We Got Pow Instead of a Deer on Opening Day

So a week ago when I was in Michigan everyone talked about opening day. As we got ready for opening day in Vail yesterday we weren't donning camo and orange and going out to park our butts in a blind.  Powder isn't something you dump down the barrel of a muzzleloader.

"Opening day" takes on a whole different meaning and a lot of excitement in a ski valley. According to my friend, Ann, who has lived here 14 years this was the best opening she had ever experienced, and not because she got to ski it with me. We started the morning out on some of her perfect cappuccinos made even more perfect with some of the homemade Kahlua my neighbor Betty gifted me when I left.  Hit the village early got some free swag and free burritos/hot chocolate whooping it up in the lift lines with other ski geeks an hour before they dropped the rope.  I'd say we were probably in about the 10th gondola up the hill. We got to knock down several inches of natural powder and once we skied it out called it a day in late morning.  Finished the the day with a hot tub and a little Ethyl Rae wine. We're saving ourselves for a fabulous early season forecast of fresh powder for the next few days and into the Thanksgiving holiday. 

 Vail rolled out 540 acres with 7 lifts open and both of it's main bases with plenty of natural snow.  Which is great for an opener.  There's a lot to go yet because this place has over 5000 skiable acres and 30 some lifts. I expect with the fantastic forecast we'll see lot of terrain open up for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Yeehaw here we go!



A shot from the top of chair 4. That's not man made snow. 

Anne, LeAnn and I waiting for the rope to drop on Gondola 1 on opening morning. Free breakfast burritos and hot choc. for the early birds. I know you're all thinking I need a brighter ski jacket.  I get compliments even from the young male lift operators on my rainbow jacket. One guy told me it was the best jacket of the day!



From the top of chair 4.



Apres' time at the base.

Living in a Scenic Overlook

Just west of  Edwards there is a "scenic overlook" pull off on the south side of I-70 and you actually overlook the condos where I live. Edwards is a town about 12 miles west of Vail and the same town where I lived last year. It tends to be more year round people as opposed to the transient ski crowd around the bases of the ski areas. The overlook gives a nice view of the valley here and the Eagle River. Things will get more scenic when the snow gets a bit heavier in the high country and the elk move down into this picture.



This photo is looking straight out to the south from the overlook up on the highway.  I need to learn more about the peaks and ranges around here.  The Eagle River also snakes through these photos but isn't showing up much in them.
 



This is looking to the left (east) from the overlook over the valley and toward the town of Edwards. The ski runs you can see in the distance are at Beaver Creek Ski Area, where the World Cup and World Championships will be.  Those specs in the snowy pasture are cows but the elk heard will move into this photo at some point this winter. I'll keep watch and see if I can get a shot.

This is looking west from the highway pull off over the condos where I live with Carol and her shy black cat Emma. The arrow is about where our condo is.
 

Excitement Building, Snow is Bombing and 70 Countries Now Entered for the Worlds!

Okay, so I've been busy packing my car load of gear and 5 pairs of skis. Got an e-mail from my boss in Vail that the snow is bombing and an epic opening day is on the horizon for ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! May not have to depend on just man made snow.  Many of you know I'm a "15er" which means I'm on the crew to host the Feb. 2015 World Championships in Vail--lots more details on that will be coming. An exciting article came through this morning that looks to be 70 countries represented at the World's that we are hosting!

This from the Vail Valley Foundation Website this morning: http://vailbeavercreek2015.com/news/preliminary-entries-result-in-69-confirmed-teams-so-far-for-2015-fis-alpine-world-ski-championships-in-vail-and-beaver-creek/

      "VAIL, Colorado—The traditional alpine skiing powers are coming, but so are countries such as the Cayman Islands, India, the Netherlands and Timor-Leste as preliminary team entries for Vail and Beaver Creek’s 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships have yielded 69 confirmed national team entries to date.
        Two additional nations are currently unconfirmed, bringing the total entries to 71.  The preliminary entry deadline for the Championships was October 30.
      “The list of countries coming to the 2015 World Championships is a real lesson in geography,” offered Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation and head of the 2015 Organizing Committee.  “These truly are ‘World’ Championships and it will be exciting for our community to have the chance to interact with participants from all of these nations.”
       The 2013 World Championships in Schladming, Austria featured a total of 70 nations represented and, with confirmations and possible additional entries, Vail and Beaver Creek will surpass that number.  The final opportunity for a nation to enter a team will come in mid-January of 2015.
       The Vail Valley’s first World Championships in 1989 featured athletes from 42 nations, while the 1999 World Championships showcased competitors from 55 different countries.
         Other non-traditional alpine skiing nations currently entered include Azerbaijan, Brazil, Greece, Haiti, Israel, Jamaica, South Africa and Chinese-Taipei.  Former U.S. Ski Team member and Vail resident Sarah Schleper will be attempting to qualify and compete for Mexico.
         Scheduled from February 2-15 of 2015, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail and Beaver Creek are expected to showcase athletes from over 70 nations, with an estimated 750 million worldwide television viewers and an onsite media and broadcast entourage of approximately 1,500 members."

Do They Have Any Snow Out There Yet?

Thinks are looking good in Vail. Certainly more snow than last year at this time. Here's the current view in the Vail back bowls. Snow cams at Vail.  And there is definitely snow at the lower elevations as well. When I arrived last year around Nov. 14th there wasn't any snow in Edwards where I live and I'm pretty sure that won't be the case this year. I'm just glad the storm will have moved east of us before I head west this weekend.

Heading West

Thanks to all my friends for your feedback on my Facebook posts from Vail last winter and to everyone who has said they can't wait for my posts to start this year. I've decided to move over and try a blog site so some of my non Facebook friends can access my photos and posts too.

Last winter, my first season in the Vail Valley, I had a great time and got the lay of the land.  This year I'm changing it all up, the "job" and where I'm living as well. It will be an exciting year with both a World Cup Race and a World Ski Championship coming to the valley. I am a volunteer for the Talon Crew and will be on the mountain helping build and maintain those race courses.

So snow is in the air and I'll be heading west soon and hope you'll enjoy following my Vail Val blog.