Jamesdeluxe’s Highlights 09/10

65-hour work weeks, very little flexibility for time off, and a four-year-old at home aren’t a good recipe for any skier, especially one based a half hour west of New York City. Still, I made it to 28 days, and while none fell into the “best-ever” category, there were lots of great moments that’ll stick in my mind until next winter.

Winter Park/Mary Jane, CO: 12/14/09

Deluxe Tracks on Milligan's Mile

Due to uncooperative weather in the East, my first ski day didn’t come until a mid-December trip to Colorado. I’d always heard divergent opinions on this sprawling ski area and was lucky to go there after an overnight storm dropped a foot of snow. The Winter Park side is a series of ridgelines with long runouts and oddly-placed lifts, but by poaching closed trails, I scored plenty of untracked, calf-deep powder.

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Harvey’s Highlights 09/10

November was incredibly warm, a washout. By mid-month, weather sources were in agreement: cold was coming, although the arrival date was constantly being pushed back. December 4 was Opening Day at Gore, and I gleefully lapped 280′ of vertical:

It finally got cold, and we actually had a little snow. On December 9, we had a rare NWS winter storm warning and 13 inches of snow. It was an incredible, borderline event that resulted in snow on Gore. Many mountains were not so fortunate.

Total snow for the month was almost average, and temps remained cold enough for some progress from both natural and manmade snow.

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Neve on the Hill

On New Years Eve 2009, Neve Fox strode confidently out onto the hill for the first time. Led by her instructor and her mom Zelda, she made her way up the Bear Cub slope.

Ski Day 1

BJ, Gore Mountain instructor extraordinaire, explained the basics of stance, high-five, snow angels and all the other skills crucial to becoming a top-flight skier.

first lesson

Over the course of the next month, teacher and student worked together tirelessly, to develop Neve’s technique, style and enthusiasm.

baby steps

By mid-January she was riding the Bear Cub Poma all by herself.

Tbar

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