Monthly Archives: November 2015
My Best Days on the Mountain
The word ‘epic’ gets thrown around a lot these days. It gets attached to ordinary, day-to-day things, which is remarkably far from epic. My use of epic is generally mountain related, although I still probably say it a lot more than I should.
Epic was the day I made it to Vail right before the pass closed because of the weather. This same storm dropped a foot of powder that I got to ski for a couple of hours before the pass opened and it got tracked out.
It was epic in Steamboat after they had gone a couple of weeks with very little new snow, only to have three feet come down in one night.
I’ve actually lost count of how many epic days I had when living in Utah; I got to the point where I required at least six inches of fresh snow to motivate me out of bed in the morning.
We offer a couple of days skiing with instructors to familiarize yourself with the mountain, and then if you want to explore on your own, go for it! Our groups are led by Leo Demelbauer, PSIA level 3 ski instructor and Alpine team member. He knows the mountains like the back of his hand, and his love of skiing is infectious.
I don’t want to discount non-powder days…some of my most memorable times have been with my Alpine family skiing in the sun, making some leisurely runs before heading to après or taking a wander through the village.
Skiing Val d’Isere, before finishing up at La Folie Douce, surrounded by hundreds of revelers–many of whom were dressed in full costume –is one I will not forget anytime soon. Everyone dancing in their ski boots at Mooserwirt in St Anton, while watching people attempt to ski the run to the bottom was yet another amazing day.
When it comes down to it, whether you’re skiing freshies right after a storm, groomers on a bluebird day, or even just taking a couple of laps with friends and heading to après and absorbing the mountain atmosphere, shouldn’t any time you get to spend on the mountain be considered epic?
The Best Days on the Mountain Have Yet to Come
Reno and Lake Tahoe – a wonderland for all seasons
As I travelled back to Florida from Reno/Tahoe a couple of weeks ago, I chatted with a few people in the airports. Everyone had the same response: “Reno, isn’t that like a little Vegas?”
Six months ago, that probably would have been my response. In reality, the area is nothing like Las Vegas, except they are in the same state. I see Reno and Lake Tahoe as a wonderland for all seasons. The skiing around the lake with the larger well-known resorts such as Squaw Valley to the west and Heavenly to the South are great choices for winter and summer mountain destinations. Today I wanted to say a little about the lesser knowns. Mt Rose is the highest with a base at 8260 feet above sea level and 1300 acres, which makes this a nice choice for a few days of skiing. Mount Rose is just 20 miles from Reno. This is a great choice to stay and play in Reno, and still ski while on your trip.
Crossing over the divide from Mt Rose you will find Incline Village. This is home to the beautiful Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino. This property is located on the north shore of Lake Tahoe and is one of the only resorts with their own private beach. I was there in the fall and it was still a great place to go to relax by the water or even take a sail on the catamaran operating out of the hotel.
Another place to check out while in Incline Village is the CalNeva Resort. If famous names like Frank, Marilyn, and Kennedy ring a bell, the history of the CalNeva resort is for you. This property has been closed and will reopen after a major remodel in 2016 under a Starwood brand, according to what I can find. I will definitely need to go back and see the history of the property. Diamond Peak is a quaint little ski area closest to the Hyatt on the north side of the lake. This ski area does something a little different than most. I have paid for “First Tracks” to go up on many ski mountains, but have never seen “Last Tracks” This is a wine and beer tasting on mountain at the end of the day. Dates and times are limited to parts of the year, but the locals were all chatting about it still in October.
Our trip to the area also took us to the small mining town of Virginia City. Bonanza fans will remember this Old West town mentioned throughout the years of the TV series. In the late 1800s this thriving town had over 30,000 residents. There is still a steam train that will take you from Carson City to this historic mining town. All the history of the area is quite an interesting read.
We have now come full circle and back to Reno, a city on the grow. This city is also home to Tesla. This electric car icon is adding around 10 million square feet to its plant here in coming years. Other notable contributors to the 50,000 jobs coming to Reno are Microsoft, Amazon, and some in the air industry. The Riverwalk located downtown is a must-see with many renowned restaurants in the area. Other things to do while in the area include the 50+ golf courses, the expansion of the Truckee river whitewater park system, and the 13 breweries in the area. Being a person from North Dakota, I have to mention the world’s largest all-sports store, Scheels. Probably the most noticeable item you will see in Reno, however, is the millions of dollars in upgrades being done in the hotels from the lavish spa and pool area at the Peppermill, to the many restaurants, bars and clubs of the tri properties: The Eldorado, Silver Legacy, and Circus Circus. The Atlantis, The Grand Sierra, The Nugget and Harrah’s Reno, Bill Harrah’s original Bingo Hall, are all making improvements and making Reno a destination worth looking into.
A special thanks to Reno Tahoe USA, The Eldorado, The Peppermill and to our other Reno Tahoe partners for making this trip a memorable one.
Winter is Coming
Ah, November. The month when Mother Nature can’t decide if it’s a balmy fall day in the 70s, or the heart of winter. November is when one by one, the resorts finally start opening for the skiers and snowboarders who have been eagerly waiting those first turns.
It’s a month when weather reports are obsessed over, and everyone becomes an amateur meteorologist. The Farmer’s Almanac becomes a staple in conversations, and a source of elation or despair, depending on its snow predictions for the upcoming season.
November didn’t get off to a roaring start in Colorado. While there was a picturesque dusting on the Rocky Mountains from previous snow, it wasn’t enough to give people visions of powder days in the immediate future. Resorts have been making snow, and there will be plenty of runs open to get some nice early season cruising in, but no one had expectations of needing their powder skis on opening day. After this most recent storm, however, attitudes have changed a bit. The excitement in the air is palpable, as snow reports get totaled, and the realization sinks in that it is about time to start bringing out the equipment and planning weekends around weather systems. Resorts in Colorado received up to 13 inches of snow in this last storm, and it is officially time to get stoked.
Winter is coming. And so are the powder days.