Filed under: A-Basin, Colorado, Snowboarding | Tags: A-Basin, arapahoe basin, Colorado, Snowboarding, winter
Last week I got my Epic Pass in the mail and I think that’s when it hit me: summer is over, fall will soon be here, and A-Basin opens in a month and a half.
Sure, attempting to ride the man-made, icy, “white ribbon of death” that only ascends halfway up Arapahoe Basin’s scenic front side comes with it’s fair share of hazards. The conditions are obviously less than ideal, half the front range tries to descend onto one run, and the legs are not fully conditioned to make split second turns at a moment’s notice. Add this to the usual festivities in the parking lot that A-Basin is known for, and one would be tempted just to wait until the “big boys” open a month later.
However, it is the idea that early season at A-Basin represents that drives excitement. The season is almost here. Winter, our White Knight, is imminent. Even when half the mountain is still brown and rocky, you get images in your head of endless powder days. Even when the lift lines are packed, you think of solo weekday runs when you own the mountain. Even when some of your friends decline your offer at early season turns, you remember the camaraderie and experiences shared on the mountain slopes.
It is the idea of what can be attained and what is possible that makes early season so exciting. It is the idea of feeling free while sliding the snow. It is that pure ecstasy that rushes the senses when gravity pulls you downhill. It is the awe that strikes us after every steep line that is attempted.
Early season at Arapahoe Basin is not about the conditions, it is about getting reaquainted with an old friend. And I for one, can’t wait to make up for lost time.
Oh, the joys of homeownership. Especially when your house is about to turn 66 years old. Gone are the days of calling a landlord or the “maintenance guy” for small or large home/apartment repairs. Now, it is my responsibility to shoulder those charges as they incur, and they can add up. So as I’m waiting for a plumber to arrive to find a the cause of my upstairs bathroom sink leaking through the ceiling of my downstairs guest bedroom closet, I can’t help but again revisit my dreams of moving into the mountains.
In high school I used to always say/kid that someday I’d move to the bottom of a mountain in a trailer and make a living giving snowboard lessons. Everybody used to always laugh it off, including myself. Nowadays, that insane idea doesn’t sound too bad, except for the trailer part.
One of these days, and who knows, it may not be long, I’m going to pack my bags and head to the mountains where my imagination can run free with my new-found muse. The opportunities and options available would be directly in tune to my goals, hobbies and aspirations. Besides being able to snowboard significantly more than I can right now, maybe I’d be inspired to complete other goals of mine. Maybe I’ll start climbing all the 14ers in the state. Maybe I’ll finally be able to write my first novel.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the mountains a lot. I really don’t think there’s any place I’d rather be. Don’t get me wrong, I love my house in Denver and I truly love the “city life”, with it’s many convieniences including downtown bars, sporting events, concerts and festivals. But it isn’t the city that makes me salivate. My dreams originate in the mountains, and it may be time to bring them home.
My alarm shattered my slumber with it’s piercing pulse around 4am on Saturday morning. I shut it off, shifted out of bed without disturbing Missy too much and started walking around the house. Pacing from the family room to the kitchen and back again, I kept contemplating the same question; should I go back to sleep?
I looked out the kitchen window and starred at the impenetrable darkness surrounding me. Four A.M.? Am I crazy? Aside from my body craving a few more hours of rest and the fog of a few beers from the night before still clouding my mind, I was now battling a war on another front, apathy. It’s going to be about 20 degrees below zero. I have extra layers. I’m tired. I already brewed coffee. It’s not going to be worth it. Are you kidding me? You’re a wimp, we’re going snowboarding whether you like it or not. Fine.
This crazy scheme came to me at about nine thirty the night before. While watching movies at home and drinking the aforementioned beers, I decided since Keystone was going to be open all night for their annual 36 Hours of Keystone, I might as well get there early and watch the sunrise from the top of the mountain. I proposed the idea to Missy, but with the temperatures projected to be very cold and the wake up time coming very early, she decided to pass this time. It would be a solo mission. By the time I committed to my idea, I knew I only had about 6 hours until it was time to get up, so I chugged the rest of my beer and forced myself to sleep.
Six hours and forty five minutes later, I’m pulling out of my driveway, sipping on coffee, and firing up moe.’s “Wormwood” on the CD player. By the time I hit the highway ten minutes later, there is no more regret or uncertainty. There is no more apathy. There is only sheer excitement. I’m going snowboarding earlier than I ever have before in my entire life.
I arrive in Keystone at about 6:20am. It’s still dark but you can see the light trying to creep up the mountains on the horizon. The ground remains it’s unique blend of purple, navy and black while the mountains, still dark, begin to show faint yellow in the valleys between the peaks. I know I have to hurry. The weather forecast called for negative degrees, with the wind chill reaching -20F, quite possibly the coldest I’ve ever been riding in. Fortunately for me, I did my research, and I came prepared. Head: Hat, goggles, scarf, hood on jacket Torso: long sleeve t-shirt, two full fleeces, jacket. Legs: Two pairs of pajama pants, snow pants, wool socks. Yep, I was bundled up a bit like Ralphie’s brother in “A Christmas Story.” I unlatch my board from the top of the car and walk to the gondola. The clock reads 6:40am.
I march through the cold to the lift line, which is surprisingly near empty. And then I realize why: it’s 6:45 in the morning and it’s really cold. I climb into my gondola car with three other snowboarders from Steamboat and we start our 11 minute ascent to the top of Dercum Mountain. When we finally unload at the top at about 6:55, I realize the show has already begun. The snow covered mountains to the west had turned a soothing pink speckled purple with a beautifully subtle orange sky floating like a halo above.
Since I had a couple of extra minutes before the sun rose because of my altitude, I decided I’d take a quick run facing west and stare at the beautiful scene being painted before me. Gliding down the hill amoungst the sun tipped pine trees and majestic peaks conjured a smile as big as the mountain itself.
I caught the Montezuma Express back to the top just in time to watch the sun spill over the peaks to the west and onto the slopes.
Looking back to the west, you could see the slopes of Breckenridge and the massive peak behind it starting to be illuminated.
I spent the majority of my day on Wild Irishman. 
My first time adventuring through, the slow crunch of packed snow was quickly replaced by the deafening silent hum of loose powder. I came to the top of a hill and stopped to look beneath me. A beautiful stash of trees wide open enough for interpretation that hadn’t been touched yet. Unbelievable. Before long I was taking sidewinder turns through the snow draped woods with a racing heart and soaring spirit.
Sitting on a log in an isolated forest 
of Keystone without another person to be heard or tracks to be seen, it was easy to take a deep breath and feel free. My first sunrise ride was a success.
I am very disappointed that Frontier decided to cancel Zoah’s flight into Denver from Chicago today because of the adverse weather conditions in the Windy City.
36 Hours of Keystone is tonight (Keystone stays open for 36 straight hours, with lots of concerts, parties, and of course, skiing), and we’ve been getting a lot of snow up in the mountains. Fortunatley, Zoah gets to apply his ticket to another time, so we’ll see him out for New Years.
What the hell, Chicago only got 6 inches and is supposed to clear before the flight was supposed to take off. Oh well. Sorry Zoah, see you soon.
Filed under: A-Basin, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Colorado, Keystone, Snowboarding, Vail
I officially have myself a boarder babe.
On Saturday, McNeill and I taught Chloe and Missy how to snowboard at Breckenridge. It was a trying, frustrating experience, but we kept our patience, and the girls thrived and really enjoyed it. Missy enjoyed it so well, she decided she liked it better than skiing, which she’s been doing for two years since we moved out here. Personally, I’m ecstatic. I’ve always dreamed of being able to go riding through the snow with the gal I love. Chloe also enjoyed her time on the mountain, meaning our new mountain crew is a gang of snowboarders. Now we just have to get Missy new equipment….
While not thrashing it on the mountain, Missy has done a great job compilling the mountain of information I’ve thrown at her and put together a terrific Ski & Snowboard Section to www.daveandmissy.com. This wealth of information can be used as a resource for vacation planning and research. We have included a snow report and snow forecast, as well as current Colorado highway conditions. On top of that, we have mountain stats for our five main mountains, A-Basin, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Vail. Each mountain we profile includes a link to it’s official snow report, web cam, and terrain status.
We’ll try to update the mountains we profile as quickly as possible. I could do a write up on Crested Butte and Monarch since I only visited them last year, but too much time has passed since I’ve visited mountains such as Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Streamboat for my write-up to be relevant. As I keep notching more of the 26 resorts in Colorado off my list, the more info we’ll supply. Keep checking back for updates, and I will reference major updates here in Chicalorado.
Think Snow!
If there is one right we get as Americans that I think is most important, I would have to go with the right to vote. We as normal people do not normally get to participate in the daily happenings of our government, but for one day, we get our voices heard loud and clear. That’s what makes voting so special. For just one day, we get to tell our government what to do, instead of the other way around.
Here in Colorado, aside from electing a new governor and state representatives, we had the opportunity today to decide on an almost overwhelming amount of issues, ranging from equal rights for same sex couples, raising the minimum wage, legalizing marijuana, and raising taxes to fund pre-schools. I have really enjoyed voting on ballot measures since I’ve lived here. I think it’s much more important to give the voters the choice instead of relying on politicians that much of the time are out of touch with normal constituents. Look at Colorado’s own Marrilyn Musgrave. Aside from being named one of the most corrupt members of Congress in the most corrupt Congress ever, she thinks the most important issue facing America today is gay marriage. Yeah that’s right, gay marriage.We’ve lost almost 3,000 men in the war in Iraq. We have North Korea test firing nuclear weapons. Iran and Syria are also emerging as threats. Global warming is slowly melting our polar ice caps that will one day turn Manhattan and Florida into Atlantis. The soccer moms in their gas-guzzling SUVs are depleting our natural resources. Social Security looks doomed. But God forbid a couple that loves each other want to get married. This woman has lost all touch with the pulse of the public as well as reality. That’s why it’s so important to vote. When politicians forget about you, you have to remind them what you want and what you stand for. Remember, they are supposed to be representing us, not telling us what to believe. That’s what democracy is, “of the people.”
I’ve never understood how people can be so opinionated yet so unmotivated and lazy to actually vote. And of course, these are the ones that complain the most. Lets keep this simple, if you don’t vote, shut up. You don’t deserve to complain if you can’t even take a few minutes out of your day to cast your ballot. You lose that right. Now, I’m not telling you to subscribe to the Wall St. Journal, watch three hours of PBS a night and be able to write a dissertation on school vouchers. You just need to get off the couch and do your duty as an American.
This is a very crucial election. With G.W.’s approval ratings hovering around 35% and the Iraq war having about the same popularity as Steve Bartman in Chicago, it’s time for change. And the best way to change Congress is to change who goes to Congress.
Do your American duty. Vote. Even if you’re going to vote Republican. Let your voice be heard. Vote.
Filed under: A-Basin, Backpacking, Baseball, Beaver Creek, Blogroll, Breckenridge, Camping, Chicago, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Colorado, Denver, Football, Keystone, MLB, Music, NFL, Politics, Snowboarding, Sports, Vail
Welcome to Chicalorado. It’s pronounced Chi-ca-lo-rad-o. I came up with it trying to think of what to call myself. As much as I love Denver and the state of Colorado, I’m still a Chicagoan at heart. I don’t want ketchup on my hot dog, my accent is still prevelant, and I root for the Bears and Cubs.
Whether it’s snowboarding at Vail, backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park, catching a concert at Red Rocks, sports, or anything else, it’ll probably be here. I wanted to chronicle the tales of a Chicagoan living in Colorado. Here are my tales.
