Some of our readers may have seen the recent Denver Post series supposedly about ski safety and the industry here in Colorado. Below, James Moss of Recreation Law weighs in with his response.

The Denver Post wrote three articles starting Sunday March 17 and ran through March 19. The articles attempted to portray the ski industry in a negative light. To do that though it had to stretch and in several cases make up information to support the ideas.
The articles did not make me happy, more because they were so misleading. I wrote responses to those articles. (continue reading…)