Powder Day: My hometown mountain (Vail) had 10 inches of new snow this past Tuesday (January 17). And, the best part was that I was on the first chair!  Vail locals hadn’t enjoyed a powder day since mid-December, so everyone was yelling “woo-hoo” while floating in the fresh, fluffy snow. It was a fabulous day! I was joined by the fabulous Jack Affleck, Vail Resorts‘ Director of Photography.

 

Ski Trade Show:  On January 26-29 the Colorado Convention Center will play host to the SIA Snow Show where Snow Motion has a front row seat. I’ll be there helping out Volkl and mingling with the entire ski and snowboard industry at this annual trade event.  The passion and culture of snow sports will be alive with over 1000 brands represented.  Every year, I learn something new about the progression of skis, and see new fabrics and colors. Everything that I love about skiing will be there – in one place.

 

Demo Days: The follow-up event to the Denver trade show is the “On-Snow Demo/Ski Ride Fest” at Winter Park on January 30-31. This is my favorite part – to take what I’ve learned in Denver and put it into practice on the hill. Several of my sponsors, including Volkl USA and Tecnica, will make their gear available for all attendees to try out. I can’t wait! Stay tuned to see what I learn…..

Taft Conlin Memorial: I am filled with sorrow for the loss of Taft and my heart goes out to their family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made, in Taft’s memory, to the Youth Foundation (http://theyouthfoundation.org) or the Taft Conlin Memorial Scholarship at Vail Mountain School (www.vms.edu/taft). A memorial website has been created for those who would like to visit athttp://taft.conlin.muchloved.com.

Avalanche Conditions Still High: Back country conditions are still extremely unpredictable due to a very unstable snowpack this winter season. Please make sure you are prepared with everything you need (ie. beacon and shovel) before you venture into the back country for skiing or snowmobiling. Contact the Colorado Avalanche Center to find out the latest conditions and what they are recommending to avoid danger. Safety first!!!