winter around town

A few photos from around Denver of late...

Denver Big Air freestyle ski/snowboard trick contest came to town. They built a 135ft jump in the middle of Civic Center park. I didn't make to the competition but it was a sight to behold.

 

Denver sunset

Sam with a bizarre delivery at work

Steamboat / Strawberry Park ski weekend

April's older sister Sandra came out from Illinois for a visit and a jaunt to the ski slopes. We booked a couple cabins at Strawberry Park Hotsprings and hit the road in my overstuffed car, skidding over Berthoud Pass, white knuckling it over Rabbit Ears Pass and rallying up the steep snowpacked road to the springs. Forecast called for snow that night, so I preemptively installed the tire chains for the ride out to Steamboat resort in the morning.

We woke up to a foot of fresh powder, loaded up the car with our gear and made it all of a quarter mile before getting stuck up the first hill. There was no hope making it up the slope, even with the chains on. So, we bagged the ski day and soaked instead. I took a nice snowshoe up to the ridge behind the springs with a great view that I forgot to photograph. They've had record snow this winter here, it was incredibly beautiful with everything capped in 4ft of soft snow.

We skied on Sunday instead, and what a great day it was. Turns out half the lifts were closed yesterday due to wind and whiteout, so lucky that we didn't make it to the resort on Saturday as planned. Perfect weather and wonderful soft snow. This is the first time I've skied in seven years, but like riding a bike it all came back immediately and I jetted around the entire sprawling resort. It was an expensive day at $98 for a lift pass, but lots of fun and absolutely no lines for the lifts. Time to learn to get into the backcountry and away from the development, clearcutting, and sprawl of the commercial resorts.

April & Sandra at Strawberry Park

National Western Stock Show

It's the 105th annual National Western Stock Show here in Denver, good day to take in the sights and smells of the 'old west' or something like that.

Xmas v2.0 with the family

Headed back to the midwest for the holidays, but it worked better (and substantially cheaper) to celebrate a week after the official holiday. Really pleasant and relaxing week with my family. A special treat was making to the extended family's Christmas gathering at Aunt Lisa's place in Naperville, and then spending the next few days at home with my immediate family and Grandpa & Meredith.

Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Meredith

After the family time, I spent a day walking around Chicago before my flight left at night. I'd heard about the new glass viewing platform, called The Ledge, installed at the Sears Tower observation deck 103 floors and 1353ft above ground. I had gone up to the top with Dad once when I was really young but had never been back up, even while living in the city. (I did make it up to the 88th floor a few times for courier deliveries, but no view from the mailroom there.) It's worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood.