RIP: Ski Train

Denver-Winter Park train off-track -- perhaps forever

Click here to read about my trip Riding the Ski Train to Winter Park less than a month ago. Delightful as the ride was, and much as we intending to take it more often, it most likely won't happen again. Surprisingly -- in fact, shockingly -- owner Phil Anschutz either has sold or is about to seel the Ski Train rolling stock to the Algoma Central Railway, a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway Company, that among other excursions runs the Snow Train from Sault Ste.-Marie, Ontario, into the white world of the Agawa Canyon (right).

Jim Monaghan, an Anschutz spokesman, told the Denver Post that the Canadian railroad approached them about selling Colorado Ski Train. The Anschutz organization was receptive because the logistics of running the train to with the upcoming redevelopment of Denver's Union Station were uncertain -- but the costs were certainly rising. During the Union Station makeover, there was talk about temporarily operating the train from a parking lot at Coors Field. That won't be necessary.

One of the Ski Train plans for next winter that will now no longer happen was to offer two-day packages that included a Saturday trip to winter park, an overnight stay at Winter Park and a Sunday afternoon return to Denver.

Anschutz reportedly did not sell the Ski Train name or logo to the Canadians, so there remains a possibility, slim though it might be, for the eventual return of the revered train, which began operating in 1940. No question that it will be missed.

Travel Thumbnail: The Ski Train to Winter Park

This is the fourth of a series of periodic reports on specific places I've visited -- and which you might want see to as well. Post a comment or let me know directly what you think of this occasional Travel Babel feature.

Iconic Colorado experience: Denver to Winter Park on the Train

The Place: Rio Grande Ski Train to Winter Park

The Story: Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the Ski Train was dominated by the Eskimo Ski Club, whose members ranged in age from seven to 17 and who took the train every Saturday in winter to ski at Winter Park. Today, many older Denver natives credit the Ski Train, Winter Park and the Eskimo Ski Club for making skiing an enduring part of their lives. Since the '80s, Ansco Investment Company has owned the Ski Train and renewed it with upgraded rolling stock and experiences.

This past weekend, the Rio Grande Ski Train from Denver's Union Station to the base of the slopes concluded its 2009-10 season of 82 trips. A Colorado tradition for three generations, it is the last dedicated regular ski train service in the lower 48 (the Alaska Railroad operates ski train service too). If there's no traffic on I-70 or snaking over Berthoud Pass, driving is unquestionably faster. But the Ski Train isn't about speed. It's all about experience. It is a nostalgic journey for former Eskimo Ski Clubbers and a singular one for today's families who bring their kids so that they can experience train travel too, perhaps once every season or two. And riding the rails from downtown Denver is a great way for visitors and convention-goers to reach a snowy environment through beautiful scenery and the 6 1/2-mile Moffat Tunnel under the Continental Divide.

My Trip

The train is supposed to depart from Union Station at 7:15 a.m., but ours was delayed because we had to wait for Amtrak to pull in. Once we got going, we slowly traveled through railyards in north Denver and then through sections of suburbs like Arvada that we rarely see.

It had snowed a lot on Thursday, and the far western edge of the plains between Golden and Rocky Flats were still carpeted in white. Looking out the train window toward the north, it was difficult to recogize this as the edge of the Denver sprawl.

The tracks climb through Eldorado Canyon past open space and Eldorado Canyon State Park.

The train continues toward the Moffat Tunnel via Coal Creek Canyon, Rollinsville and Tolland to East Portal, the tunnel's eastern entrance.

Passengers have about 10 minutes to disembark at Winter Park before the train continues to Granby to turn around and park on a siding for the day until 4:15 departure time. Most people come to Winter Park to ski or snowboard, but some just want the railroad experience with perhaps a snowcoach sightseeing tour of the mountain or perhaps a free bus ride into town to shop and have lunch.

This weekend felt like winter, not spring. The snow was abundant and wonderful.

Even with a high-speed chairlift ferrying skiers to Winter Park's highest point, Parsenn Bowl didn't look or feel crowded. The snow was soft and the views toward the Indian Peaks Wilderness, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Never Summer Wilderness were awesome.

The Cost: This past season, roundtrip coach fares were $59 per adult ($49 for ages three to 12 or 62-plus); club seating was $85 per person. All seats in both classes of service are by reservation. Food service is available, and discounted lift tickets can be purchased on board. The train and the resort experimented with weekend overnight packages (leaving Denver on Saturday morning and returning on Sunday evening). This will probably continue as a full-season offer next winter.

Epic Snows 'Round the World

Heavy snows in the Alps, the Rockies, the Sierra and totally unexpected places around the world too

Scotland-based Patrick “Snowhunter" Thorne, who keeps track of such things, has reported "once in a generation” snowfalls on Mau Son Mountain in Vietnam, a meteorological curiosity but not necessarily germane for skiers. In the United Arab Emirates, In the United Arab Emirates, snow also fell on the northern emirate of Ras al Khaimah's Jebel Jais range. Thorne noted that the “situation [is] so rare that the local dialect doesn't even have a word for it.” Crown Prince Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, who is planning an indoor snow center larger than the highly publicized Ski Dubai facility, visited the area to see real snow.

Closer to home, Mammoth Mountain, Calif., was inundated with five feet of snow over four days, and Steamboat reports has been slammed with powder-bearing storm after powder-bearing storm (42 inches out of the latest for a season total of 119 inches) and currently has an 80-plus-inch base. Steamboat (right) recorded 42 inches from this storm, bringing their season total to 229 inches (just over 19 feet). Crested Butte snagged inches for a season total to 202 inches. In this same late-January storm cycle, Aspen Highlands got 39 inches of new snow, Winter Park 35 inches, Silverton Mountain and Snowmass each 30 inches, Aspen Mountain 27 inches and Copper Mountain, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, and Loveland are each welcomed 26 inches of new snow. Even Eldora, just 22 miles from Boulder, got a rare 19 inches of fresh powder. New England is expecting such heavy snowfall out of a storm today (Wednesday) that schools in Main pre-emptorily closed.

But wait, there's more! Snowhunter reported epic snows in the Alps. Austria's powder champ was Nassfeld, with about four feet of snow in a week. The Axamer - Lizum above Innsbruck, far better known to American skiers, snared 14 inches. The report that the Mölltaler Glacier has the greatest snow depth in the country with just under 11 feet on upper slopes and German's Zugspitz Glacier in the Bavarian Alps got 11 inches, which is encouraging in light of the world's shrinking glaciers. Zermatt is Switzerland's seasonal snowfall leader with 18 inches from the most recent storm and a seasonal snow accumulation of 33 feet on the glacier. "Snowhunter" further reported that in northern Italy, Cortina d'Ampezzo got nearly three feet of snow, and Limone Piemonte 20 inches. Arabba Marmolada has the most snow Italy with 16 feet on the upper slopes. In France, where the World Alpine Ski Championships begin next week in Val d'Isère, Jean-Claude Killy's hometown, conditions are splendid -- though racers prefer hard, hard snow to powder.

The Pyrenees have also enjoyed abundant snow, including more than three feet at Baqueira/ Beret, Spain, and 20 inches in Andorra just this week, but as elsewhere, it comes with significant avalanche risk. “The snow depth and quality is excellent, but the risk of avalanche is high, and we are strongly advising our customers to stay on the marked pistes,” Vincent Doutres, lift company manager at Cauteret-Lys, told Snowhunter. Andorra expects to offer lift service until the first of May. In Scandinavia, Sweden received recent major winter storms, including something like 25 inches at Kungsberget. Ski Kungsberget! In Scotland, as unlikely a ski destination for North Americans as Scandinavia, all five ski areas are operation -- a rare occurance.

And if you are interested in conditions in places like Cauteret-Lys or Kungsberget, either because you like to ski places no other kid on your block has, or you just like to know about offbeat things, check out Snowhunter's site (www.skiinfo.com), which tracks conditions at something like 1,500 large and small ski areas.

More on Snow that Stays & Snow that Slides

Followup: With great ski conditions come avalanches

Since December 29, when I wrote a cautionary post on avalanches in western North America, the snow has kept falling and fatalities have continued to rise. Even the New York Times, which doesn't often concern itself with our mountains, has noticed. According to an article called "Fatal Avalanches Rattle Ski Country in the West" in today's sports section:

"Since Dec. 14, avalanches have caused 13 deaths in the United States and
23 total in North America — one in a roof slide and the others in skiing,
snowboarding, snowmobiling and ice-climbing incidents, according to Dale Atkins,
vice president for the avalanche rescue commission at the International
Commission for Alpine Rescue.

"Perhaps most troubling to resorts and safety officials is that three
people died in-bounds — areas at resorts that are perceived as safe terrain.
Avalanches in in-bounds areas have led to deaths of skiers at Squaw Valley in
California, at Snowbird in Utah and at Jackson Hole. It is the most in-bound
deaths in one season since three skiers were killed in a single avalanche at
Alpine Meadows in 1976.

“'One in-bound fatal avalanche in a season is unusual; three separate
fatal incidents in one season is really rare,'” said Bob Comey, director of the
Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center. “It’s been a really big problem.
We’re doing what we normally do. Our techniques work really well, but they’re
not ever 100 percent guaranteed.'”

This is the rare kind of winter when reports of epic snowfalls at Western ski resorts are cause for both joy and concern. So again, skiers, snowboarders, backcountry skiers and snowmobilers are advised pack a good portion of caution when venturing into the high country.

Staycation for the Birds

Non-migrating avians have been bellying up to our heated birthbath and flocking around our feeder

A flock of robins (below) has all but taken over the birdbath.



The bird feeder atop a pole stuck into the ground attracts smaller birds (below) until a (relatively) large flicker chases them off.

Squirrels patrol the snow (below), picking up any scattered birdseed, and occasionally, the neighbored fox comes around seeking a squirrel to snack on (I've never caught Foxy with my camera, but trust me that s/he lives nearby).


Meanwhile, Johnny Cash, the Cat in Black (below) is an avid birdwatcher. He really doesn't care to go outside into the cold -- especially when he might get his paws wet in the snow.

Snowmass Provides Sensational Skiing

Conditions were perfect at the largest and most varied of the four Aspen ski areas

There were days over this holiday period when Colorado's snow-covered highways were challenging to drive or when bone-dry roadways were choked with rush-hour traffic. There were times when the process of obtaining a lift ticket was so frustratingly slow that I thought everyone in front of me was buying a slopeside condo at Snowmass, and times when the liftline seemed endless because children's ski classes were loading onto the resort's six-passenger Village Express. But nothing, and I mean nothing, mattered once I started skiing.

Truth be told, I am back from several of the very best days of skiing I've ever had -- a perfect way to close the year of 2008 and shift the 2008-09 ski season into high gear. Snowmass had received 15 or 20 inches of snow in the few days prior to my arrival and had packed the snow down so the winds that accompanied and followed the storm it didn't blow the snow into the back of beyond. And did I mention a series sunny, wind-still days?

The Aspen Skiing Co. has invested a lot of money to upgrade the lifts and mountain restaurants at Snowmass, and the biggest and most varied of the Aspen area's four ski areas is better than ever. Here are recent improvements that I especially like:

• The new beginner area at the top of the Elk Camp gondola. Kids' classes can ride up and down on the gondola. Steps away is a wide, gentle slope served by a covered moving carpet.
  
• Novice slope on Assay Hill seemed to have more classes than I remember from recent years. Have they done something to improve it -- or is it just more visible now that nearby Base Village is closer to completion and less of a construction site.
  
• Slight relocation of the Sheer Bliss and an upgrade to a high-speed quad helps traffic flow on the parallel trail.
  
• Construction of the impressive Kahana terrain park beside the Elk Camp Gondola.


• Replacement of the old Sam's Knob on-mountain restaurant with the very attractive new Sam's Smokehouse (right), with a casual cafe-style area, a sit-down dining area, a new menu and fabulous views. Even the ladies' restroom is gorgeous -- and it's on the same level as the restaurant rather than down a flight of stairs!

I/we are fortunate to have hospitable friends who years back built a ski house across a small, snowy street from the Adams Avenue trail. This is the third or fourth year in a row that I've stayed there and skied at Snowmass for a few days over the holidays. Much as I like the other three Aspen areas, because each has its own distinct appeal, the convenient "commute" to the slopes has been such that I have only skied Snowmass. Happily. Very happily.

Epic Snow = High Avalanche Danger

Fatalities and non-fatal incidents underscore the need for caution

In a recent post, I ooh-ed and ah-ed and cheered the prodigious snowfall that the West has enjoyed this winter. At the end of my post, I added the caution, "All that snow does mean avalanches are a real hazard, so this is a time to stick to resort skiing and riding. Save the backcountry until conditions are more stable. And, if you're driving, make sure your car is fitted with adequate snow tires, possibly chains, emergency gear and a level-headed driver." Now, I'm elevating the caution to a red-flag warning.

Colorado

I've been skiing at Snowmass for a few days, under idyllic conditions: blue sky, sunshine, no wind, superior snow conditions. But every once in a while, the boom of avalanche-control explosives can be heard as the resort's patrollers and snow-safety crew blast dangerous snow depositions and cornices, presumably on the backside steeps, before they can slide on their own and harm anyone.

Amazingly, not all avalanches occur in the backcountry or steep inbounds areas. At Snowmass' heralded new Base Village, I watched a series of harrowing slides unload from a brand new condominium building's metal roof directly onto the Sneaky's Tavern terrace, where visitors were having lunch. If those huge chunks of sun-softened wet snow had fallen on anyone's head, the result would not have been pretty. Quick-thinking managers emptied the tables, cordoned off the danger zone (right) and before long, dispatched workers with shovels up to the roof to push the remaining snow off the edge.

Given this unfortunate design, they are going to have shoveling teams at the ready after every significant snowfall. Think about it: A snow-loaded, south-facing metal roof + bright sunshine = problems like this afternoon's. Imagine what this will be like in spring when generous March/April snows are typically followed by warm sun.

The developer, Related Westpac, is proud of such high-profile projects as Time Warner Center in New York City, CityPlace in West Palm Beach, Florida, and other places far from ski country. Did they hire architects from Miami or Phoenix? Didn't the Town of Snowmass Village building inspector alert them to the ill-conceived combination of design and materials?

Wyoming

Meanwhile, following inbounds slides in Utah and California earlier this winter, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, has experienced far more catastrophic problems from several inbounds avalanches. Laramie Bowl reportedly slid to the ground, and just two days after Dave Nodine, a 31-year-old local was killed in an inbounds slide, the Headwall released, and tons of snow ran straight into the lodge at the top of the Bridger Gondola. A site called Skiing the Backcountry posted a report about Nodine's death and a second report with dramatic photos of the snow damage to the restaurant. Stephen Koch has also premitted me to post photos like the one on the right. For more images, see his blog. Fortunately, this avalanche happened around 9:30 a.m. If it had released three hours later, the restaurant would have been filled with skiers who lunch. According to the resort's official press release on the incident:

"At approximately 9:30 am this morning, after JHMR Ski Patrol had completed one
avalanche hazard reduction route and were getting ready to conduct another, the
Headwall slid naturally from the southeast aspect above the Bridger Restaurant.
This incident took place before this area of the mountain had been opened to the
public. A search for potential victims took place and everyone has been
accounted for. This incident is under full investigation and a more detailed
report will be released at 4p.m. At this time, JHMR will remain closed until
further notice."

Followup news report: The day after I posted this item, the Jackson Hole News reported more extensively on the Headwall slide that damaged the Bridger Restaurant:

"The Headwall avalanche that raked the Bridger Restaurant building...trapped or hit seven ski patrollers...Five patrollers were slightly injured in the incident, which tore the railing and glass shields off the restaurant deck, burst through doors and windows and piled snow 8 feet deep inside. The avalanche roared down the Headwall slope at 9:26 a.m. after being provoked by a ski patrol bomb, resort officials said. It piled snow about 30 feet deep around the mid-mountain restaurant building and sent patrollers and other workers scrambling to free colleagues.

"Airborne snow that eddied around the corner of the building pinned or partially pinned four patrollers among scattered furniture on a patio. The blast knocked down two other patrollers who were hiking up to the building. Debris shuttered a seventh, and his search dog, inside the ski patrol room in the restaurant building until workers cut through an interior wall to set them free.

"The slide ran two days after an in-bounds avalanche below the Paintbrush
trail buried and killed 31-year-old David Nodine, of Wilson. Nodine skied off
the trail into an area unofficially known as Toilet Bowl with a friend when the
slide ran; patrollers found him within six minutes using a transceiver and
uncovered him within another four minutes. Bridger-Teton National Forest
avalanche forecaster Jim Springer and resort President Jerry Blann on Tuesday
fleshed out details of the Headwall slide, including how Blann dug out veteran
ski patroller Larry Detrick, who was buried up to his neck."

Remarkably, but perhaps on lawyers' advice, other than one "incident statement" following the Headwall slide, the resort's website makes no mention Nodine's death or of the avalanche that slammed into the restaurant and could have killed some of its own patrollers too. The Mountain Dining page still lists restaurants at the top of the gondola. Perhaps the resort cleaned out the snow and fixed the mess fast, but Nodine is gone, and there is no word about the injured patrollers.

British Columbia

The Vancouver Sun reported that eight snowmobilers are missing from a group of 11 buried in an avalanche in southeastern British Columbia in the Harvey Pass area, about 25 miles south of Fernie, on Sunday afternoon. According to the report, "The group had reportedly split into two when seven of them were buried in an avalanche at about 2 p.m., said Fernie RCMP. As the other four tried to dig them out, they were hit by another avalanche, which buried the entire group. All of the men, who are from nearby Sparwood, B.C., were wearing avalanche beacons. Police said two of the buried riders managed to dig themselves out within 20 minutes and used their avalanche beacons to locate a third man, who was rescued after another 20 minutes of digging." Three safe; seven bodies reportedly recovered on Monday and the final victim still missing. The search had to be called off because of darkness and continuing high danger.

Just a week ago, in Grand County, Colorado, two of four snowmobilers riding up a steep slope near Gravel Mountain in the Arapaho National Forest. One was a 38-year-old firefighter and paramedic and the other a 19-year-old.

These are examples of the differently types avalanche-caused fatalities in the West this winter, so please, skiers, snowshoers and snowmobilers, be careful. For my part, I'm sticking to the groomers.

Oh, What a Beautiful Winter!

With Western resorts are wallowing in snow, skiers and riders don't "need no stinkin' palm trees"

Never mind Santa Claus. Praise the snow gods who showered Western skiers and snowboarders with the best gift of all: snow, prodigious quantities of snow, especially in the southwest. In Colorado, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort got 19 inches on Wednesday and more than 36 inches over a three-day period. Wolf Creek saw 29 inches over two days. Telluride received a record 21 inches of white gold.

Nearby in crow-flight miles but a long way by road, Silverton Mountain snared 40 inches, bringing the season's total to nearly 200 inches. Avalanche hazards forced road closures -- a blessing, in a sense, because it gives the area time for snow control before it is expected to reopen on Saturday, December 27.

Taos Ski Valley is New Mexico's new-snow leader, with 9 inches. Snow totals are more impressive farther north and farther west, not just in Colorado. In Utah, new ranged from a "modest" 12 inches at Sundance to 28 inches in Deer Valley. Jackson Hole, Wyoming (lower photo, right, on Christmas morning) and Montana's Whitefish Mountain (formerly The Big Mountain) were each blanketed with 17 inches in 24 hours. Sun Valley, Idaho, got "only" 7 inches overnight, but the 48-hour total measured to 22 inches. Similarly, Schweitzer, Idaho's most recent 2 inches was the literal icing on the cake that saw 28 inches in the last 72 hours, most of it in one phenomenal 24-hour, 25-inch dump. California's Lake Tahoe resorts, like Heavenly (right), have been digging out, packing down and wallowing in the two feet of snow that fell on Christmas Day.

All that snow does mean avalanches are a real hazard, so this is a time to stick to resort skiing and riding. Save the backcountry until conditions are more stable. And, if you're driving, make sure your car is adequate snow tires, possibly chains, emergency gear and a level-headed driver.

For my part, I'm planning to head to Snowmass tomorrow. I'll report.

Season's First Turns in Telluride

My 2008-09 ski season has begun in brilliant sunshine and on well-groomed snow

Telluride is one of my favorite places in Colorado -- not just one of my favorite places to ski but one of my favorite places. Period. The downtown, a National Historic District, is an immaculately preserved jewel. Boutiques, restaurants, nightspots and way too many real estate office line the broad main drag of what was once a gritty mining town, but the beauty of the box canyon still eclipses the glitter of the businesses. The lifts serving the original ski terrain were strung right on the outskirts of town. Further ski terrain expansion began in a stellar glacier-carved basin where the new resort development called Mountain Village has taken shape.

A handful of runs above Mountain Village are currently open -- a very limited percentage of Telluride's expansive 2,000 acres of terrain. I don't usually travel this far to ski for a weekend, but I am happy to be here -- really happy. I know that resorts closer to Denver/Boulder have more terrain open and a deeper base, but I also know that weekend traffic along I-70 is horrific as snow-starved Coloradans head for the high country -- and back again.

This morning, I made my first turns of the 2008-09 ski season on Telluride's immaculately groomed runs under the big blue dome of the Colorado sky. The resort is making snow like crazy, and a storm is forecast early this coming week. During the first part of any winter, a few perfect runs that invite setting skis on snow are all I ask for. Later, I'll be looking for morem terrain -- and Telluride will soon offer it.

Skiers Thankful for Thanksgiving Weekend's Big Snows

Serious storms begin rolling through Western mountains

Just a few days ago, I expressed cautious concern about early-season snow conditions, happy that snow was beginning to fall and hoping for more. This weekend, my wishes were fulfilled, and while Boulder received just a dusting of snow on Friday night and Denver a few more inches, some ot the Colorado mountains have been slammed. Other than the miserable Sunday night drive that home-bound skiers endured, the heavy snowfall, mostly in the central mountains, is putting a smile on skiers' faces.

Here are the 48-hour snow totals for Colorado ski areas that are currently open:

• Arapahoe Basin, 21 inches
• Aspen Mountain, 17 inches
• Beaver Creek, 11 inches
• Breckenridge, 8 inches
• Copper Mountain, 14 inches
• Crested Butte, 13 inches
• Keystone, 6 inches
• Loveland, 32 1/2 inches
• Telluride, 8 inches (right, Nov 28)
• Vail, 13 inches
• Winter Park, 9 inches

Utah had gotten those storms a day or so earlier, and Alta, a powder capital, has all seven of its lifts running and 74 or its 116 runs open. But the unrivaled US snowfall leader is way up north. Alyeska Resort, AK, measured more than 117 inches of new snow over the past week, pushing the snowfall total for the season over 200 inches. The mountain reports almost spring-like conditions that it says "are more reminiscent of early spring than they are in December, with several feet of deep soft snow covering all elevations of the mountain."

Note: A day after I wrote this post, Alta retreated and now has four lifts and 55 runs available. The operational rollback might be weather related -- or perhaps only because midweek traffic tends to be slow between Thanksgiving and the Christmas-New Year's holiday period.

Slides -- Snow, Then Rocks -- Wreak Havoc on Colorado Roads

Traffic from the Front Range to and from Aspen and Utah forced to take long detour

An avalanche on Friday night caused the closure of U.S. 40 over Berthoud Pass. The snow was cleared off the road by Saturday morning, so it was business as usual for skiers and riders heading for Winter Park. A rockslide in Glenwood Canyon around midnight on Monday morning was far more severe and will take longer to clean up -- to say nothing of road and bridge repairs.

Some 20 boulders ranging from 3 feet to 10 feet in diameter and tons of additional debris fell onto Interstate 70, created eight craters and dips, exposing the highway's underwiring, taking out a bridge and destroying guardails. Both sides of the highway were affected. In 1995, Aspen writer Kathleen Krieger Daily and her two young sons were killed in a Glenwood Canyon slide. Fortunately, at this late hour, none none came down vehicles this time, but drivers were forced to make a 200-mile detour between Glenwood Springs and Denver or elsewhere on the Front Range and will be for weeks.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the massive slide occurred on the west side of the Hanging Lake Tunnels,  where two bridges cross the Colorado River and Union Pacific Railroad tracks just west of the Shoshone Dam and the Hanging Lake trail parking area. CDOT says an average of 19,800 use Glenwood Canyon on an average day.

Other than traffic to/from Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and points between, the biggest affect will be on skiers heading to or from Aspen from the Front Range. In summer, traffic can use Highway 82 over Independence Pass between Leadville and Aspen, but that road is not plowed out until May, and traffic must use 82 from Glenwood Springs that dead-ends in Aspen in winter. In addition, as slickrock season begins in Moab, cyclists headed to and from Utah will have to adjust their routes.

P.S. On March 9, the Aspen Skiing Company reminded visitors about access options to making the long detour, which both Gray Line Aspen/Snowmass and Colorado Mountain Express are doing. The trip is currently six hours from Eagle (287 miles) and seven and a half hours form Denver (379 miles) -- but at least someone else is doing the driving. It is also possible to fly directly to Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, or to Vail/Eagle County, Grand Junction or Montrose/Delta County.

Amtrak's daily service is scheduled to depart Denver’s Union Station to Glenwood Springs (only 45 minutes from Aspen/Snowmass) at 8:05 a.m. and arrive in Glenwood at 1:53 p.m. The return from Glenwood to Denver departs at 12:50 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 7:18 p.m. As a bonus, it's a simply gorgeous ride. Shuttle services, taxi, rental cars and RFTA public bus are options  for the 40-mile trip between Glenwood Springs and Aspen/Snowmass. Shuttle services and taxis are from Denver International Airport to Union Station, RTD's SkyRide (Route AF) goes to the nearby Market Street Station. The Amtrak schedule is such that most visitors will be spending a night in Denver before and another after their ski vacation in Aspen/Snowmass.

Thanksgiving is Over; Let Winter Begin

After a mild fall, Colorado ski resorts are welcoming winter

This evening, the live telecast by Denver's "9News" of the lighting of the City and County Building finished off with light, wet snow falling on the streets of Denver. News anchors rejoiced about the perfect time, and skiers and snowboarders are rejoicing after a long, mild, dry autumn.

Snow or no, the City and County Building and other locatations in downtown Denver will be aglow until the middle of January. This glorious, gaudy display that has been a Denver tradition since 1932. Also, Union Station, nearby Larimer Square and the entire 16th Street Mall are festively illuminated for the holidays.

Colorado Mountains Cooling Off and Getting White

Current Colorado snow reports are finally somewhat encouraging too. Vail Resorts Inc.'s Colorado ski resorts (Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail Beaver Creek) reported 3 to 6 inches of snow in the last 48 hours. Moving southward and westward, accumulations have been greater. Aspen Mountain, hosting the Winternational ski races this weekend, and Snowmass (skiers loading onto the six-passenger chairlift shown at right) reported 7 and 8 inches respectively. They are two of the four areas operated by the Aspen Skiing Co. Wolf Creek, located in southern Colorado, was the state's snowfall leader with 13 inches in the last 48 hours. I am writing this on Friday evening, and Saturday morning's snow reports will show greater totals.

Great Snow Conditions in Europe

So far, this is shaping up to be a season of big snows in the Alps. Resorts in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland have reported up to a meter (39 inches) of new snow in the past five days. Although Europeans have no Thanksgiving to provide a psychological kick-off to the season, more than 200 ski areas across Europe have already opened or are opening this weekend, including Zermatt, Switzerland, with 100 miles of pistes and Espace Killy, France with 187 miles of pistes in neighboring Tignes and Val d'Isere. When Americans think of European winter resorts, the Alps come to mind, but the Pyrenees and Scandinavia, especially Norway, also offer downhill skiing. There too, resorts are starting off with abundant snow.

Shaun White's Private Superpipe Revealed

Silverton Mountain is site of two-time gold medalist's "secret" training ground

Did you watch star snowboarder Shaun White's Grade A-mazing gold-medal winning halfpipe performance on Wednesday evening's Olympics telecast? Did you catch the references to his "secret" and "private" halfpipe in Colorado? In the words of an old ballad, "The secret's not a secret anymore."

The venue: Silverton Mountain, North America's premiere extreme-skiing area set deep in the snow-rich San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. The super-groomed halfpipe is a contrast to the rest of Silverton Mountain's permitted terrain, which is not groomed at all. Not ever.

Click here for sensational footage of Shaun White's backcountry superpipe, dubbed ProjectX, sculpted to Olympic dimensions and funded by his sponsor, Red Bull energy drinks. I'll bet it is the greatest boom Silverton has experienced since the Sunnyside Mine closed in '83 -- three years before Shaun White was born.

Beaver Creek's Marvelous Ice Music

Ice music in Beaver Creek's Crystal Grotto is a wondrous thing


A large, two-lobed igloo with stadium seating at the top of Beaver Creek's Centennial Express lift serves as the recital hall for a group of musicians who play on instruments made of ice. It is all the brainchild of Tim Linhart, long-time ice sculptor. He arrived in the Vail Valley in 1989 from Taos, New Mexico, began carving ice and has been doing so ever since. This winter, he has taken ice sculpture to the next level by designing a structure and creating instruments mostly of ice on which what he calls "ice music" can be played.

Over the years, he has sculpted eight playable violins, seven guitars, 15 cellos, a xylophone, an assortment of flutes, violas and his spin on a pipe organ that he calls a Rolandophone. The ice instruments change colors and cast different hues on the ice walls as the musicians play a mixture of pop, sing-along and country.

To create string instruments, Linhart packs a mixture of snow and water onto plastic instrument forms, then puts the top and bottom in a mold and crafts the sidewalls. He attaches the standard violin or guitar nack and regular strings. Percussion instruments are all ice. He and the musicians who play together are captivated by the clear, haunting sounds produced by ice instruments.

Crystal Grotto is the name for the cojoined igloos where ice music is performed this season. Remaining performances are at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. on February 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28,  March 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28, and April 3 and 4. Guests must have a lift ticket or foot pass for one roundtrip chairlift ride.Crystal Grotto tickets may be purchased in advance or (space available) on performance day. Lift tickets are sold at the Beaver Creek Ticket Office. Crystal Grotto tickets are $10 for the 45-minute performance (except the 3:00 Saturday show when children 12 and under are free). When you enter and are offered a foam cushion, take two. And prepare to be totally enchanted.

Skiing Utah: Powder Mountain

"Less is more" at this ski area near Ogden (and that's not me blasting through the powder)

Powder Mountain offers more terrain and more snow with less infrastructure than any other area in Utah. It is a ski and snowboard area, pure and simple, and not a resort with lodging. There's 4,700 acres of inbounds terrain -- 2,800 acres directly lift-served, 1,200 more requiring a shuttle ride back to the lifts and 700 requiring a snowcat ride. Add to that 2,500 acres of guided snowcat skiing/riding terrain, and you have a formidable 7,200 acres to explore. In North America, only the combination of Whistler and Blackcomb offers more acreage. There's not a snowgun anywhere, for Powder Mountain receives 500 inches of cloudlight Utah snow every year. What's all the more remarkable is that Powder Mountain has just four chairlifts (only one a high-speed quad) and three surface tows.

The 5 1/2-mile access road ascends through the woods, first passing shuttle pick-up points for off-piste skiers and riders, and then the Sundown beginner/intermediate area served by a double chairlft and a surface tow. Laid out almost like a separate ski hill, it has a parking lot, a base lodge, a teaching hill, ski school, rental shop and lights for night skiing. The Timberline base has another another parking lot, another day lodge, a yurt from which private lessons and powder tours depart and a ski shop including rentals.What you don't see is a lift.

It is necessary to ski down to the loading area for the Timberline triple, and from there, you can access the Hidden Lake Express, a recent replacement for a classic old double chair that accesses the heart of Powder Mountain's lift-served terrain and culminates at the area's highest point. Powder Mountain's topography is a series of ridges and valleys, and long roads between them. Gentle meanderers lace across the complicated terrain, and groomed cruisers entice intermediate and advanced skiers. But Powder Mountain's abundant black-diamond turf really makes it shine. Outstanding tree skiing, rock-rimmed chutes, headwalls and snowy spillways make it a place for advanced and expert skiers and riders to rip. Especially on non-holiday weekdays, you can have the vast terrain practically to yourself. The terrain is complicated and spread-out that the two-dimensional trail map is helpful, but even better for getting a clearer picture of the lay of the land is to take the free guided tour that takes off from the Timberline base at 10:00 a.m. daily.

The limited on-mountain lodging is not operated by Powder Mountain. Lodging options include the condos and townhomes in the rental program of Wolf Creek at the bottom of the Powder Mountain access road, additional accommodations in the small town of Eden and downtown lodging in Ogden, a very cool little city less than an hour's drive.

Powder Mountain, P.O. Box 1119, Eden, Utah 84310; 891-745-3772.

Sherman's Pick for 10 Best Ski Resorts for Nonskiers

With only four in the U.S., mixed-interest groups better get passports ready if following Sherman

 ShermansTravel selected "Top 10 Ski Resorts for Nonskiers."  The magazine's selection -- or perhaps the selection of Becca Bergman whose byline appears after each writeup -- is heavily canted toward resorts in other countries. This is not surprising in the sense that Alpine resorts have long considered themselves winter destinations, rather than ski destinations. The list include links to "smart splurge" and "great value" accommodations but not the main resort websites. I've added those for your convenience.

ShermansTravel's Choices

• Bad Gastein, Austria
• Megève, France
• Mont Tremblant, Quebec
• Park City, Utah
• Sierra Nevada, Spain
• Stowe, Vermont
• Sun Valley, Idaho
• Taos, New Mexico
• Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia
• Zermatt, Switzerland

Claire's List

I'm not taking issue with the selections above as much as feeling there are some better choices. I would just like to have seen more domestic destinations that are more convenient and affordable these days for US skiers -- and those criteria don't even take into account the additional hassles of overseas air travel in effect for the foreseeable future. Here are six (three in the US) that I think would have been worthy for ShermansTravel's list:

• Aspen, Colorado - Enchanting old mining town with a deserved reputation for high prices but a lot of surprisingly affordable, often free, non-ski options. These include free bus area transportation, free cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails and tours, free art museum, three ice skating rinks, excellent intown spa, winter flying fishing on the Roaring Fork and Fryingpan Rivers and much more.
•  Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta - Located in Banff National Park, town of Banff offers terrific shopping, museums and galleries. Heart-of-the-park cross-country skiing and snowshoeing adventures, including at nearby Lake Louise, which is jaw-droppingly beautiful.
•  Jackson Hole, Wyoming - The ski area is known for steep-and-deep skiing and riding, but the picturesque Town of Jackson offers fantastic shopping and gallery hopping. There's an Olympic-size skating rink at Snow King Resort. Visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art and then take an unforgettable sleighride through the National Elk Refuge, just north of town, or take a snowmobile trip at Togwotee Pass to the south. Plus snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in Grand Teton National Park, which actually borders the downhill ski area, and a day trip to magnificent Yellowstone National Park beyond.
•  Innsbruck, Austria - Two-time Olympic host in the heart of the Tyrolean Alps offers urban culture and urban pleasures. Twenty museums, from archeology to the most modern art. 14th International Fair for Contemporary Art INNSBRUCK (February 19-22) is major.Splendid shopping, window and otherwise, in the historic Old City. Vibrant nightlife.
• St. Moritz, Switzerland - Glamorous resort in Rhaetian Alps. No better place for window shopping, skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, winter walking, sledding, horsedrawn carriage rides and spectating at top-level sports competitions, including polo on the frozen lake.
•  Vail, Colorado - Fabulous shops in charming pedestrian village, fine spas, scenic gondola rides (free after 1:00 p.m.) and free valley-wide bus transportation. Cross-country skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing and nearby snowmobiling. Excellent dining. 

Great Snow Conditions Launch 2010

Happy New Year -- and happy powder season across the snowbelt.

My friend Maja has been in St. Moritz, Switzerland, over the holidays. On Wednesday she wrote, "winter wonderland! ..snowing snowing snowing...." On Thursday she wrote, "December 31st, St. Moritz..and it's snowing like crazy! I wish all my friends a great New Years Eve bash!!!!!! To a fab 2010!" And yesterday, on New Year's Day, she wrote, "Happy New Year!!!!!! What a spectacular start! Love 1.1.2010! Fab Skiing! tons of powder, blue skies, GREAT fireworks ... evening another snow storm.... true winter wonderland.....I am feeling like a winter princess..... a great 2010 has begun! Happy New Year, cheers cheers cheers!" Thanks, Maja. I just wish St. Moritz had a current snow conditions picture on its website or that the site had a more straightforward to obtain to copy here and share with everyone.

My pal Nancy wrote from Maine, "Gotta Love This Snowstorm! It's great for the ski industry!" Hey Nancy, it's great for all of us who like to slide on snow. The photo at the right was taken at Sugarloaf, Maine, a happy fresh-snow scene repeated across New England. Vermont ski areas reported 3 to 9 inches of new snow, which in the Northeast is a major dump. Most Vermont areas were in the 2- to 5-inch category, but Mount Snow, in the southern part of the state reported 9 inches! If true, Mount Snow must had its own micro-weather system, because New Hampshire ski areas also welcomed 3 to 5 inches of new snow, and Jiminy Peak in northwestern Massachusetts reported just 1 inch.

But what of the Rockies? I went to Snowmass between Christmas and New Year, skiing on beautifully groomed snow on three cold, clear, wind-free days. It started snowing on the evening after day three, just as I was leaving. My son, Andrew, teaches skiing at Purgatory near Durango in southwestern Colorado. He tole me that they got about a foot in the days leading up to New Year, that conditions have been great there too, and that he, his ski school colleagues and their clients are eagerly awaiting their next powder day.

The biggest snows (and the best January deal) might just be at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The resort clocked in 19 inches of snow since Wednesday morning and is expecting  huge storm that is forecast to hit the Tetons over the weekend, bringing another one to two feet of new snow. And the resort has an amazing January deal. The ‘Buy 2 Get 2’ airline offer from any departure city in the country, amounts to half-price fares on any airline for a group or family or four or more. Book before January 15 and travel by January 31. Combine that with lift/lodging packages starting at $81 per person, per night, and it's hardly worth staying home.

On the other side of the soaring Tetons from Jackson Hole, Grand Targhee has snared three feet of snow in the last three days. Th images are awesome, but I'm not skilled enough to download one and post it, so click here and be dazzled.

And if you don't ski, snowboard, cross-country ski, skate-ski (a dynamite exercise) or snowshoe, January is the time to do it. Learn a Snowsport Month features dynamite deals that generally include very affordable instruction, equipment and lift tickets or trail passes. Each participating ski resort or cross-country center sets its own program.

The Grinch That Stole the Ski Train

Ski Train return anticipation turns to disappointment

Call U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn the Grinch who took away hopes for the imminent return of the Ski Train Denver and Winter Park. On Wednesday, His Honor declined to issue a temporary restraining order that would have forced Amtrak to operate the Rio Grande Scenic Ski Train beginning this coming Sunday. Iowa Pacific Holdings, the new operator of the legendary train, already had some 13,000 reservations on the books, it was cautious enough to take them all by phone rather than online. I was afraid something like this might happen when train service was not heavily promoted at the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo back in November.

Iowa Pacific, which claims that it had an "implicit" agreement with Amtrak to provide train crews, reportedly spent $800,000 to restart the legendary train, which should be celebrating its 70th anniversary this winter. Amtrak claims that Iowa Pacific had not agreed to required insurance and indemnification terms required and that the Pacific's railcars had not yet passed Federal Railroad Administration safety certification.

Judge Blackburn agreed with Amtrak. According to the Denver Post, "Blackburn said in his written order that Iowa Pacific. . . had not demonstrated it would 'suffer irreparable injury' if the court did not issue the restraining order against Amtrak." That is mystifying, because dedicated train service to a resort base that does not operate during the absolute peak weeks of the ski season would indeed be grievously injured.

January 6 is now the earliest that Ski Train operations could begin. Iowa Pacific released a statement by VP Dan Marko that was clearly vetted by attorneys: “We appreciate the due-diligence that Judge Blackburn afforded Iowa Pacific Holdings to share our story and provide information given the forced circumstances.We recognize that this leaves the operations of the Ski Train as indefinite, and will be focused on presenting a comprehensive case in January to clear these obstacles to future operation.” Keep your fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, all customers holding reservations can receive a full refund by contacting Iowa Pacific at skitrainservice@ iowapacific.com or 877-726-RAIL.

Colorado Ski Resort News 2008-09

Tens of millions invested in lifts, base villages and terrain for 2008-09

It's been snowing above 10,000 feet (Copper Mountain shown at right on September 12), which is a visual cue that Colorado's ski season kicks off in less than seven weeks. The biggest recent investments have gone into Snowmass ($35 million) and Steamboat ($30 million), but season pass prices for resorts that attract both vacationers and locals remain shockingly low. Competition is good for customers.

Here's what is and isn't new in Colorado. Click on the resort or ski area name for more info, including season pass info) and my comments appear in italics.

Arapahoe Basin opens in October as snow permits, perhaps the first in the state

A-Basin adds 300 much-needed parking spaces and connects them to the base via a pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 6. A new south-facing deck made of recycled materials is added to the year-old Black Mountain Lodge. Snowmaking now serves Sundance beginner trail. Early to open, late to close and sensational all winter long.

Aspen Highlands opens December 13

Canopy Cruiser is a new name on the trail map for 18 additional acres between Hyde Park and Mushroom Chutes in the Deep Temerity section of the mountain. More steep. More deep.

Aspen Mountain opens November 27

Improvements to the plaza at the base of the Silver Queen gondola mean fewer steps to climb with ski boots. Hooray!

Beaver Creek opens November 26

The Ranch, a huge new on-mountain children's center, is next to the easy-access kid's gondola that was added last year to the beginner area. Snowmaking improvements at key areas on the mountain. The Osprey, a RockResort, is the new name for the older Inn at Beaver Creek, and the Westin Riverfront, with direct gondola access to Beaver Creek, in Avon below the resort. The Ranch makes the Beave even more appealing for well-heeled families.

Breckenridge opens November 7

Peak 7 base development, the first all-new area since Peak 9 opened in 1971, spotlights the new Crystal Peak Lodge, new skier services (ski school, ticket sales, rentals) and Sevens, a new sit-down restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner (Mediterranean-inspired menu), plus pizza bar and quick-service window. The BreckConnect gondola from town adds a stop at the Peak 7 provides more direct access to high terrain at Peak 7 and Peak 8. BreckConnect now enchanced as mass transit as well as a ski lift.

Buttermilk (Aspen) opens December 13

Four feet added to each wall of the Olympic halfpipe for a total of 22 feet. Awesome -- and ready for the Winter X-Games

Copper Mountain opens November 14

The Woodward at Copper, located in The Barn, is a new year-round indoor training facility for snowboarders and skiing tricksters. State-of-the-art facility for safe and serious training.

Crested Butte opens November 26

Camp CB is the totally redesigned and remodeled replacement for Kids World. Terrain expansion off the Headwall lift into Teocalli Bowl's Teo-2 and Teo-2.5 areas. The Treasury Center at the base adds Spellbound Pizza as the old ski and snowboard shop is relocated to slope-side. The nearby Outpost becomes a day lodge. User-friendly tweaks.

Echo Mountain Park (Idaho Springs) opens in December

Westwide Glades are expanded, the Magic Carpet learning area is redesigned and terrain features are improved, but the big deal is dollars. The $129 season pass price is right.

Eldora Mountain Resort (Nederland) opens on November 21

Best prices for Eldorables, Trek, Womens Days and Friday Afternoon Club lessons and season passes through October 12. An easy ride (drive or take the RTD bus #N) from Boulder.

Howelsen Hill (Steamboat) opens December 6

Tough little ski hill, owned by the city of Steamboat Springs, was the training ground for Ski Town USA's 64 Alpine and Nordic Olympians, 15 members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame and six members of the National Ski Hall of fame. Legendary ski hill doesn't need to do anything new!

Keystone opens November 7

The River Run gondola has been lengthened and the loading area moved to the middle of River Run Village. A new mid-station enables users to load and unload at mid-mountain, and new big-windowed cabins improve the views. Third time's the charm for third version of this base-to-summit gondola.

Loveland opens in October, as snow permits, perhaps the first in the state

Season pass again includes three unrestricted days at Monarch Mountain. No news is no news at this close-to Denver ski area.

Monarch opens November 26

Two hundred acres added to snowcat-served terrain. New kids' terrain park called Tilt. Sleepy Hollow run widened. Children's ski school and rentals housed in new facility. How about that 200-acre snowcat expansion!

Powderhorn (Grand Mesa) opens December 11

New trails are supposedly being added, but no details are available. Why such secrecy?

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort opens November 26

First phase of the $100 million Purgatory Lodge and village revitalization opens, including upgraded skier services, slopeside lodging and new Purgy's Day Lodge. Village development brings welcome evening activity to the mountain, but downtown Durango remains prime for evening.

Silverton opens November 29

Unguided season pass ($699) includes four free ski days at A-Basin and five at Monarch. Go guided or not in Colorado's capital of ungroomed super-steeps.

Ski Cooper (Leadville) opens November 27 (weekends) and December 19 (daily)

Season pass holders may purchase a $25 discounted “Buddy Ticket” valid Monday through Friday (except holidays) during the 2008-09 season. Friendly ski area makes it easy to bring a friend along.

Snowmass opens November 27

The Sheer Bliss lift is converted to a high-speed quad and lengthened by 155 feet. The Sam's Knob restaurant at the top of the Village sixpack express has been renewed with floor-to-ceiling windows, new table serve for 175, outdoor seating and a barbecue-style smokehouse menu. Base Village nearer completion with the new Hayden Peak and Capitol Peak Lodges. Ready to bid farewell to those construction cranes.

SolVista Basin (Granby) opens December 19

Base Camp Lodge completed (but perhaps that was last winter; the website isn't clear). Small, family-friendly resort continuing to develop lodging.

Steamboat opens November 26

Following $30 million in improvements last year, 4 million have gone into additional base area improvements, regrading, upgraded snowmaking and grooming equipment, and a new retail outlet in downtown Steamboat Springs. Champagne powder? Priceless.

Sunlight Mountain Resort (Glenwood Springs) opens December 5

News is in the future, as Sunlight tries to expand into a full four-season resort. For now, it's still a low-key ski area.

Telluride opens November 26

Revelation Bowl, a 400-acre expansion off the backside of Gold Hill and Chair 14, offers new European-style above-the-treeline open-bowl terrain served by a quad chairlift. New advanced and expert terrain.

Winter Park opens November 19

The Village Cabriolet is a new $5.8 million open-air transit gondola linking the free parking lot to the expanding base village featuring new restaurants, shops, real estate, parking garage and ice skating pond. Convenience for day skiers and more amenities for vacationers.

Wolf Creek opens November 7, or as conditions permit

For the third year, Wolf Creek is purchasing 100% of its power from a wind-power supplier, and is now adding a pilot ride-share program by linking to an AlternateRides, a free online carpool matching service. Cheers for the green and white.

2009-10 Ski Season About to Start

Single-digit October opening dates signal beginning of lo-o-o-o-o-ong season

Colorado's Loveland (top right) is starting lift operations on Wednesday, October 7, and Arapahoe Basin (bottom right), just on the other side of Loveland Pass, gets going on Friday, October 9. Loveland's first trails to open will be Catwalk, Mambo, and Homerun served by the triple chair from the Loveland Basin base for a 1,000-vertical-foot top-to-bottom run for the earliest season start in 40 years. A-Basin will open the Exhibition chairlift to the public at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. October 9 is the earliest date in its history. Skiers and riders will start with 18-inch base on the intermediate High Noon run and six features in the High Divide Terrain Park. After a day's eager edges, who knows how the snow will hold up? Loveland stays open through the second weekend in May, while A-Basin keeps going as long as there is snow on the ground and butts on lifts. June is not uncommon; July is not unheard of.

If you're itching to start making turns (and unless you have your own rock skis), this might be the time to rent boards for the day. Breeze Ski Rentals' Dumont location is offering daily ski and snowboard rentals for only $5 a day for kids' or adults' Basic Sport packages from Wednesday, October 7 through Sunday, October 11. There won't be any black-diamond terrain open, so basic will probably be just fine. The rental shop is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Reserve online or call 303-567-2087.

On the outskirts of Sin City, Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort, which claims a location just 45 minutes from the Strip, opens limited terrain at 12:00 noon on October 7 -- seven weeks ahead of schedule. You might say that this a lucky seven sign for Western skiing this winter.

And in California, Boreal Mountain Resort (originally called Boreal Ridge) has announced an October 10 opening date, also the earliest in its history. It plans to operate just on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during this super-early season. Back East, fall foliage is at its peak, with some resorts operating their lifts for leaf peepers rather than snowriders.