SkiChicken.com

First off, a snow storm is coming to Colorado! It’s been a pretty bleak year for snow in Colorado. It sounds like we might get an actual snowstorm this week though! I was going to take my kids skiing at Loveland again today, but decided instead to take them to an indoor playground. My conversation with Loveland ski school reservations was brief but informative: There was already a waiting list for the 4-5 year old ski school today. We almost didn’t get in last time, so I thought we’d just push the “easy button” for the day. This afternoon, we’ll get their season ski rentals at Larson ski and sport. They have excellent prices on season rentals:
Kid’s Pkg
(5 yrs. and under) $69.95
Standard Kid’s Package $99.95

I think having their season’s skis will help keep them excited for next time – hopefully next weekend!!

I just took my kids to the Kids Ski School at Loveland Valley. Kids are supposed to have reservations. I called the number and only could get voicemail: I don’t know if it’s a different extension than the 170 “general mailbox”, but that’s what I called into. From the road.On the way up.At a stoplight. Yeah, I’m lame.

Ideally, you should make reservations days before. Ideally, have your kids up at at 8am (9am at the latest, but there I go pushing it again). Despite being late, they took us in and got the kids suited up. I always feel like the ski resort staff and instructors are wiling to go the extra effort, and they sure make the kids comfortable.

The all-day lessons are a hundred dollars a kid, but that includes rental and ticket. I’ve been saving up my money and enthusiasm for years, and had to take the kids!

They really know their stuff at loveland, too: At the rental shop, they put the boots onto the kids for a perfect fit. That’s rare. My smallest son marveled at how the boots made him feel like he was walking on the moon. My oldest son did a great job at staying excited through the process of signup and rental. One tip for parents: Most kids can’t walk fast at all in ski boots. So don’t take off suddenly like I did!

This is the first of a lifetime of ski trips together, and I have looked forward greatly to this day. They are actually on the mountain now as I write this, an I’s better get back out to do my own skiing. 🙂

Ski Conditions / Loveland Valley / Eisenhower Tunnel
It’s blustery and cold up here, but such a wonderful day. We’ve got enough snow to “suffer through”, and the roads are passable.

As I was sifting through the internet tubes, I happened to notice that Loveland HAS OPENED! I could not have guessed any resort would be open this early in the season. Loveland, you have bested me again. Touche.

So if you need to get your ski freak on early, get your freak up to Loveland.

Great article about their opening over at westword:
With five inches of snow last night on top of the snowmaking operation they’ve been running all month, opening day is tomorrow, Sunday October 24. Loveland’s staking their claim as the first ski area open in Colorado for the second year in a row (Maine’s Sunday River got the jump on them yesterday on the East coast). Better yet, they’re predicting a powder day: It’s still snowing up on the pass today.

Or check out this cool video, where the snow actually does like quite enticing:
Alday Productions went up to loveland for the opening day of the 2010 season! so stoked.
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000136271/ugc/ugc-videos/opening-day-at-loveland-ski-area-colorado-10242010-2/

Loveland opened today at 9am. They’ve been making snow since Spetember 21, but I’m sure they’ll get plenty more soon! The base on opening day will be 18 inches, which is pretty good. With 3 trails and more than a mile of ski-worthy terrain, it looks like a pretty exciting start to the season.

I frequently end up on the slopes Copper Mountain just two hours or so before they close. Why would anyone want to ski for just two hours? Well first off, sometimes it’s all I can do. I’ve found the perfect ski day to be too elusive. But work until noon, then make the drive? Much simpler. I also don’t have to wait for the perfect roads, perfect weather, etc. Just 2 hours – maybe 5 if you could driving roundtrip from Denver – is all it takes. Some other reasons you might want to try the 2 hour ski:

1. A 2 hour ski makes you thankful. Every twist and turn of your skis / snowboard are so very precious. For every run you take, you might consider whether you’ll have time – or sacrifice the time – to come back through. Each run takes on new meaning. There are no second chances.

2. Everyone is already enjoying Apre Ski, or just worn out. Less crowded hills and lift lines make it feel like the mountain is all yours.

I plan another 2 or 3 hour trip next week. I might ski loveland just to have another hour more or so on the slopes. I’ll let you know how it goes!

I just got back to Thornton from Breckenridge. How Cow – there was a bunch of snow. We BARELY made it back over the continental divide. Many cars – including ours – were spinning their wheels trying deperately to get over the pass. I had better traction on the side of the road, but found our short little car could easily bottom out it I wan’t careful. Through careful twisting of the wheel back and forth, the occasional grain of sand(hey, I’ll take what I can get), and a lot of luck, we made it back over the pass and through the Eisenhower tunnel.

Even after the tunnel it was slick. It’s rare for me to see weather on both sides of the tunnel, but we saw it today. Some cars were exiting the tunnel way too fast, and one nearly went off of the road to the left! I got behind a nice dark horsetrailer with blinking lights and we made the white knuckle journey down the other side of the mountain. I was surprised to see SUVs behind me moving at the same snail’s pace. Maybe we all had a little more excitement than we needed that day. Snow is WONDERFUL to ski on, but horrible to drive through. Visibility was pretty minimal for a good part of the journey down the mountain. From Georgetown onward, it was clear sailing.

I have met the snow of the 2007 Colorado season, and I have this to say:

• It’s slick
• It’s fluffy
• It’s wonderful
• It makes me giddy
• I miss it already

Yes, closed due to SNOW. Snow in September isn’t strange for Colorado. It’s normal here. It signals that soon we will be skiing, snowboarding, and throwing the fluffy stuff at each other. Sweet sweet snow.

Apparently westbound I-70 was closed at the tunnel due to “Quick, Heavy snowfall”.

In other – very related news – Loveland and A-basin have begun making snow. I love this guy in charge of snowmaking, quoted in the news:
"We'll have 30 guns going tonight...We go and we don't stop from this point,” said Marc Abrahamson, Loveland's Snow Making Manager.

Typically, it takes 14 days from this point for Loveland to open for skiers and riders.

Yes, love is a strong word. And yes, you heard me correctly.