"powder" day at Loveland Ski Area

The weather forecast called for 50 degrees and rainy in Denver today, worse in the mountains. Not exactly a promising outlook for an epic bike ride. I still had one lift ticket to Loveland to use this season so I drove up for a day on the slopes. Despite our crazy warm winter/spring this season, today could've passed for January- 30 degrees and snowing, with about 6" of new snow last night. The fresh fall covered up the ice and a lot of the rocks; conditions were the best I've skied all season.

When I was here two weeks ago, it could've been June. Today was a whole different world.

top of Lift #9 at 12,700ft

skiing at Loveland Resort

Yet another beautiful bluebird day here in Colorado so I woke up early, threw my ski gear in the car and drove up to Loveland. I still have a couple of lift tickets to use up before the snow melts, and that might be sooner than later this lousy snow season. I was still pretty fatigued from yesterday's big ride and spent more time basking in the sun than ripping up the slopes.

Views up at the top of Lift #9 (12,700ft) were great, but the lack of snow is startling.

looking southeast- I70 below and twin 14er peaks of Torrey's (L) and Gray's (R) standing tall and barren

Snow looks a little better off to the northwest, but still nothing like we're used to for April Fools Day

Despite the low snow, the skiing was still fun and the goofball energy that comes with spring skiing is fantastically amusing. Unbeknownst to me, it happened to be 80's Retro Day and lots of fun loving riders broke out their best thrift store skiwear. There was an 80's cover band and a fashion contest. And lots of good cheer in the air.

"Best Dressed" fashion contestants vying for a brand new snowboard

skiing at Arapahoe Basin

So far it's been a lousy year for snowfall in the high country, which has skiers (and ski resorts) bummed out. Last year set records, and I spent the summer getting motivated to get back into skiing and scrounging up cheap used ski gear. Everything I've bought so far is intended for skiing in the backcountry (avoiding the resorts and hiking/skiing uphill under my own power, then skiing back down in the uncrowded wilderness.) But I first have to get some practice before I venture out into the more challenging terrain and conditions of the backcountry so I hit A-Basin today for some fun turns and lazy rides up the ski lifts.

looking west over the Montezuma Bowl towards the Ten Mile Range

the East Wall- still closed to skiers due to lack of snow

Had a pretty fun day, although I'd definitely prefer to be out in the peace and quiet of the wilderness, ascending with my legs and lungs rather than buying a lift ticket with everyone else. But I got about 13,400ft of vertical in 6 hours... and you can't do that on your own!

Valentine's Day in the mountains

We took a long weekend back to the Bunny Lane Cabins near Buena Vista, including a ski day at Monarch Mountain. Got a nice hike at the Denny Creek trail before settling into the cabin for a couple of nights of ping pong, wine, good food and fun times. Cooked our entire dinner atop the toasty woodburning stove!

Skied a day at Monarch, which is one of the last 'old school' ski hills around. 4 fixed lifts (3 doubles and 1 quad), no big lodge, no condos, no hoopla. Just a great quiet ski hill with some avy controlled sidecountry terrain to boot up.

We checked out Cottonwood Hotsprings before heading back home, although would recommend Mt. Princeton next time. Then a cheapo dinner at Quincy's for some $6 filet mignon for Valentine's Day and back down to the city.

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