St George, Utah

Getting Oriented in Utah

 Three Falls Trail, Hurricane, Utah

We have enjoyed spending the past 7 winters in Arizona. But we have had enough staying in the same RV parks for the past 11 months and we were itchy to move on. We had reservations at the Wild Willow RV Park in Hurricane and were looking forward to something new. 

We didn't mind the new snow as we headed out on our first hike a mile from the campground. The Three Falls Trail in Gould's Wash was dry but snowy without much sunshine. 

The view from above the first fall was beautiful but the decent from there was icy and we turned around to climb down from where we had just been.

Johnson Canyon Trail, St George, Utah

After only a mile, we regrouped and headed to St. George to check out the trails. The Johnson Canyon Trail is just before the ranger's station of Snow Canyon State Park.

Johnson Canyon Trail is a short 1.8 mile hike at the mouth of Snow Canyon State Park. It boasts a natural spring, black lava flows, red-rock walls, cottonwood and willow glades, and an impressive arch near the end. There are only minor up-and-downs on this route between the road and the 200 foot 

span Johnson Arch.

It was a good introduction to this surprisingly amazing area.

Brian Head Ski Resort

We brought our skis along since Brian Head Ski area is a 90 mile drive from Hurricane and boasts some impressive snowfall when they get it.

Utah’s highest base elevation. Covering over 650 acres, this Utah ski resort has two connected mountains, Giant Steps, and Navajo, offering 71 runs and 8 chair lifts.

The snow was falling and the light was flat but we had the mountain to ourselves most of the time.

We had to take the magic carpet lift to get back to the mountain where we started or pull ourselves up hill. The fog also rolled in.

We were happy to once again be exploring new places.

Skiing in the Big mountains of Colorado

Back in Colorado!

Returning to Colorado after being at elevations under 2000 feet for most of the past year takes some adjustments and time to reacclimate.  We always enjoy the crisp mountain air and views that words cannot describe. This year there was lots of snow falling and avalanches in many mountain passes but made for great skiing conditions and tired legs. As difficult as it is to admit, I found myself moving slower in the ski boots and breathing harder along with a few more rest days. I like to think it is an altitude thing but it probably has as much to do with all of the birthdays I have been fortunate enough to have or maybe, the boots just got heavier...

 Burton was sponsoring its US Open Snowboarding Championship.

We were fortunate to spend a day skiing with family. Tyler and Kyle are growing too fast and have become quite the skiers. Mike gave Tyler a few pointers and then they were joined at the hip as he  followed Mike ahead of us.



Kyle heading into Game Creek Bowl.

After riding the lift into the clouds.

 Tourism in the US accounts for 10% of our GDP. In the past couple of years, the number of people visiting from other countries has dropped by 1% even though tourism in the world has grown by 7% according to the US board of tourism. We are seeing the downward trend in Vail like we did after 9/11 and we could walk into a restaurant without a reservation and get a table, unlike recent past years. People are choosing to go to other countries rather than a place they feel to be hostile and unwelcoming to people from other countries.



Such determination.



 We hear a lot less foreign languages in town, around the condo or on the lifts than in the past. When people visit our country and feel welcome, they find out what a great place it is as they spend their money. The loss of visitors is considered to be costing the US 1 million jobs in the tourism industry.

Ice skating rink in Lionshead and Arrabelle.

We usually hike in the backcountry on our days off from skiing. This year we stayed on the intown trails due to the huge snowpack. I was afraid of sinking up to my waist in a drift and trying to crawl out with snow over my head.

Our walks along Gore Creek on our rest days were crisp and peaceful.

 Vail Resorts is committed to becoming sustainable and protecting the environment. It made me happy to see no plastic bags in the grocery stores and reusable glasses at water stations. We carry our own recycled cloth bags when we shop and are glad to see Colorado passing laws limiting plastic straws unless they are requested. We find ourselves requesting no straw in our drinks. Besides, those straws cause wrinkles around the mouth, wink.

We stayed in six hotels and two condos on our three week journey. We found 40% of those places are doing away with the small shampoo and lotion bottles and opting for large refillable to keep so many little bottles out of the landfills. I walk into my own bathroom and see a mountain of plastic and am not sure what I can do to cut down other than the plastic bags and straws. It's a start.

 It is good to see the business world doing good rather than just making money while taking care of our earth. I don't mean to sound preachy about taking care of our earth but hate to think about how it would be without these fabulous places to enjoy. I figure erring on the side of protecting the earth and being wrong isn't a bad thing. Our grandkids  would likely think we were pretty smart and kind.




Looking thirsty while waiting for a beer at the end of the day. No waiting for a table here or anywhere else.

A walk through Vail Village.

The views never disappoint, no matter which direction we look.

This has been a strange ski season for us. On one of our first days, it was so warm as we got off the shuttle at Lionshead that we had to take off our fleece top layer and put them in a locker for the day, wearing only our long john top under our coats. By the end of the second week, it was raining on top of the recent feet of snow on the mountain.

I'm not sure who put a step there. I was only drinking water.

Happy Anniversary!



Back in Blue Sky Basin



Two Elks Lodge



Now that's how to end a day in the snow.

It was a great two weeks in the mountains. We had planned to drop off our ski equipment off in Denver at Krista and Luke's before heading back to Arizona to pick up our trailer. But after four avalanches closing Interstate 70 for up to 9 hours, a change in plans were in order.

-3 degrees in Beaver Creek

Having good warm winter gear is greatly appreciated when it is this cold. We have boot heaters but for some reason my right toes were freezing. I checked to see what the problem was and turned out to be user error. I only turned on the left one.

 I like to go to Beaver Creek once when we are skiing in Vail. It seems like a good idea to check out nearby resorts. Why would we want to get ready in a nice warm condo and have the shuttle drive us to the gondola here in Vail? After dragging our equipment down to the truck and drive to Avon, we have to get our ski boots on in the parking lot, not an easy task on the ice. Then we walk to the bus stop and ride over to the lift. After an hour we are on the slopes but a rest is required before starting down the mountain.

Mike agrees with this sign.

Arrowhead and Bachelor's Gulch are at a lower elevation and have aspen trees instead of the pines. We had been staying on the intermediate runs because Mike's leg was not getting well as quickly as we hoped. He hit a ripple in the run, hurting his leg more and had to call it a day. Maybe if we had taken some time off to let him heal, it might be ok by now.

We hadn't felt the cold very much until we got on the lift that takes us to the top of Beaver Creek. The higher above the trees we got, the more we felt wind and cold on our faces. I guess we should have put our facemasks on before getting on the lift.

At the end of this day, he was ready to accept that he was hurt worse than he had realized.

I was glad when Mike finally decided it was time to call it a season and head back to Arizona instead of finishing our time here. No sense getting hurt worse and not able to ride bikes when we get back to the warmer temps.

The instructor kept the kids is line by having each one hold on to the rope.

When we get on the lifts, one of the first questions is "Where are you from?". We met people from all over the world including Argentina, Milan, Russia, Australia and Germany to name a few. The next question is "Where is a good place to eat that doesn't cost an arm and leg?" We had a few suggestions. But there aren't as many as a few years ago when the economy wasn't doing so well.

We had some nice morning walks to Betty Ford Park.

I bet getting to this 1922 school house was tough in the winter.

A first gondola from the 1960s.

We got back to AZ earlier than expected to 70 degree temps. AHHH!

Now to start planning our trip east this spring and summer to see Mike's grandkids, his class reunion and our time working at Camp Timanous in Maine. 



Vail, CO

A veteran of the 10th Mountain Division, Pete Seibert, returned to Colorado after the war to return to skiing. Pete and Earl Eaton began looking to develop ski area in the Rocky Mountain region. 

Earl Eaton grew up in Colorado and began skiing at a young age. By 1940, Eaton was working for the CCC in Glenwood Springs and ski racing in Aspen where he met Pete Seibert. Seibert and Eaton first climbed Vail Mountain during the winter of 1957. Both agreed that this would be the perfect ski area! To get the ski area rolling, Seibert and Eaton needed something that neither of them had, money. Seibert proved to be adept at securing investors, which was a good thing because in order to obtain a permit from the USFS Vail needed to have $1,000,000 in the bank. Initial investors paid $10,000 for a condo and lifetime season pass!

Vail’s opening day was set for December 15, 1962.

 The first year, ticket prices were set at five dollars for a skiing experience that consisted of one gondola, two chairs, eight ski instructors, and nine ski runs. They averaged 7 tickets sold a day.

During the 1960’s, Vail Village grew at an incredible rate. President Gerald Ford traveled to Vail and was so impressed that he began to make annual trips, purchasing property at Vail.


Bridge over Gore Creek

Ice bar sculptures 

Mike injured his leg and back in an accident in Breckenridge and needed more time off the slopes. We spent several days walking through the Village and along Gore Creek. No sense rushing things. Usually, we head to the gondola so we can get down to the business of skiing.

Arabella

Cool bird houses

It is fun to watch the kids in ski school. 

The temperature was 6 degrees as we headed out the door. It was snowing pretty heavy and wind blowing causing blizzard like conditions that made it difficult to tell how fast we were moving as we traversed the top of Mid Vail.  I felt like I am standing still but when I put my pole into the ground to give a little push, it snapped back. I was moving along at a pretty good pace. The flat light can give a person vertigo. I find focusing on a person or tree helps until we can get into the treed area which helps dramatically.

Mike skied a few blue intermediate runs after several days of rest. But his right leg started hurting from compensating for his injured left leg.

Plenty of fur blankets to keep a person warm while waiting for lunch.

We haven't tried it, but I found myself breathing hard at times.

Pepi's was one of the first businesses when Vail was developed. He was a Austrian ski instructor when he and his wife arrived and decided to stay.  

10th Mountain Division sculpture

When World War II began, the United States Army created a training

center south of the Gore Valley called Camp Hale.  The 10th

Mountain Division trained for alpine combat here.  The 10th Mountain

troops fought in northern Italy and upon return, they became major

players in the quickly growing ski industry.

The bells were chiming at noon as we walked by.

Alpine Rose has great goulash and apple strudel.

Walking along Gore Creek is so peaceful. We stayed out of the back country for our hiking since the avalanche danger is significantly higher due to the amount of snow falling in the high country.

The Special Olympic athletes were practicing for their competition next month in Glenwood Springs.  

Yeow! We have a season pass. In my mind, it is a ploy to encourage people to purchase the season pass and avoid going to other resorts that do not participate with Vail Resorts, keeping the hotel and dining dollars here. It seems to be working.