Outdoors

A day at the office Phillip Brooks with Dad Telluride is justly known for it's "interesting" skiing and I certainly enjoy that aspect of the mountain. Perhaps less well-known is the fact that Telluride is also a friendly, family, meet friends...

by D. Dion

The first time I ever ducked the rope at the top of the Telluride Ski Resort to ski the off-piste terrain in Bear Creek, I was following a friend. The snow in the creek was about three feet deeper than it was on the ski area, and it was pretty deep on the ski area—the whole mountain had been enveloped in clouds for three days. We had our avalanche beacons, shovels and packs, but as I watched her disappear over the ridge into the gray, snowy mist, I couldn't help but feel spooked. 

Back then, it was still illegal to ski Bear Creek. The Forest Service had shut it down after a series of avalanche fatalities in 1986-87 and 1992; there would be another in 2002. The agency had gone so far as to arrest and prosecute a pair of skiers for trespassing into the closed area. Bear Creek only became more alluring, its mystique enhanced by tales of chest-deep powder runs and near-death scrapes with avalanches. Locals named the runs and chutes, and dropped in with increasing regularity. 

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Anna Klein

When we at Telluride Inside... and Out write about skiing, we're usually writing close to home here in Telluride. Last weekend the whole family of daughter, Kjerstin Klein (Kjerstin and sister Kimm Viebrock double as TIO's back office magicians) were on the mountain at Seven Springs in western Pennsylvania for a local race series.

Mom and Dad (Greg Klein) brought home trophies in their races, brother Dylan Klein (age 11) spent the day in the rain as a gatekeeper, and 7-year old Anna managed a third place finish in the GS, and an amazing First in bumps.

Telluride local Ben Clark with his trekking friends Jon Miller and Josh Butson spent Spring of 2009 in Nepal. The team posted five episodes of raw footage video shot during their journey on iTunes. Check it out: the episodes collectively show up first on...

[click "Play" to hear Jon Turk's conversation with Susan]

Jon Turk On Wednesday, March 3, starting at 6 p.m., Telluride's Wilkinson Public Library hosts two back to back writing events chock-a-block with thrills and spills. Promise.


Program One, a joint venture between the Library and Between the Covers bookstore, features author/scientist/adventurer Jon Turk, who plans to read from his latest book, "The Raven's Gift."
Nav_ialc_logo The Inn at Lost Creek in the Mountain Village takes the hassle out of packing for a ski trip. In March, guests of the hotel get a free Premium Ski Rental package for every night of accommodation booked.
 
The package provided by Christy's Sports, located on the ground level of the hotel, is designed for beginner to intermediate skiers. The deal includes boots, skis, and poles or snowboard and boots, and guests get to choose from brands such as the 2010 Volkl AC Unlimited, K2 Sweet Love, or Ride Control. 
 

Telluride continues to increase incredible inbounds terrain access

GH stairway-sm Reflecting a European skiing experience found in Chamonix, France, the Telluride Ski Resort airlifted a new bridge and staircase to the left shoulder of Palmyra Peak. Heliqwest, a helicopter company based out of Canada, did the heavy lifting, bringing steel staircases and bridge over the ski resort to its final resting place, the span between Gold Hill Chutes 8 and 9.

“The addition is a continuation of our efforts to provide ski experience which is ‘Unmatched in North America,’” said Dave Riley, CEO of the resort. “This project was extremely technical, and our in-house staff did a phenomenal job in both planning and execution. The Telluride Ski Resort is thrilled to once again expand easy access into epic inbounds terrain.”

[click "Play" to hear Jake Spaulding's conversation with Susan]

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Jake Spaulding

Dateline: Shanghai. It's there and all over China, where it began. About 120 million of them on the road and counting.

Dateline: Telluride. It's coming.

We are talking about a great alternative to a car. We are talking electric bikes, increasingly the vehicle of choice from bike messengers in New York to postal workers in Germany and commuters all over the world. While sales were relatively modest in the American market last year (only 200,000 were sold) interest is picking up.

Last week, several days of snow had blanketed the Telluride region. I'd had a few great powder days on the mountain so it was easy to convince me to join Sus and our friend Susan Dalton for a few hours of snowshoeing near...

Telluride local Ben Clark with friends Jon Miller and Josh Butson were in Nepal in the Spring of 2009. Ben has sent along another video installment documenting their journey.In this episode our intrepid travelers spend 17 days, much of the time in hot,...