Outdoors: Colorado alpine skiing requires effort

By Stephen Hlawaty
Outdoors Columnist

Without question, my moving from New York to Colorado in 1991 included some sacrifices with which I had to contend. The food, the people, and the music of Colorado were no match for the cultural diversity that New York City offered. That said, there was one very noticeable area in which Colorado reigned supreme: alpine skiing. This mid-Atlantic skier would eventually come to learn the more refined art of skiing in the Rocky Mountains, which is a far cry from riding pommels in the Poconos.

Back then, I was the alpine equivalent of the Michelin Man. Donned in a thick, down jacket, brown corduroy pants, and two pairs of cotton tube socks, I ventured onto the slopes of New York's Hunter and Windham Mountains, Pennsylvania's Elk Mountain, and Vermont's Mount Snow. These proving grounds proved that down jackets are too bulky to be considered any kind of action wear, that the ribs of corduroy pants serve as a great anchoring device for the slushy snows of the east, and that dressing your feet in cotton is all it takes for the makings of a cold and wet sweat lodge. Indeed, I had a lot to learn, and I credit my continuing education to the slopes of Colorado.

First lesson: layers. I quickly traded my down jacket for a couple of Capilene ski shirts and a Gore-Tex shell, my corduroy pants for full-on Gore-Tex ski pants, and my cotton tube socks for a single polypropylene pair. With a renewed sense of function, if not fashion, I headed for the Colorado hills where I would become a more comfortable skier knowing how to best dress for the part. Layering is key in any outdoor winter activity, and it becomes all the more important when alpine skiing, an activity that blends cold temperatures with a skier's increased body heat.

Graduating from my studies in layering, I was left to enjoy what Colorado's ski resorts have to offer: expansive and varied trail systems, excellent base-to-summit lift operations and some of this country's finest snow conditions. In fact, at this writing, Arapahoe Basin is recording better-than-average snowfall after opening its slopes on Oct. 23. But for all its trail variety and excellent snow conditions, Colorado ski slopes still demand that you put forth the most effort in securing a quality time on the slopes.

As such, alpine skiing requires that you be in good physical health. High elevations, long runs and the sheer physical nature of skiing the Colorado Rockies require alpine skiers to know their limits. The generally wider runs found in Colorado's ski resorts allow for skiers to stop and rest without the threat of disrupting a fellow skier's run down the mountain. As a precautionary measure, skiers wishing to rest should do so along the sides of any slope and not in the middle or below a steeper drop where you might be out of sight of skiers uphill. Alpine skiing requires constant vigilance for both you and your fellow skiers. Look for any skiers uphill before crossing a trail. Keep a narrow line while descending to avoid cutting any one else off. Be cognizant of trail mergers, and reduce your speed upon entering chairlift zones. Knowing these simple strategies will go a long way toward having a safe and exciting time on the slopes.

Those of us living in northern Colorado are fortunate to have relatively easy access to a host of mountain resorts. Interstate 25 makes for easy access to Interstate 70 and the resorts found within Summit and Vail counties. But for anyone who has made day trips to the ski slopes of Summit and Vail counties, traffic--coming and going--can be horrendous.

In my opinion, your best bet is to travel northwest to Steamboat Springs in Routt County. Home to some of this state's driest and lightest champagne powder, Steamboat Springs is only a three-hour, traffic-free drive whose scenery won't disappoint. The Boat, as it's affectionately called, also boasts some incredible glade skiing. If bumps are more your style, consider skiing Winter Park or Mary Jane. To forgo the traffic that Interstate 70 delivers, you can access these mountains by driving through the town of Rand, west of Cameron Pass. For those of you looking for a smaller resort, consider driving north to the Snowy Range Ski Resort in Wyoming.