Snow...Hike....Ski....Repeat....

It was a 'blue bird' day in the central mountains of Colorado and we finally got a few inches of snow at the ski area that we frequent. It was a small amount of snow but enough to get us up skiing for a few hours. It was warm with zero wind so I figured we needed to do some hiking to untracked powder.

We rode up to the top of chair #4 at Loveland Ski Area and then bombed it down to where you start your hike up to 'Tickler'. And yes, it tickles your funny bone to ski up at this altitude. You definitely have to put on your 'big girl panties' to ski this terrain!



The photo above is our hike up to the good stuff. The guy right in front of hubbie Jim asked him if he was on steroids because he caught up to them so fast. I think he is a little overzealous because we haven't had that great of a snow year....yet.

Here are a couple of photos of the same tree this season compared to last season.

























Fortunately for Tess, her region has been getting slammed with snow this year. What gives? Oh well...that is the breaks and it makes you work that much harder to get the freshies.

So we skied 'Tickler'...guess which tracks are mine?? Hint...not the 'knuckle dragger' tracks on the far right....





From there we cruised over to A-Tow which is a term for a 'stash' we go to find powder. It is actually where one of the original tow ropes (yes, the ones that rip your gloves to shreds) was located at Loveland back in the day. I recently bought a book called "Powder Ghost Towns" by Peter Bronski...Epic Back-Country Runs in Colorado's Lost Ski Resorts. This book makes my husband feel really old because when he was a kid he had ski races at many of these defunct ski areas. My son loves it because he is a 'VINTAGE' junkie...not sure where he inherited that from? Odd how these things pop up in the genetics??

Anyway, we hiked over to A-Tow and it felt like we were skiing in wet cement. I had about 6" of snow packed all along the bottoms of my skis. Jim kept reminding me while I was 'cussing out my ski tuner person' that I am the one who said I wanted a work out. Well, I got one that is for sure.

We got out of that 'sticky' situation and Jim went back to his beloved 'steeps' of Loveland. I decided to hit the 'Ridge' one more time since the weather was just too perfect not to. I snapped a photo of Gray's and Torrey's Peaks which are two Fourteeners of Colorado.



I should mention that we have hiked these two and have skied down Torrey's. Now that was a day to be on your toes! Oh by the way, sorry Mom...ahhhhh...I didn't mention it to you because I am aware of how you worry just a touch...and yes I am preparing myself since I have a daredevil daughter....stay tuned....

Well, I guess I should stop this babbling on incessantly about our ski day. It was not an epic powder day but fun none the less. I will mention one more site which is ColoradoSkiHistory which is one of my son's favorite websites! Check it out!

P.S. Shadow objects are larger than they appear!


P.S.S. Knuckle draggers=see photo....














Until next time...Anne