Club Colorado  

I hop on the 8 o’clock chair with a few Ski Patrollers at Durango Mountain Resort (DMR). I ask one of the patrollers what he thought of a recent article that seemed to suggest Ski Patrollers across the state lack in training.

“That article made us sound like a bunch of un-trained monkeys!” exclaimed TJ, a veteran patroller at DMR. “I resent that. We’re highly trained monkeys.”

The vibe here is relaxed, even on dawn-patrol. The snow has already begun to soften up on this late-March day. Festivities at the base area, known to locals as “the Beach” will include snow bowling, a pig roast, and of course, beer. Did I mention it’s college day?

“That’ll bring the rabble out for sure.” remarks Scott Clements, director of the Patrol at DMR. I’ve seen closing day at DMR before. It usually means costumes, antics, and lots of fun, so I know it’s going to be a good day to shadow the patrollers.

It takes hard work and dedication to work for Patrol. And a sweet one-piece.

Despite the chucklings about the laid-back vibe of spring skiing in Colorado, Ski Patrol is diligent about their job. It’s business-as-usual in the Patrol Shack. The morning meeting begins with grooming reports, station assignments, and the typical razzing of the rookie. The only think significantly different today is sitting on a table in front of me… (continue reading…)

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

For the past eleven years, the last day of the work week meant Bud Light Big Air Fridays at Snowmass. This competition invites all comers to show their stease on the 40-foot jump on Upper Fanny Hill. It’s an impressive display of progressive insanity and flight. And while Big Air Friday still welcomes in the weekend at Snowmass, it’s no longer the only game in town.

Tubing Fun at Ullr Nights

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Fashion and function are awkward bedfellows when it comes to skiing and snowboarding. Some say that style trumps all – these folks can be seen at nearly any aprés spot, prominently displaying their brand name, slope-chic couture. Others claim that function is what matters, as evidenced by their devotion to cheap hardware store work gloves and the duct tape patches on their Gore-Tex. So which group is right? Style or substance? Fashion or function? Being seen, or being seen skiing? Colorado Ski Country USA’s Mountain Correspondent hit the slopes to find out…

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Once again Aspen/Snowmass will host Bud Light Big Air Fridays on Fanny Hill in Snowmass, starting today, Friday, February 8, and continuing on the 15 and March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 and April 5 from 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. The competition will be hosted at Buttermilk on February 22 in conjunction with the Aspen/Snowmass Freeskiing Open.

FallenFriends_Backflip_Aspen/Snowmass

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Western Colorado’s biggest winter celebration begins this Saturday, February 9, 2013. Ski Spree winter celebration will be held in Glenwood Springs, as Sunlight Mountain Resort invites everyone to a weekend full of fun, where locals and visitors alike can to join together in festivities that make winter in Colorado special.

Sunlight_Jennie Spillane

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Ski season’s in full swing in Colorado Ski Country USA. Yes, we had a slow start, but it’s really turning around; every single one of our resorts and ski areas got dumped on at some point over the past week. That’s huge! In my neck of the wods, it loked like it was snowing potato chips at one point. And while it’s NOT Colorado’s first snow, I think that the calming melodies of the good Hank Williams Sr. sum this up:

And while there’s been plenty of snow falling, there’s been something else falling on the slopes in Colorado: us. Falling is part of skiing, and while the twitter-verse and face-spaces are full of photos of all the glorious powder falling in Colorado, I thought I’d change it up a bit with some photos of crashes. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you: Augerfest, February 2013. Enjoy!

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One of the most amazing winter carnivals, hands-down, no-doubt, bet-your-season-pass is Steamboat Springs’ Winter Carnival. It’s coming up Feb 6-10. Do. Not. Miss. It. And when you get there, be sure to put on some warm socks, fill a thermos with some piping hot <ahem> cocoa, and head out for a night at the signature event, the Night Extravaganza.

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