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SO CLOSE TO HOME Near to the hearts and homes of generations of Colorado skiers and riders, Loveland is Colorado’s true winter wonderland.

Loveland boasts remarkable terrain, an innovative lesson program and more snow than any Front Range or Summit County resort. Loveland is the home for those who simply want to ski. This is Core Colorado.

4-Paks only available through 11-20-11 4-paks are not available for purchase at any ticket window

Dustin Schaefer, Loveland Ski Area

staff Publisher, Stewart Sallo Editor, Pamela White Director of Sales & Marketing, Dave Grimsland Director of Operations/Controller, Benecia Beyer Circulation Manager, Cal Winn Editorial Managing Editor, Jefferson Dodge Special Editions Editor, Elizabeth Miller Associate Editors, David Accomazzo, Quibian Salazar-Moreno Sales Retail Sales Manager, Allen Carmichael Inside Sales Manager, Jason Wing Account Executives, Mike Cutler, David Hasson, Amber Hayes Production Production Manager, Dave Kirby Art Director, Susan France Graphic Designer, Mark Goodman General & Administrative Marketing Manager & Heiress, Julia Sallo Office Manager/Advertising Assistant, Francie Swidler Circulation Team Dave Hastie, Dan Hill, George LaRoe, Jeffrey Lohrius, Elizabeth Ouslie, Rick Slama 11-Year-Old, Mia Rose Sallo

cover photo: Dustin Schaefer, Loveland Ski Area

contents

Skiing 4 Outdoors 14 Outdoor events 24 Winter lifestyles 29 Festivals & events 34 Boulder Weekly

Loveland Ski Area

Make it happen this winter

M

aybe this is the year. The year you finally see what it’s like to swing an ice axe. The year you explore a snowbound fourteener.

Or just the year you swap in an evening or two at the theatre. Whatever you wish, this could be the winter you make it happen.

Our best recommendation: Get out there and get after it. Have a wilder winter.

Winter Scene 2011-12

This year’s Winter Scene, our second annual, is loaded with material designed to help you make the most of these fleeting winter months, those gloriously powder-packed days, and draw on the inspiration of chilly evenings and firelight. No matter what distance you want to explore, we hope you’ll find something in these pages to spark you to pursue it.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com October 27, 2011 3

Courtesy of Colorado Ski Country USA

Silverton Mountain

The great Colorado ski area overview 2011-2012

by James Dziezynski

Y

ou have to give Old Man Winter credit. Even as you read this there’s already been a threefoot powder drop in the San Juans that allowed Wolf Creek ski area to open up for a few days in early October. Hopefully it’s a sign of things to come. As soon as the first flakes begin to fall, something switches in our brains, and we are helpless to the Pavlovian response. We begin to dream of clean lines, deep powder and steep bowls.

Our ski preview shines a light on Colorado’s major ski areas and resorts. Whether you are looking for wide-open basins, feature-rich terrain 4 October 27, 2011

parks or miles of tree runs, there’s something for everyone. There’s no better place to be in the winter than Colorado.

Arapahoe Basin Peak: 13,050 feet Base: 10,780 feet Vertical Rise: 2,270 feet Average Snowfall: 350 inches Snowmaking Acres: 125 Skiable Acres: 900 Lifts: 7 Trails: 105 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 10/30/60 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N

Resort: N Lift Ticket Price: $59 Adult/$49 Youth/$30 Child/$52 Sr. Opening Date: Oct. 13 With last year’s addition of the high-speed Black Mountain Express lift, access to A-Basin’s best terrain is easier than ever. Only an hour’s drive from the metro area, A-Basin retains all the charm and comforts of a family-owned ski area with all the great terrain of a much larger resort.

Locals love the lack of lift lines, the dog-friendly parking areas and the expansive terrain in the Montezuma Bowl. The front-side runs feature daring and steep bumps, tight trees and wide-open blues. Adventurous skiers

can also hit up the nearby Loveland Pass backcountry terrain.

Aspen Highlands Peak: 11,675 feet Base: 8,040 feet Vertical Rise: 3,635 feet Average Snowfall: 300 inches Snowmaking Acres: 110 Skiable Acres: 1,028 Lifts: 5 Trails: 118 % of Beginner/Intermediate/Expert Terrain: 18/30/52 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $92 Adult/

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

Courtesy of Colorado Ski Country USA

$83 Jr., Sr./$58 Child Opening Date: Dec. 10 Great powerdercat skiing awaits at Aspen Highlands. The centerpiece of the Highlands is the Highland Bowl, a wonderfully wide open and steep basin that gets major powder and cruises through gorgeous aspen groves. Besides more than 600 skiable acres, the views of the neighboring Elk Range mountains may be the very best in Colorado as 14,000-foot peaks such as the Maroon Bells, Pyramid Peak and Snowmass Mountain loom in the distance.

Aspen Mountain Peak: 11,212 feet Base: 7,945 feet Vertical Rise: 3,267 feet Average Snowfall: 300 inches Snowmaking Acres: 210 Skiable Acres: 673 Lifts: 8 Trails: 76 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 0/48/52 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $92 Adult/ $83 Jr., Sr./$58 Child Opening Date: Nov. 24 Aspen Mountain remains one of Colorado’s classic ski destinations and is the flagship peak of the Aspen/ Snowmass ski family. A fine blend of bumps, steeps, groomers and trees has made the terrain on Aspen Mountain popular with all levels of skiers since 1947. The mountain’s longest run funnels directly into town so, in theory, you can visit local pubs without having to take your skis off.

Beaver Creek Peak: 11,440 feet Base: 8,100 feet Vertical Rise: 3,340 feet Average Snowfall: 320 inches Snowmaking Acres: 650 Skiable Acres: 1,815 Lifts: 25 Trails: 149 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 19/43/38 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $97 Adult/ $80 Sr./$58 Child Opening Date: Nov. 23 While the town of Beaver Creek is unabashedly posh, the terrain on its ski mountain is powder for the people.

Boulder Weekly

time on lifts and more time ripping it up on the slopes. Powdercat tours explore hard-to-reach areas that are untracked, secluded and tons of fun.

And if you’re serious about landing that backflip, Copper Mountain’s indoor training facility lets you practice in foam pits and trampolines.

Ski Cooper

In contrast to its sister resort down the road,Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek has miles of long cruisers and premiere blue and single-black-diamond runs that offer plenty of well-spaced aspen groves to play in. The groomers run fast, and many of the world’s top ski racers train at Beaver Creek.

Crowds tend to disperse on the mountain, making for short lift lines and plenty of wide-open spaces.

Breckenridge Peak: 12,998 feet Base: 9,600 feet Vertical Rise: 3,398 feet Average Snowfall: 305 inches Snowmaking Acres: 565 Skiable Acres: 2,358 Lifts: 29 Trails: 155 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 15/33/52 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $85 Adult/ $75 Sr./$45 Child Opening Date: Nov. 11 Breck’s back bowls and powdery trees are a bit of a secret, but that’s mostly because of the huge selection of available trails (more than 150) on the front side.You could have a full weekend playing on groomers and bump runs and still have plenty of mountain left to explore. With the highest runs topping out at more than 13,000 feet, there’s all sorts of epic fun to be had above treeline. Be sure to get on the lifts early on weekends before tourists clamor to the frontside blues and greens.

Buttermilk Peak: 9,900 feet Base: 7,870 feet

Winter Scene 2011-12

Vertical Rise: 2,030 feet Average Snowfall: 200 inches Snowmaking Acres: 108 Skiable Acres: 470 Lifts: 9 Trails: 44 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 35/39/26 Bowl Skiing: N Powdercat Skiing: N Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $92 Adult/ $83 Jr., Sr./$58 Child Opening Date: Dec. 10 Family-friendly and chock full of terrain park features, Buttermilk is all about huge jumps, sweet half-pipes, speedy rails, big boxes and all sorts of tricky fun. Most of the traditional runs at Buttermilk are mellow but enjoyable blues and greens. Locals swear that some of the best-kept secret tree and powder runs are not far off trail, waiting to be discovered.

Copper Mountain Peak: 12,313 feet Base: 9,712 feet Vertical Rise: 2,601 feet Average Snowfall: 285 inches Snowmaking Acres: 380 Skiable Acres: 2,465 Lifts: 22 Trails: 127 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 21/25/54 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: TBA Opening Date: Nov. 4 Copper Mountain’s natural ridgelines, spacious bowls and varied terrain are perfect for those who want a taste of backcountry fun while still in a resort setting. Multiple parks and long runs mean you’ll spend less

Crested Butte Peak: 12,162 feet Base: 9,375 feet Vertical Rise: 3,062 feet Average Snowfall: 250 inches Snowmaking Acres: 300 Skiable Acres: 1,125 Lifts: 16 Trails: 121 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 23/57/20 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $87 Adult/ $78 Teen/$65 Sr. /$44 Child Opening Date: Nov. 23 Small-town charm and big-time steeps await in Crested Butte. For those seeking extreme lines and wild drops, the expert terrain is world class and ready to rock. For more casual skiers and boarders, the intermediate runs are fast, fun and gallop through well-spaced groves of aspen and pine trees. Less crowded and commercial than larger areas, Crested Butte has a unique vibe that keeps locals coming back year after year.

Durango Purgatory Peak: 10,822 feet Base: 8,793 feet Vertical Rise: 2,029 feet Average Snowfall: 250 inches Snowmaking Acres: 250 Skiable Acres: 1,200 Lifts: 10 Trails: 85 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 23/51/26 Bowl Skiing: N Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $65 Adult/$55 Sr./$52 Student/$36 Child Opening Date: Nov. 25 Purgatory Mountain in Durango takes advantage of the varied forests found in the San Juan Mountains for a unique skiing experience. A diversity of intermediate runs cut through hybrid aspen/pine trees, while expert lines get tight, twisty and steep. The powdercat tours showcase the wild side of Purgatory and cater to intermediate October 27, 2011 5

to advanced skiers and riders.

Echo Mountain Peak: 10,650 feet Base: 10,050 feet Vertical Rise: 600 feet Average Snowfall: 215 inches Snowmaking Acres: 60 Skiable Acres: 85 Lifts: 3 Trails: 15 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 20/60/20 Bowl Skiing: N Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $45 Adult/ $29 Youth Opening Date: Early December Echo Mountain’s focus is big air and terrain parks. No other ski area is as dedicated to offering the best park features, with an emphasis on unique boxes, rails and jumps. Instruction is top-notch, and reasonable prices are ideal for those who would rather play in the park than hit cruisers and steeps.

Eldora Peak: 10,800 feet Base: 9,200 feet Vertical Rise: 1,600 feet Average Snowfall: 300 inches Snowmaking Acres: 500 Skiable Acres: 680 Lifts: 12 Trails: 53 % of Beginner/Intermediate/Expert Terrain: 20/50/30 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: TBA Opening Date: Nov. 18 Humble Eldora is a family-friendly mountain that has the distinct advantage of being set far away from the traffic of I-70. Geared more toward locals, kids and teens, Eldora nonetheless has some fun steep trees on the north side of the mountains and several terrain park features. Affordable and close to the Denver/Boulder area, Eldora also features a superb network of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails.

Howelsen Peak: 7,136 feet 6 October 27, 2011

Base: 6,696 feet Vertical Rise: 440 feet Average Snowfall: 150 inches Snowmaking Acres: 50 Skiable Acres: 25 Lifts: 4 Trails: 15 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 25/20/55 Bowl Skiing: N Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $17 Adult/ $12 Sr./$6 Child Opening Date: Dec. 3 Howelsen is Colorado’s oldest ski area still in operation, opening in the golden days of yore in 1915. With an emphasis on cross-country skiing and ski jumping, Howelsen is a specialty mountain that has served well for Olympians and recreational skiers alike. If you are looking for traditional skiing and boarding, check out Howelsen’s neighboring mountain in Steamboat Springs.

Keystone Peak: 12,408 feet Base: 9,280 feet

Vertical Rise: 3,128 feet Average Snowfall: 230 inches Snowmaking Acres: 660 Skiable Acres: 3,148 Lifts: 20 Trails: 135 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 19/32/49 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $85 Adult/ $75 Sr./$45 Child Opening Date: Nov. 4 Keystone is a fun mountain with a lot of variety, but what is most memorable (besides the occasional sub-zero days) is the hike-to and snowcat terrain anchored by the legendary Independence Bowl. Getting off the main runs opens up a world of possibilities. Wide-open bowls taper into smooth and steep trees. The groomers are a lot of fun as well, with long blues and several world-class terrain parks for those who like to defy gravity on a regular basis. If you’re having too much fun to stop, don’t! Keystone offers night sessions on several front-side runs.

Loveland Peak: 13,010 feet Base: 10,600 feet Vertical Rise: 2,410 feet Average Snowfall: 400 inches Snowmaking Acres: 160 Skiable Acres: 1,365 Lifts: 10 Trails: 92 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 12/41/46 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $59 Adult/ $45 Sr./$25 Child Opening Date: Oct. 14 New for 2011-2012 is a highspeed lift replacing the old Chair 4 — good news for those who like the trees and steep bowls on Loveland’s north side. A true locals’ mountain, Loveland is easy to get to, rarely has crowds (except the wedding rush on Valentine’s Day) and offers plenty of varied terrain — not to mention average snowfall of more than 400 inches.

Hiking the ridgeline off Chair 9 is a blast, and the views from the Continental Divide are stunning.

Get to know your ski pass options by Steve Weishampel

W

hether you’re looking to pack 100 days on the slopes into your winter, or just want a chance to sneak in some turns without breaking the bank, there’s no reason to pay full price. Especially if you know your options.

Multi-mountain passes Big passes are easily the best bargain for frequent skiers and riders — they pay for themselves after five or six days. But then, you know this, as well as you know that The Rocky Mountain Super Pass offers access to the Winter Park/Mary Jane area and Copper Mountain for $409 for adults. It’s available through www. skicolorado.com. For Vail Resorts, the $409 Summit Value Pass gives you Keystone and Arapahoe Basin with limited Breckenridge dates. See www.snow.com.

These are the base deals. Each have extended options to comb through on their sites.

Single-mountain season passes But maybe you’re not the buffet type. If you know your favorite spot and you want to go a lot, get a single-site season pass.

The cheapest is Echo Mountain’s.

Unlimited access costs just $179 for all ages with no restrictions. Want just a little variety?

Arapahoe Basin’s $389 pass allows for five days

at Breckenridge or Keystone. Loveland’s, meanwhile, includes three days at Monarch, three at Durango and one at Silverton for $359.

Four-pack deals Four-packs run about $120-$160, and with single tickets at about $65, they’re often a good deal. Some let you mix up the resorts, like the 4-by-40 Pass, which is two days each at Steamboat and Winter Park for $229.

If you’re desperate for a cheap season and any area will do, Echo’s $119 deal offers four transferable tickets and can be credited toward a season pass — knocking that price down to $60. Haul some friends one weekend, and the rest of the season becomes dirt-cheap.

Otherwise, Copper Mountain has a steal of four tickets for $149 that includes four friends and family tickets for $69.

Discount cards If you just want a small season and a low commitment to it, the least you can do is avoid paying full price. Lay down $10 for a Colorado Gems Card and get discounts on tickets all over the state, like $10 or $12 off an adult ticket at A-Basin, Eldora, Loveland, Monarch and others. Use it once or twice, and it pays for itself.

Monarch Peak: 11,961 feet Base: 10,790 feet Vertical Rise: 1,170 feet Average Snowfall: 350 inches Snowmaking Acres: 0 Skiable Acres: 800 Lifts: 7 Trails: 64 % of Beginner/Intermediate/Expert Terrain: 14/28/58 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $54 Adult/$29 Sr./$20 Child Opening Date: Nov. 23 Monarch’s 350-plus inches of yearly snowfall are all natural — there are no snow-making operations on the mountain.

Thankfully, the lack of Front Range crowds and predictable storms means there is plenty of good terrain for all, including lots of steep and gutsy expert runs accessed by hiking or powdercat. The cruisers are fun, too.

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

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Powderhorn Peak: 9,850 feet Base: 8,200 feet Vertical Rise: 1,650 feet Average Snowfall: 250 inches Snowmaking Acres: 25 Skiable Acres: 1,600 Lifts: 4 Trails: 43 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 20/50/30 Bowl Skiing: N Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $53 Adult/ $43 Sr./$43 Child Opening Date: Dec. 15 As a family-first mountain, Powderhorn sits far on the Western Slope, where Grand Junction-area locals can get a taste of bigger mountains in their own backyard. Topping out at just under 10,000 feet, Powderhorn is still a good destination if you’re looking to see a new side of Colorado skiing.

Note that Powderhorn covers more than 1,600 acres in prime winter conditions.

Silverton Peak: 13,487 feet Base: 10,400 feet Vertical Rise: 3,287 feet Average Snowfall: 400 inches Snowmaking Acres: 0 Skiable Acres: 1,819 Lifts: 1 Trails: 69 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 0/0/100 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: Heliskiing Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $49 Unguided/ $119+ Guided Opening Date: November TBA One lift, a few helicopters and the ride of your life. The experts-only terrain of Silverton Mountain is all about ripping it up in the backcountry with just a little help to get you to the start of those amazing chutes, bowls and drops. More than 400 inches of snow regularly recoat the mountains, making for some of the more memorable runs in Colorado. Expert guides are available.

Ski Cooper Peak: 11,700 feet Base: 10,500 feet Vertical Rise: 1,200 feet Average Snowfall: 260 inches Snowmaking Acres: 0 Skiable Acres: 400 8 October 27, 2011

Lifts: 5 Trails: 26 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 30/40/30 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $42 Adult/ $31 Sr./$23 Child Opening Date: Nov. 25 Local and laid-back, Ski Cooper has a modest mix of beginner, intermediate and expert terrain. Not to be overlooked are the powdercat tours to Chicago Ridge and the tree runs on the back side of the mountain (Timber Bash is especially fun). Surrounded by the highest peaks in Colorado, the scenery and backcountry potential make Cooper worth the trip.

Snowmass Peak: 12,510 feet Base: 8,104 feet Vertical Rise: 4,406 feet Average Snowfall: 300 inches Snowmaking Acres: 230 Skiable Acres: 3,132 Lifts: 21 Trails: 91

% of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 6/50/44 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $92 Adult/ $83 Jr.Sr./$58 Child Opening Date: Nov. 24 Snowmass flies slightly under the radar when compared to other Aspen-area ski mountains, but it is undeniably at the top of the list when it comes to the best Colorado skiing. With more than 3,000 skiable acres, Snowmass is a wide open and uncrowded dream of a mountain. Long cruisers are balanced with extreme steep terrain, endless features and gorgeous views of the Elk Range.

SolVista Peak: 9,202 feet Base: 8,202 feet Vertical Rise: 1,000 feet Average Snowfall: 220 inches Snowmaking Acres: 245 Skiable Acres: 406 Lifts: 5 Trails: 33 % of Beginner/Intermediate/

There’s an app for that Key in your phone to track your snow season

by Quibian Salazar-Moreno

G

earing up for winter also means synching your phone to serve as your snow slave. These useful and entertaining apps will help you make the most of your experience on the runs.

The Snow Report — North Face’s app gives you the latest on snow conditions and weather forecasts for whereever you’ll be heading. On iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

EpicMix — A cool app if you frequent Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Beaver Creek and Heavenly Resorts that utilizes your phone’s GPS and gives you challenges and achievements to accomplish while on the mountain. For iPhone and Android.

Runkeeper — This app has a GPS system that tracks your physical activities, your speed down the mountain, the calories you burned and the distance you skied. Available on both Android and iPhone.

Snocator — The Snocator has GPS maps for more than 70 ski resorts, along with access to camera feeds at select resorts. Even if you end up skiing in the backcountry, the GPS will still work. Just download the maps before you’re out of cell signal range. Available for iPhone.

Freestyle — When you’ve come off the mountain for the day but are still itching for some sort of rush, Freestyle for Android might ease that anxiety. Its game has you racing down a virtual mountain avoiding trees, performing tricks and catching big air.

Expert Terrain: 50/30/20 Bowl Skiing: N Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $54 Adult/ $32 Child Opening Date: Dec. 14 Another little local resort, SolVista’s night skiing and speedy, short runs are perfect for the hometown crowd. No other resort is as dedicated to beginner runs, and families will appreciate the lack of maniacs screaming down the slopes. As with other smaller ski areas, SolVista is a great way to spend a day as part of a weekend in the towns north of Winter Park.

Steamboat Peak: 10,568 feet Base: 6,900 feet Vertical Rise: 3,668 feet Average Snowfall: 350 inches Snowmaking Acres: 375 Skiable Acres: 2,965 Lifts: 18 Trails: 165 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 14/42/44 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $97 Adult/ $65 Sr./$59 Child Opening Date: Nov. 24 It doesn’t get any better for light, fluffy powder and exciting tree runs than Steamboat. Nothing compares with gliding through the aspen glades, where the trees are well spaced and the lines are up to your imagination. Besides the famous “clock runs” on the front side, the back bowls are super fun, and there’s some bonus terrain accessed only by snowcats.

Sunlight Peak: 9,895 feet Base: 7,885 feet Vertical Rise: 2,010 feet Average Snowfall: 250 inches Snowmaking Acres: 21 Skiable Acres: 470 Lifts: 3 Trails: 70 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 20/55/25 Bowl Skiing: N Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $50 Adult/ $40 Sr./$40 Child Opening Date: Dec. 2

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

Sunlight is a refuge for Western Slope skiers, a tiny, local mountain with just enough terrain to give a good winter fix before heading off to bigger downhill slopes. Affordable and family-friendly, Sunlight also has some of the best cross-country skiing and snowshoeing around.

Telluride Peak: 13,150 feet Base: 8,725 feet Vertical Rise: 4,425 feet Average Snowfall: 309 inches Snowmaking Acres: 220 Skiable Acres: 2,000 Lifts: 18 Trails: 118 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 23/36/41 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: Heliskiing Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $92 Adult/ $82 Sr./$56 Child Opening Date: Nov. 25 With more than 75 percent of the terrain geared towards experts and intermediates,Telluride has an extra rugged feeling for those ready to find daring chutes, steep drops and tons of

Boulder Weekly

untracked powder. Heliskiing and powdercat tours are options to explore even more of Telluride’s wild side.

Vail Peak: 11,570 feet Base: 8,120 feet Vertical Rise: 3,450 feet Average Snowfall: 350 inches Snowmaking Acres: 1,763 Skiable Acres: 5,289 Lifts: 31 Trails: 193 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 18/29/53 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing:Y Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $97 Adult/ $80 Sr./$58 Child Opening Date: Nov. 18 Vail’s reputation is cemented in the lore of great Colorado skiing.

Maybe it’s the epic back bowls, the glades of alternating tight and loose trees or the front-side cruisers and terrain parks. Vail is whatever you want it to be. Making the pilgrimage to Blue Sky Basin is a special treat for early birds, who will find fewer crowds and more untracked lines.

Winter Scene 2011-12

Winter Park/Mary Jane Peak: 12,060 feet Base: 9,000 feet Vertical Rise: 3,000 feet Average Snowfall: 328 inches Snowmaking Acres: 300 Skiable Acres: 3,076 Lifts: 24 Trails: 142 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 8/37/55 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort:Y Day Ticket Price: $84 Adult/ $55 Sr./ $42 Child Opening Date: Nov. 16 The dual mountains of Winter Park and Mary Jane are best suited for experienced skiers and riders who like to get above treeline and rock ’n’ roll on bump runs. New lifts added in recent years have expanded the skiable terrain and granted access to new bowls on the far side of the mountains. Snowcat tours round out the experience.

Wolf Creek Peak: 11,904 feet Base: 10,300 feet

Vertical Rise: 1,604 feet Average Snowfall: 465 inches Snowmaking Acres: 0 Skiable Acres: 1,600 Lifts: 7 Trails: 77 % of Beginner/Intermediate/ Expert Terrain: 20/35/45 Bowl Skiing:Y Powdercat Skiing: N Resort: N Day Ticket Price: $52 Adult/ $28 Sr./ $28 Child Opening Date: Oct. 8 Wolf Creek had the audacity to open up before this article was even finished, but we’ll forgive them because the sooner the better. Wolf Creek’s peaceful setting far from the bustle of the metro area makes it feel more like a shrine than a ski area. The runs are fun, especially in the trees, and the powder is always in season. It’s a bit of a drive, but there’s nothing like hitting fresh pockets of snow at 3 p.m. day after day. No crowds, piles of snow and great runs — make the trip to Wolf Creek once, and you’ll return year after year.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

October 27, 2011 9

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nomical Echo Mountain is DEnvEr’s closEst anD Most afforDablE ski anD snowboarD arEa. Echo’s Easy accEss, spEctacular viEws anD frEE parking MakE us a popular choicE for skiErs anD riDErs of all agEs anD abilitiEs. our lifts run until 9pM fivE nights pEr wEEk, so Day or night, your traDitions can bEgin hErE.

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Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

Courtesy of Ski Country USA

O

n the busiest days at many ski areas, it’s weekend warriors patrolling the mountain. Shuffling off the suits and ties of their work-weeks, volunteer ski patrollers — who have participated in training programs, ski try-outs and tests for a year before being set loose with a toboggan — check the ropes and signage, ski the runs, staff the first aid clinic, and bring injured riders and skiers back to the base area.

“It’s mostly people that have a love of skiing and like being outside on the mountain and like to help people,” Geoff Anders, ski patrol director for Winter Park, says of his ski patrollers. “We get involved in everything. We train constantly to evacuate the lifts in case of failure there. We’ve been involved in those and involved in night searches when people lose their way and it gets dark. It’s kind of the full gamut.”

It’s not an undertaking to be considered lightly and begins with passing a test that ensures patrollers ski or snowboard at expert level.

“We can teach them the first aid and everything else, but we can’t teach them to ski,” he says.

With so many mogul runs at Winter Park, patrollers have to demonstrate solid skills on the bumps.

“They should be able to ski any terrain without problems. Strong skiers transition real easily into strong toboggan handlers,” says Greg Grossman, coordinator for the volunteer Loveland Ski Patrol. “If they pass the ski test, we teach a [course], it’s called outdoor emergency care, which is basically ski patrol first aid. It’s more like an EMT for outdoors.”

Training is standardized by the National Ski Patrol, a nonprofit organization considered the leading authority in snow sport safety.

In addition to medical training, patrollers may also be schooled in snow safety, avalanche control and mountaineering.

Some training sessions can take up two nights during the week and a day during the weekend from August Boulder Weekly

A patroller on duty at Loveland

The real snow patrol Volunteer ski patrollers keep the slopes safer

by Elizabeth Miller to December. Throughout the year, patrollers will continue to practice skills with toboggans and rehearse lift evacuations. Returning Loveland patrollers do a 16-hour refresher course in the fall as well.

“We make it real clear to them that there’s so much training the first year that it’s really not worth their time or our investment if they only want to do it for a year,” Anders says.

And once you’re in, you stay in. The process to become a ski patroller at an area can take up to, or more than, a year of training and tests. Grossman estimates that people stay for a minimum of about five years.

“Either people quit at the end of five years, or they stay for the rest of their lives,” he says.

Loveland’s volunteer ski patrol, which has 140 members, compared to the 20 paid full-time patrollers, has members in ages from 15 to 70-something. Some of them are second- or third-generation patrollers.

Grossman has been a patroller at Loveland for 25 years and got into it because he had a friend on the patrol there.

And it’s still the social aspect of

Winter Scene 2011-12

the patrol that keeps him coming back.

“It’s the group of people,” he says, describing why he stays. “It’s very much a club. Probably my best friends are all members of the ski patrol.”

“Volunteers, they’re a real dedicated group, and it’s not unusual for them to patrol for 15 to 40 years,” Anders says. “We have guys who have been on even longer than that.”

Probably half his patrollers have been on staff for more than 12 years, he estimates.

“They like patrolling and they like the camaraderie of the group, it’s a really tight-knit unit,” Anders says.

The day for a patroller starts with arriving just before 7 a.m. Patrollers sign in, sign up for a lift, then get booted up for an 8 a.m. meeting that will brief them on the events of the day and anything they need to look out for. By 8:15 a.m., patrollers are out, ahead of the first chair, checking the hill for anything from downed ropes to fallen trees.

Then in four-hour shifts, patrollers spend their time alternately at the top of the lift or skiing runs, looking for people and being available to those with problems. At 4 p.m., all patrollers are expected to be at the top of their

lift, ready to do a final sweep.

“That’s to make sure we’re not leaving anybody on the mountain,” Grossman says. “And hopefully, by 4:30 p.m. we’re done.”

“That’s the basic routine, but you never know what you’re going to get on any given day, so it’s a nice variety,” Anders says.

People he’s met through patrol have gotten him everything from admission to nice golf courses to summer construction jobs.

“I think it’s opened a lot of doors for me,” Grossman says of his time on patrol. “It seems like I always get to travel to at least one other area every season through patrol. I’ve gotten to ski in Canada and Europe through patrol — actually, I’ve gotten to drive race cars through patrol.”

(As for that race car business — a fellow patroller was a member of a club that drove race cars, and Grossman was able to partake.)

“I think we make it a safe experience, as much as we possibly can, eliminating hazards and minimizing the reckless behavior on the mountain,” Anders says.

Those challenges have changed a bit in the 30 years he’s been a patroller, he says.

“We still have the young people who think they’re invincible, but they’ve developed a degree of a lack of etiquette, and I also think the helmet craze had made people think they’re more invincible,” he says. “And also, the iPods, that sort of thing, with people blasting their tunes all the time — they’re not, I don’t believe, as aware of their surroundings as prior to the iPod.” That makes it harder to get someone’s attention, he says, and causes a few collisions.

“We’re the good guys,” he says.

“We’re out there to make their experience better. We don’t like being cops, regulators, but that’s part of the job.”

And while powder days are still pretty good, Grossman says, “I’m going to be up there one day a week regardless, so I don’t let the weather influence my decision to go or not.”

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com October 27, 2011 11

Slopeside suds

The best Colorado après ski bars

by Tom Winter

I

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Tom Winter

t’s been a The Pub, good day.

Winter Park You’ve scored A great happy fresh tracks in hour menu and the morning, solid live music hit some glades and schedule make The jumped a cornice.

Pub the top spot You’ve sampled for après ski food some bumps and and drink after even thrown down a day at this ski some high-speed area. Best of all is Toasting to snowy successes. screamers on a The Pub’s $10.95 groomer or two. large pizza deal on And now it’s time Saturdays, which to relax a bit. Have a beer, maybe gives you an excuse to hang out and something to eat, and let the traffic enjoy the scene while the crowds sit thin out before you make the trek in traffic on I-70. home. Here, in no particular order, is winterparkpub.com a compendium of the best places to unwind after a day on the slopes.

Corona Bowl Bar, Eldora Ski Area Vendetta’s, Vail Sure, you could drive back down Nothing says “local” like a bar that to Boulder or try some of Nedergives a free beer to each member of land’s watering holes, but Eldora’s the ski patrol who worked that day.

Corona Bowl has a great selection of With that kind of enticement, it’s no microbrews on tap, always has seating surprise that Vail’s Vendetta’s packs in and there’s a sunny deck for catching both patrollers and other on-mounrays in the spring. Throw in the fact tain staff. Throw in a mix of hard-core that it’s right next to the slopes and locals, savvy tourists and cheap slices, you don’t have to take your boots off and you have one of Colorado’s best and, well, you get the idea. après bars, with a low-key atmosphere eldora.com and bartenders who know their stuff. vendettasvail.com Gold Pan Saloon, Breckenridge 39 Degrees Lounge, Aspen Sample a bit of Breckenridge’s Located in Aspen’s hip Sky Hotel, 39 rough and tumble mining history Degrees is a snowball’s throw from the while unwinding at the end of your base of Aspen Mountain.You’d expect a day. The Gold Pan started life in 1879 place like this to be trendy, and, yes, you as the Herman Strauss Saloon and are in Aspen, so sit back and enjoy some claims to hold the longest continuousof the best people-watching outside of ly operating liquor license west of the NYC or Hollywood. If you’re lucky, a biMississippi, a fact you can mull while kini photo shoot complete with the Reef you savor a cold one and ponder Girls will be going down in the heated tomorrow’s powder day. pool adjacent to the lounge. thegoldpansaloon.com

theskyhotel.com

The Goat Soup and Whiskey, Keystone Get this — $1.50 pints of PBR. That’s right, après at the Goat is cheap! And with prices that cheap, it’s no surprise that this Keystone establishment fills up with Arapahoe Basin locals, who lend the atmosphere a nice, hard-core vibe.

thegoattavern.com

The Sitzmark, Loveland Ski Area Microbrews on tap, melting snow on the floor (some of which you tramped in at the end of your day) and ample seating make this watering hole in the basement of Loveland’s lodge the place to be after a day hiking The Ridge.

skiloveland.com

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

The powder highway

Four places you should go this winter

by Tom Winter

T

Tom Winter

resort Northstar. he road trip.Ask Sure, it’s a long a skier drive, but stop in or snowUtah (see above) boarder for a day, and then about their last one push hard across and the memories I-80 to Tahoe.With will come thick and a pass good for fast: closed highways two resorts with and avalanches and great terrain and the “best day ever”; Marty Lucero at Taos, N.M. cheap casino rooms the time everyone on tap nearby, the had to sleep in the journey is worth car; the time they met a local on the lift the destination. who turned out to own the local lodge Insider Tip: Don’t forget to check and gave them a room; powder, lots of out Heavenly’s Killebrew Canyon.The powder. steep, expert-only terrain here is at the You don’t need to go on a road edge of the ski area and is the place to trip this winter.You can rock the same be on powder days. place all season long, hang with the skiheavenly.com same friends and ski the same runs.

But to make your good year a great Jackson Hole, Wyo. year, full of epic memories and bellyThe crazy thing about Jackson the laugh stories and some of the best skiski area is that the town of Jackson ing and snowboarding of your life, you’ll Hole is a summer tourist destination have to hit the road. It’s on the road first, and winter visits are secondary. that unforgettable moments are forged. That means cheap hotel rooms in town There are no substitutes and there are and the chance to enjoy the uncrowdno shortcuts.Ya gotta get behind the ed, authentic ambiance of one of the wheel. And when you do, here are four best resorts in North America without of the best places to end up. standing in lift lines. Believe the hype.

There’s a reason that pro snowboarder Alta/Snowbird, Utah Travis Rice calls this mountain home.

Alta and neighboring Snowbird Insider Tip: Spend a day ripping up get some of the best snow in North the in-town steeps of Snow King.This America each year. If that isn’t enough local ski hill has some of the steepest runs in Wyoming. reason to go, consider that if you’re a Jacksonhole.com skier, you can get a lift ticket that lets you connect both areas in a day. For Taos Ski Valley, N.M. snowboarders, Snowbird has plenty to A mere six hours from Boulder, keep you entertained.The tram is unlike any lift in Colorado, and whisks you Taos is the easiest road trip we list here. But easy doesn’t mean boring.

2,900 vertical feet in 10 minutes.

Taos is unlike anything in Colorado.

Insider tip: Don’t forget to explore nearby Big Cottonwood Canyon, home Native American and Latino cultures mingle with ski bums from Michigan, to Solitude and Brighton ski areas. alta.com creating a stew of different cultures and accents.They’re all here for the Heavenly Valley/Northstar, empty slopes, rowdy steeps and unbeCalif. lievably light New Mexico powder.

You own an Epic Pass, right? Well, if Insider Tip: Visit during the first you don’t, there’s always next year. And weekend in March and catch the onif you do, you’ll probably have to force and off-snow action of the Salomon yourself to leave, given the amazing acNew Mexico Freeriding Championcess to five different ski areas that you ships, with great parties and extreme enjoy in Colorado. But breaking out of on-hill action featuring top pros. the rut is important, and your pass is skitaos.org good at Heavenly and its sister Tahoe Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com Boulder Weekly

Winter Scene 2011-12

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October 27, 2011 13

James Dziezynski

F

or anyone who has sat in traffic on I-70 for four hours on a Sunday night or woken up early to get 6 inches of powder at Copper only to find the runs already tracked out, the allure of backcountry skiing, with endless untracked powder and nary a soul in sight, is understandable.

The catch (and there is, of course, a catch) is that earning your turns in the backcountry is so damned hard. Who wants to sweat for two hours with a pack when the only reward is 15 minutes of a powder run and a long drive home?

For those who want the solitude and quality of the backcountry but want to ease the strain a bit, there’s an alternative: backcountry huts, and, thankfully, Colorado has plenty of options.

it kind of has a little bit of everything,” says Brian Litz, author of the Colorado Hut to Hut guidebooks. “But if you really want to get to huts that you can use as a base camp to climb peaks and ski some pretty serious terrain, where you also need The Green Wilson hut outside Aspen more backcountry, highmountain skiing skills, the two hut systems that are that way are the Alfred Braun Hut System and the San Juan Hut System.”

The Alfred A. Braun Hut system is now part of the 10th Mountain system, but they are actually some of the 10th Mountain Division Hut Associaoldest huts in Colorado, tion. “You can connect as many huts dating back to the late ’50s. as you want.”

Getting to the huts requires You’ll probably only have time for slightly more advanced route-finding one hut or two or three during your and navigational skills than other 10th trip, but the possibilities are endless.

Mountain Huts, Litz says. Since the The 10th Mountain hosts an event Braun huts are pretty much right at called the Benedict 100, a near-100treeline, altitude increases the degree mile trek from Aspen to downtown of difficulty, but the huts serve as a Vail that hits six huts and passes by a great base camp for ski mountaineerfew more. ing trips. Get lucky with snow, Litz The bane of the 10th Mountain says, and the powder skiing can be huts, though, is their popularity. To get incredible. reservations during the busiest times “The conditions around the huts of year, you have to enter a lottery are nice little bowls and stuff and nice in February to have a shot at getting little shots,” Litz says. “Because it’s the space and time you need. At this so close to treeline, it’s a little more point, reservations are still available, condition-dependent.” but only for small groups willing to The San Juan Hut System is go on weekdays. But depending on one of the roughest, most remote the type of experience you’re looking hut systems in Colorado, Litz says. for, that might be a good thing, given Located in the Sneffles mountain the alternatives. range, the five huts that make up the San Juan Hut System are accessed Other hut systems via Ridgway, a town that’s about a “The 10th Mountain System is six-hour drive from Boulder. The sort of the flagship system and sort ascents to the huts vary from three of the middle of the bell curve in that to nine miles, with 1,000 to 2,000

Hut to hut in the backcountry Sleeping in comfort in the woods to line up for fresh powder

by David Accomazzo

10th Mountain Division Hut System The basic premise of a hut is this: You cross-country ski or snowshoe into the hut, carrying your food, sleeping bag and other personal items, and then you spend a few days hiking to backcountry runs surrounding the huts. While there are huts scattered throughout nearly all of Colorado’s mountain ranges, the most extensive and famous system is the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association.

Consisting of 31 huts clustered mostly around Aspen, Leadville and Vail, the huts are spacious, woodframe cabins heated by wood-burning 14 October 27, 2011

stoves and equipped with cookware and bunks. Melted snow serves as drinking water, and a select few huts have saunas. The huts fit six to 20 people, and at the smaller huts you have to book the whole hut, rather than just booking a few slots at the larger ones. It’s a bargain at $20 to $35 a night.

It’s not quite as luxurious as it sounds, since you have to pack in gear and provisions. Almost all the huts have no plumbing, either. But the huts are a warm refuge after a long, hard day hiking and riding the surrounding powder, and they beat a tent any day. Plus, the backcountry opportunities are nearly unparalleled.

The hut system has 31 huts, and 14 of them are operated by a nonprofit called the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association. The rest are either privately owned or part of separate hut systems.

“There are some fantastic huts out there, but what sets our huts apart is the connectivity,” says Ben Dodge, executive director of the

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

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“That’s really a wild and woolly hut system,” Litz says of the San Juan huts. “And it’s very different terrain skiing into the huts, and you’re very much in southwestern Colorado.You ski through a lot of ranch country near Telluride and Ridgway, and you ski through pasture land and through aspen trees and oak trees.”

The terrain is for experts only, preferably those with some backcountry experience. The best skiing

is actually on avalanche paths themselves, Litz says.

“They’re all north-facing slopes when you ski, and there’s nobody back there except the hut people. It is superb. Generally superb powder skiing, generally 1,500- to 2,000-foot shots,” Litz says. “I’ve never been there when it’s been shitty powder skiing.”

For more information on the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association visit www.huts.org.

To find out more about the San Juan Hut System, visit www.sanjuanhuts.com.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

Hut tips Safety first

Backcountry skiing is dangerous. Six backcountry skiers died last year, and 41 were caught in avalanches, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Thousands of people enjoy the backcountry safely each year, but to minimize your chances of an accident, make sure you follow some common-sense precautions.

First, make sure you have the right gear. This includes an avalanche beacon, a probe and a shovel. Know how to use it, and make sure everyone else in your group does, too. If you don’t know how to safely conduct yourself in the backcountry, go with someone who does.

Take an avalanche safety course somewhere around town prior to your trip to familiarize yourself with the hazards of the backcountry. And remember, the more experience the other people going on the trip have, the safer you’ll be.

Got kids? There’s a hut for that There are huts accessible only by way of a grueling, six-hour hike at 11,000 feet above sea level. Then there are huts less than a mile from the car. Brian Litz, author of the Colorado Hut to Hut guidebooks, recommends the Never Summer Nordic yurts west of Fort Collins for families and those wishing to avoid the crowds and the long hikes.

Educate yourself There are many classes available at stores like REI and Neptune Mountaineering, from avalanche safety courses to lectures given by guidebook authors. The 10th Mountain Division Hut Association will give an informational talk about hut trips on Dec. 1 at REI Boulder from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.Visit www.rei.com/stores/44 for a schedule.

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Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com Boulder Weekly

Winter Scene 2011-12

October 27, 2011 15

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Starting a new cold weather sport

by James Dziezynski

W

inter in the Rocky Mountains is a magical time.

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When you’re ready to buy, first consider how much you’ll be using your snowshoes and where you want to go. A basic shoe will run between $50 and $100. If you prefer more rugged, off-trail adventures, it’s worth investing in a quality snowshoe that can cost anywhere between $120 and $300. Higher-end snowshoes are made from lighter, more durable materials and have stronger bindings. Keep in mind a quality snowshoe can last 10 years — or even a lifetime — and many manufacturers have solid warranties and modest repair costs.

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Backcountry skiing and snowboarding Making the move from resort to backcountry skiing/snowboarding is a big one. The number one

investment is not better skis but education: knowing how to read snow, predict avalanche conditions and use a beacon and probe are vital before ever going out in the backcountry. If you are a telemark skier, you may only have to invest in a pair of climbing skins (pads that strap on your ski bottoms to let you climb uphill). Alpine skiers can invest in an AT set up, which requires new bindings and special boots and start at $500.

Normal skis will work, but fatter, longer skis will perform better in powder.

Snowboarders can simply strap on their boots and hoof it up or invest in a split board (starting at around $700) to give them the advantage of skinning up. There are easily accessed backcountry areas nearby, including Berthoud Pass and Loveland Pass, that are great places to start.

Ice climbing With all the gear and knowledge required to ice climb, this thrilling sport can be an expensive one to jump into. If you’ve never been and would like to try, a day at the Ouray Ice Park with the San Juan Mountain guides or with the Colorado Mountain School in Rocky Mountain National Park will provide for safer experimentation.

As far as gear goes, a pair of good ice axes can run about $300 or more, and you’ll need crampons (starting at about $100), a good dry rope, a helmet and materials to set up a simple top rope, such as slings and carabiners. If you move to leading ice, you’ll need to invest in ice screws and a few other specialized pieces of gear.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

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16 October 27, 2011

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

Women are different

And their winter sports experiences should be as well

by Tom Winter

I

f you’re a guy, you already know that women are different. But many people don’t appreciate those differences. Like the dude who put his girlfriend on huge fat skis because “that’s what all of his bros ski on,” or the husband who insists on teaching his wife to snowboard, with predictable results.Women need skis and snowboards designed for them.

And their boots have to interface with feet that usually have higher arches and are narrower than a man’s. Finally, the on-snow experience needs to take into account the way that the ladies learn.

Fortunately, these differences have been recognized and embraced.

Women now can score top-notch equipment designed to perform better for them. And there are plenty of opportunities for women to indulge in women-specific ski and snowboard programs. Here’s an overview of some of the best options available today.

Eldora Women’s Days Close, convenient and easy to access, Eldora is Boulder’s local hill, with an underrated mix of terrain and a low-key vibe that’s a far cry from Summit County’s mega-resorts.Throw in an excellent Nordic skiing trail system and the fact that you’ll have the place to yourself on a weekday, and the mountain’s Women’s Days start to look pretty good. Held on consecutive weeks throughout the winter, these programs run the gamut from telemark skiing to snowboarding.

You’ll start your day with a continental breakfast, enjoy a gourmet lunch and get a minimum of four hours each day with Eldora’s top-notch instructors.

eldora.com

Babes In The Backcountry It’s old news that Colorado has amazing opportunities for backcountry skiing, and Babes In The Backcounty is geared towards the ladies who want to get outside of the controlled environment found in resorts.That’s not to say that some of the programs offered by the organization don’t happen inbounds.There are steep skiing camps at both Arapahoe Basin and Silverton and Boulder Weekly

telemark clinics at the Basin, too. But much of what you’ll find here is the real deal: avalanche classes and seminars, backcountry introductory classes and more, like women-only hut trips.

babesinthebackcountry.com.

Ladies Snowboard Fest, Breckenridge Held Feb. 17-20, this program features Breckenridge’s best snowboard instructors showing you how to rip the entire mountain. Option 1 focuses on all mountain riding and is for those looking to refine their overall all-mountain skills; Option 2 is a park and pipe extravaganza with a strictly freestyle orientation; and Option 3 (our recommendation) includes both the all-mountain and park elements to help you become the well-rounded rider you always dreamed of being.

Breckenridge.com

Telluride Women’s Week Thirty years is how old Telluride’s Women’s Week program is this year.

In other words, they must be doing something right. Over the years, this all-girls week has expanded to include snowboarding and special “breakout” sessions focusing on specific skills, like mogul skiing. Held during three dedicated weeks each winter, each session includes lift tickets, women-specific gear demos, video analysis and more.

tellurideskiresort.com

SheRide Snowboard Camp, Durango Mountain Resort Held March 2-4, the SheRide camp’s women-only experience includes three days of on-hill instruction in snowboarding, video analysis, tuning clinics and more. Featuring a group of high-energy, high-expertise ladies who handle the coaching duties, SheRide is a bit different than other camps, because SheRide proceeds go directly to helping at-risk teens. SheRide works with SOS Outreach Durango.The SOS program provides at-risk teens with positive experiences and role models.

www.sheride.com

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

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18 October 27, 2011

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

James Dziezynski

W

inter ascents of Colorado’s high peaks offer a challenging and rewarding way to experience the grandeur of the Rockies.

With the right gear and preparation, standing atop snow-capped summits on a crystal clear, bluebird sky day is within reach of anyone willing to put in the time.

Fitness and nutrition The effects of cold weather on a hard-working hiker are much more insidious than they are in warmer conditions. All the same factors of fatigue, dehydration and high altitude are as present as in the summer, but in the winter, because you’re working harder and constantly burning fuel to stay warm, they work more quickly to wear people out. And because it’s more of a hassle to eat and drink (especially when hydration bladders freeze and energy bars become as hard as concrete when frozen), it’s easy to neglect properly fueling your body.

A loose rule of thumb is that your body will be working twice as hard when climbing in winter conditions, so that three-mile summit hike should be treated like a six-mile day. A good base level of fitness is essential to enjoy winter outings. Snowshoeing, crosscountry skiing and endurance-based gym routines are all great ways to get your legs and lungs ready. Exercises that strengthen knees are especially important in descending (which can actually go much quicker in snow, even if you’re not on skis). Lunges, burpees and basic plyometrics are perfect to power up your legs. Working on building endurance is the last piece of the fitness puzzle. Even skiers, who can get down much faster than hikers, need to work harder and push longer. Running and cycling are perfect for developing endurance.

Making a habit of carrying hot drinks in thermal containers — and making sure to consume them — is the key to fueling your body in cold conditions. Keeping easy-to-eat foods like gels, gummies and energy bars close to your body prevents them Boulder Weekly

cutline tk

Snow summits Climbing Colorado’s mountains in the winter

by James Dziezynski from freezing and offers ready access.

Keep more robust, calorie-rich meals in your pack and make sure not to linger too long when you eat (you get colder as the blood goes to your stomach). Keep those calories coming all day long! For long days, look for protein-packed snacks. And one final tip: Cut up an old foam pad for a comfy, ultra-light seat that insulates you from the snow when you sit down to eat.

Equipment Staying warm is all about smart layering. A base layer of moisture-wicking clothes against the skin will help prevent the most prevalent danger of winter hiking, hypothermia. Avoid cotton against your skin at all costs in the winter, even in socks. Use fleece and down/synthetic fill jackets and vests to provide the core of your warmth.

Finish the system with a waterproof, breathable jacket and pants (preferably bibs, to keep snow from sneaking in).

A warm wool hat is a no-brainer, but many people don’t realize how much heat escapes through your neck as well. A soft fleece neck gaiter and balaclava prevent “heat leaks.” Gloves are best worn in layers, with a thin liner complemented by an insulated and

Winter Scene 2011-12

waterproof outer glove. Longer gloves will help keep out powder.

Boots are often a matter of personal choice. People who run hot can usually get away with warm socks and waterproof all-season hiking boots.

Those who get chilly easily (usually women — no offense, ladies) will want to opt for insulated boots or use heat packs. When selecting footwear, be aware that if you will need to use crampons (spikes for icy travel), you may need to have special boots. Manufacturers make crampons that will strap on most boots, and these are usually fine for non-technical, winter hiking. Snowshoes and poles are also very helpful. Learning how to properly use a snow axe for purchase, glissading and self-arresting is vital for safety on steep slopes. And finally, make sure you have quality goggles or glacier glasses to prevent damage to your eyes from reflected sunlight.

A few more accessories to make the winter more comfortable: insulated thermoses, insulated water bottle holders you can attach to the waist straps of your pack, headlamps with battery packs you can wear under your layers and, for extra long or remote days, a portable camp stove and fuel.

Avalanche aware Avalanche safety cannot be stressed enough. Investing in a beacon, probe and shovel (and knowing how to use them) are the first things you must have before going out into the wilderness. There are many avalanche safety courses available through groups like the Colorado Mountain Club, the Colorado Mountain School and the San Juan Mountain guides.

There are also many free clinics hosted at outdoors stores run by these groups and specialty organizations like the Friends of Berthoud Pass. There are also plenty of books on avalanche safety, such as Snow Sense, published by the Alaska Mountain Safety Center.

Before heading out, check the avalanche conditions at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (http:// avalanche.state.co.us/). Avalanches can happen any time there’s snow on the mountain, so be smart and safe when dealing with them — many backcountry enthusiasts have been injured or killed in snow slides.

Time of year The dead of winter is a tough time to get out in the mountains.

The snow is unstable, the winds are strong and the cold can make things miserable. Things start improving from late March into early June, when the snowpack consolidates and the mountains are warmer and safer. January to March ascents are possible, but demand much more awareness, effort and safety measures. Spring snow climbs are not only safer, but every once in a while you’ll get a warm, cloudless day where you can climb in a T-shirt.

Where to start To get a sample of winter conditions, try Mount Sniktau off Loveland Pass or Colorado Mines Peak off Berthoud Pass. Both are relatively safe, well-traveled and easy to reach from the metro area. If you’re ready to challenge a fourteener, the standard route on Quandary Peak is perfect. Grays and Torreys are also good fourteeners to start with.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com October 27, 2011 19

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Neil Beidleman

Longs Peak

C

olorado skier Chris Davenport is known for pushing the limits on Colorado’s fourteeners and around the globe. Since skiing all of Colorado’s highest peaks in a year, Davenport has gone on to face conquests here and abroad. But years later, some of his greatest stories still come from that wild ride on Colorado’s peaks. And while his adventures continue on a global scale, it’s nice to know there are endless opportunities to explore the wild side of life right here in our own backyard.

Davenport’s quest to ski down all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks in one calendar year started Jan. 22, 2006, on Mount Lincoln. It ended on Jan. 19, 2007, with a descent of Longs Peak with Neil Beidleman and Nick Devore. Davenport not only reached the summit of all the 14ers in a year (an impressive task in itself), but also pioneered several new descent lines, including an ambitious first run on Capitol Peak.

Davenport wasn’t the first to ski all the fourteeners — that honor goes to Colorado author and prolific ski mountaineer Lou Dawson, who turned the trick in 1991. Borrowing on Dawson’s trailblazing experience and employing advances in gear and technology, not to mention his own ski mountaineering skills, Davenport’s journey was an epic Colorado first.

For anyone who has climbed the more precarious fourteeners, the thought of a ski line on steep class 3 and 4 terrain seems absurd. Intimidating peaks such as Little Bear, Capitol, Maroon, Sunlight and Pyramid would seem impossible to slide down on skis.

But as the Rockies are transformed in winter, new options emerge on seemingly unskiable mountains.

“A lot of people’s familiarity with fourteeners is in the summer and fall when they are big piles of rock,” says Davenport. “And in a lot of cases they are more dangerous and scarier that way. Certainly Capitol, certainly Little Bear. But when they get transformed with winter snowpack and spring locks that snow up, it creates a window of opportunity for a much safer experience if you have the skill to ski.

Boulder Weekly

Continuing adventures Catching up with Chris Davenport

by James Dziezynski Skiing becomes an amazing tool that makes the mountaineering safer.”

Getting down quickly on skis means less exposure to the elements, less time on avalanche-prone slopes and an exponentially faster descent than if on foot or snowshoes.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve climbed alongside other climbers, and I’m back to the car in 45 minutes and they still have four or five hours to go,” says Davenport.

The quest was not without drama — with the one-year deadline closing in fast, an attempt on Jan. 17, 2007, failed on Longs Peak due to strong winds and freezing temperatures. But then, with a bit of luck, the storm front blew out and offered a chance to ski the final mountain in the mission. The team returned on Jan. 19 with only a few days left to complete the quest.

“I had four days left before a year was up,” he says. “We ended up driving four hours [from Aspen] and getting up at 3 a.m. We climbed the Loft Couloir between Meeker and Longs and followed the Keplinger Couloir to the summit. The fitting thing was, two days earlier we had gotten our asses kicked by Mother Nature, and when we got to the summit of Longs Peak, it was like a June day. No wind, blue sky, gloves off, hats off.”

Winter Scene 2011-12

Davenport, Beidleman and Devore successfully navigated the hard-packed Keplinger Couloir into Wild Basin and the quest was at an end.

Davenport cites the descent of the East Face of Pyramid Peak as one of his favorites for its aesthetics — and for his team’s role in reviving a classic route.

“Before we did it, the east face hadn’t been done in 26 years,” he says. “It’s probably the best line in Colorado. It gained a fierce reputation because it just wasn’t done. But it’s a beautiful line, four grand, steep.

“But not only because it’s one of the most beautiful lines; I like it because we broke the proverbial glass ceiling. Not long after our descent, several other teams ... skied the line, and now it’s skied every year.”

Perhaps what is most amazing about Davenport’s accomplishments is the fact he has to excel at two very demanding sports: mountaineering and skiing. The skiing part came naturally.

Davenport grew up in North Conway, N.H. His father was a ski racer and two of his sisters were on the U.S. Ski Team. Chris did pretty well for himself as a ski racer at the University of Colorado, but really rose to prominence as an extreme skier, winning the Extreme Skiing World Championship

in 1996 and repeating in 2001.

Mountaineering and climbing were parallel passions for Davenport, who honed his skill through early climbs in New England, outdoors courses at the National Outdoors Leadership School (NOLS) and later on in Boulder Canyon and Eldorado Springs.

Big mountains came later and, with them, many impressive ski descents, including the Eiger in Switzerland, several first descents in Denali National Park in Alaska and, in the spring of 2011, a successful summit of Mount Everest and ski descent (again with Neil Beidleman) down the imposing Lhostse Face.

“Neil and I went above Camp 3 and skied it in a foot and a half of boot-deep powder: silent, beautiful snow, which is ultra-rare. It’s usually all black ice,” says Davenport. “The technical difficulties are not that challenging, but it’s so big, so exposed and so high that it definitely has the feeling of being more intense.”

Davenport shows no signs of slowing down, with trips to try daring new lines on the Eiger and a return to Antarctica in the works. It is safe to rank the fourteener quest on par with other great ski mountaineering accomplishments on his resume.

For those who want to follow in his tracks, Davenport suggests starting modestly. Quandary Peak is a perfect place to start, assuming one already has ample experience in mountaineering, winter climbing/avalanche safety and, of course, backcountry skiing or snowboarding. Skiing even a single fourteener is a major undertaking and one that must be done seriously, methodically and with the right partners.

“Good partners that you trust are vital,” says Davenport. “Beyond that, knowing your gear, knowing how to use it and being efficient will increase your safety.”

Eager to share his insights, Davenport runs a website detailing all 54 of his fourteener descents at www. skithe14ers.com.You can also follow his adventures on his website at chrisdavenport.com. He is also the author of two photography books: Ski the 14ers (2008; Wolverine Press) and 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America (2010; Capitol Peak Publishing).

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com October 27, 2011 21

Courtesy of Boulder Outdoor Sports

Eric Bader demonstrates the ease of snowkiting.

Snowkiting in Skyline, Utah.

S

nowkiting offers the opportunity to turn any open and snowcovered area into an escapade. And as a bonus, it also allows winter sports fans to avoid having to sit in hours of traffic or pay pricey lift tickets.

“It’s great to go the opposite direction of ski traffic,” says Eric Bader, the president of Boulder Outdoor Center, which offers snowkiting lessons and sells the kites needed for the sport. “I haven’t needed a ski ticket in years.”

Snowkiting combines the elements of winter with a pair of skis or a snowboard, and, according to Bader, is easy to learn and is a lot of fun.

“Not too many people even know about it,” he says. “You basically ski or snowboard across the snow just like a sailboat sails across the water.”

Bader has been snowkiting for six years, and will sometimes travel across the country to snowkite. The sport is exhilarating, he says, and a good way for skiers or snowboarders to try something new while still enjoying the snow.

22 October 27, 2011

Snowkiting

A whole new adventure

by Christie Sounart To snowkite, a skier or boarder is connected to a large kite by a harness.

The kite is then steered by a bar that the person holds on to.When the wind is strong enough, snowkiters are able to go both uphill and downhill, Bader says, and usually go more than twice the speed of the wind. Some advanced kiters can reach speeds of 60 mph.

“You definitely want to start with lessons,” Bader says. “Snowkiting can be done very safely as a sport, but like anything, you need to learn how to do it first. One lesson is enough to get people going.”

Golf courses, soccer fields, frozen lakes, the backcountry and open public lands make great places for snowkiting, Bader says. Winds from seven to 10 mph are enough for a beginner to have an exciting time, he says. More advanced kiters will seek out wind speeds of 20 mph or greater.

Anyone who feels comfortable on the ski slopes can learn to snowkite, including children.

Colorado Kite Force, which claims to be the first snow kiting school in the country, specializes in the sport and gives lessons on Lake Dillon all season.

Anton Rainold, the owner and lead instructor, says snowkiting can take place anywhere, as long as the area is covered in snow and there is enough wind. Rainold has even taught people to ski and snowkite simultaneously, he says. People generally enjoy the sport because it offers something beyond a day at a ski resort.

“It is skiing or snowboarding in three dimensions,” he says. Another positive aspect, he says, is that the cold doesn’t seem as bitter because you are constantly moving while snowkiting.

“It is one of the warmest winter sports there is,” Rainold says. “Once you’re moving and kiting, the cold doesn’t exist.”’

People can go back and forth for long periods of time while snowkiting on terrain such as a lake, or can travel long distances in the backcountry. A person can easily cover at least 20 miles a day on a kite, as long as the wind is there, Bader says.

The kites, which sell for $600 to $800, can also lift a person’s weight, enabling more adventure-seeking people to take their tricks to a new level with long air time.

“Half-pipes take on a whole new meaning,” Bader says with a laugh.

Kermit Lahri has been snowkiting for more than 10 years, and much of his life is planned around wind patterns and the freshest powder. He has observed many people instantly become hooked on the sport and constantly seek out new areas to snowkite, he says.

“It’s a very addicting passion,” he says. “The ability to traverse that kind of terrain with a kite is incredible.”

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

Catching a lift to sweeter skiing

Powdercat and heli-skiing in Colorado

by James Dziezynski

W

hat can be better than a day of fresh lines, powder shots and untracked snow just begging to be carved? Forget the lifts if you want real-deal out-of-bounds glory and take a tour via snow cats or helicopters. Powdercat skiing is a fun and affordable way to see new sides of your favorite mountains. Heli-skiing can be pricey (anywhere between $200 to $300 a person), but for thrill seekers who want to expand their ski experience, it can’t be beat.

Powdercat skiing Get ready to rip with these powdercat-powered adventures from Aspen to Steamboat. Tracked vehicles can reach out-of-bounds areas not easily attained by trudging up on skis, and the lack of crowds will make you feel like you’re on your own private ski mountain. Here’s a sampling of some of our favorites throughout Colorado.

Aspen Mountain Powder Tours Check out sweet Elk Range action with Aspen Mountain’s powder tours.

Explore hidden lines, dash through alpine glades, and dance through the namesake aspen groves. Hang out in a heated cabin for lunch, and then get back out there in the afternoon.

970-920-0720; www.aspensnow mass.com/onmountain/moremountain fun/powdertours.cfm Chicago Ridge Snow Cat Humble Ski Cooper in Leadville is one of the smaller ski areas in the state, but it’s also home to some of the best backcountry skiing. A tour of Chicago Ridge hits untracked powder in White River National Forest, and groups can expect 10-15 runs in a full day of cat skiing.

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Steamboat Powdercats If you think the champagne powder at Steamboat’s ski mountain is sweet, wait until you tap into the backcountry terrain off of Buffalo Pass. All the same great trees and flowing lines are waiting, along with some of the deepest powder around.

970-879-5188; www.steamboatpo wdercats.com

Heli-skiing Take to the sky and get a bird’s eye view of the mountain before hopping out of the chopper and blazing down steeps and deeps from high summits. Heli-skiing is a thrilling experience from liftoff to the final turn.

Silverton Mountain Silverton Mountain is a haven of extreme terrain, and what better way to hit up the best lines than by helicopter? Silverton offers both snowcat and helicopter tours to reach its tastiest lines. Hitting the dreamlike powder is addicting, though — don’t say we didn’t warn you!

970-387-5706; www.silvertonmoun tain.com/page/experience/heli Telluride HeliTrax Chances are you’d much rather see miles of untracked snow than the celebrities known to visit Telluride, so gear up and get ready to fly. Southwest Colorado gets oodles of big powder drops; get your fattest skis tuned up and get ready to rip.

877-500-8377; www.helitrax.com Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

Winter Scene 2011-12

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October 27, 2011 23

Powderwhore.com

N

ot everyone gets to spend a winter in the wilds of the backcountry. Maybe not even everyone would want to. But for those who want a taste, want to cheer on the people who do, and want to protect the wildlands for them and future generations to enjoy, there’s the Backcountry Film Festival.

Developed by the Boise-based Winter Wildlands Alliance seven years ago, this event fundraises for organizations around the world interested in protecting the winter wonderlands they enjoy skiing, snowshoeing and hiking through.

“We are focused on grassroots, and all of our films are human-powered, non-motorized winter recreation, so it could be anything from sledding to splitboarding to cross-country to telemark skiing,” says Shelley Pursell, events and outreach coordinator for the Winter Wildlands Alliance.

This year’s submissions came in from, and will be screened in, destinations as varied as Kyrgyzstan, Morocco and Antarctica in a 70-stop tour that hits five continents.

The Best of the Festival goes to the Sweetgrass Productions film Solitaire.

“It’s a film that was two years in the making in South America,” Pursell says.

“It’s subtitled. Most of the narration is in Spanish, which is kind of interesting for a ski film.”

The best short is an animated film — a first for the festival. Another first is a winter kayaking film.

“It fell into the category of nonmotorized and winter, so we thought it was great,” Pursell says.

The Best of the Backcountry award went to Powderwhore Production’s film Breaking Trail.

“Best of the Backcountry, it really showcases for us why you get into the backcountry, what it is that gets you out there and gets you skinning, just 24 October 27, 2011

Glimpsing, and saving, the winter wildlands Backcountry Film Festival puts the why-we-do-this onto the screen

by Elizabeth Miller that feel-good footage,” Pursell says.

“Powderwhore just does that really well. It’s the reason you get up and you drive to the trailhead and you skin for two hours to take that turn.”

The idea is also to promote quiet recreation and raise awareness about what’s going on locally to protect those areas.

“There’s always kind of ongoing issues with motorized and nonmotorized use,” Pursell says. “Our local grassroots groups reach out to us, and we can help them with those issues, but the film festival, we try to make it kind of more celebration of winter recreation.”

The Backcountry Film Festival comes to Neptune Mountaineering each year as a fundraiser for the Colorado Mountain Club.That partnership stems from store owner Gary Neptune’s 40-plus years as a CMC member, and, he says, “They made me a lifetime member, so I can’t even quit.”

Neptune Mountaineering has hosted a number of festivals with entertainment and environmental elements over the past 10 years, Neptune says.

“We do it to benefit some nonprofits like the Colorado Mountain Club, which for me, it’s been personal, since I joined in 1964,” Neptune says.

“It was an important club to help get me started, so I’ve always had kind of a soft spot in my heart for them.”

The Backcountry festival draws about 100 attendees, he says.

“They pick out good films and really get you fired up to go skiing and in some cases fired up to protect some of what we have out there,” Neptune says.

“It’s important stuff.”

The Colorado Mountain Club, the largest human-powered winter recreation backcountry group in the state, has a three-part mission — recreation, conservation and education — and has been working to protect the Colorado Rockies since 1912.

“Some of our earliest members were instrumental in founding Rocky Mountain National Park — the conservation side — and they came to do that because they had been recreating in those areas back in a time where people couldn’t go to REI and buy the gear that’s available now.They had to,

for instance, nail nails into the bottom of their shoes to create crampons,” says Jay Heeter, spokesperson for the CMC. “Once they got up there, they could see these places were threatened and started working to educate folks about how to get out in the backcountry and enjoy it and educate politicians on how to protect it.”

The Backcountry Film Festival resonates with the do-it-yourself adventure spirit of the Colorado Mountain Club.

Last year, it raised money to help the Forest Service hire a winter ranger for Red Mountain Pass.

Proceeds have also funded avalanche training courses, and the event gives the Colorado Mountain Club a chance to do some education about current issues, like the Hidden Gems Wilderness campaign.

“There’s kind of a quiet magic to Colorado’s winter backcountry, so travel management becomes really important for skiers, making sure that there are places that skiers can go where they’re not interrupted by the noise and smoke of motorized vehicles,” he says.

With an increasing number of people going to the backcountry to ski or snowboard — a sport made easier by the recent introduction of the splitboard — planning and management issues become increasingly important.

“As people catch on to the idea that there is so much opportunity out there for adventure with the training and gear that is now available,” he says, “more people are taking to the backcountry.”

In addition to the Boulder screening, the CMC will host shows in Golden, Aspen, Ouray and Durango.

The Backcountry Film Festival screens at 8 p.m.Thursday, Jan. 19.

Tickets are $10 and can be bought at the door.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

Ice!

The Ouray Ice Festival celebrates all things frozen and cold by Tom Winter

I

ce. Hard, cold and crystalline. Ice, the stuff that climbing dreams — or nightmares — are made of. Ice, the foundation of one of Colorado’s most prestigious events every year. Ice, the meaning and essence of the annual Ouray Ice Festival.

You wouldn’t think that the tiny historic town of Ouray at the base of Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains would end up in a love affair with ice. The mountains here — steep, unforgiving and covered with snow — seem a natural destination for ski mountaineers. And you’d expect the town, deep in their shadows to shutter for the winter in an attempt to block the cold winds from above. While it’s true that summer brings a brisk liveliness into Ouray in the form of tourists, things don’t completely close up when the first snow falls.Yup, there are still those lonely ski mountaineer types (more of them seem to pass through lately since the opening of nearby Silverton ski area), and there are the ice climbers. Because in the winter, Ouray is about ice and ice climbing. And the ice of Ouray has made this forgotten mining town a global destination, one where French and German is as common as English, and climbers from all over the world mingle in the town’s small bars and restaurants after a day on Ouray ice.

The real impetus behind Ouray’s emergence as a capital of ice climbing is the Ouray Ice Festival. Started in 1996, and held each January, the festival is a global gathering of the ice climbing tribe. Gear companies, product manufacturers and reps, climbers (both pro and amateur), friends and family descend on Ouray during the Festival. And a festival it is. Combining exhibitions, presentations, slide shows, competition, clinics and more, the festival is now recognized as the premier international gathering of its kind.

At the heart of the festival is the Boulder Weekly

Ouray Ice Park. continues today.With an in-kind grant Ouray has always been an iceof $5,000 from Salomon, the financial climbing destination.The town’s footing of the ice park was secure.The location, at the bottom of mountains Festival also started a series of climband next to the Uncompahgre Gorge, ing exhibitions that evolved into the meant that meltwater from the snow competitions that are currently one of formed classic and difficult climbs the highlights of the week. A look back within walking distance of the town’s at the history of these early events center. Early reveals plenty challenges such of future and as “Stone Free” current climbing and “Tangled Up hall of famers: In Blue” were Barry Blanchard first climbed in (Canada), Helgi Details, details the early ’90s, and Christensen (Icethe area started land), Malcolm Jan. 5-8, 2012, in becoming known Daly (USA),Will Ouray, located six hours as a winter climbGadd (Canada) in and approximately 340 ing destination.

1997; with Bruno miles from Boulder.

But it wasn’t until Sourzac (France), Learn more about the the ice-climbing Jennifer StewFestival by visiting ourayseason of 1993-94 art (USA), Pete icefestival.com. that the seeds Takeda (USA), were planted for Amanda Tarr Ouray’s icy fame.

(USA), and JeanThat year locals started “farming” ice Philippe Villemaire (Canada) attendin the Uncompahgre Gorge by using a ing in 1998.With top climbing talent system of hoses and nozzles to build embracing the event, the sponsors new climbs in the Box Canyon section followed. From a mere 11 sponsors in of the Gorge.The climbing was good, that first year, the support has explodso good, in fact, that by the winter of ed, with more than 40 brands expected 1996 legendary climber and product to be part of the event in 2012. designer Jeff Lowe had organized what “It’s definitely the economic engine would become the first “festival” event, for the town,” Bill Leo, the owner of the Arctic Wolf Ouray Ice Festival.

Ouray Mountain Sports, says of the The inaugural event was a success.

Ice Park and the Festival. “I rememBolstered by Lowe’s fame and the energy ber when we only had two restauand enthusiasm of the town’s residents, the rants open in the winter. Things have event attracted nearly 400 climbers from changed a lot.” countries around the world: England, France, According to Leo, that’s because Spain, Bolivia, Canada,Argentina and New conditions for ice climbing at Ouray Zealand were represented.The event also are “the perfect storm.” exceeded expectations in building com“We have an abundance of water, a munity assets when it came to Box Canyon, north facing aspect, perfect terrain and with more than $1,100 raised to continue it is within walking distance of town,” work on farming the ice in what would he says. become known as the Ouray Ice Park.

The community has also taken adOver the next few years, the vantage of that fact, Leo says, improvfestival quickly gathered steam. Only ing the facilities at the Ouray Ice Park one year later, $3,000 was raised for with observation decks and, of course, the Ice Park via a gear auction that more and more ice.

Winter Scene 2011-12

“We can farm a ton of ice,” Leo says. “We constantly upgrade our pipe system, and this year we expended our six-inch line into an area called South Park.”

The expansion means more water, and more water combined with the terrain at the Ice Park and Colorado’s cold winters means plenty of ice.

And like moths to a flame, climbers flock to the ice.

“The festival is the largest gathering of alpinists in the world,” Leo says.“All the CEOs from the big outdoor companies show up, and they bring all their sponsored athletes. During the festival, Ouray becomes chock full of all of the most famous climbers in the world.”

These elite athletes come to climb, and many of them enter the competitions that the festival hosts during the week. But according to Leo and others involved in both the Ice Park and the Festival, you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy the ice at Ouray.

“Part of the festival’s appeal are the clinics that are taught by the athletes,” Leo says. “It’s a good time to learn and you can also watch the show, you’ll see some phenomenal things, and we’re always encouraging people to learn and to embrace ice climbing. It’s a very inclusive atmosphere.”

“It is really cool,” adds Boulderbased ice climber Jeff Biley.“Ouray is a beautiful place, and then you have the climbing, the combination can’t be beat.”

Biley, who openly admits that he’s not an expert, agrees with Leo that the fact that the Ice Park and the associated Festival are geared towards participation by everyone is what makes the experience of climbing there so special.

“You can be fooling around on something really basic, and right next to you someone will be doing something amazing,” he says. “And everyone is just happy to be there, that’s what makes it so fantastic.”

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com October 27, 2011 25

Outdoor Events

by Boulder Weekly staff

November WinterSkate at Twenty Ninth Street Opening in late November Boulder Creek Events is launching a new WinterSkate ice rink at the Twenty Ninth Street mall in Boulder this season.

Boulder Creek Events (BCE) officials say the new rink is expected to rival its sister rink in Louisville in size, at about 6,000 square feet. The new WinterSkate rink is set to open the week of Thanksgiving, weather permitting, on the Central Plaza at Twenty Ninth Street.

WinterSkate was founded in the late 1990s in downtown Boulder, and after the event was relocated to One Boulder Plaza in 2003, BCE opened a WinterSkate rink at the Steinbaugh Pavilion in downtown Louisville.

“Bringing WinterSkate back to Boulder is something we’ve been hoping to do since 2003, and now is the perfect opportunity,” says Meg Denbow, BCE director of communications.

BCE plans to open its Louisville location on Nov. 11. It has also operated a WinterSkate ice rink at The Village at Flatiron Crossing since 2007; that rink is expected to open on Nov. 19.

Info: www.bceproductions.com/winterskate

December Backcountry Bash Dec. 3 While this isn’t actually an outdoor event, it’s an event to support all those wilderness things we enjoy doing in the woods. The Backcountry Bash is the annual fundraiser for the 26 October 27, 2011

Demo days When you’re jonesing for some new gear, but not sure what to spring for, check out these demo days to test-ride skis and boards before dropping any cash.

Copper Nov. 19-20 — Colorado Demo Days will include gear from Never Summer, Icelantic, Unity Boards, Ski Logic, and more Loveland Nov. 12 — Christy Sports Demo Day Nov. 12 & 13 — Never Summer Demo Days November 19 & 20 — Colorado Ski & Golf Demo Days Dec. 4 — Bent Gate Mountaineering Demo Day (Telemark / AT specific) Jan. 15 — Bent Gate Mountaineering Demo Day (Telemark / AT specific) Winter Park Dec. 3 — Skis and snowboards from the likes of Fortitude, Icelantic, Ramp Sports, Salomon,Vertical Skis, CAPiTA, Flow, K2, Never Summer

Colorado Mountain Club, a nearly 100-year-old organization devoted to protecting the Colorado Rockies and promoting responsible recreational use of our mountains since long before crampons and locking carabiners.

This winter sports-themed event was one they inherited when the CMC merged with the Backcountry Snow Sports Alliance. The evening includes silent and live auctions for ski trips, skis and hut stays, and a screening of Sweetgrass Productions’ stunning ski film Solitaire, which gives a stylized view of backcountry skiing in South America.

Chipotle and Rudi’s Organic Bak-

ery are providing food — to cushion the blow of beers provided by Avery Brewing Company. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Tickets are on sale at REI.

Info: www.cmc.org/bash

Birds of Prey World Cup Dec. 2-4 The only stop for the Men’s World Cup in the U.S., the Birds of Prey World Cup Race draws out some of the best, and fastest, international skiing athletes for three days of high-stakes, season-opening drama.

The terrain includes some of the steepest pitches, most difficult terrain and biggest jumps on the World

Cup circuit.

This December’s line-up includes World Championship gold medalist and reigning overall giant slalom champion Ted Ligety, a U.S. Ski Team member returning to defend his gold.

Billed as one of the toughest courses, with events like a downhill course with 2,484 feet of vertical drop, Super G and Giant Slalom, this event kicks off the count down to the 2015 World Championships, also to be held at Beaver Creek/Vail.

Spectators pack the stands for this free event — even with 50-mph winds shutting down the downhill race last year.

Info: http://www. bcworldcup.com

Sprint U.S. Grand Prix Dec. 5-10 Watching Olympic-quality talent on TV is incredible enough, but for five days early in the season Coloradans will have a chance to see it in person. The Sprint U.S. Grand Prix opens its three-stop tour at Copper Mountain and showcases the country’s top talent in freeskiing and snowboarding. Hosted by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding, the Grand Prix will feature a halfpipe competition and progression session.

Past winners include Shaun White and Gretchen Bleiler. The competition, which follows Copper with dates in Canyons, Utah and Mammoth Mountain, Calif., is a qualifying event for skiers and snowboarders hoping to compete in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

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January EpicMix Scavenger Hunt Jan. 7 Combine snow skills with sleuthing in this unique event that challenges skiers and riders to solve riddles and reach virtual pins on Beaver Creek’s slopes. Through the EpicMix mobile app, which tracks a user’s location on the slopes and awards points for various achievements, participants can compete to reach the most pins and win prizes.

Registration is $10 for a single ticket and $30 for a group of five or fewer. Now in its second year, EpicMix is a free benefit on the Epic ($669) and Epic Local ($519) passes, as well as Epic lift tickets. It is available at the Vail Resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Northstar. Beyond this event, EpicMix aims to bring skiing and riding into the social media age by showing users which of their friends are on the mountain and allowing easy posting of photos, videos and pics onto Facebook or Twitter.

Winter X Games Jan. 26-29 The X Games hardly need an introduction. Nor would any of the participating athletes likely sit still through one. The ESPN-run Winter X Games feature more than 200 athletes from around the world competing in alternative snow sports on jaw-dropping levels. Last year’s competition saw Kelly Clark win the snowboard Superpipe as the first woman to land a 1080 in a competition.

This year, ESPN has dropped some of the snowmobile racing Boulder Weekly

events from the X Games, though the freestyle and best trick will continue. Events over the years have included snow mountain biking, ice climbing, snowlerblading, and super modified shovel racing. It’s a little bit of insanity, and a lot of awesome.

It’s possible, though not probable, this will be the last year for the Games in Aspen as this is the last year on a contract between Aspen and ESPN, so get it while the getting is good.

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Grand Mesa Summit Challenge Jan. 28-29 Colorado is home to what may be the highest sled dog race in the lower 48, and it all takes place on the Western Slope’s flattop behemoth mountain, Grand Mesa. While the Mesa’s flat terrain and thick snowpack provides some excellent cross country skiing, it also lures sled dog race competitors from around the country. They compete in sprint races of four, six, eight and 12 miles with teams of four to 10 dogs and skijorers in which the dogs pull a driver on skis. The race attracts several hundred spectators and competitors, include some of the world champion sled dog racers.

“We’ve got some of the best people in the world that live in Colorado and race here,” says race marshal Steve Bethka.

This is the sixth year for the Grand Mesa Challenge. Other sled dog races are planned for Gould Jan. 21-22.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com-

Winter Scene 2011-12

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Local brews to cure the winter blues

by Blair Madole

T

he winter weather is great for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts looking to head up to the mountains, but for those of us staying down in Boulder, the chilly temperatures can be a little depressing. Luckily, Boulder has several local breweries that have gifted us with winter edition beers to help chase away the cold weather blues.

Avery Brewing Company Avery Brewing Company’s winter edition beer, Old Jubilation, was released in September.

Old Jubilation is a holiday ale without the added spices and was created to be a perfect match for a Thanksgiving meal. Joe Osborne, an Avery Brewing representative, says the beer is “the best bang for your buck” because it has an 8.3 percent ABV. Osborne describes Old Jubilation as a strong, brown ale with the mocha and toffee flavors that remind you of sitting next to a fire on a cold, winter night.

In January, Avery will release its late-winter edition, the New World Porter.The porter is a staff favorite, according to Osborne, because of the blending of the caramel and chocolate notes of a porter with the extremely hopped style of a black IPA. “Old Jubilation is a little different because it is an English old ale versus a suped-up brown ale,” Osborne says. “Also, it has a pretty high ABV compared to other winter ales. We wanted to

Winter warmers

Little nips to ease the bite of cold weather

by Blair Madole

Boulder Weekly

add that Avery twist and make a really strong old ale.”

Boulder Beer Company Boulder Beer has several wintery brews to thaw out Boulderites’ frostbitten bones.

Their seasonal is called Never Summer Ale, with a slogan “for the drinking town with a skiing problem.” The ale is hoppy, ruby red and has malty caramel notes.

The brewery also has a limited release beer called Obovoid Oak-Aged Oatmeal Stout. Available from October to DecemAvery Brewing Company ber, the beer is brewed with black and chocolate malts and aged on oak. The stout is heavier with a 6.8 percent ABV. Boulder Beer Company will also be releasing hardy beer that can hold up to the cold weather. a barleywine once the weather turns cold. Titled Though no spices are added to the beer, the hops “Killer Penguin,” the barleywine will be served in in Isolation Ale give it a subtle spiciness. It is great brandy snifters at the pub and has a 10 percent paired with chili or roasted meats, and can even be ABV. Killer, indeed. used to make spice cake, Johnson-King says.

Odell will release another winter seasonal Odell Brewing Company the first weekend of November called Mountain Odell’s winter seasonal Isolation Ale is deStandard Double Black IPA. The IPA features scribed as a traditional winter warmer. Though Colorado-grown hops and was named for when the name sounds ominous, Odell Brewing insists the time changes back to Mountain Standard the ale will inspire you to get out in the snow Time, Johnson-King says. The IPA has an ABV of a and make the first tracks. whopping 9.5 percent and will be produced in a Amanda Johnson-King, a representative of Odell four-pack, available in local liquor stores.

Brewing Company, says Isolation Ale is a rich and Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

T

his winter, impress your friends by making your own seasonal cocktails using local spirits. Here are a few suggestions from Boulder experts.

The 44 Clover

by Sean Kenyon, award-winning bartender in Denver 1-1/2 oz Spring44 Honey Vodka 3/4 oz ginger liqueur 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz egg white 3 raspberries “Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Dash Peychaud’ s bitters over

Winter Scene 2011-12

top.”

The White Russian with Leopold Bros Silver Tree Vodka & Roundhouse Corretto

by Evan Faber, beverage director at Salt “Leopold Brothers makes a truly artisan vodka that has wonderful flavor and character that only a small-batch vodka can produce.

Roundhouse’s Corretto is an excellent coffee-based liqueur. Both combine well in this drink that looks like it’s topped with a fresh blanket of snow.”

1-1/2 oz Silver Tree 1-1/2 oz Roundhouse Corretto 1-1/2 oz cream

Add ice to glass. Pour the vodka and Corretto in the glass and stir.

Slowly add the cream on top.

Rum Toddy with Dancing Pines Spiced Rum

by Evan Faber, beverage director at Salt “[Dancing Pines] spiced rum has pronounced flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla and will add great depth of flavor to this warm winter classic.”

1 oz Dancing Pines Spiced Rum 1/2 oz Honey 1/4 oz lemon juice hot water In an Irish coffee glass, stir whis-

key, honey, and lemon juice together while slowly pouring in the hot water. Garnish with a lemon wheel spiked with cloves.

De Rigueur with Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey

by Evan Faber, beverage director at Salt 1-1/2 oz Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey 3/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice 1/4 oz Honey (try a local Honey producer like Highland Honey Bees from right here in Boulder) Cracked ice Shake all ingredients and serve.

October 27, 2011 29

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W

inter weather in Colorado means harsh winds, bitterly cold temperatures and extremely dry air. These elements can create a number of problems for your skin, but a little knowledge and planning can protect your skin from the damaging effects of winter.

The first step in trying to promote healthy skin is to stray from a focus on the beauty aspect of skin, according to Lisa Crary, the owner of Boulder-based company Sanitas Skincare. Crary has been a part of the skincare business for eight years.

“If your skin is healthy, it’s by definition going to be beautiful,” she says.

Using a good moisturizer — and applying twice a day — is very important in the winter, Crary says.

The best moisturizers contain a high concentration of fat-soluble Vitamin C, which helps even out skin tone, keep skin nourished and protect it from environmental damage, she says.

To avoid dry skin, people need to find ways to keep natural oils in the skin, says Jeanie Leddon, a dermatologist at the Boulder Valley Center for Dermatology. She suggests keeping a humidifier in the bedroom and skipping long, hot showers.

Another way to avoid dry skin, which can lead to eczema, is to alternate between washing hands and using an antibacterial hand sanitizer, says Alise Curry, a dermatologist at Boulder Dermatology. Skin loses natural oils by repeatedly washing and drying it, she says. Like Crary and Leddon, she emphasizes the importance of moisturizing skin, especially legs and hands, which don’t produce as much oil. She also recommends using a skin cream instead of a lotion.

“There is a big difference in quality of moisture in a cream,” she says.

Another important aspect of keeping skin healthy in the winter is protecting it from the sun.

“Here in Colorado, we have sun

all year round,” Leddon says. “You want broad spectrum protection.”

Crary suggests using a sunblock rather than a sunscreen. Sunscreen, she says, is designed to only shield the sun’s “burning ray,” or UVB ray, and is made with many potentially harmful chemicals. The sun’s UVA, UVB and UVC rays all need to be blocked from skin, she says.

People should use products that have an SPF of 30 or higher, Curry says, and to apply every couple of hours because sun-blocking products begin to deteriorate as soon as light hits them. Another form of sun protection is to wear clothing with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), says Leddon. Hats and articles of clothing with UPF block can shield skin from most of the sun’s rays, she says. These clothes can be found in stores like REI and Patagonia.

Additional products to keep skin healthy include an exfoliating facial scrub to get rid of dead skin cells that can be used once or twice a week, Crary says. After removing the layer of dead skin, moisturizer can penetrate deeper into the skin. She also recommends a facial mask that contains enzymes, which can be found in ingredients such as pumpkin or papaya. “[A mask] helps soften and loosen the dead skin cells that build up in the winter months,” she says.

For dry and chapped lips, Crary recommends a lip balm that contains Vitamin E. “It’s a natural protectant,” she says.

While these few steps can keep skin healthy and looking beautiful through the season’s elements, it is important to remember that everybody’s skin is different, and some products will work better with different skin types. If you have any questions about more ways to keep skin healthy and avoid skin disorders, contact a dermatologist.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

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Winter Scene 2011-12

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BSSC is affiliated with a network of sport and social clubs in Canada, and, as the idea has grown, similar clubs have sprouted up in most major cities across the country.

Manning, who went to the University of the Pacific on a baseball scholarship and studied entrepreneurship, participates in most of the leagues that BSSC offers.

“This has been a dream job for me,” he says, adding that Nicki Bridgland, who formed the first club in Canada, describes the job as a combination of play and work. “My boss calls it ‘plorking.’”

For Manning, sports are a family affair. His two older twin brothers, Scott and Eric, who were diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome at the age of 5, serve as managers for the Fairview High School varsity football team. The two are also huge fans of local sports teams like the Nuggets, Rockies, Broncos and Buffs, and they are active runners who participate in every Bolder Boulder. The twins, who bag groceries at the Safeway in north Boulder, have become something of local celebrities — even former Nugget Carmelo Anthony used to recognize them at games, they say. And, during CU’s home basketball games, the two used help choose kids from the crowd for halftime activities.

Manning, who, like his siblings, is a Boulder native, says BSSC is a great way for local companies to get their staff together outside of the office for some team-building activities.

The cost of the BSSC is about $7 a week, which amounts to approximately $65 for the winter session, which begins on Jan. 17. The deadline to sign up is Jan. 10.

The outdoor adventure club is currently only $10 per quarter, and includes a T-shirt and discounts on optional paid events, like paintball day.

For more information, visit boulderssc.com, or call 303-442-8326, ext.

221.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

Outstanding custOmer service • affOrdable • cater tO families

E

ver miss being a kid?

Nap time? Milk and cookies? Recess?

Well, a Boulder organization can at least provide the recess part.

The Boulder Sport and Social Club, which just got off the ground last year, touts its ability to provide “recess for adults.”

The club offers recreational leagues in a variety of indoor and outdoor sports, including volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball, ultimate Frisbee and flag football. There are even grade-school favorites like kickball, dodgeball and floor hockey.

And as Sport Manager Brett Manning says, it’s not just about the sports. As the name implies, half of the goal is to socialize.

“We’re trying to be a one-stop shop for fun in people’s lives,” Manning says.

Club members get free post-game appetizers at local bars like the Baker Street Pub and Grill when they flash their membership key tag.

And the group just launched an outdoor adventure club, with activities like rock-climbing, ropes courses, hiking, rafting, skiing and snowshoeing.

Manning says there may even be a winter camping or hut trip.

In addition, Boulder Sport and Social Club (BSSC) hosts special events, like a bowling night at the University Memorial Center on Dec. 2.

Manning stresses that unlike some of the other local sports leagues, BSSC is not elitist, cutthroat or overly competitive. People can sign up as an individual or as a team.

He says participants must be at least 21, and he has had people as old as 67 sign up, although most are in their 20s, 30s and 40s. All teams are co-ed, and Manning estimates that 60 percent of the members are male.

The organization had 380 participants during the summer season. Games are held at local high school, middle school and elementary school gyms.

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Boulder Sport and Social Club makes grown-ups play

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October 27, 2011 31

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J

anuary in Colorado’s high country is brutal: sub-zero temperatures, marrow-chilling winds and little respite from the snow and ice. The frozen landscape is an openly hostile world.

Imagine then the bragging rights of the alpine ptarmigan. In the fleeting windows of visibility during bitter winter whiteouts, this stoic little bird hunkers against the ele- Courtesy of Bart Deferme ments, calmly absorbing the maelstrom that freezes the life out of less adapted critters (like you or me).

Colorado’s highest elevations are host to a small band of year-round residents that have adopted a variety of strategies to outlast the coldest months. Alpine ptarmigan are one of several grounddwelling birds that winter in the low shrubs at tree line (often above 12,000 feet), sustaining themselves on exposed pockets of willows and other plants, according to Bev Baker, wildlife biologist for the Boulder Ranger District. Ptarmigan rely on a thick insulation of feathers and a resourceful expenditure of energy to deal with inclement conditions.

Higher yet on the mountain are pockets of life. The yellow-bellied marmot is obviously less cowardly than the name implies, insisting on staying in high-altitude burrows through the winter. Marmots are true hibernators, going into a comalike state after spending the months leading up to winter developing a life-sustaining layer of fat by gorging on plants and grasses, Baker says. By dramatically decreasing metabolism and heart rate, marmots wait out the worst and emerge when the

spring sun warms the land.

Pikas also scamper across our highest summits. These small animals resemble fluffy rodents and are actually related to rabbits. Incredibly, pikas stay active throughout the winter, feeding on hay and grasses that double as insulation for their dens.

“Pikas start collecting vegetation for the winter in about midJuly and store it in hay piles under rocks, and a hay pile for one industrious little pika might cover a hundred square meters,” Baker says. “I get a kick out of how much they can carry at a time — at least once I’ve seen one scrambling across the rocks with a wad of vegetation in its mouth several times its length.”

Most ungulates (hoofed mammals such as elk, deer and moose) retreat to lower elevations, but the tenacious mountain goat builds nests on mountain passes, escaping to shrubs only during extreme storms. Black bears enter a unique state of hibernation where they may wake for a few hours during warm spells to forage for extra food — or to give birth to cubs mid-winter.

Weasels (who turn a beautiful white in winter) and martens also go to lower elevations to hunt.

While most humans are only fair-weather friends to the yearround alpine menagerie, even the boldest winter adventurer is never alone in the mountains. Remember, these animals are true professionals, so don’t feel bad when your wimpy metabolism has you daydreaming of the ski-lodge fireplace.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

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Winter Scene 2011-12

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a large pullout on Highway 133, but it’s unmarked, so it may take a few tries before you find it.

The two main springs just west of Buena Vista are Cottonwood and Mt. Princeton. Both have lodges.The former is funky, but it has appealing tiered terraces of pools fashioned from river rock.While the accommodations, restaurant and bar make Mt. Princeton a bit nicer than Cottonwood, the primary soaking areas at Princeton are little more than swimming pools, although there are a few rocky soaking areas down by the river.

Then there are the places that are really out of the way, where you can feel remote without hiking nine miles.

Joyful Journey, for example, is located between Poncha Springs and Alamosa in the San Luis Valley.

Jeremy Van Hoy of Colorado Springs, an aficionado who has visited nearly every public hot springs in the state, says one of his favorites is Valley View, south of Salida, near Joyful Journey.Valley View has a bathhouse, sauna and swimming pool, but Van Hoy prefers one of its other offerings.

“If you climb up the hillside, there are a bunch of rustic pools, including one that’s about a 15-minute hike, and you get up into this series of little pools that have wonderful views of the San Luis Valley,” he says. “It’s a really magical setting. … There’s probably over a half-dozen pools that you have to hike to, so you’re constantly exploring and discovering.”

And Valley View is one of those hot springs where clothing is definitely optional, but Van Hoy says the nudity didn’t faze him much in that environment.

“It’s by far the most comfortable I’ve felt in that situation, going au naturale,” he says.

Van Hoy also speaks highly of Waunita just east of Gunnison, which he describes as a combination dude ranch, hotel and hot springs, and Wiesbaden Hot Springs Spa and Lodge in Ouray, where there is an above-ground pool and vapor caves below.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

P

S

ome people may associate Colorado’s hot springs with summer, since that’s when most of us hit the mountains for hiking, camping and backpacking, but it’s hard to match the feeling of slipping into steaming water when it’s a bit nippy outside.

We’re lucky to live in a state that has such a nice variety of hot springs. Some are easy to drive to, others require miles of hiking through the wilderness. Some are large swimming pools in developed resorts, others are crude, riverside circles of rock. Some are pricey, wellmarked and well-marketed, while others are secret stashes known only by a few and free of charge.

In Colorado’s Hot Springs, one of the primary guides to our state’s natural hot waters, author Deborah Frazier calls them “Colorado’s ocean.”

According to Frazier, there are hundreds of hot springs around the state, but she only documents three dozen of the public ones in her book.

In the winter, die-hard outdoors types may attempt to trek — or cross-country ski — through the backcountry to visit secluded springs like Rainbow south of Wolf Creek Pass, or Conundrum, which is nine miles from the trailhead in the Maroon Bells/ Snowmass Wilderness Area.

While a hot soak at the end of that journey would be bliss, some of us would prefer something a bit less strenuous, especially when it’s snowy and cold outside.

There are large hot springs with nice facilities in several Colorado municipalities, including Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs (where water slides make it especially kid-friendly), Pagosa Springs, Idaho Springs and Ouray.

Others are just outside of town.

Trimble is north of Durango, Splashland is on the northern edge of Alamosa, and the popular Strawberry Hot Springs is a fairly short drive from Steamboat. Penny Hot Springs outside of Carbondale is just some rock-lined pools along the river below

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M

Colorado’s hot springs offer variety

by Jefferson Dodge

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Thursday, Oct. 27 / events

RedLine, 2350 Arapahoe St., Denver, 303-466-5685.

What Are You Hungry For? — Onewoman theater performance by Beth Osnes. 7:30 p.m. CU’s College of Music, ATLAS Black Box Theatre, 303-7354577.

Expert Talk with Thomas Scharfenberg. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Friday, Oct. 28 / events

Evolving Doors Dance: Dis-Guise.

7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-4407826.

Halloween Costume Party — With Deja Blu. 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

Vantage Points — Multi-sensory performance created by Cole Ingraham.

7:30 p.m. CU’s College of Music, ATLAS Black Box Theatre, 303-735-4577.

Saturday, Oct. 29 / music

DeVotchka — Zombies vs. Vampires.

8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

events

Evolving Doors Dance: Dis-Guise.

7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-4407826.

Halloween Costume Party — With Deja Blu. 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

Vantage Points — Multi-sensory performance created by Cole Ingraham. 7:30 p.m. CU’s College of Music, ATLAS Black Box Theatre, 303-735-4577.

Sunday, Nov. 6 / events

The Ouray Ice Park

Winter Events and Festivals Calendar 2011-2012

Sunday, Oct. 30 / music

Boulder School of Rock — A Tribute to KISS. 12 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

Monday, Oct. 31 / music

Funk is Dead. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

events

Munchkin Masquerade. 2-5 p.m. www. downtownboulder.com

Tuesday, Nov. 1 / music

Colors on Canvas — Painting J.S. Bach and the Music of Carter Pann. 7:30 p.m.

Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303-4928008.

Trio Con Brio. 6:30 p.m. St. Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-406-9696.

events

Conversations with Extraordinary People — Elfriede Gamow. 5:30 p.m.

Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.

Wednesday, Nov. 2 / events

The Empty Places — To benefit photodocumentary of historic mental institutions.

6 p.m. Lucky Pie Pizza and Taphouse, 637 Front St., Louisville, 303-666-5743.

34 October 27, 2011

Thursday, Nov. 3 / music

They Might Be Giants. 7 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-7867030.

events

Sense BMoCA — With Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, interpreting art through blended scents. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Friday, Nov. 4 / events

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Accomplice. Devil’s Thumb Productions, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Adventure Film — Boulder’s film festival.

5 p.m., 6 p.m., & 8 p.m. programs. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-7867030.

Black & White — Multi-media performance created by Gabriel Masson with Tara Rynders. 8 p.m. CU’s College of Music, ATLAS Black Box Theatre, 303-735-4577.

Imitation of Wife. 7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

A Shared Experience in Art — Ballet Nouveau Colorado and RedLine. 8 p.m.

RedLine, 2350 Arapahoe St., Denver, 303466-5685.

Saturday, Nov. 5 / music

Boulder Brew and Music Festival. 1 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

Music of the Scottish Isles — With Julie Fowlis. 7:30 p.m. Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Pkwy., Lakewood, 303987-7845.

Saint Louis Brass Quintet. 7:30 p.m.

Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303-4928008.

events

Adventure Film — Boulder’s film festival.

12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., & 8 p.m. programs. 10:30 p.m. after-party. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-7867030.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Accomplice. Devil’s Thumb Productions, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Imitation of Wife. 7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

A Night of Improvisational Theatre — Presented by Playback Theatre West. 8 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-4407826.

A Shared Experience in Art — Ballet Nouveau Colorado and RedLine. 8 p.m.

Cinderella — Presented by Westwoods Center of Performing Arts Youth Ballet Company. 7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Life in Motion — Cashore Marionettes. 2 p.m. Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Pkwy., Lakewood, 303-987-7845.

A Shared Experience in Art — Ballet Nouveau Colorado and RedLine.

2 p.m. RedLine, 2350 Arapahoe St., Denver, 303-466-5685.

Monday, Nov. 7 / music

World Musics Concert — Featuring CU-Boulder performers in the Mariachi and African Ensembles. 7:30 p.m. Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303-492-8008.

Tuesday, Nov. 8 / music

The Language of Love — Featuring CU music faculty. 7:30 p.m. Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303-492-8008.

events

Raising Renee — Film exploring the work of Veberly McIver. 6:45 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Warren Miller’s Like There’s No Tomorrow. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Wednesday, Nov. 9 / music

Percussion Ensemble — With guest conductor Dan Armstrong. 7:30 p.m.

Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303-4928008.

events

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

En Fuego Latino — Cuatro Lunas, Latin Cabaret. 7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-4407826.

Warren Miller’s Like There’s No Tomorrow. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Thursday, Nov. 10 / music

World Musics Concert — Featuring CU-Boulder performers in the Japanese and Balinese Ensembles. 7:30 p.m. Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303-492-8008.

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

events

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Accomplice. Devil’s Thumb Productions, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

BIBA Gets Happy At Boulder Digital Arts — 4:30 p.m. 1600 Range St., Boulder, 303-875-0276.

En Fuego Latino — Cuatro Lunas, Latin Cabaret. 7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-4407826.

Expert Talk with Amanda Marie Ploegsma. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

The Boulder Blind Café. 6:45 p.m. The First Baptist Church of Boulder, 1237 Pine St. Boulder, 720-495-7797.

Warren Miller’s Like There’s No Tomorrow. 5 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-7867030.

Friday, Nov. 11 / music

11/11/11 Celebration in Song. 7:30 p.m. Rock N Soul Cafe, 5290 Arapahoe Ave., Ste. I, Boulder, 303-443-5108.

Veteran’s Day Concert — CU Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band. 7:30 p.m.

Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-4928008.

events

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Accomplice. Devil’s Thumb Productions, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

The Boulder Blind Café. 6:45 p.m. The First Baptist Church of Boulder, 1237 Pine St., Boulder, 720-495-7797.

En Fuego Latino — Cuatro Lunas, Latin Cabaret. 7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-4407826.

In the Current ­— CU Dance. 7:30 p.m.

University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Guys in Ties, Girls in Pearls — Feat. live swing music by Pearl de la Rue. 7-11 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303-442-4344.

A Shared Experience in Art — Ballet Nouveau Colorado and RedLine. 8 p.m.

Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W 84th Ave., Denver, 303-466-5685.

Warren Miller’s Like There’s No Tomorrow. 5 p.m. & 9 p.m. Boulder

Boulder Weekly

Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-7867030.

White Space — Six artists transform white Eames Molded Plastic Rockers. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Saturday, Nov. 12 / music

Bach in the Community — Bach for kids concert. 11 a.m. WOW Children’s Museum, 110 N. Harrison Ave., Lafayette, 303-776-9666.

Pete Wernick & Flexigrass. 8 p.m.

Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.

Seicento Baroque Ensemble presents “Come Ye Sons of Art.” 7:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder, 720-301-7747.

events

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

En Fuego Latino — Cuatro Lunas, Latin Cabaret. 6 p.m. & 8 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303440-7826.

In the Current ­— CU Dance. 7:30 p.m.

University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

A Shared Experience in Art — Ballet Nouveau Colorado and RedLine. 8 p.m.

Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W 84th Ave., Denver, 303-466-5685.

Warren Miller’s Like There’s No Tomorrow. 2 p.m., 5:30 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.

Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Sunday, Nov. 13 / events

Thursday, Nov. 17 / events

Accomplice. Devil’s Thumb Productions, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Garmin-Cervelo Presentation Gala.

5:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Graffiti & Martinis. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Holiday Wine Tasting. 6 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

Sojourns of the Soul — With Dana Micucci. 7 p.m. Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-4423282.

Friday, Nov. 18 / events

Accomplice. Devil’s Thumb Productions, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Saturday, Nov. 19 / events

Accomplice. Devil’s Thumb Productions, The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Panicking Poultry 5k. 9:30 a.m. Boulder Reservoir, 5565 N. 51st St., Boulder, www. panickingpoultry5k.com.

Switch on the Holidays. 5 p.m. Pearl Street Mall, Boulder, www.boulderdown town.com.

Turkey Trot — 10k or 2 miles. 9 a.m. 4600 Clover Basin Dr., Longmont, 303-651-8406.

Sunday, Nov. 20 / music

40oz To Freedom — A Tribute to Sublime. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

Wednesday, Nov. 23 / music

In the Current ­— CU Dance. 2 p.m.

University Theatre Building, CU campus, 303-492-8181.

A Shared Experience in Art — Ballet Nouveau Colorado and RedLine. 2 p.m.

Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W 84th Ave., Denver, 303-466-5685.

Vienna Boys Choir. 4 p.m. Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-492-8008.

Warren Miller’s Like There’s No Tomorrow. 1 p.m., 4:30 p.m., & 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Hudson, The Get Down Easy’s. The Laughing Goat, 1709 Pearl St., Boulder. 303440-4628.

Into Africa — An Introduction to Piano Music of Africa, with William Chapman Nyaho. 2 p.m. Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303-492-8008.

Holiday Bazaar Teas — Local artisan and crafter showcase. 12-1:30 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303442-4344.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Boulder Ballet with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. 4 p.m. Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-443-0028.

Monday, Nov. 14 / music

events

The Arctic — Unique, Beautiful, Fascinating, presented by NOAA. 7 p.m.

Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.

Winter Scene 2011-12

Thursday, Nov. 24 / events

Ballet Nouveau Colorado’s Nutcracker Tea. 2-4 p.m. Aloft Hotel of Broomfield, 8300 Arista Pl., Broomfield, 303466-5685.

Thanksgiving Buffet. 12-4 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303442-4344.

Friday, Nov. 25 / music events

Saturday, Nov. 26 / music

Otis Taylor’s Trance Blues Jam Festival.

7 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

events

The Nutcracker — Presented by Boulder Ballet, with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-443-0028.

Teddy Bear Tea — To benefit The Children’s Hospital. 12-1:30 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303442-4344.

Sunday, Nov. 27 / events

The Nutcracker — Presented by Boulder Ballet with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. 2 p.m. Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-443-0028.

Tuesday, Nov. 29 / music

An Evening of French Chamber Music — Featuring CU music faculty. 7:30 p.m. Grusin Music Hall, CU campus, 303492-8008.

Wednesday, Nov. 30 / events

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Thursday, Dec. 1 / events

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Friday, Dec. 2 / music

The Christmas Story — With Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra. 7:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. Pre-concert talk. First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder, 720-443-0565.

CU Holiday Festival. 7:30 p.m. Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-492-8008.

Hell’s Belles. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

events

Choreographer’s Showcase. CU Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303492-8181.

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

Open Wall. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Saturday, Dec. 3 / music

CU Holiday Festival 2010. 4 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303492-8008. see EVENTS Page 36

October 27, 2011 35

EVENTS from Page 35

events

The Gift of Art — Creating handmade gifts. 1-4 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

Holiday Bazaar Teas — Local artisan and crafter showcase. 12-1:30 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303442-4344.

Lights of December Parade. 6 p.m.

Downtown Boulder, 303-449-3774.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Boulder Ballet, with the Longmont Symphony Orchestra. 7 p.m. Vance Brand Civic Auditorium, 600 E. Mountain View Ave., Longmont, 303-772-5796.

The SantaLand Diaries. 4 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Winter Wow — A Weekend of workshops: dance, yoga and meditation. 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sol Vida Dance Studio + Community Space for the Arts, 4926 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, 720-224-5990.

Sunday, Dec. 4 / music

Acoustic Eidolon. 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

CU Holiday Festival 2010. 4 p.m. Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-492-8008.

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 4 p.m.

36 October 27, 2011

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Boulder Ballet, with the Longmont Symphony Orchestra. 2 p.m. Vance Brand Civic Auditorium, 600 E. Mountain View Ave., Longmont, 303-772-5796.

Tuesday, Dec. 6 / music

Brandi Carlile — Alone and live. 7 p.m.

Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

events

Call of the Horses — Three Women Who Followed Their Life’s Calling. 7 p.m.

Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.

Thursday, Dec. 8 / music

Signal Path & Octopus Nebula. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The Ride With Santa. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont, 303-772-5200.

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Friday, Dec. 9 / music

A New Orleans Christmas. 7:30 p.m.

Macky Auditorium, CU campus, 303-4928008.

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The Ride With Santa. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont, 303-7725200.

Firefly Handmade Holiday Market at BMoCA. 6-10 p.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Longmont Lights Holiday Festivities.

5-8 p.m. Various locations, Longmont, 303776-6050.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W. 84th Ave., Denver, 303-450-3985.

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

The Ride With Santa. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont, 303-7725200.

Denver Art Tour. 10 a.m. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Holiday Bazaar Teas — Local artisan and crafter showcase. 12-1:30 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303442-4344.

Longmont Lights Holiday Parade.

5-8 p.m. Main St., Longmont, 303-776-6050.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W. 84th Ave., Denver, 303-450-3985.

The SantaLand Diaries. 4 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Stories on Stage — Making Merry. 2 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Big Band Christmas Ball. 7 p.m.

Boulder Elks Lodge, 2975 28th St., Boulder, www.1940sball.org.

Mark’s Midnight Carnival Show. 7 p.m. St. Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-406-9696.

Reel Big Fish & Streetlight Manifesto. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

The Christmas Revels — 11th Anniversary Production, with Rocky Mountain Revels. 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-7867030.

Christy Wessler’s Christmas Singa-Long. 8 p.m. Daniels Hall, Swallow Hill, 71 E.Yale Ave., Denver, 303-777-1003.

John Adams — A Tribute to John Denver.

7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

Saturday, Dec. 10 / music

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

Sunday, Dec. 11 / music

events

Boulder Holiday Gift Festival — Holiday art, craft and gift show. Noon to 6

Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

p.m. Boulder Elks Lodge, 3975 28th St., Boulder, 720-272-7467.

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 2 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The Ride With Santa. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont, 303-7725200.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W. 84th Ave., Denver, 303-450-3985.

Nutcracker Tea — A benefit for the Boulder Ballet. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303-442-4344.

The SantaLand Diaries. 4 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Tuesday, Dec. 13 / events

Conversations with Extraordinary People — John Echo-Hawk. 5:30 p.m.

Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.

Wednesday, Dec. 14 / music

Quantum Jazz. 6:30 p.m. St. Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-406-9696.

events

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Thursday, Dec. 15 / events

Colorado Trail Foundation Holiday Reception. 4-7 p.m. American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th St., Golden, ctf@coloradotrail.org.

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Friday, Dec. 16 / music

Festivity. 7:30 p.m. First Congregational Church, Boulder, www.boulderchamber orchestra.com.

Garage A Trois. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

Ramaya & Dechen Hawk. 8 p.m. The Laughing Goat, 1709 Pearl St., Boulder. 303440-4628.

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W. 84th Ave., Denver, 303-450-3985.

The Ride With Santa. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont, 303-772-5200.

Saturday, Dec. 17 / music

The Christmas Revels — 11th Anniversary Production, with Rocky Mountain Revels. 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-7867030.

Festivity. 7:30 p.m. Jefferson Unitarian, Golden, www.boulderchamberorchestra. com.

Winter Solstice Concert — With Jayme Stone and friends. 8 p.m. Chautauqua Community House, 900 Baseline Rd., Boulder, 303-442-3282.

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

Holiday Bazaar Teas — Local artisan and crafter showcase. 12-1:30 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303442-4344.

Last Chance Gift Fest. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Rd., Longmont, 720-272-7467.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Performing Arts Complex at PCS, 1001 W. 84th Ave., Denver, 303-450-3985.

The Ride With Santa. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont, 303-7725200.

The SantaLand Diaries. 4 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Sunday, Dec. 18 / events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 2 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

Nutcracker Tea — A benefit for the Boulder Ballet. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303-442-4344.

The Nutcracker — Presented by Ballet Nouveau Colorado. Performing Arts

Complex at PCS, 1001 W. 84th Ave., Denver, 303-450-3985.

The Ride With Santa. Longmont Theatre Company, 513 Main St., Longmont, 303-772-5200.

The SantaLand Diaries. 4 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Tuesday, Dec. 20 / music

Bill McKay. 6:30 p.m. St. Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut St., Boulder, 720-406-9696.

Wednesday, Dec. 21 / music

White Christmas — Presented by Colorado Caroling Company. 7:30 p.m.

Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-6652757.

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Thursday, Dec. 22 / music

George Nelson Band. 6:30 p.m. St. Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut St., Boulder, 720406-9696.

events

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Friday, Dec. 23 / music see EVENTS Page 38

Just minutes from the Winter Park Ski Resort, behind the Alco in Fraser.

Reservations Welcome 970.726.5779 Group Rates Available

Tubing - Snowscoots www.coloradoadventurepark.com

Boulder Weekly

Winter Scene 2011-12

October 27, 2011 37

EVENTS from Page 37

Bluezhouse. 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 7 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554.

The SantaLand Diaries. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Saturday, Dec. 24 / events

It’s a Wonderful Life — Presented by Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 2 p.m.

University Theatre, CU campus, 303-4920554 The SantaLand Diaries. 1 p.m & 4 p.m.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Sunday, Dec. 25 / events

Christmas Buffet. 12-4 p.m. Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303442-4344.

Tuesday, Dec. 27 / music

Yonder Mountain String Band. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Wednesday, Dec. 28 / music

Yonder Mountain String Band. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Thursday, Dec. 29 / music

Yonder Mountain String Band. 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

www.MEDFIT.net

Friday, Dec. 30 / music

G. Love & Special Sauce. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

New Year’s Eve Eve — Feat. She Groovez. 7:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

Yonder Mountain String Band. 8 p.m.

Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Saturday, Dec. 31 / music

G. Love & Special Sauce. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-4433399.

New Year’s Celebration — With the Homeslice Band. 6:30 p.m. & 10 p.m. Nissi’s, 2675 N. Park Dr., Lafayette, 303-665-2757.

Yonder Mountain String Band. 8 p.m.

Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

events

Acoustic Eidolon. 8 p.m. Daniels Hall, Swallow Hill, 71 E.Yale Ave., Denver, 303777-1003.

Wednesday, Jan. 18 / music

The Infamous Stringdusters Ski Tour 2012. 9 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-3399.

Thursday, Jan. 19 / events

Winter — Presented by the Ski Channel, to benefit Ignite Adaptive Sports. 6 p.m. & 8 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Thursday, Feb. 9 / events

Copenhagen. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Joy. 7:30 p.m. Broomfield Auditorium, Broomfield, www.boulderchamberorchestra. com.

Thursday, Feb. 2 / events

Everything You Can Imagine is Real — An Evening of One-Act Plays. 7:30 p.m. CU

Saturday, Feb. 4 / events

Saturday, Jan. 14 / music

Copenhagen. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Everything You Can Imagine is Real — An Evening of One-Act Plays. 7:30 p.m. CU

Expert Talk with Zach Reini. 6:30 p.m.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Founding Members of Something New. 9 p.m. The Laughing Goat, 1709 Pearl St., Boulder. 303-440-4628.

Wednesday, Feb. 8 / events

Wednesday, Feb. 1 / events

Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Friday, Jan. 13 / music

Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball. 8 p.m.

Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303-442-4344.

NYE at BMoCA. 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder, 303-443-2122.

Thursday, Jan. 5 / events

6:30 p.m. CU Theatre & Dance, University

Friday, Feb. 3 / events

Everything You Can Imagine is Real — An Evening of One-Act Plays. 7:30 p.m. CU

Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Everything You Can Imagine is Real — An Evening of One-Act Plays. 2 p.m. CU

Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Sunday, Feb. 5 / events

Everything You Can Imagine is Real — An Evening of One-Act Plays. 2 p.m. and

Friday, Feb. 10 / music

events

Copenhagen. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Saturday, Feb. 11 / music

Joy. 7:30 p.m. First Congregational Church, Boulder, www.boulderchamberorchestra. com.

events

Copenhagen. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre &

Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Ouch!

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Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly

Sunday, Feb. 12 / events

Copenhagen. 2 p.m. CU Theatre & Dance,

University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Stories on Stage — No Such Thing as Supply and Demand. 7:30 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-440-7826.

Shipwrecked. 4 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Sunday, Feb. 12 / music

Bach in the Community — Bach for kids concert. 11 a.m. Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-776-9666.

Thursday, Feb. 16 / events

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Friday, Feb. 17 / events

NeXus — University and professional dance collaboration. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

NeXus — University and professional dance collaboration. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Sunday, Feb. 19 / events

NeXus — University and professional dance collaboration. 2 p.m. CU Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Shipwrecked. 4 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Stepping Out 2012 — Boulder Ballet. 2 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-SEAT.

Thursday, Feb. 23 / events

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Friday, Feb. 24 / events

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Stepping Out 2012 — Boulder Ballet. 8 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-SEAT.

Saturday, Feb. 18 / events

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Stepping Out 2012 — Boulder Ballet. 8 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-SEAT.

Saturday, Feb. 25 / music

Organ Recital — Michael Unger, 2008 Winner, Guild of Organists’ National Young Artists Competition. 7:30 p.m. First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder, 303-776-9666.

events

Shipwrecked. 7:30 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Saturday, Feb. 25 / events

Shipwrecked. 4 p.m. Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-665-1841.

Frozen Dead Guy Days. Nederland, www.nederlandchamber.org/events_fdgdhome.html.

Melancholy Play. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. CU

Chamber Concert — Boulder Bach Festival. 7:30 p.m. First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder, 303-7769666.

Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Wednesday, Feb. 29 / music

events

Melancholy Play. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-4928181.

Thursday, March 1 / music

Bach in the Community — Bach for kids concert. 2:30 p.m. Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303776-9666.

Sunday, March 4 / music

Bach Vespers — Boulder Bach Festival. 4:15 p.m. Grace Lutheran Church, 1001 13th St., Boulder, 303776-9666.

events

Frozen Dead Guy Days. Nederland, http://www.nederlandchamber.org/events_ fdgd-home.html.

Melancholy Play. 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. CU

events

Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303-492-8181.

Friday, March 2 / events

Storybook Ballet — Boulder Ballet. 7 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-SEAT.

Melancholy Play. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre & Dance, University Theatre Building, 303492-8181.

Frozen Dead Guy Days. Nederland, www.nederlandchamber.org/events_fdgdhome.html.

Melancholy Play. 7:30 p.m. CU Theatre

& Dance, University Theatre Building, 303492-8181.

Saturday, March 3 / music

Boulder Bach Festival Season Finale.

7:30 p.m. Mountain View United Methodist Church, 355 Ponca St., Boulder, 303-7769666.

events

653 S. Broadway, Boulder

Friday, March 9 / events

Saturday, March 10 / events Storybook Ballet — Boulder Ballet. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444SEAT.

Sunday, March 11 / events

Storybook Ballet — Boulder Ballet.

2 p.m. The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444SEAT.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com

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Boulder Weekly

Winter Scene 2011-12

playitagainsportsboulder.com October 27, 2011 39

To the theater!

Local young artists kick off third season in Boulder

by Jessie Lucier

L

ooking to add a little mystery, drama and emotional contemplation to a chilly evening this winter? If so, perhaps it is time to abandon the dinner and a movie routine and replace it with a stimulating night of local theater.

Devil’s Thumb Productions has selected its performance pieces and set its schedule for the 2011-2012 season, and this company of young, local artists promises that this season’s productions will not only challenge the actors creatively, but will also leave their audience members scratching their heads … in a good way.

“This year we will be performing shows that are bigger and bolder than anything we’ve done before,” says Laura Kruegel, director of audience development and co-founding member of the company. “We wanted to challenge ourselves and the audience by choosing shows that were more emotionally stimulating — one is really very grotesque — and all are really very technically complicated.”

Devil’s Thumb Productions kicks off its third season on Nov. 4, and this Boulder-based company, formed

by University of Colorado grads, has a mission that gives the company a unique position in the local theater community.

Alex Hughes, the company’s artistic director and co-founding member, says Devil’s Thumb is unlike any other theater company in Boulder because of its focus on young actors, directors and designers. One of the company’s missions is to provide an opportunity for professional theater experience to emerging young artists.

“It’s really hard to get a foot into the theater world,” says Kruegel, who has mainly worked as an actor, but will be directing one of 40 October 27, 2011

this season’s productions. “It’s kind who is playing whom in a high-stakes dark and twisted. The central quesof handed to us in college, and then game for their lives. tion becomes, at what point does there is this giant gap trying to get In February, the company will changing for the one you love cross into the Denver theater scene.” perform The Shape of Things (writfrom cute to creepy?

Kruegel explains that the compa- ten by Neil LaBute and directed by The company will offer a special ny really prides itself on its commitKruegel), a performance about a performance of The Shape of Things ment to giving young artists a “stepnerdy college student named Adam on Valentine’s Day. The $30 ticket up” to get into professional will include a couple’s desphoto courtesy of Charles Carman theater. They run a tight ship, sert tray for sweethearts she says, and are committed to (or good buddies) to enjoy giving their company members together while this dark-huan opportunity to work hard, mored performance explores create community and produce love and relationships. really great theater for Boulder And in May, Devil’s Thumb audiences. will finish its season with Bug “Devil’s Thumb is guided by (written by award-wining a group of vibrant, homegrown, playwright Tracy Letts and dihip, forward-looking and comrected by Gregory Thorson), pletely competent practitioners which the company describes of the art of live theater,” says as an obscenely exciting and Lynn Nichols, an instructor at wonderfully lurid thriller CU-Boulder’s Department of about a lonely cocktail waitTheatre and Dance who served ress who meets a Gulf War as the general manager of the veteran who gradually draws Colorado Shakespeare Festival her into his paranoid world. for 25 years before retiring last As the line between reality May. “Since their inception, they and delusion blur with the have consistently put together discovery of a bug infestatheatre experiences that are tion, the characters struggle challenging, thought provoking, to identify the truth in what accessible and entertaining — a surrounds them. terrific blend.”

“The 2011-2012 season Devil’s Thumb Productions is very exciting,” Hughes will be performing three shows says. “This season, we want this season: Accomplice, Nov. 4 to show that we have grown -19 at the Dairy Center for the up a little. Each of the proArts; The Shape of Things, Feb. ductions will challenge us 10-25 at Theatre O; and Bug, as artists and as a company May 11-26 at the Dairy Center in new ways. Hopefully our for the Arts. All shows, except patrons see the rewards of their Valentine’s Day perforthese challenges and are mance, start at 7:30 p.m., and able to experience a deeper Devil’s Thumb actors clockwise from top left: Kent tickets cost $15. connection and journey Randell, Alexandra Lewis, David Menich, Laura The company’s kick-off when watching the final prodKruegel. show, Accomplice (written by ucts.”

Rupert Holmes and directed by For more information Hughes), is a sharp-tongued comedic who finds a girlfriend — an art stuabout Devil’s Thumb Productions thriller set in a quaint, upper-class dent named Evelyn — and becomes and this year’s productions, visit its home where nothing is quite as it a new person. His friends, however, website at: www.devilsthumbproseems as four characters, hell-bent begin to question his new lifestyle ductions.org.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com on revenge, attempt to anticipate as Evelyn’s influences become more Winter Scene 2011-12 Boulder Weekly