Had a great time in Telluride...A snowboard trip out west is a must at least once a year.
The weather couldn't have been better....30 plus inches of snow while I was there. I had a couple of good powder days and some good sunny days as well. This was a big relief as the snow out west has not been great this year, but mother nature really came through for my trip. When I told people at Telluride that it was my first snowboarding trip out west they would smile…and tell me I brought the snow. I had no problems taking credit and would reply that I couldn’t talk about what I had to do to make it snow...
I arrived late Saturday...The drive from the air port ended up taking 2 1/2 hours instead of the 1 ½ hours it was suppose to take, because of the road conditions. I unpacked my things, and than took the Gondola up to the mountain village to check things out. I picked up my lift tickets and stopped at the hop garden for a burger and beer. It was happy our so fat tires were on special. I have to admit seeing all of the mountains I was pretty gitty...So when I sat down at the table at the hop garden and the waiter told me it was happy hour...I replied oh yeah!
I stayed in Telluride in a four unit condo. It was the economical option at $159 a night plus tax... The condo was a block from the gondola and a block from the local brewery (smugglers) It was a couple of blocks away from Main street which had a descent selection of restaurants and bars. Aside from the location the quality of the room was that of an average 90 - $110 a night room here in Louisville which is what I expected. It was called Montana place, and it was booked through alpine lodging there in telluride. You had two options of as far as locations, you could stay in Telluride or the mountain village. Mountain village was closer to the skiing, although you could catch a lift or gondola from Telluride. Telluride had the better night life. I defiantly would recommend staying in Telluride over the Mountain village. Mountain village was pretty much a goast town after 7 or 8pm at night, because everyone was down in Telluride!
Sunday was my first day on the slopes. I paid for a private lesson thinking that would help me get use to a big mountain. The instructor was from the Patagonia region of Argentina and apparently comes up to the U.S for our winter. Once winter is over here he returns back to Argentina to enjoy their winter. Needless to say the guy could do anything on a snowboard. What a life.... At any rate the lesson was very helpful...I defiantly had some form issues that he helped me correct...And he got me over to the virgin snow....Which was incredible. The instructor really pushed me...We raddled run after run...We did blues, double blues and tree runs. I was glad he pushed me this way, but it wasn't the best idea given I had not adapted to the altitude. By the end of the day I had a headache, I was getting winded easily and my feet were destroyed from what I believed was boots that I had tightened too much. All and all I felt great about the day…first powder runs I was pretty confident on the blues there by the end of the day. I did some tree runs that were tight and steep…I fell a lot in these, but it didn’t matter, there was so much snow that at times when I would fall I was almost completely submerged in the powder…It was great.
Monday:
I awoke to 11 more inches of snow. Off to ride in the powder I went. First run did not go well. I had loosened my boots to try and deal with my feet problems from the day before, but quickly realized that this greatly reduced control of my board. I cought edges left in right on runs that I was railing the day before! I retightened boots. Initially everything seemed fine. I was surprised at how quick the powder is skied off the slopes..by noon it was became so choppy that at my skill level I was having to stay on the edges to be able to have a good line down the slope. I stayed on the blues and the double blues. By 2pm my feet where absolutely killing me, my last run was unbearable…So I ended the day…the altitude headache from the day before was still there. I decided to something productive…I went to a place in the mountain village called the boot doctor. I spent 3 hours in there trying on boots…I have say they were extremely patient with me. My boots where too big and that was why I was having to the trouble, I didn’t want to make the same mistake, so I took my time. . I bought some nitro team boots and the boot doctor made custom insoles for my flat feet. I looked down at my feet, and thought...are you happy now...$400 plus dollars for boots and insoles....you better be happy (directed at feet)...end of thought
Tuesday:
One inch of fresh snow over night, clear blue skies, the headache was gone….and new boots….The people warned me that the new boots would take some getting use to as it changes a big part of the interface with the board. They were correct…I especially had problems with hill side turns on the double blues. It took me a good part of the day to get use to them. By the end of the day I was good though and my feet were happy….I can’t say the same for my legs. I felt like I had master the double blues and I was doing much better in moguls… I also noticed that I was really getting winded...
Wednesday:
The day started off would clear blue skies but became cloudy by mid day. This was the day I was going to try a black diamond. After talking to people I decided to try bushwhacker. I decided I would do several warm up runs. I pretty much stayed on the double blues. I was doing well on them and having a good time. I decided I would try the black after lunch. So after lunch I made my way over to bushwacker. I have to say the steepness got to me. I can’t imagine the double blacks there. I quickly retreated to the falling leaf motion of getting down the mountain. I know part of was phantom fears and that several more tries I probably would have been able to do a clean run, but my legs were whipped out. I fell several times when I attempted to break the falling leaf pattern and when I would fall, I would slide for what seemed like 10 to 20 yards….I just was not able to be active on the board the way I needed to be to do that run cleanly and keep the board pointed down the hill. Oh well I did a few more runs on some blues and called it a trip. I took a nap and then went out for some sushi….
Powder :
I had heard that boarding in powder was different than boarding on hard pack...but wow I had know idea how much different it was. It is not so much about what you do....but how it feels. My first run down I couldn't see my board. I was completely submerged in the powder. At first I paniced..Will my edges turn the board? Will I be able to carry speed? What do I need to do get the board back on top of the snow where it is suppose to be? All of the these things went through my head as I watched the snow board instructor float on the powder and make his turns like some kind of snow fairy or something. He yail out instructions but nothing was really sinking in. I did suddenly realized that I hadn't fallen any, then about that time I fell...I loved to gotten picture of that because hit the snow and stead of stopping I just kind of slid in it, it almost felt like falling in a swimming pool..2nd run in the pow went much better...I kept the board tip up as the instructor told me to and was able to carve some turns. The board was fairly responsive but in a very smooth way,, much different than riding in the hard pack.
I posted some pictures in the gallery see link below. In summary I will defiantly go back to telluride. I will do at least one snowboard trip out west a year. I love the mountains. I think next time though I will stay longer and have at least one rest day built in where I do some alternative activity to snowboarding to give my legs a rest. I just don’t snowboard enough to be able to go 4 days in a role on a big mountain. I was out there for at least 5 hours or longer each day. There were no lines for the most part so I was able to do run after run….I will also take more pictures next time. The food was great. I avoided the ritzy places (the sushi place being the one exception) for the most part and stuck with the pubs. I still spent on average $30 for meals, which usually included a couple of beers.
More Pictures >> Visit Wardy's Gallery
