Spring Sunday: What’s So Great About April?

30 Mar Spring Sunday: What’s So Great About April?

Each winter month in Telluride brings with it a different type of snow and different tempo. And although we all love a powder day, April corn may be the second most anticipated grade. April also offers a completely different tempo—she’s whimsical and allows us to be so as well.

In April, the snow turns slushy, the ground from white to brown and the days from short to long. Bikes and kayaks sit atop cars next to the season’s battered skis. Talk of flip-flops and beaches buzz up and down the lift lines and bikini tops have taken the place of technical outerwear on the mountain.

April is whimsical, and some even call her a tease. However, many of us have come to know her games and love her for who she is — our unpredictable fling. She’ll give us corn, windows for cycling, and days perfect for golf right along with winter storms, and high winds. She holds no grudges and encourages us to leave Telluride for small stints, sure that we’ll return.

Here are five reasons we love April:

Corn Snow: You’ll ski more Milk Runs one day in April than you will have skied all year. Flannel shirts replace sweaters and baseball caps helmets. When you ski corn for some reason you ski faster, your pole plant is more exaggerated and you ski forward on your tips letting the snow splash up and splatter against your sunglasses. Corn snow is April’s charm.

Sleeping In: Every weekend all season, we get up early so we can be out the door for first lift. We love April because she likes to stay up late and sleep in. In April, the snow is at its prime around 1 o’clock and we can ski until 4:30. Go ahead, have that extra cup of coffee. Hell, even go to yoga. You have plenty of time, and you don’t need to rush. Sleeping in is April’s crutch.

Cold Beer: Throughout the winter, après ski can take many forms – rich red wines, tart margaritas, warming whisky and dark beers. But in April, après ski is one beverage and one beverage only—cold beer. And, there’s no waiting for tables. Instead you’re sitting outside enjoying the late afternoon sun. Cold beer is April’s drink.

Shedding the Winter Layer: Winter skiing makes our bodies more powerful and strong, and après ski menus may make them a little heavier. It’s easy to validate, like the grizz and elk, we need a little more to keep us warm—or so we think. April is honest. Out come the bikini tops, bike shorts and tank tops—clothes that don’t lie. April reminds us its time to get stealth for our summer sports and shed that winter layer (after a few cold beers, of course). April is honest.

Vintage Ski Outfits: The best thing about April is the attire that shows up on the ski mountain. Along with the tutus, Yeti outfits and Hawaiian shirts come the serious vintage outfits. Classic Roffe race pants, CB padded sweaters, Descente jackets, Bogner one-piece suits and relics from brands like Ellesse, SOS, and Nevica always score big in April.

April reminds us to have fun and adapt to whatever may come. She gets us excited for her hotter, younger sister, summer, and nostalgic about her serious older brother, winter. But, it’s April who teaches us about the value of change then as soon as we get comfortable, she ephemerally disappears into May.