Killington is still spinning, perhaps through June - and The West just got dumped on - a foot of fresh at Arapahoe Basin. But I have switched gears to biking. Next week we launch the ski boat for some h2o skiing.
With a hint of melancholy - here's my best and worst of this 2012-13 ski season:
The best was the SNOW, plenty of consistent snow fall East and West, and no big January thaws. So much better than the previous winter...thank you Mother Nature for quieting the global warming gurus.
The Weather Channel won respect with their crazy snow storm - very well timed for a bountiful snow year. Who will ever forget Nemo and Euclid's big dumps?! Network meteorologists resisted the urge to whisper the Weather Channel names! Brilliant branding.
There were monumental mountain birthdays - Vail hit the big 50, Loveland 70, NH's Gunstock, Cranmore and Cannon all turned 75.
Dumont Cup at Sunday River reached 5 years - an event I have covered since Simon first hucked himself 75' in 2008 to break the world record. Hard to believe
Sugarloaf's Reggae Fest turned 25!
My son passed his Level 2 PISA certification, while attending school full time at MSU and teaching skiing on weekends at
Big Sky Resort in Montana. I am so very proud of his successful balancing act. I also admire how beautifully Ian skis - both technically and joyfully. He truly loves the sport we shared with him 19 years ago, starting at 23 months old. He has taken in to the next level - literally - PSIA Level 2! Those in the know recognize the alpine rigors of this examination process and the professionalism required.
Greg and I had amazing adventures, as usual, but I never take for granted our travels. We skied our way up the St Lawrence Seaway in Quebec over New Years. It was frigid cold, but the fantastic scenery and hospitality in
Quebec City,
Mont Sainte Anne and
Le Massif were worth the chill.
Our ski safari to southwest Colorado unveiled new stashes,
Telluride being a new favorite,
Durango a close second, plus
Crested Butte,
Monarch and
Wolf Creek. A refreshing detour from the big resorts and crowds of Summit County.
A romantic getaway to
Bretton Woods and the grand
Mount Washington Resort Hotel was a lovely reminder that New England has some top lodging, skiing and scenery - where you can sneak away even for a night and feel exhilarated.
Ending the ski season in the Swiss Alps, yeah that was cool too. Seriously,
Switzerland is the king of skiing and we hit five of the best, from charming
Adelboden and the vast
Aletsch Arena, to the spectacular glaciers at
Saas Fee, the steeps of
Verbier, and the grand finale -
Zermatt! Greg had proposed to me 27 years ago at this legendary ski resort...returning for three days of sun and perfect snow did not disappoint! A vow renewal...we love each other and skiing... still.
This ski season was slightly blemished by my tibia fracture, time stamp 1/28/13 11:30. I kept skiing - amid the 12 day assignment, stoic or silly? In my skier's silver lining playbook, I had the upside of a same season comeback, squeezing in 44 ski days. Already looking forward to next year's 47! Need to start skiing my age in days...and you?
Bretton Woods opened today for top to bottom skiing, the day
before Halloween. best of all lif tickets were free ... all treats, no tricks
or gimmicks on this sunny but brisk October 30 ski day. Skiing and Riding on Range
View trail is for today only service by the Zephyr high-speed quad from 9am-
4pm.
