It struck a far corner of my mind- a true crevice of a long forgotten crinkled box. Well it had been long forgotten, anyway, until last year when I moved out here to Colorado, then I took up skiing again. It was like riding a bike again, but much much tougher. Plus, my skis were obsolete. I got’em tuned and was immediately sold on some free rentals of K2 True Luv parabolics- the new stuff. I skied on those skies on their first day and they skied on me the same. It was Vail, and gorgeous.

Anyway, I digress. Remembering old equipment though is a fairly common laugh on ski lifts with strangers. “I used to have neon K2’s.” “My mom had those! Rear entry boots too” “I had the very first parabolics! They were basicly straight!” Haha.. seeing those suckers even in your mind is like going back to the 70’s with a beehive, even though it was only 15 years ago. Hopefully anyone who skied in the 80’s and early 90’s remembers their skis by the color or their boots by the entry–

In any case, my point is, I SAW this ALL this weekend, in a moment. 10 minutes before my snowboarding lesson and I entered Zen spin-out as I gazed upon the escalator approaching the Starbucks at Beaver Creek where I was sitting, and holy cow! Honoring the Talons challenge was a particular guest with:

A CB blue polyfill parka with rounded hood
NEON K2’s- straight, shiny and ready to go

.. and rear entry, RED boots, a la kids rental pool circa 1989
-the only thing missing were the jeans, probably under his royal blue shells.

I thought for a moment I might be looking upon the ice man. For years, he was cryogenicly frozen in this gear, and now he emerges in triumph to prove that his gear is certainly still some of the best up there. With all the snobbery abound throughout the industry of perfectly form fitting gear and the latest and greatest, this blatant act of dissent- or else just plain defiance, brought the world of skiing’s hay day, before snowboarding was seen (at least on the east) as a scrape-off nuisance to two-plankers, back to perception, if only for a moment. Like an angel, this man carried the golden days on his back, in his hands and on his feet. He did not look around to catch my gaze, or those of any other onlookers who were as short of breath as I. A soldier of the days before true innovation, he moved along his path towards the top of the Talons, ready to take on the skis and skiers that had since sold themselves to the dark side. I was holding a video camera too, and was so stunned that I forgot to shoot. Then I moved onto my snowboard lesson- the sport that changed skiing to what it has become- parabolic, graphic, and in competition with a sport that was truly innovative from its very conception.

80’s ice man: Thank you. if you’re out there, let me know. You’re my hero.

Who’da thunk it? With intermediate ski/ride level and a lift ticket, you too can see Vail behind the scenes!

Go behind the scenes in Vail this Tuesday, January 29 through the Vail Symposium (click to buy online.) $40 gets you lunch and a “three hour tour.” Just kidding- it goes from 9AM to 3PM. A great day of skiing, a great lunch, and more about Vail than you ever wanted to know. Sound like fun? We thought so.

If you can’t make the above date for Vail, the same for Beaver Creek will go on February 26. Mark your calendars! and see ours for more information.

Upscale, romantic, chic dining is no stranger to the Vail valley. Innovation, novelty, and invention, on the other hand, are a little bit more difficult to come by, as attempts at these in this area have historically amounted to examples of kitsch that serve instead to forward innocent designers from straying down the path. Take Avon’s boat building, for example. The poor boat building, which was originally designed to look like a ski, earned its name after construction by its rounded glass façade, round bulbous windows, and looming “nose” over one of the town’s busiest roundabouts. The original intent of the building might have fallen by the wayside except that it now houses Vin 48- a restaurant concept as novel as the boat building itself, but even more innovative and inventive with space use and wine tasting.

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In the area’s first seasonal rush after the big holiday season, word about the near record-breaking snowfall appears to have reached far and wide, as far and wide has traveled from such to fill vacant rental homes, condos, and hotel rooms to get a taste of the legendary “pow.” Its a sunny Friday today, with a couple inches at best overnight, but this week has been the first to break the impossible visibility of the cloudy, snowy days that have created such a buzz. Not that these folks won’t get their $300 a night worth- Accuweather is predicting snow, snow, snow over today, tomorrow, and Sunday, making that Monday the first clear day, and thank gawd, because the roads will need it. With so many driving up for the weekend today and yesterday, Monday will be the big day to get back to Denver, for regional locals and for those catching a quick flight out of DIA. I-70 is sure to be packed with folks who would rather be skiing or riding a monorail.
The idea of a monorail makes a lot of sense from the bottom-to-top traveler standpoint. No gas expense, no effort, no driving hazards, including weather, wildlife, or fatigued motorists. Many who live between Denver and Vail see the idea of the project as an unsightly attempt at Disney-tizing the pristine mountains. Those who fly in to Eagle County Airport for their vacations also snub their noses at the idea, as the project might cause their little airport to step up the competition.
Its weekends like MLK that encourage possibilities like the monorail- more locals wish there were fewer cars on the road, more front-deskers wish there were fewer crabby new arrivals (after all, its sunny and 2 degrees Farenheight at 11am in Avon- nevermind nighttime arrivals.) If the tourist population could be less dependent on the roads and cars, there might be more room to enjoy our surroundings, even from monorail or town bus windows. Deep down, we are glad to see all the visitors, but we can’t even help but be dissuaded by their frustration with each other. When the big city arrives, this place changes a little bit. Sometimes it seems like the most effective ways to disarm that and make this place more liveable on a consistent basis are the ways that meet the most resistance.
Should well enough be left alone?

While skiing is fun and for some limitless adventure, it is important to remember that the wild is still just that.

Since the new year, two skiers have died in the East Vail Chutes, an area off the Vail boundary lines but is accessible only by Vail’s back bowls. Vail employee Jesse Brigham and local Matthew Gustafson were both skiing the chutes in the same area, eight days apart, when surprised by avalanches. Gustafson, however, was not skiing alone. Buddy Jackie Rossman was able to shovel out, and called for help. Our hearts go out to them, their friends and their families.

In an article by Steve Lynn of the Vail Daily, U.S. Forest Service Snow Ranger Don Dressler estimated that 150 people ski the area on a busy day, and “about half don’t have the proper equipment, such as beacons, shovels and probes.”

Searches continue elsewhere in Colorado- for a female near Alamosa and two Wolf Creek snowboarders. Some of these searches have also been hampered by the still-prevailing dangerous conditions.

It is important to know avalanche danger can be calculated, and such dangers are carefully watched and monitored in in-bounds areas of Vail and other commercial ski resorts. Its the back country, with its draw of pristine snow and adrenaline, that bear the risk. To avoid avalanche risk, stay in-bounds or learn more. Colorado Mountain College has offered weekend classes in avalanche safety for anyone interested in learning how to calculate avalanche risk.

Additional information provided by News 2, Denver.