Hike & Ski In Same Day At Telluride

On a beautiful chilly Friday morning, the folks at The Hotel Telluride recommended I go up Jud Wiebe Trail for a nice hike.  They said I would get a combination of dirt, mud, and snow.  It's a locals favorite hike.  So off I went.  As I went higher I did get into some snow and ice.  I also got some incredible views of Telluride.

I was on a time schedule and the snow and ice slowed me down a little on the hike.  To do the whole hike it takes about an hour and half but with the snow and ice it takes about two hours.  So I made it almost to the top and had to turn back down to make my ski time.

Well on the way down, even though I was trying to be careful in the snow and icy spots, I slipped on ice and fell flat on my back and slammed my elbow into a rock.  Not exactly what I'd planned!  Thankfully I hit the rock just below the elbow and didn't break a bone.  But I have a huge bruise and swollen elbow/arm from that adventure.

Some of what I hiked through on Jud Wiebe Trail

So I hurried down as fast as I could after my spill and got ready for skiing.  It was a beautiful spring day for skiing at Telluride!  I actually covered a lot of ground as we road up Sunshine Express then skied over to Prospect Express to the where you can start hike to go up Palmyra Peak.

Palmyra Peak

From there we skied Galloping Goose, after a spill at top of run from my boots not fulling clipping in to bindings from packed snow.  Then up Gold Hill Express to Revelation Bowl and down to Woozley's Way and lunch at Bon Vivant.  After lunch we skied down after a fun afternoon on the slopes! 

Going For The Bumps

I've never tried skiing moguls and yesterday was my day to attempt them.  Mary Jane at Winter Park is known as the bumps capital of the United States.  Skiing the bumps is technical, intimidating, and just plan ole hard.  Keep in mind that Mary Jane's motto is "No Pain, No Jane."

I headed with instructor JT Thompson along with my friends Nancy and Catrina, who were helping me film the adventure.

I really like JT's moguls lesson that was in and out of bumps.  Technically he's the best instructor or guide that I've had.  He really broke down my skiing and got me really good on blue runs then progressing into the moguls.

First moguls run I tried at Winter Park was Jabber Rabbit (it's part of Jabberwocky and White Rabbit runs).  JT just took me straight across the bumps going back and forth across the run instead of straight down.  This was were I felt a little broken and very intimidated by those bumps.  I couldn't figure out why it wasn't clicking.  So out of the bumps we went and he really helped straighten up my posture, getting me to press shins more into the boots, upper body up and legs relaxed.  I loved his BOB term for posture - booty over boots.  In moguls straight posture is essential.

Got down first bumps with no falls!

The thing that clicked with me post was when JT had me hold my poles halfway down, arms out straight making what he called a Hollywood picture frame.  That helped keep my upper body up straight and lower body moved with the mountain.  I've heard repeatedly when out skiing, let the mountain do the work.  With this drill I finally got what that is suppose to feel like.  Up until this point I've been athletic enough to get myself down the mountain and getting better each time I ski.  But this lesson just propelled me to a point where I can tackle steeper slopes and harder terrain like moguls.

We did a few more blues and short moguls runs then headed up to the top of Mary Jane.  I had a blast skiing moguls on Mary Jane and it was there that I felt like I was truly skiing my first moguls run going around, in between, and down the moguls.

A lot of people told me to expect to fall a lot.  Well I didn't fall once during my lesson.  I truly credit JT for that.  He skied beside me, sometimes holding my hand or arm, in front of me creating a line for me to follow, and beside me cheering me on then smiling while the light bulb went off in my head and I got it.

Can't wait to attempt moguls again!

Skiing First Back Bowl In Vail

Yesterday I got to ski my first Vail back bowl.  Actually got to do two first:  ski a bowl and ski a natural half-pipe.  I went out on a shoot to show the beauty and accessibility to almost any ski level of the back bowls.  We ended up skiing for about three hours for the shoot.  We did a couple of runs then took lifts and catwalks over to China Bowl, my first bowl.  I had a blast following my guide Chris Lai down the bowl.  Love that I made it down without falling!

In China Bowl with Mount Holy Cross in background.

From there we headed over the Blue Sky Basin for more skiing and to check out the view of the bowls, including China Bowl.  In the Basin, we skied the Cloud Nine then back over to Lionshead.  Cloud Nine was fitting since it is my favorite ski day yet!

Skiing Breckenridge

Saturday I skied Breckenridge with my friend Hope and her 16 year old daughter Chrizney.  It was Chrizney's first time to ski.  She'd taken a lesson Friday.  But it took us awhile to get down our first run.  I certainly saw some big falls.  In the cold and wind, I became Coach Jen as we slowly got down her first run.

There's something to be said to watching someone try something for the first time.  The first day of skiing for Chrizney turned into a much better experience once we did some of the ski school runs.  Her last run of the day she made it all the way without a fall or even a wobble!

Skiing Powder Day at Beaver Creek

Sunday was a powder day at Beaver Creek.  9" of new snow fell Saturday night and early Sunday.  So two friends and I headed out to feel the burn in our legs from skiing powder.  It was a blast!

Check out my Powder Day! Skiing Beaver Creek Swept Away blog for the video of my powder day at Beaver Creek.

Skiing With A Ski Film Veteran

Saturday I got to ski with my friend, Chris Anthony.  He's been in 21 Warren Miller films and is a big mountain skier.  Yes it's been an incredible week for me getting one-on-one lessons with Billy Kidd at Steamboat Springs and Saturday skiing Beaver Creek with Chris.

We had a blast.  Chris worked on technique with me, keeping me in that ski like a world champion mentality.

If you know Beaver Creek, we trained on Lattigo and Gold Dust.  These are two blue runs.


Couple of things Chris worked with me on:

Keep your shoulders and chest forward.  Think belly to the base.
Look down mountain, not at your ski tips or just a few feet in front of you.
As you pole plant, stand up then bend into the turn as you put weight into the downhill (or outside) ski.

After a few runs with Chris, he headed out to ski with another friend who is a very advanced skier.

I took a couple more runs with my friend Carl, who's a blues to blacks skier.

Great day skiing with friends and working on my technique!

Skiing Steamboat With An Olympian

Wednesday I got a chance to ski with an Olympian but not just any Olympian.  I skied with the first American male to medal in alpine skiing, Billy Kidd.  I'm still very much a beginner skier but Billy gave me tips to be confident on the mountain.  I'd been thinking too much about my knees, hips, and butt.

Billy taught me to ski well you have to look like a champion.  Look how world-class skiers stand - feet apart, knees bent, arms out. It starts with standing.  Then going down the mountain, it's about the pole plant.  Pole plant to start the turn. Shift weight to outside foot in the turn.  It was a ski lesson breakthrough for me!

 I'm looking forward to practicing on the slopes at Beaver Creek this weekend.

Ski and Snowshoe Friday

Friday was a fun day on the slopes and snowshoeing.  In the morning, my friend Jackie and I headed out to hit the slopes at Buttermilk in Aspen.  She's a green to blue every once in awhile skier and I'm a little more advanced as a green/blue skier.  This was only my second time out on the slopes this season and we had a ball.  I used the runs like Homestead Road to practice and really focus on my technique and just a day to get comfortable back on skis.  We did several runs then head in for a quick lunch and an afternoon of snowshoe.

For the snowshoeing we took the gondola up Aspen Mountain (Ajax) and then off we went with our guide Daniel on the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies tour.  Jackie's 7-year-old daughter went with us.  It's a fun thing for families to do and we had a great time.  It's a two hour outing but you do stop along this educational tour.  The views of the Highlands Bowl, Mount Sopris and the Elk Mountains, and the Continental Divide were amazing.

Cross Country Skiing In Breck

On Friday my friends Melissa and Austyn and I headed out to do a little cross country skiing at Breckenridge Nordic Center.  Melissa had gone a couple of times.  I'd been once with my cousins when I was in college but I think I was in regular skis when we skied in to a mining camp.  Austyn is a snowboarder and had never cross country skied.  So we headed out on a beautiful afternoon to try an activity that's new to us.

We had a ball.  I laughed the entire time and of course fell once.  I decided I needed to take a lesson.  But for a fun workout outing with friends it was a great adventure!  Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are definitely on my workout regime in the New Year.

First Ski Day of the Season for Me

Thursday I got in my first ski day of the season as I explored Echo Mountain for one of my Explore Colorado segments.  It was pretty entertaining to me that I took off to tackle the mountain with three very advanced skiers.

My friend and co-anchor Melody has been skiing since she was about 4 or 5.  Kelley is a heliskiing lover.  That's downhill skiing that's only accessible by helicopter. Catrina has been a coach for Team Summit, a competitive ski club for a couple of years.  Catrina was my coach on the mountain for the afternoon.

I was definitely VERY slow and timid on the first run but got more and more comfortable, even skiing my way through a couple of terrain park areas with jumps.  Notice I said through and not over.

We skied for about an hour and half then headed in for cocoa (yes with a few marshmallows) since it was getting really cold.  Skiing is such a great workout plus you burn more calories in the cold.  That's why it's okay to splurge on nachos and fries afterwards.  Of course splitting with everyone.  You worked for it!