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Chris Davenport ascending Mt. Thielson. Photo courtesy of blog.spyder.com volcano tour day 4

Are you following the Ring of Fire tour that Aspen/Snowmass’ Chris Davenport and his ski mountaineering team are undertaking? You know Chris Davenport…the big mountain skier from Snowmass and father of three who in 2006-07 climbed and skied all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, in a single year?

Well this month, when most skiers and riders have turned in their snow gear for any number of warm-weather two-footed means of propulsion, Davenport traded in his gear for this.

Adoringly referred to as the Spyder Land Yacht, Davenport and his team are in it cruising the Pacific Northwest currently on the Ring of Fire tour, the next chapter in his adventure chronicles. The Ring of Fire tour mission is to ski 14 volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest.

The odds are in his favor for several reasons, one, he’s done a similar adventure before, to some degree. Two, snow conditions in that part of the county are better than the rest of the ski states right now, and three, the terrain, while challenging, is technically different than the 14ers.

The team started on May 4 and if all goes according to schedule, they’ll wrap up on May 21. To date, with the help of sponsors Whole Foods, Spyder, and Smith, they’ve accomplished Lassen Peak, CA, Mt. Shasta, CA, Mt. McLoughlin, OR, Mt. Thielson, OR, Mt. Bachelor, OR, Three Sisters, OR, Mt. Washington, OR, Mt. Jefferson, OR, and Mt. Hood, OR.

Keep up with the Ring of Fire tour on Twitter using hashtag #VolcanoTour, by following @SteepSkiing, @JessMcMillian, @DRahlves and the Ring of Fire Tour blog.

Mom and I skiing in Wisconsin in 1976

I heard a story from my mom the other day that I’d never heard before, and it connected a lot of dots for me in terms of how I came to love skiing. Turns out, my mom planted the seed that made our family’s love of skiing blossom.
The story went like this… (continue reading…)

Do you have a hero in your life? Copper Mountain sure does. To show support and love for Sally Francklyn, a long-standing member of Copper Mountain’s Ski Patrol team who was injured in a ski accident two weeks ago, Copper has renamed the ‘Super Hero’ heat at the upcoming CopperMan adventure race April 14, 2012, to the ‘Super Hero Sally’ heat.

Sally Francklyn

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Well folks, here it is. The complete package of what’s hot this spring in Ski Country. With more than a month of ski season left in Colorado, resorts throughout Colorado Ski Country are gearing up for their annual spring showdowns. Springtime in the Rockies pairs bluebird skies with long sunny days. This spring, resorts are pairing action-packed events with value-packed deals. From adventure races, scavenger hunts and live music performances, below is a snapshot of this spring’s events and deals in Colorado Ski Country.

Monarch Kayaks on Show

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Winter Park photo by Brad Torhia

Many people use skiing as an outlet for different things; connecting with nature, hanging out with friends, pushing the limits of athleticism. But for one weekend a year, a group of Karma-building-ski-fanatic-do-gooders use skiing as a way to give back to their community by participating in the Invest In Kids Jane-A-Thon fundraiser at Winter Park.

Now hold up. Before you click away, this is not your ordinary fundraiser. (continue reading…)

We know it’s exciting that resorts are getting snow. We know people are longing to float on powder and feel the snow bellow up in their face. But before heading out, before dropping in, before that first turn – do a safety check. Reset your safety awareness. It takes but a moment, and during these current snow conditions, a quick safety check can make a vital difference. Go through your mental check list, double check your decisions with regard to your safety and the safety of those riding with you. (continue reading…)