A couple of acronyms for U today!

Firstly, USSA. The United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the national governing body recognized by the U.S. Olympic committee to develop and prepare U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team athletes for national and international competition, including the Olympic Games. Founded in 1905, The USSA provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders who share an Olympic dream. USSA’s management and staff coordinate a nationwide program in seven distinctly different Olympic sports — alpine, cross country, disabled, freestyle, ski jumping, nordic combined, and snowboarding. The U.S. Ski Team has been based in Utah since in 1974, with the now U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association consolidating with the Team in Park City in 1988. (more…)

WINTER PARK, COLO., December 12, 2006 — Winter Park Resort is preparing it’s list, and checking it twice for Santa’s big visit to the resort on Christmas Eve for the annual Torchlight Parade and Fireworks. This beloved holiday event continues to be a tradition for hundreds of Colorado families who gather together at dusk each Christmas Eve to sing carols around a bonfire with warm hot chocolate in their hands.

To read more of this press release, check out Winter Park Resort’s Media Room for all of the details.

Transportation into the high country to participate in all manner of on-the-snow activities is inextricably linked to the vagaries of the very element that makes such activities possible – snow!

Flights in and out of Denver International Airport, despite its moniker of being an “all-weather airport” can, like any other major airport, be affected by snowstorms, and which can close runways and delay flights. Fortunately, DIA is more adept and experienced than others at meeting the challenge head-on and delayed or missed flights are in actuality a rarity. I love DIA.

Driving into the mountains from DIA, or anywhere else for that matter, is another story. Allen Best of Colorado Biz Magazine wrote a great article on the agony of Front Range skiers making the drive up I-70 at weekends – a drive that can become even longer (there and back) the more the snow is falling. His article touches on the enormity of the problem that is congestion, and the lack of consensus of how to deal with it now, and in the future when it will be significantly worse. (more…)

Endless meadows stocked with the deepest fluffiest powder. Mile after mile of corduroy covered groomed trails. Open bowls above tree line that offers unsurpassed views of the Continental Divide. Snowmobiling in Grand County Colorado offers all three options and much more, making it one of the top destinations for snowmobile riders in the country. (more…)

One of my favorite recollections of a friend who had just come back from an early season ski trip to Taos in New Mexico, was – in answer to the question “how was the snow”, he replied, “it’s great: they have a 100 inch base. The only problem is, they have 120 inch rocks”.

Peter Hill Boyer, owner of Alpine Base & Edge in Boulder, wrote a very nice article on early season skiing and the pitfalls of taking out your brand new skis in areas where rocks may exist. He recommends owning a pair of rock skis to use when the snow is thin and rocks are likely to scratch up your skis, until conditions improve. Peter has given his kind permission to reprint his article here. (more…)