Bluebird Valentine

Valentines Day here at Loveland,

that means the 20th annual

Mountaintop Matrimony was happening.

So all kinds of couples were tying the

knot, or just renewing their vows.

It could not have been a more beautiful day.

Congratulations to all of these hearty ,

fun loving couples.

Me and Gene and Shust bypassed the alter

just skied instead.

Getting a beer for the bride.

Another happy couple.

Gene kickin' some pow around.

Skier and lift 8

Leapin' Gene can't be contained.

B&W vista.

Rider blasts across windy peak.

Gene rides to the top.

Chairlift and shadows.

George Washington Carver Jr.

Gene plowing a plume.

Engulfed in debris.

Nice carve...cleek.

T.E.C."A.B.M."2011 S.T...Pt.2..."The Area Formerly Known as Purgatory

Surprise surprise, I made it all

the way to this Southwest Colorado

gem called Durango Mountain Resort,

once known as Purgatory.

...and that's what it looks like, with it's trails and all.

Tremendous scenery was all around.

Powder coated behemouth.

Another gorgeous mountain range.

Sharp peaks.

This camp robber was trying to eat me.

The terrain park...empty.

Old school chairlift...empty.

ugly bumpies...empty.

Engineer Lift...empty. Where is everyone?

Wait...there's someone.

I tamed this gnarled beast.

Panorama of cross valley vista.

...yeah "peace" man.

...Last run,

An aspen lined bumper ,

called "Styx" like the river.

What a beautiful afternoon, and cool

first time excursion all the way down

here to Purgatory. Maybe one more

tomorrow, conditions permitting.

The Eric Carmen"All By Myself" 2011 Ski Trip...Pt.1..."The Butterfly"

Here I go flying solo on a mini

3 day ski dash through the Rockies.

Today I began with old favorite,

Monarch Mountain.

Good n' snowy.

Is there any other way to shag?

They have cool trail names here.

"....Luke."

Winterized.

I see the world through rose colored goggles.

Up here I do anyway

It's all snowy here.

I literally had almost every run to myself.

Another afternoon well spent at Monarch.

Tomorrow a very special event.

Virgin territory will be exploited,

as I travel to a first time location.

More to come.

Nine

Holy moley! I haven't enjoyed

snow this good before Christmas

in quite a few seasons. Loveland,

or as it shall now be known as... The Luv.

Really though they sell sweet stickers

at the ski area that just say,"LUV". Awesome.

With 24" of fresh snow in the last 72 hours

here, I rated today an "8",... "10" being "epic".

We did.

Still dumping, we might come back again this week.

Check out the Schust's "ice helmet" on the left,

and Gene's "ice chinstrap".

The conditions were way too sweet to

stop for many pictures, with knee and even

thigh deep stashes to be found, and strange

Middle Eastern sounding catcalls emanating

from the lift chairs behind us, we were

sure that a "powder jihad" had been declared.

No time for dilley dalleying.

Eight

It's day 8,don't be late!

Actually tardiness may have

been excused today as forecasts

claimed sunny skies, but it was

overcast out and difficult to see.

The snow was alright, and Mean Gene

returned from Southeast Asia

and his Cambodian adventures

to make some turns with me at Loveland.

That's it for sun today.

Panorama of Chair 8 base I believe,

however I'm easily confused.

Another panorama,this of the tunnel

entrance under I-70 back to the base area.

The fowl winds of change blew cold today,

me hopes the change will be good.