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Smooth sailing on opening day for Colorado skiing

The Rocky

Published October 15, 2008 at 9:28 a.m.
Updated October 15, 2008 at 12:21 p.m.

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Mik Baker, of Rochester, NH., rides a rail at the terrain park at A-Basin on opening day.

Chris Schneider © The Rocky

Mik Baker, of Rochester, NH., rides a rail at the terrain park at A-Basin on opening day.

A skier rides a rail at the terrain park at A-Basin on opening day at A-basin.

Photo by Chris Schneider © The Rocky

A skier rides a rail at the terrain park at A-Basin on opening day at A-basin.

This shot from one of the Arapahoe Basin Web cams shows skiers and boarders getting in on the action early.

Photo by ArapahoeBasin.com

This shot from one of the Arapahoe Basin Web cams shows skiers and boarders getting in on the action early.

Loveland Ski Area at 7:30 this morning.

Photo by Julie Poppen, The Rocky

Loveland Ski Area at 7:30 this morning.

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Lifts opened today at Arapahoe Basin and Loveland Ski Area. The Rocky's Julie Poppen blogged live.

11:46 a.m. A-Basin

Alden Wade is only 5 but he's been skiing for four years. Yep, you got that right. But he's from Steamboat Springs, after all. And let's just say his dad, Realtor Jon Wade, wants to make sure he has a partner in crime.

So, Alden got an unexpected day off from the ABCs and 1-2-3s of kindergarten.

"I got to skip school," said Alden, as he munched pizza in anticipation of getting a few runs in at A-Basin before the two drove to Loveland.

"You've got to teach kids right from the start," dad said.

Steamboat, after all, doesn't open until around Thanksgiving. And this was Alden's first opening day experience - outside of Steamboat. He started out skiing by hanging on to a bar and getting down the slopes with his dad.

11 a.m. A-Basin

It doesn't get much better than this for A-Basin COO Alan Henceroth.

All those people in line?

Money in the bank.

Ski boots on his feet?

Happiness.

He's not thinking too much about long term weather forecasts. He knows the economy could pose issues for some skiers and boarders this year, but today's turnout is a good omen for the ski industry in Colorado, he says.

"Today we've already exceeded expectations by a lot," Henceroth said. "I'm very optimistic."

"Hopefully the quality and what we have and what our neighbors have will keep people coming."

Jennifer Rudolph, spokeswoman for Colorado Ski Country USA, said many Colorado resorts are trying new gimmicks to attract hesitant travelers. Some resorts, such as Steamboat Springs and Crested Butte, have teamed with airlines to come up with attractive deals for out-of-state destination travelers.

Ryan Burke, of Denver, said the sour economy could result in more people itching to hit the slopes.

"When you're having a bad time with the economy, why not come up here and ski?" Burke said, as he sipped a beer in a special ceramic mug available first-come, first-serve basis.

10:12 a.m. A-Basin

The main parking lot is already overflowing at A-Basin this morning, for the ski area's first day open.

It's much more crowded here than at Loveland, which is just 7 miles down the road. A party atmosphere is taking hold.

By 9:20 a.m. John Pohlmann, 26, who works in property management in Keystone, was having a beer break with his friends after taking three runs. Yes, he was drinking Keystone Light. "They say it's bread in liquid form. We're eating our bread," said Pohlmann, who called in sick, wink wink, to come up and ski.

The group of four skiers and snowboarders were first in line, after arriving at 6:45 a.m., behind the very first chair, which was designated a memorial for ski area founder Edna Dercum, who recently died. The chair featured a big poster of her in her prime, on her long wooden skis and flowers. There was a moment of silence. That's when some other guys cut in line.

"It's not about that anyway," Pohlmann said. "It's about getting out there. I thought we'd be 60th."

Pohlmann said the first run was perfect corduroy, but it was quickly turning into mashed potatoes.

"It's getting choppy," he said, taking a sip of his brew in the parking lot. Meanwhile, the line continued to grow. But the sun is shining, the music's cranking and no one's complaining about the wait.

One lift is open and one run, High Noon, an intermediate run about a mile long. Some of the terrain park is also open. Ski area workers are busy aiming the snow guns at another intermediate run called Ram Rod. Then, they'll push to open the area to the top. The final effort will be getting some beginner runs open, said ski area spokeswoman Leigh Hierholzer.

She said last year 1,400 people showed up on the first day.

"The more the merrier," she said. "People come and go."

Hierholzer said Colorado is expecting a good winter for snow - if the economy doesn't doom the industry. She said A-Basin usually hikes pass prices during the ski expo in November. This year, if things aren't looking good, price hikes could be minimal or nonexistent.

"We're very cautious," she said. "We want to make sure skiing is affordable. Maybe skiing won't be the first thing they take out of their budgets."

This year, Loveland and A-Basin shared the honor of opening first in Colorado. A-Basin has been first the last couple years. Actually, Loveland's lift opened at 8:30 a.m., while A-Basin opened to the public at 9 a.m. We'll let the historians fight about that.

"Congratulations to us both," said A-Basin lift operator Tony Orr.

8:56 a.m. Loveland

Shannon Poissonnier, 26, is a Floridian - or at least used to be. She moved to Colorado to snowboard nine years ago. So here she is, with a beaming smile as she completes a run on the first day Loveland is open.

How was it? "It was good. It was hard in spots, there were some soft spots. It was definitely worth coming out. It's been a long summer."

Poissonnier, who works for a Silverthorne law firm that handles intellectual property issues, won't be ducking into any powder stashes, however. The sides of the run are nothing but grass, dirt and rock with a smattering of man-made snow.

8:30 a.m. Loveland

And they're off! This group of about 100 in line for the one and only lift open barely clapped when a Loveland guy with a megaphone asks, "Are you psyched?" In fact, it seems they're too psyched to respond.

It's when they're allowed to begin boarding the lift at 8:30 a.m. that they begin hooting and hollering.

You can tell it's an election year. A member of Nate Doggg's crew is holding a hand-made Vote Obama sign. The line is short, but lift operators still tell them to board three to a chair.

Nick Karaberis, 59, of Longmont, says he and his buddy will actually cut the first run - even though Doggg is technical in front of them.Karaberis skis. Doggg and crew snowboard.

"They still have to buckle up."

Boxes of powder donuts are left untouched as this eager group focuses on the task at hand: conquering the mountain on this first day.

8:23 a.m. Loveland

To get a feel for Melody Loar, just know the 52-year-old started ski racing at age 40. She lives in Nederland and skis several times per week - starting now.

She's a real estate agent and conducts business using a cell phone and text messaging from the slopes. Does she say she's in a meeting?

Nope. Doesn't lie.

"Everybody knows where I am," she says, as she puts on her boots and gets ready to meet her friends at the lift line.

"It's better than going to a gym. I always try to improve."

Conditions are right for her. She likes high speed and hard snow.

8:21 a.m. Loveland

Adam Buckwalter and his two buddies didn't even have to skip school to make the first day at Loveland. It's PSAT testing day, but they don't have to take the test. So they're here. In the lodge. Buckling up their ski boots. Buckwalter's are bright red Nordicas.

It's the first, first day for the 18-year-old Evergreen High School senior. His hair looks like he just rolled out of bed, but he seems ready to ski. The sun is just now cresting over the mountain top.

"We're masochists," he says, when asked to explain why they got up so early to do this.

But another friend, 14-year-old Sam Grise, explains it this way:

"We've been waiting for this all summer."

Grise and his big brother and Buckwalter all race at Loveland during the season.

Buckwalter said the conditions appeared to be "better than I expected it to be for the 'white ribbon of death.'"

Hm? That would be the run that's open and the name they've given it.

"There are a lot of people who don't know what they're doing," he says. "It can get a little dangerous."

8:03 a.m. Loveland

As always, at least for the past 13 years, a 30-year-old who goes by the mysterious name Nate Dogggg (four 'g's please) will be first in line with his buddies. How does one acquire this right? Sleep in your car in the parking lot.

A groggy Doggg poked his head out of his blue Volkswagen to talk about the first day on the slopes. He's wearing black snowboarding pants and a black sweater, something he seems to think is remarkable.

"I'm wearing a sweater. I try to wear nothing," he says, poking his friend's hind quarters as the similarly groggy friend reached into a neighboring car/bunk.

"I'm going to do this for the rest of my life," Doggg says. "It's a good way to start off the new season."

Doggg and three friends began their campout at 5 p.m. yesterday. They live in Breckenridge and are somewhat dicey when asked what they do for real work. There's some talk of promoting his friends, or doing some film production, reference to a company called Pin Pin Films.

Still, the snow loving being inside him is hard to suppress, despite his rough-around-the-edges demeanor. A full or nearly full moon hangs over the mountains, illuminating the chalky fall mountain sky. Soon, the sky will be bright blue.

"It looks amazing," he says. "It's better than A-Basin."

7:56 a.m.

Opening day is also expected to give a boost to some local businesses - although perhaps not right away.

John Schoonenberg, assistant manager of the Starbucks at the Dumont exit along I-70, said he served a few ski area employees this morning - but hadn't encountered too many skiers. Then again, that was about 6:30 a.m.

"Things will pick up here shortly," he says. "I wouldn't expect a big bump today, but maybe this weekend."

Not surprisingly, he sees skiers come in the morning, midday and late afternoon, as they zoom to and from the slopes.

7:51 a.m.

The sun is illuminating the top of the mountain and an annual rite of passage is quietly beginning at Loveland Ski Area.

The skiers and boarders are arriving for opening day. The snow cat is rumbling around the base. And workers are shoveling a maze that soon will be filled with eager winter sports enthusiasts chomping at the bit for their first run.

Among them will be 59-year-old Longmont resident Nick Karaberis, who has shown up here on opening day for the past 20 or 25 years. But who's counting? He arrived at 6:45 a.m.

"It's a great way to get your legs in shape for the season," he said, before reconsidering his comment. "But I'm already in shape."

And he's already had 11 days on the boards in Chile this season.

How does he pull off this lifestyle, with his multiple resort passes and unencumbered lifestyle? He works weekends as a caretaker at an estate. That leaves steep, snowy slopes to be tackled during the week.

Today, he peers at the slopes from his perch in the parking lot: "It's magnificent."

The coverage - though most it from a machine - is good. There's an 18-inch base. The resort began making snow Sept. 24.

"We had a real productive snow making weekend," said Loveland spokesman John Sellers. "We'll be ready for 'em. We're excited.

Skiers and boarders will have access to a top-to-bottom run consisting of 1,000 vertical feet via Chair 1. The trails Catwalk, Mambo and Homerun are fully open, and constitute a mile long run.

You still have time. The lift opens at 8:30 a.m.

A-Basin also opens today, with the first lift launching at 8:30 a.m.

Comments

  • October 15, 2008

    8:35 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    River_Bolden writes:

    it will be interesting too see how well the resorts do in a down economy.

    I bet not too good, I'm sure we will see steep discounts later in the year.

    -River Bolden

  • October 15, 2008

    9:26 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    ifyem writes:

    I am sure that gas prices, bag surcharges on airlines, and lift ticket prices will definitely keep people away this year...I-70 traffic is enough to keep me away from Slumitt County...

  • October 15, 2008

    9:56 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Macita183 writes:

    I miss the days when I had a day off during the week so I could go up and go snowboarding without dealing with crowds. I refuse to sit in that traffic on the weekend so now I barely ever go up there.

  • October 15, 2008

    10:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    ebyrner writes:

    So much negativity. If you have a passion to ski and ride you will do what it takes to get to the hills. Obviously traffic is a bummer on I-70. Buy a season pass, save $$$, bring your lunch, save $$$, carpool, save $$$, arrive early and leave early to avoid bumper to bumper. Have a good ski season.

  • October 15, 2008

    11:40 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    wyhammertime writes:

    You mean there is still money left in this country to go skiing ????