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Fat Tuesday In Telluride

J Dogg — Sun, 01 May 2005 00:00:00 -0400

Rating

BY MARK LASSETER

After 12 days of rain late January in Whistler it was time to get a powder fix after not having a single one all season. Tired of getting photo after photo from friend Vince Boelema of the pounding storms in the San Juans, specifically in Telluride, it was time to head down there. It was off to be sleepless in Seattle arriving at 1 AM at the airport in my normal bench spot by the Starbucks to get the cheap flight at 6AM that flew right into Telluride via Phoenix, total convenience. This week was also Mardi Gras which is eventful in Telluride.

After meeting up for afternoon cocktails up on the hill and suffering from high altitude sickness, it was time to take some altitude pills and pass out on Vince's couch. An early wake up call the next day was in order as Vince was going to take me into Telluride's backcountry area known as Bear Creek. It was a perfect Bluebird day and only a 10 minute walk to the gondola from Vince's house through the cool small town of Telluride. The town of Telluride has maintained its' small town western feel with no franchises or other such businesses allowed to operate in Telluride.

After a straight boot pack up through the gate we were in Bear Creek. With many options from the top such as the easiest dropping straight in, Vince wanted to show off the surroundings so we traversed and side stepped up to the far side. Milking it for all it was worth, we took advantage of the wide open pitches and creamy snow with Vince showing off his special backyard.

Bear Creek also had to have some of the best scenery I have ever seen. After taking it all in and working our way down, we hooked up with some of T-ride's local freeride crew, behind some trees who were lining up a cliff. After the huck session it was time to ski down a pretty narrow chute and then down climb/side jump down an area called 'The Monkey Bars' to get out of Bear Creek. Aptly named due to the permanently kept ropes pegged into the approach above the sketchy descent over rocks, you really need to hold onto the ropes while exiting, definite p-tex job required after this descent.

The next day we were off to nearby Silverton (see Keeping it Smooth in San Juans Part 1) and on the drive back 2 nights later to Telluride it was puking the light fluffy stuff and knew that Tuesday morning would be indeed be a Fat Tuesday to remember. With 14 inches overnight, getting to the main lift at only 9:15 I thought I would be in store for a huge typical powder day lineup. But not in Telluride, there was only about 175 people there waiting in anticipation at Chair 4. Lucky again to be shown around by Vince we trashed and bashed our way through secret tree spots and timing chair openings at exactly the right time, which never had more than 5 minute waits anyways. The snow was the lightest and most consistent I had ever skied anywhere.

The whole town was going off in a frenzy on the hill this day, with hoots and hollers all while skiing and snowboarding with big Mardi Gras beads around their necks. At 3PM I got my biggest face shots of the day in a tucked away unmarked tree run located only as high as mid mountain. At 3:15 I had to beg Vince to stop as I was spent!

So of course to top off the perfect Tuesday it was off to the Half Moon bar for a nightcap and see Colorado's version of Porn Funk, 'Hairy Ape BMX'. The bar was going off with energy that had been brewing all day in town from the epic day and was amplified by the humorous and playful style of the band similar to Whistler's Slow Nerve Action and in addition sniping out the occasional rap vocals as well. 'Yo, yo its about the 3 P's. Had #1 on the hill today, enjoying # 2 as I dance the night away, later tonight hoping #3 will be laying next to me. Peace in the 970, word.'

DETAILS

www.telski.com

Season: Late November to April 3, 2005 Getting there: fly into Telluride (TEX) or Montrose (MTJ)

How to be cool: Combine a visit to Telluride with one to Silverton Mad props to Vince and Rachel and Ted Loehr at Telluride Ski Resort!

Keeping it Smooth in the San Juans - Silverton

J Dogg — Sat, 05 Mar 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Rating

Submitted by Mark Lasseter Photos: Mark Lasseter & Vince Boelema

After getting over altitude sickness, scoping the local scene in Telluride, Colorado, and grooving to a local funk band, it was time for Vince Boelema and I to make the 2 hour journey across the pass to Silverton. Silverton Mountain, one of the newer resorts in Colorado at only 3 years old is located in the San Juan mountain range 2 hours from Telluride Ski Resort and about 1.5 hours from Montrose airport.

The sleepish town of Silverton is about as 'small town USA' as you can get with only 500 people, 1 bar, 1 main street, 1 school for all ages, and of course the most important part of this town... 1 ski resort, 1 lift. Luckily we were able to meet up with local friend Alex Hunt who put us up for the weekend. Unfortunately Alex wouldn't be joining us on the hill, still showing off his bulky leg cast courtesy of some unexpected Las Lenas slough and Argentina's dodgy medicine. Instead the first stop was Silverton's only real watering hole, the Explorer Bar.

After downing some Pabst Blue Ribbons, we let the horde of guys peer at the 3 girls in the bar as we stumbled home to get ready for the next day of skiing at Silverton. The bar The hustle bustle at the base area. Owned, founded and operated by locals Aaron and Jen Ader Brill, they thrive on the fact that the ski resort is run by skiers for skiers/snowboarders and not by a large golf or real estate corporation. Environmental impact, safety for employees and guests having a truly unique backcountry skiing/snowboarding experience go hand in hand here. Aaron and Jen are often found on the mountain themselves; guiding, patrol prepping, and manning the lift.

Yep, it may have only one lift, but it's anything but small. The lift and hiking will get you to up to 4053 m above some awesome terrain, with a limit of only 80 people to share it with. Hike to the billboard area The next morning we were among those few lucky skiers, and on our drive to the resort, the school bus high snow banks engulfing the road gave us a hint of what awaited. Gearing up in the morning, we couldn't help but notice that Silverton's logo is a skier falling off of a cliff... interesting. Assured it wouldn't be us, we registered and headed up the chaird with Stan our guide.

Our group of 5 started on our first run simply doing an easy 2 minute traverse over to a wide open powder field, this was too easy I thought. Stan told us to stay left of his track and went ahead, followed by myself, Vince and the 3 others, milking every turn as we went. It was a great taste of fresh and light San Juan powder until we hit the drainage area and traversed out of the resort through the woods, ending up on the side of a nearby road. Luckily there was a small shuttle bus waiting for us and another group that had just popped out of the woods joined us for the ride back to the lift. The rest of the runs were as equally entertaining, and the required 15-35 minute hikes for each run were well worth it.

Our 2nd run was a great challenging tree run with optional small cliffs and log drops throughout. Knee deep powder on a constant steep pitch ensured faceshots from top to bottom, followed by another road, another shuttle. This time with no driver, but hey, Stan had a key and got us back to the lift as our withered legs rested for another run. Our last run was the topped it off, hiking towards the area known as the billboard and towards the highest peak. Vince and I hop turned our way down this steep chute until we opened it up into a smooth creamy powder field. We thanked Stan and Jen for a great day while enjoying a PBR in true Silverton apres style in the tent at the makeshift Silverton bar. Uh, the Superbowl was today? No one had mentioned it. While Superbowl Sunday entranced over 100 million other Americans, I guess everyone at Silverton was there to ski.

I spent the night in Silverton and met up Monday morning for breakfast with locals Doug, Skylar, and Barney who I'd met in Las Lenas last summer. I had no way to get back to Telluride so Barney and Stan (our guide from the day before) offered to drive me to Telluride as it was enroute to a tour they had planned at Red Mountain Pass. Exhausted and happy to score a ride, I waited in the car as they skinned up to harvest the waist deep tree runs on Red Mountain Pass.

They made it back to the car super stoked and we were off. We stopped in the town of Ouray to sample the town's sweet hot springs. YOU MUST DO THIS IF GOING TO SILVERTON! The one place we went to even had these cool vapor caves, super dry and hot and really clean. The rest of the drive was challenging as it was storming. The crew dropped me off at Vince's house in Telluride and it was time for much needed sleep as 30 cms apparently had fallen that evening in Telluride.

Tuesday morning was going to be epic! (see part 2 Telluride Fat Tuesday coming soon).

Skier: Mike Barney

DETAILS

Silverton is open until late April and this season there is skiing in May and June upon request due to the large amount of snow, just email the resort. There is also great touring near Silverton and a ton of snow everywhere right now. Before arriving you need to reserve a spot on line, or give them a call. 1 Day Lift Pass $120 USD Telephone: 970-387-5706

info@silvertonmountain.com

www.silvertonmountain.com

The video on the site says it all...