Colorado Snow

2010 X Games showing at Skyline Park

Devin Reams — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:20:58 +0000

Aspen has brought the X Games down from the mountain into the city this year. Visit Skyline Park at 16th and Arapahoe from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM this week to watch the X Games highlights on a huge inflated screen underneath the clocktower.

From 2010 X Games Showing

Have a seat and enjoy inexpensive Budweiser beer, and a live DJ from HOT 107.1

From 2010 X Games Showing

It’s a bit chilly out so don’t expect a huge crowd. We were the only ones there last night. So, find a bar and keep warm if you can’t stand the chill.

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Arapahoe Basin at The Tilted Kilt

Devin Reams — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:04:59 +0000

The largest Apres Ski party has kicked off in Denver this week. One of the coolest and newest sports pubs in Denver, The Tilted Kilt, is hosting Arapahoe Basin through Saturday.

From SIA A-Basin and Tilted Kilt

Enter to win gear at the hourly raffles (including t-shirts, hats, passes, and a snowboard), have a $5 cherry bomb from the Arapahoe Basin ice luge, or just enjoy discounted drinks and food.

From SIA A-Basin and Tilted Kilt

The party goes form 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM right next to the Clocktower on the 16th Street Mall. Hint: if you stop by Skyline Park you might be handed $1-off coupons.

UPDATE: The crew from Metromix / 9NEWS grabbed some great photos at the Tilted Kilt last night.

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2010 SIA Snow Fashion Show recap

Devin Reams — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:31:50 +0000

The SIA Snow Show has kicked off, as it always does, with a fashion show. Some of the biggest brands in apparel and accessories took the stage at the Wells Fargo Theater in the Convention Center to show off their upcoming 2010-2011 gear, apparel, and accessories.

From 2010 SIA Snow Fashion Show

A lot of the featured brands are local Colorado companies including: Spyder, Optic Nerve, SmartWool, Icelandic, and Obermeyer.

From 2010 SIA Snow Fashion Show

One thing we did notice was the increased fashion in earphones which, when they match an outfit, look pretty good.

From 2010 SIA Snow Fashion Show

The show concluded with an impressive series from Under Armor, the Stars and Stripes line which will be outfitting the US Olympic teams this year.

From 2010 SIA Snow Fashion Show

Overall, the evening was a fascinating look into the future of snow fashion (and the DJ was top notch). As to be expected, you will see a lot of bright colors, subtle patterns, and big hoods. Though, one detail that has escaped me thus far: suspenders for men. Watch for those…

Here’s a quick video with some of the lineup at the end of the evening:

Stay tuned for more SIA Snow Show coverage.

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2010 SIA Snow Show Events roundup

Devin Reams — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:18:10 +0000

This week will be a busy one as the entire snow sport industry has descended upon Denver. Being a native I only find this appropriate and look forward to meeting new companies, brands, and fellow media. Here are some of the events you’ll find me attending:

Wednesday, January 27, 2010: SIA Snow Fashion Show

The industry’s premier Snow Fashion Show is returning this year: an evening of winter style and trends. With participants including: Skullcandy, SmartWool, Obermeyer, Lorpen, and Spyder.

Thursday through Saturday: Aspen/Snowmass X Games Party at Skyline Park

Aspen/Snowmass is bringing Winter X Games action to Denver in celebration of the SIA Snow Show and the World’s Largest Après Ski + Ride Party. Skyline Park will be transformed into a Winter X Games viewing party with events broadcast live from Aspen/Snowmass on the big screen.

Thursday, January 28, 2010: Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild at Pepsi Center

It’s not every day you can get club level seating ($112+) for $40. Buy your discounted tickets now; tickets are Limited and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Saturday, January 30, 2010: Shmooza Palooza

Taking place at the SIA Snow Show, this job fair and networking event is a great way to get face time with industry employers. It is open to the public in the Korbel Ballroom in the Convention Center.

Find more events and details at http://denverapres.com/

And of course, there will be plenty of private and public parties including:

Vail Resorts / Visit Denver
YES Snowboards, North Face and Spy
11th Annual Transworld Riders Poll
Colorado Ski Country USA
Obermeyer
Chaos Headwear
Various Colorado ski resorts

Click here for a chance to win tickets to the Trouble Andrew Concert on Thursday from Snowboarder Guide.

See you in Denver!

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Apres Ski parties in Denver this week

Devin Reams — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:52:07 +0000

There are a ton of parties, events, and concerts coming to Denver this week as the snowsports industry descends on Denver, Colorado. The 2010 SIA Snow Show trade expo will be taking over downtown. Even if you’re not attending the show, you should be downtown this week as there will be plenty of fun to be had. Check out the Apres Ski website for the comprehensive list of events: http://www.denver.org/apresski/home.aspx

I’ll be downtown all week at various parties and events. If you’re around and would like to meet up, feel free to follow Colorado Snow on twitter or send an email to devin@cosnow.com.

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Keystone 1/24/10

Devin Reams — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:48:07 +0000

It was so cold and so windy I didn’t take a single picture or enjoy much of the day. Although Summit had received a few inches by Sunday, it had all been blown off the slopes by Sunday morning. Everything was hard-packed, icy and wind-blown. I wish we had gone to Vail.

Anyway, we did a few runs on the front. There was a bit of a crowd in the morning but as soon as everyone realized it wasn’t worth it, they went home. The gondola was closed all day due to the high-winds and the visibility was pretty poor. So, luckily we had the place to ourselves by 10:30.

And to top it all off, the commute to and from Denver was delayed over an hour due to the roads and metering at the tunnel. From 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM, there was a 60 minute delay (the drive usually takes about 9 minutes) from Silverthorne to the east entrance to the Eisenhower Tunnel.

I’m likely not the only one getting frustrated at this point…

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Keystone 1/16/10

Devin Reams — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:31:30 +0000

It’s fairly easy to sum up the conditions in Summit County lately: Spring weather with Fall snow and February crowds. In other words, it’s unseasonably warm, beautiful blue skies, temperatures upwards of 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit, a base of 20-30 inches, and too many people headed to the hills on the weekend.

From Skiing at Keystone

Most terrain, I’m sure you’re aware, has been packed (man-made) powder. Many resorts don’t have nearly enough Expert terrain open because there isn’t enough cover. So that leaves two options: the front of the mountain or the terrain park. Frankly, I’m not interested in either. I’d much rather be sipping on a bloody mary on the deck in the sun than risk colliding with the dozens of other weekend warriors on the hill.

From Skiing at Keystone

Hopefully this is changing with the latest storm but most of the big Vail resorts (Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge) have only received a few inches each day.

If you like to play in the park I can see how you could make the most of the conditions but this is horrible. The traffic on Saturday was the most congested it has been all season… and for what? I’m becoming a bit bearish on this snow market.

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A winter storm we’ve been waiting for

Devin Reams — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:41:44 +0000

Here we are half-way through January 2010 and most of Colorado’s most popular resorts are at 20-30″ bases. Most resorts don’t have enough snow to open up expert (non-man-made snow) terrain such as the Montezuma Bowl at Arapahoe Basin. So, it’s with even one or two inches that we get excited. It’s not much to get excited for, but it’s something. Given the state of things, every little bit helps. Joel Gratz has more information on the wave of storms moving through Colorado this week. Expect some good snow by this weekend!

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Lindsey Vonn named Colorado athlete of the year

Devin Reams — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:06:04 +0000

Congratulations to Lindsey Vonn, alpine ski racer, U.S. Ski Team member, and Vail celebrity. The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame named her the 2009 Athlete of the Year. This year she re-claimed the overall World Cup champion title and became the first American woman to win the world Super-G title. You can follow Lindsey on her blog at lindseyvonn.com, and is active on twitter at @lindseyvonn.

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Ski biking: almost as fun as it sounds

Devin Reams — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:54:03 +0000

Over the past weekend I had the privilege of ski biking with a group at Vail’s Adventure Center. At first glance, the bikes seem to be nothing more than two skis; one in the front of the other. Apparently, there is a little more to it.

First, the adventure began in the late evening. We headed up the gondola late after the mountain had closed. Worth noting: our group went out at 5:15 which, in the mountains, is far past sunset. In fact, it was downright dark out. I started having second thoughts… Good thing everyone was provided with a headlamp; safety first!

Next, we strapped on what appear to be snow skates to the bottom of our ski boots. At this point in the bike metaphor our feet had become the training wheels (or the ‘tri’ in tricycle). That’s encouraging…

Finally, we awkwardly waddle outside (snow skates are like walking around with flippers on) and spot the bikes. There are two types of bikes: “big” and “slightly less big.” It turns out, my height qualifies me as a “slightly less big” guy. That really took a hit on the ego. Strike three…

At this point, it’s time to sit on the bike and receive the safety and instructional tutorial. “Sit on the bike, don’t stand, slide to a stop like a hockey player…”. I’ve been skiing for years, this all seems fairly straight forward. Turns out, if you’re a skilled skier, it is. The bike is a long frame with a seat, a handle bar which controls the ski in the front, and a ski in the back. The front of the bike and the seat have some suspension… some. But, the majority of the work is done in your hips. Much like skiing, you slide to the sides and carve on the edges to make nice turns. The only difference, of course, is you’re two feet from the ground.

I can see how the sport isn’t being widely accepted: you need to already have some skiing expertise, you are so much closer to the ground, you have many more moving parts and a big bike to land on you. The sport is intimidating. Oh and at Vail: you’re doing it at night, in the dark and it’s very cold.

All of that aside, once you push off and slide down your first hill, it’s a blast. I did a couple slides and fidgeted with the handlebars and already had the hang of it. Just by shifting my hips left and right allowed me to make nice, steady turns. Though, it did start to feel like I was going 100 miles an hour because the ground is whizzing by right below me. Overall, I had a great time. It’s a new experience and a new sport and you’ve already got the hang of it.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get three full top-to-bottom runs in during the two-hour session. If your group catches on quickly, you can try moguls, easy tree runs (very fun!), and maybe even a little jump.

Unfortunately, the snow conditions are less than perfect right now. If you hate going down icy runs in the afternoon, imagine them on a bike in the dark. It’s scary. I think with a bit more fresh snow, the ski biking could be even more enjoyable. For now, it seems a bit fast and almost reckless (the dark, its intimidating).

Check it out and don’t let me discourage you. Again, it’s a bunch of fun and with some more light and more snow, I’d consider ski biking again.

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