Telluride PhotosPhotos of Telluride Ski Area, Snowboarding, Hiking

So today is the unofficial opening day, otherwise known as “donation day” … which happens to be the first time in three years it has occurred. Traditionally, the official opening day of the Telluride Ski Resort is on the Thursday of Thanksgiving. In previous years, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was known as “donation day” & everyone was required to ante up a reduced fee for a single day lift ticket … with all of the proceeds to be donated to the Telluride Ski & Snowboard Club.

If the weather were better or the amount of terrain open were greater, I’d probably fork over the $25 and join in on the fun, but I can wait one more day (so too can my back).

The Telluride Ski Resort is reporting a 32″ base with 2″ new in the past 24 hours and 12″ over the past week. Not bad for Thanksgiving.

I had recently spoken with an Ophir neighbor who had just come down from an excursion in the backcountry on monday evening in waterfall canyon and said the snow as pretty good up high … confirming that there is close to 3 feet up top. Of course there is probably nowhere near 3 feet of snow at the base area; however, it is still good news to hear there’s a decent amount higher up. This situation normally entails that a good storm or two should bridge the gap and allow for much of the mountain to be opened up.

I will give a first hand account tomorrow & more on my switch to being “goofy”!

I just received a promotional email from the Telluride Ski Resort titled: “Epic Savings on Telluride Skiing!” in reference to an upcoming locational sale in Montrose, Colorado on October 16.

OK, I just looked up the word “epic” at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epic and came up with the following:

–adjective Also, ep·i·cal.
1.
noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style: Homer’s Iliad is an epic poem.
2.
resembling or suggesting such poetry: an epic novel on the founding of the country.
3.
heroic; majestic; impressively great: the epic events of the war.
4.
of unusually great size or extent: a crime wave of epic proportions.

I’m guessing numbers 1 & 2 don’t apply, and number three is definitely a stretch in the literal sense; so that leaves number four. However, I don’t see a reference to such a metric being relative, therefore I’m not so sure it’s an appropriate word to use in the context of the sale. In other words, while there might be a relatively good “bargain” of the early bird rates of season passes vs. the regular rates, I don’t know if an average reasonable person who saw the rates would immediately come to the conclusion that such rates are “epic”. In fact, I believe I’d bet my house that it would NOT be the case.

There was a recent letter to the editor which appeared in the Telluride Watch newspaper which seemed to run contrary to the notion of Telluride Ski Area passes allowing for “epic savings”. Here is a direct link:

http://www.telluridewatch.com/view/full_story/9856559/article-Six-Day-Pass-Too-Pricey-for-This-Senior-Skier-?instance=secondary_stories_left_column

I’ve extracted a quote from the above letter:

Last year I paid $345 for a six-day pass. This year, the six day pass is $450 (or $75 a day). I’m afraid that’s out of my price range; it wasn’t too long ago that seniors at age 70 skied for free. I think there should be a price break for seniors; after all we brought all our friends, children and grandchildren to Telluride.

This doesn’t sound like epic savings to me.

Consequently, I have a question for the National Forest Service: is there an upper limit to which ski area operators can charge for access to National Forest Service (public) lands which are being leased to such operators?

According to the Telluride Ski Resort’s website & an article appearing in the Telluride Daily Planet, the “Window Rate” for an adult regular season lift ticket for the 2010/11 season is $98.

Yes, you read that correctly!

It wasn’t surprising to read quotes in the TDP article to the effect of that there are deals for those who shop prior to walking up to the window. This is true, but the reality is that a single day lift ticket at Telluride is flirting very closely with the $100 mark!

Personally, I believe this is a terrible financial burden for the average American citizen to essentially access what is THEIR OWN land (National Forest Service). Moreover, I don’t believe the ski company is acting as a good steward with respect to setting such a price point.

More on this later.

Joint Point, one of Telluride’s best local jam bands (and also the name of a Telluride Ski run), is seen playing below in the Telluride Mountain Village for Telluride Sports’ annual Blizzard sale. This is a short clip during the middle of a Shakedown Street jam.

Telluride Sports’ held a raffle for a ski pass and other great items, but I did not win. I did purchase a great pair of Oakley googles at 40% off at Alternative Edge.

I took a very short hike up on Tomboy road for a little while during the Bluegrass Festival, and took a look across the way at the Telluride Ski Area … and had a very difficult time looking across without getting all choked up inside.

I have spent 16 seasons snowboarding at Telluride and know the mountain, especially the front side into town, very very well. It is interesting to be able to look at the lift 9 pod from across the way and see the actual contours of the drainages which house both the named ski runs as well as the lesser known tree shots which funnel into the drainages. The sea refuses no river, and the river is where I am.

My back hasn’t been doing so well the past couple of winters, and I was down to about 44 days on the mountain from a normal average of about 85 days. I have really started to wonder how many years or days I have left?

… at least for now, but the silence is almost deafening with respect to the potential implications regarding what wheels might be turning behind the doors of the Telluride Ski & Golf Company’s administrative offices regarding plans for a possible expansion into Bear Creek.

Earlier this spring, there was what appeared to be some high stakes jockeying for position for what might be crucial land for egress in Bear Creek by both Telski and an individual (Tom Chapman) who has apparently been involved in other high profile real estate inholding “controversies” (within National Forest Service boundaries).

According to a story which appeared in The Telluide Watch on May 14, 2010: “TSG Asset Holding, LLC purchased the 4.11-acre parcel known as the Dandy Lode from Fern M. Honstein of Grand Junction in early April for $24,700, according to documents recorded with the San Miguel County Clerk’s Office on April 5.”

http://www.telluridewatch.com/view/full_story/7435764/article-Telski-Buys-Upper-Bear-Creek-Mining-Claim?

Dave Riley, CEO of the Telluride Ski & Golf company, didn’t appear to be committed to an expansion, but also left the option open for his company to pursue and also went on record to state that this purchase and that which was related to Tom Chapman were coincidental.

Personally, I do NOT believe in coincidence as a general matter, let alone in this particular instance. I firmly believe there is “movement behind the curtains”. Moreover, I believe there is a clear intention which motivates such possible planning efforts; combined with an agenda which seeks to protect and further it’s own interests, it might be reasonable to assume such efforts might be presented to the National Forest Service in such a manner that provides the best possible odds to achieving the end goals of their particular special interests. This might be a long drawn out way of putting that Telski might seek the best pathway for approval of any plans they might have. In other words, the silence might very well be a tactic to insure public outcry doesn’t kill any plans before they get off the drawing board.

Regardless of any speculation, if you feel strongly opposed to an expansion in Bear Creek by the ski area, the time is NOW to talk with your neighbors, family, and friends … anyone who will listen …. since we might find ourselves in a position where there is not much time to talk and be heard!

The photo above is of the Drew Emmitt Band taken during the last day of the season outside the Goronno Ranch at the Telluride Ski Area. The local band Joint Point closed out the season as well with a free show at the bottom of lift 8 in town which lasted until almost 8pm.

It was definitely a very good last day as far as last days go. There was still some fresh lines in the trees & the sun came out enough to keep temps in the upper 40′s … making for some soft slush in all the normal suspect areas. Most of lift 9 and revelation had great snow. I also took a hike up along the prospect ridge line just past Genevieve … the snow was actually a bit grabby … almost like frozen over wind loaded snow. Same goes for Gold Hill 9 which I took for the first time. The shot below was taken in the GH9 chute just after passing the choke.

Both Friday and Saturday were noticeably better … with a few inches of fresh snow received each day.

My season total turned out to be 44 days, which is about 50% of where I’m normally be at for a season … but I was extremely psyched to get in each and every one of those days!

Yesterday was my 41st birthday and also was day 27 snowboarding at Telluride for the ski season. I believe it was my fifth day in a row, a record for a very slow paced year which has been plagued with health issues. Nonetheless, I consider myself lucky and happy to get up there when I have had the chance.

I took a close-up of the fence on skier’s right on Milk Run. While I respect ski racers and can certainly appreciate their skill and dedication, it is definitely not my bag. Maybe I might even excel at snowboarding (or even skiing) competitions; however, I can’t begin to describe the thrill of simply riding for it’s own sake. Free ride, free mountain.

Before Milk Run was hi-jacked and turned into a racing venue for a limited few, it was left ungroomed without enormous amounts of man made snow (and the energy to create & distribute it) … ultimately leaving an array of moguls which were tighter on skier’s right and much more spaced on skier’s left. The spring was when Milk Run clearly excelled: slushy hero bumps linked up with either a Stumper or Riley’s made for unparalleled laps in the sun!

I believe Coonskin offers a much better racing venue in so far as less sun exposure with a more constant fall line (or less of a double fall line vs. Milk Run). I realize there are logistics and sanctioning requirements involved, but it’s certainly a doable thing.

Today was day 26 snowboarding at Telluride, but the fourth day in a row after we’ve been pounded with about 2 feet of fresh snow in as many days. It’s probably been the best run of days for the season as far as fresh powder goes. The shot above was taken at the top of Milk Run this afternoon. It was an interesting wall of snow/clouds to the east while sun was shining brightly on the actual ski run. I took a couple, the first of which I wound up getting roped in to the right of that fence (erected for the ski races which took place this past weekend) …. wound up snowboarding the trees between Milk Run and Pandora.

While I was snowboarding in Telluride, I missed the show back in Ophir: explosives set off what looked like about a half dozen avalanches as part of control work to mitigate danger from slides crossing the roads and such. In the photo below, you can see the machinery clearing the road from where the avalanche run-out had crossed it’s path. While the avalanche debris wasn’t too high, you can see the piles which the backhoe made were at least 10 feet tall.

I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to miss the day snowboarding in Telluride, but I was kind of disappointed in missing the avalanche control work … since it can be very spectacular event to witness. Here’s a YouTube clip of one take about two years ago:

Today was my 18th day snowboarding at the Telluride Ski Area. Although I’m well behind my normal annual pace of snowboarding at Telluride, I have been able to get out a bit more recently.

I believe the official 24hr snowfall total this morning was 6 inches of new snow (with a 48hr total of 9″); however, most people I spoke with (including myself) thought there was more like 7 or 8 inches of new snow at the higher elevations of the ski mountain. I have to give Telski credit this year for not exaggerating snowfall totals on their ski reports.

I basically took a few runs on 9, two on Revelation Bowl, and a couple on Gold Hill. While the turns were very soft at the top of the mountain, it was a bit firmer at lower and mid elevations … especially being felt moreso on steeper mogul runs. I really like the drains on days like today, almost a perfect pitch for the amount of snow we received.

The photo above is taken at the entrance of Gold Hill 1 … which was in great shape overall & the first dozen or so turns being superb! However, I kind of got cornered into a reef area and had to inch my way down / through a rocky cliff band on my butt. Same goes for some super sketchy / rocky initial few turns on Andy’s Gold after getting dumped out of Gold Hill 1. I took a nice slow motion fall on some stumps as I started down lower Gold Hill 1.5. If you shot a bullet in between the words “Gold” and “Hill” on the sign in the photo, it would basically land where I took the last photo about a week ago off of the prospect ridgline.