41 minute read
THE 2021 PERFECT WINTER GUIDE
Are you seeking the ideal winter escape you need after a tough year? Enjoying the season here in the Rockies is an art that mixes equal parts serious relaxation and laidback exploration. And we are here to help make it happen. This guide gives you the abilty to book everything from days floating through bottomless pow to nights resting in cozy beds with fluffy pillows. Dig in.
The Ridgeline Hotel Estes Park
BOOK A STAY AT THIS BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN LODGING SPOT AND YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IN-TOWN ACTION AND BOUNDLESS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE.
to book a stay at Ridgeline. From the hotel, you can take a leisurely stroll down the Riverwalk in Estes Park and check out the town’s numerous downtown boutiques, restaurants, and bars.
With easy access to both the lively downtown scene in Estes Park and outdoor adventures in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, the Ridgeline Hotel Estes Park makes for the ideal getaway in fall and winter. The comfy spot features a restaurant and bar on site, an indoor swimming pool, and the ability to be right in the thick of it when the leaves are turning and elk bugling. When the snow flies, the hotel hosts winter hikers, snowshoers, skiers, and splitboarders keen on exploring the surrounding wilds. It’s the ideal spot for everyone from couples looking for quiet romance to families seeking shared adventure. Get Out There: Rocky Mountain National Park draws tourists from around the planet looking to immerse themselves in the stunning peaks, abundant wildlife, and untamed ecosystems of these mountains. In the fall, they come for the changing leaves and chance to see charismatic wildlife including elk, moose, black bear, and bighorn sheep. When winter arrives, the park is a prime destination for powder turns in the backcountry. Not your speed? No worries—the snowshoeing and winter hiking trails around Bear Lake make it easy for anyone to access the high country in the depths of the snowy season. Or head up to Gem Lake, a steep 3.1-mile roundtrip that puts you in touch with the quiet magic of the Rockies in winter. It’s ideal for hiking with microspikes or snowshoes. But the park is only one of the reasons why you need
Lodging: The Ridgeline Hotel Estes Park boasts comfy rooms with stunning views that range in size from one king bed to two queen beds, and it offers pet-friendly accommodations. After you have explored the mountains and town, you can gather round one of the hotel’s outdoor fire pits or have fun playing arcade It’s the ideal spot games or pool in the new for everyone from couples looking for quiet romance to families seeking game room located in Latitude 105 Alehouse. And the hotel takes your safety shared adventure. seriously. Its comprehensive Rest Assured program has introduced new health and safety standards aimed at helping to keep guests and employees safe while slowing the spread of COVID-19. It includes bolstered hygiene protocols that meet or exceed best-practice guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Plus, the hotel has updated its reservation policy: All reservations can be changed or cancelled up to 24 hours in advance of check-in to help accomodate the uncertainties of the times. Eat and Drink: No stay at The Ridgeline Hotel Estes Park is complete without a visit to the Latitude 105 Alehouse, which is open daily from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and located right in the hotel. With 18 rotating taps and a full menu of signature cocktails, the bar caters to all tastes and makes for an easy option for an après-adventure drink or a post-meal nightcap. Most importantly, the food is sure to please: Latitude 105 Alehouse specializes in tried-and-true favorites— think loaded burgers and pizzas with create-your-own toppings options (and plenty of vegetarian options)—served in a sophisticated mountain ambiance. Or just snack on good old comfort food like nachos, wings, and quesadillas. Every palate will find something to savor here.
Sheridan, Wyoming
THE PERFECT COWBOY STATE TOWN OFFERS A ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE FOR ADVENTUROUS SPIRITS. FROM GUIDED SNOWMOBILING EXCURSIONS TO SOLO BACKCOUNTRY TOURING,THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS ARE FLUSH WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION.
Sheridan typifies everything Wyoming does best, blending wild landscapes with smalltown charm. Serving as the epicenter of festivals and events in Northern Wyoming, the bustinling town hosts a wealth of cultural, historical, and recreational opportunities and makes for an easy trip from Colorado’s Front Range that feels miles away. With dozens of restaurants and local businesses to choose from and access to over a million acres up in the public lands the Bighorn Mountains right out of town, the place gives visitors plenty of options for relaxation and exploration— even ini the wniter. Whether you’re looking to roam the twinkling-light-strung streets in town or schussing through the star-studded night skies of the local wilderness, Sheridan serves as the perfect basecamp.
COVID-19: Want to know the best part about pandemic safety in Sheridan? It’s easy! Visitor and resident safety is paramount to this community and the town continues to be committed to keeping things open. Plus Wyoming’s limitless opportunity for social distancing in sprawling open spaces, give visitors and residents alike ample opportunity to find a safe way to experience the area.
Family Friendly: This Wyoming town prides itself on being the perfect playground for the young (and the young-at-heart). A family-friendly destination, Sheridan offers a wide range of opportunities for all ages to get out and experience winter recreation. Make your first stop Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area, the area’s leading family adventure destination, which provides accessible and affordable outdoor opportunities for all ages. With snowshoeing programs, backcountry skiing, and guided snowmobiling tours, families will find the best way to experience the magic of winter in the Bighorns here.
Lessons: From skiing to wniter fly fishing, Sheridan’s local guides know a thing or two about leading anyone—from total beginners to advanced winter recreationalists—to new heights. Whether you’re looking to to tick off a fun, new adventure or hone your existnig knowledge and skills, Sheridan’s outfitters can make it happen.
Lodging: In winter, Sheridan boasts over
As a family-friendly destination, Sheridan offers a wide range of opportunities for all ages to experience winter recreation.
1,800 hotel rooms to choose from, but its mountain lodges probvide an extraordinary experience. These winter hubs give visitors unparalleled mountain views and intriguing histories. (We suggest you check out the century-old Spear-o-Wigwam Mountain Resort, where Earnest Hemingway finished A Farewell to Arms.) If you’re looking for a true winter experience, be sure to explore one of Sheridan’s four lodges this winter.
Après: Sheridan continued to bustle this year, welcoming five new restaurants among other businesses. The town offers a widerange of food and drink options, and visitors can experience everything from the unique culinary delights of restaurants like Birch and Uptown Shabby Shacks to the much sought after craft brew and distilled spirits of the town’s three breweries and distillery. Whether you spend the day in the mountains or roaming the town, the après opportunities here are as diverse as the recreation. Retailers: Sheridan is a small town shopping paradise that’s home to over 40 retailers. Tourists can shop like the locals along the town’s main street, which offers up an old Western vibe with a fresh feel. While you won’t find tourist-town-style gift shops, you will find everything from locally crafted pottery to authentic cowboy goods at the famed King’s Saddlery.
Big Adventure: Sheridan is the trailhead to amazing adventure and unending exploration. Recreation knows no bounds in the Bighorn Mountains. Some visitors become ice climbers for a day or chase trout in the cold mountain streams, but the biggest adventures come by way of backcountry travel. Skiing and snowmobiling the Bighorns is an experience of a lifetime. You can explore the area’s 1,500 miles of snowmobiling trails all winter long and backcountry skiing offers fresh line after fresh line.
YMCA of the Rockies, Colorado
THE FUN DOESN’T STOP WHEN THE SNOW STARTS FLYING. EXPERIENCE A FULL SLATE OF OUTDOOR WINTER ADVENTURE AT THE YMCA OF THE ROCKIES.
FIND POWDER PARADISE AND CHILL VIBES OFF THE BEATEN PATH WITH A VISIT TO GRAND TARGHEE RESORT.
VISIT THE PERFECT FRONT RANGE ADVENTURE TOWN FOR A BIG DOSE OF OUTDOORSY WINTER ENJOYMENT.
YMCA of the Rockies has something for everyone. The Y offers opportunities to unplug and find real connections to the outdoors and each other. From rock climbing to guided snowshoe hikes, the budget-friendly destination is a true choose-your-ownadventure, winter retreat. Whether you book a trip to its Snow Mountain Ranch facility near Grand County’s Winter Park or the Estes Park Center at the base of Rocky Mountain National Park, you’re sure to have an unforgettable experience in the Colorado Rockies. Family Friendly: YMCA of the Rockies is a family-centric organization and destination, offering activities for all ages and skill levels. From its variety of events (like this year’s Christmas Tree Cutting Experience at Snow Mountain Ranch and holiday programming at Estes Park Center) to its long list of outdoor activities— including ice skating, sledding, nordic/ cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, tubingthe Y makes it easy to unplug and connect to the Colorado outdoors. Big Adventure: Guests don’t travel to YMCA of the Rockies to kick back and plug into screens. A key component of the Y’s mission is to provide opportunities to
unplug and connect to nature and each other. And with YMCA of the Rockies’ evergrowing list of activities, adventure can be as big as your imagination! From renting snowshoes at the Estes Park Center and hiking into Rocky Mountain National Park to renting skis or snowboards at Snow Mountain Ranch and skiing Winter Park, the Y offers true Colorado adventure at its visitors’ fingertips. And did we mention the 120km of groomed nordic trails? Led by Olympic silver medallist and World Champion, Todd A key component of the Y’s mission is to Lodwick, the Y’s Nordic Center provides classic and provide opportunities skate skiers, snowshoers, to unplug and connect to nature and each other. and fat biking enthusiasts with fantastic winter skiing, hiking, and riding. The center is also raising the bar with biathlon courses, backcountry routes, and a robust educational program. New this Year: A new kind of adventure is coming to the 21/22 winter season: skijoring! YMCA of the Rockies is building on the success of its dog sledding program—families, couples, and individuals can now book an affordable experience in which the beloved sled dogs pull you along on your skis. Lodging: YMCA of the Rockies offers three lodging options. Lodge-based, hotel-style rooms offer the most economic, budget-friendly experience. Cabins feature two to five bedrooms, fully-equipped kitchens, and indoor fireplaces for a fully self-sufficient experience. Finallly, group rental facilities and cabins provide a space for family reunions, company retreats, and holiday escapes.
Grand Targhee Resort, Wyoming
Lyons, Colorado
Grand Targhee is a bucket-list destination for good reason. With over 500 inches of snow annually, Targhee’s sleeper powder days and family-friendly vibe help take the stress out of navigating a resort. Why not check it off your list this year?
Grand Targhee seamlessly bridges the quaint mountain town scene of Alta, Wyoming, with all the perks you’d expect from a Western resort. Nestled on the western slope of the Tetons, Targhee offers up great terrain for all abilities, slopeside après, ski in/ski out lodging, and endlless backcountry opportunities.
Whether you’re new to snow sports or a well-seasoned steeps chaser, Targhee offers it all—without the lift lines. From Wyoming’s only snowcat skiing and riding operation to its Kid’s Adventure Zone, Targhee’s lift and cat-served terrain runs the gamut of advanced techy lines to gentle, beginner-friendly slopes, supporting all ages in the winter journey. And with onsite childcare options, ski and ride lesson packages for all ages, and some impressive Mountain Collective and season pass perks, Targhee’s ability to combine equal parts powder chaser’s dream and family adventure is unparalleled.
In addition to the skiing and riding opportunities, Grand Targhee also manages beautifully groomed snowshoeing, Nordic and fat biking trails and offers professionally guided backcountry opportunities.
If you’re seeking a friendly, valuepriced destination to unwind, play hard, and get back to the pure joy of skiing and snowboarding, you are about to fall in love.
grandtarghee.com grandtarghee @grandtargheeresort
Lyons, Colorado, is the perfect Front Rage escape. With a one-of-a-kind tiny home rental village, a distillery, outdoor ice skating, miles of trails, and so much more, make this the winter to experience Lyons.
Tucked in a red rock valley, the town encourages visitors to get outside, explore a bit, and soak in the beautiful views. From hiking destinations (local favorite include Rabbit Mountain east of town and Button Rock Preserve northwest of town) to mountain biking nearby Hall Ranch, outdoor adventure is always nearby here, and the trails are often sunny in winter. If you’re looking to keep it low key, try family-friendly ice skating in LaVern Johnson Park. If big wall adventure is more your speed, visit the nearby St. Vrain canyon for traditional or sport climbing routes. And if you haven’t quite had your fill of fly fishing for the year, get your troutcasting fix at Bohn Park, which is located along the confluence of North and South Saint Vrain creeks. Lyons offers everything you need to stay cozy, unplug and escape this winter. Whether you’re looking for easy access to the outdoors, local shopping opportunities, local eats, cocktails, or better yet, all of it rolled into one day, Lyons delivers.
Loveland Ski Area, Colorado
DEEP POWDER IS IN SIGHT FROM THE I-70 CORRIDOR. WHETHER YOU DRIVE YOURSELF OR SNAG A RIDE ON THE SNOWSTANG, THIS IS THE YEAR TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN MISSING AT LOVELAND SKI AREA.
Loveland Ski Area is bringing back all the things you love about the season at its 1,800-acre mountain playground. Thanks to the return the Ridge Cat and demo days, sane lift ticket prices, and fantastic après, the area’s long-standing tradition of powder days and family fun is within reach. And this year, Loveland is adding some sweet icing to its frosty, high-country cake. New guided snowcat skiing tours and facility upgrades, will make the mountain that’s just one hour from downtown Denver even better this season.
New this Year: Loveland’s Valley Lodge is expanding! Loveland Ski Area is currently working on a massive expansion of the Valley Lodge and facilities to enhance the guest experience at Loveland Valley. The result? Increased seating capacity in the cafeteria, a larger rental shop, and increased capacity at the Ski & Ride School check-in area. The Valley Lodge will be open and fully accessible to guests throughout the 21/22 season with work expected to be completed by the spring.
Loveland Snowcat Tours: Have you ever wanted to ride a snowcat to hidden powder stashes in the Colorado backcountry but the cost and hassle kept you from booking a trip? Now, it’s easy. Loveland Ski Area is launching a guided snowcat operation in Dry Gulch (just east of Lift 8) in January 2022. Advanced to intermediate skiers and riders will get an authentic backcountry snowcat experience in terrain that looks out on the iconic peak The Citadel (13,294 feet) on the Continental Divide. Book a seat for yourself or or reserve the entire cat for a group outing to access advanced terrain outside the ski area boundary. The full schedule, reservation platform, and pricing options all come online in December.
Tickets: Affordability is one of Loveland’s highest priorities and its lift ticket and pass options speak to that ethos yet again this season with peak ticket rates set at $94 for adults and $38 for children (ages 6–14). Better yet, Loveland’s 4-Pak is one of Colorado’s best lift ticket deals. For just $199 (available through Nov. 21, 2021), you get four lift tickets to use any day of the season. Big bonus: There are no blackout dates. Loveland is also bringing back Advance Purchase Lift Tickets this year, allowing guests to buy lift tickets in advance at a discounted rate. Pick your dates as soon as possible on Loveland’s online calendar because the earlier you buy, the more you save. Of course, full-
Have you ever wanted to ride a snowcat to hidden powder stashes in the Colorado backcountry? Well, now’s your chance!
price tickets are also available at the onsite ticket window for those just-gotta-go, spontaneous days.
Season Passes: If unlimited access to the snowiest ski area in the Front Range is waht you seek—did we mention Loveland boasts an average of 35 feet per year?!— Loveland Ski Area offers outstanding season pass prices and perks. Pass holders get discounts throughout the ski area, including lift tickets for family and friends, and 102 bonus days at partner resorts from Colorado to Canada and Japan, thanks to its membership in the Powder Alliance, one of the world’s most powerful reciprocal season pass programs. Current pricing is valid through 12/1/21, so grab them while you can!
Lessons: The Ski & Ride School is back for another year of all-ages fun with half-day group lessons, private lessons and 3-Class Pass options, which includes three half-day lessons and a season pass for one low price. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance your skiing or snowboarding skills, Loveland has options for everyone from children ages 4-14 to adults. Retailers: Looking for great prices on great gear? From souvenirs to a fresh kit, Loveland’s Valley and Basin Sports Shop locations have it. With skis from Icelantic, Atomic, Elan, Liberty, Völkl, and Nordica and snowboards from Never Summer, Rome, and Jones, guests have great options no matter which location they visit.
Big Adventure: Loveland’s Ridge Cat returns after being closed last year due to COVID-19. Loveland Ski Area is excited to bring back its signature free in-bounds snowcat skiing for season pass and/or ticket holders. The 18-passenger Ridge Cat provides access to big mountain fun along the Continental Divide, including Field of Dreams, Velvet Hammer, Tickler, 13,010, and Marmot. The cat operates firstcome, first-served, conditions permitting.
Guests can also take advantage of Loveland’s gear demo opportunities, including its Hat Trick Demo program, Christy Sports collaboration event (Nov. 20, 2021), and a plethora of independent brand demo days (think Icelantic and Never Summer). Check Loveland’s events page (skiloveland.com/events/) for all the details.
The Big Resort Gear Roundup
THE SNOW GUNS ARE RUNNING AND IT’S TIME TO GEAR UP WITH EVERYTHING YOU WILL NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL WINTER ON THE SLOPES. TO THAT END, HERE ARE OUR PICKS FOR THE STUFF THAT WILL MAKE 2021/22 AN EVEN BETTER SEASON AT YOUR FAVORITE MOUNTAIN.
by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN
VÖLKL
M6 MANTRA
It seems impossible that the German brand could improve upon its do-it-all-onany-mountain ski with a cult following. But with dimensions of 135/96/119 the M6 succeeds. Melding stiffness and flexibility, and engineered to deliver three different sidecut radii (32,19, and 26 meters depending on where you edge) in a single ski, it’s the perfect choice for the variability of Colorado resorts when you go from navigating ugly bumps to letting loose on open groomers to seeking pow stashes in the trees. With the same dimensions, the women’s version, the Secret 96, features tighter sidecut radii (24, 14, 20 in a 163cm ski). $700; voelkl.com
DYNAFIT
BLACKLIGHT 88
resort. Built with a Paulownia wood core and weighing in at 2 pounds, 13.8 ounces in a 184cm ski, this baby was built for speed on the skin track and arcing long, elegant turns on the way down. At 125/90/113, it can handle soft snow, edge into groomers, and inspire confidence on tricky terrain. Whether you want to try skimo racing or just get after it with friends, this is the best choice for taking on the resort sans the lifts. $700; dynafit.com
ATOMIC
MAVERICK
Atomic’s newest all-mountain ripper can do it all. Crafted with poplar wood and two thin sheets of titanal, the 129/94.5/113 jack-of-all-trades provides enough rocker and overall power to smash through the type of crud you hit late on a powder day or the fluff you float through on first chair. Hit the groomers, and the Austrian wonder delivers shockingly precise edge control. That adds up to a ski worthy of a winter dedicated to visiting all the varied terrain and conditions of the full range of resorts on an Ikon or Epic pass. Women’s version is the Maven. $700;
atomic.com
JONES
FRONTIER
This versatile, directional beast melds a powder-loving freeride nose and a freestyle tail, giving you the power to ride the entire mountain with confidence. The generous rocker will suck up crud and patchy snow or simply float untouched lines. But get it in the trees and it really proves its worth, slicing tight lines like a shorter, stiffer board. Add it all up and you get our top choice for the kitchensink conditions Colorado resorts can dish out. $480;
jonessnowboards.com
NORDICA
STRIDER ELITE 130 DYN
It’s tough to strike the perfect balance between touring comfort and downhill power in a boot meant for the rigors of day-to-day resort skiing with some skin track time tossed in. With a long alpine tradition, Nordica delivers a boot that’s stable and fits snug for hard charging and quick turns, but you won’t feel bogged down by it on the uphill—released into tour mode it provides a 46° range of motion that won’t cramp your style. Fall in love with this boot and you may never buy a pure alpine boot again. $950; nordica.com
LEKI
SPITFIRE VARIO 3D POLES + GLACE 3D MITTEN
Taken in tandem, this pole/ mitten combination makes use of Leki’s new 3D system—the mitten connects directly to the pole via a small loop between the thumb and forefinger. It provides more control than a standard strap and releases if you run into trouble. The pole itself builds on Leki’s freeride standby but adds the ability to adjust it between 110 and 140cm, ideal for shifting from uphill to down. The cozy Glace mittens, which feature generous Primaloft insulation, loop right into the poles, making for a system that’s warm, as well as efficient. The system works with other Leki 3D gloves as well. $150 pole,
$120 mitten; leki.com
DPS
P3
Water-resistant oat leather on the outside and plush Thinsulate and polar fleece on the inside make this rugged glove our go-to choice on frigid days. Big bonus, it was designed by ski company DPS, so the fit reflects the testing proclivities of folks who spend a lot of time gripping a pole.
$100; dpsskis.com
PIT VIPER
VICTORY LANE INTIMIDATORS
Pit Vipers are an attitude. Just ask the legendary Glen Plake, who signed on with this sunglass brand that makes the mullet (or the mohawk) feel hip. These shades offer up visor-like protection, but most of all just look badass— if you can pull them off. They come in just one size, as do winners. $119; pitviper.com
FLYLOW
WOMEN’S FAE PANT
The cozy Fae is just the ticket for those who get cold sitting on a lift seat all day. Thank a 40-gram inner layer of PrimaLoft Eco, made from recycled water bottles, for that extra warmth. On the outside, the sturdy shell, built of twolayer Specter (which also provides a bit of stretch despite the extra padding), keeps out the nastiest of elements. $350;
flylowgear.com
DB
HYATTA 70L
Organizing your ski kit can be chaotic. But this combo duffel and boot bag makes it simple to have everything right by the door and ready to hit the road. Built from recycled fabrics, the backpack bag splits open into two compartments: one for boots and the other hard goods, the other for clothes. Use it as summer storage at the end of the season too. $279;
dbjourney.com
RAB
KHROMA VOLITION JACKET
This highly breathable Gore-Tex ski shell from mountaineering brand Rab scored big for those of us who like to hit the skin track a bit in the a.m. and ride the lifts the rest of the day. Weighing in at 1 pound, 10.4 ounces, it includes intuitive ski features like deep pockets for skins, a helmetaccommodating hood, and a removable powder skirt. But it was the jacket’s ability to shuck off foul weather and keep us warm with Primaloft insulation while still not sweating us out on the uphills that really wowed us. $500;
rab.equipment
MONTANE
DART THERMO ZIP
The secret to this baselayer’s superpowers of providing plenty of warmth but never feeling too heavy is recycled nylon and a spandex fabric that’s plenty cozy and soft against the skin. Plus, a Polygiene treatment battles odor. It’s an ideal one-choice baselayer for a ski road trip.
$60; us.montane.com
SWEET PROTECTION
TROOPER 2VI MIPS
buckets continue to evolve, getting easier to wear and providing more protection. The latest iteration of Sweet’s Trooper proves that point. It’s 7% lighter at 1 pound, 8.6 ounces and imparts even better shock absorption than the last version of the helmet, first introduced in 2004. $300;
sweetprotection.com
OSPREY
GLADE 12
Fitted with a 2.5-liter bladder and svelte enough to stay out of the way when you’re riding the lift or shuffling up a skin track, this resort pack swallows up all the gear you need for a full day away from your car, exploring the far reaches of big mountains. Even better, the materials used to make it are Bluesign approved, meaning they meet the world’s highest sustainability standards. $110;
osprey.com
BOLLÉ
TORUS
Meet the future of ski goggles. Bollé researched 20 million color combinations to discover the precise wavelengths to boost or dampen in order to create the perfect blend of pigments needed to offer the best color-enhancing high-contrast lens in the Torus. That means it reacts to changes in light almost intuitively. $220; bolle.com
PHUNKSHUN
MISTRAL DOUBLE TUBE
This water repellent (and freeze-resistant) neck tube serves triple duty: It keeps you warm on cold days or when getting blasted by weather on the lift; it keeps you protected from the sun on bright day with UPF 50+ protection; and it serves as an impromptu face mask if you need it. $25;
phunkshunwear.com
COLOR
YOUR ESCAPE
AUTUMN SOARS IN ESTES PARK
Estes Park is a terrific destination, especially in fall. There’s so much to love about the region in autumn when elk and other animals are active and the foliage in Rocky Mountain National Park takes on shades of red and gold. While the downtown scene remains a lively place filled with endless restaurants, boutiques, cafes and bars. It’s not too late to put together an epic getaway – elevate your autumn in Estes Park.
book your fall moment now.
RidgelineHotel.com
970-480-0110 (Reservations)
– Men’s Health
“These @mishmitakin boots are the best I’ve ever owned. At this point I’ve lost track of how many miles I’ve logged in these boots, but it’s well over 2,000. No issues, very comfortable, still waterproof, great traction and support. 5 stars!” – Andrew, Customer
Mishmi Takin Kameng Mid eVent Waterproof Hiking Boot
www.mishmitakin.com
Visions and Birdsongs
SWEDISH SINGER, SONGWRITER, AND GUITARIST JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ IMMERSED HIMSELF IN NATURE TO FIND INSPIRATION FOR LOCAL VALLEY, HIS NEW ALBUM, WHICH EXAMINES OUR PRECARIOUS PLACE IN THE NATURAL WORLD.
by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN
Born in Sweden of parents who fled the Dirty War and dictatorship in Argentina, José González writes songs influenced by both the pure beauty of the Scandinavian landscape and his scientific background in biochemistry. González burst onto the American indie music scene in 2005 with the album Veneer. In 2013, he collaborated with Ben Stiller to create music for the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and the song “Stay Alive” from that film found new life during the pandemic on playlists of those seeking some solace in world that felt broken. González’s latest, Local Valley, is as much an intellectual exploration as it is a collection of hauntingly lovely songs. González describes it as “a metaphor for both humanity stuck here on Earth—our local green valley in a vast, inhospitable universe—and also for two dogmatic tribes stuck in a state where they’re unable to see things from the others’ perspective, preventing them from establishing a more harmonic state.” He took the time to talk more about his philosophy and songwriting.
Why did you decide to record this album in a home studio in your summer house? I had been looking for a studio for forever, but I realized that I don't need to have a room and soundproof it in the city if I just have a summer house. So I wrote and recorded this album 45 minutes north of Gothenburg along the coast. The view from the house looks out on nothing but woods and rocks. It's been fantastic to have that view when I'm writing. Then, as soon as I have my demos, I go out for runs or walks or take a dip in the ocean. It's been a great switch for me in my life to be closer to nature.
And you included birdsong on some of the tracks. When I was writing and recording the album, I was hearing birds all the time outside of the house. When I started recording, I couldn't hear them. So I set out to record them one evening, and I started using them on the songs. I wanted to use them on the whole album, but it was too much so I just used them on three songs.
Tell us more about the metaphor of the local valley from which the album gets its name. I’m inspired by Carl Sagan and his book Pale Blue Dot. Even though we're a lot of people here, this planet is still this little rock out in a dark and uninhabitable space. Nature and the universe don't really care about us. We have to make this valley as good
DEEP CUTS: LOCAL VALLEY DIVES INTO DOGMATISM IN SOCIETY.
as possible for ourselves. So I really resonate with this metaphor of the pale blue dot, the local valley. More specifically, in terms of climate change, the last 10,000–12,000 years have been extremely stable. We've been in this global state that we seem to be destabilizing. So we need to get our shit together. I think science and research is the way to try to figure out how we can make a thermostat so we can continue living in a Holocene-like state.
What’s giving you hope in the darkness and bad news in the world? There's a book by MIT professor McAfee called More From Less. He talks about whales coming back. And there are good examples of us using less land and giving back.
How do you write songs with these ideas in them, but not make them too heady? From song to song, I'm trying to strike a balance that’s not too preachy, that’s open-minded. With a song like “Visions,” I've been pretty bold in my ambitions. But then I also have sillier songs that aren't really preachy. I'm opening myself up on this album in terms of what I'm thinking about, so I'm more direct than ever. In a way, it was easier to write. I don't feel like I need to hide behind an enigmatic stance.
When you make observations out in nature, what are you looking for? I think I'm pretty good at switching between the romantic who just goes out at sunset and sits there with a beer and a scientist who goes down into the details about molecules and environmental issues and problems. It depends on what you want to do. But if we go down to the archipelago near Gothenburg, we can sit close to the water on one of the rocks and take a swim and enjoy a sandwich.
You stand against dogmatism of all kinds. How do you think we can move away from political polarization? People may think of me as liberal, but I do my best to listen. For example, I have read a couple of right-wing economists. I’ve also read social psychologists like Jonathan Height who try to pinpoint differences in ways of thinking between left and right. Some of these ways of thinking may be rooted in our evolutionary psychology. I do my best to try to be anti-dogmatic, to be able to change my mind. I know it's an impossible mission to try to always change our mind toward the better, but if you have that ambition, at least you won't get stuck as often you would have otherwise.
REMEMBER WHERE YOU STARTED, WHERE YOU ARE NOW, AND WHERE YOU HOPE TO GO. REMEMBER TO CONSIDER YOUR STRUGGLES, YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS, YOUR PROCESSES AND FINISHED PRODUCTS. THIS IS WHAT MY FATHER GAVE TO ME.
by DANI REYES-ACOSTA
“Do you think this is what it’s like to live in a snow globe?” My 6-year-old face turned, questioning, up to my mom. The question felt silly as it tumbled from my lips—almost as ridiculous as the way flat, wide snowflakes landed just as perfectly on my gloves as they did on my nose.
“Come on, mija. Let’s go find your Poppy,” she responded, as she slid forward to poke her ski tips off the groomer into the powder awaiting us. As we arced through low-angle trees,
I heard his voice booming in the distance: “Here she comes, my little champion.” Tucked behind a stand of pine trees, my dad and sister waited. Kika, the faster of his two daughters, patiently ate a snowball as Mom and I caught up. We raced to the bottom and down several more runs: We needed to work up our appetites for the big dinner that awaited us at the Mammoth Inn that Christmas Eve. Softly fluttering snowflakes, hot chocolate, and a morning full of presents: Life in this
snow globe was everything a child could have wanted.
Give It the Old College Try
Joaquín Enrique Acosta Jr. first began skiing after his interview for a teaching job in Big Bear, California. Recruited by teachers from a rival school who’d seen him coach another Inland Empire High School football team, he confidently
stepped onto the snow in borrowed gear. He’d been a college football player, an Eagle Scout, and Air Force pilot. “How hard can skiing be?” he probably thought.
Whether those cojones came from obstinance, perseverance, or the resilience he’d formed as a dark-skinned man growing up on the edges of west Los Angeleno’s privileged circles, my father loved skiing. The wide grin and perfect turns he styled showed that love. Maybe he found this love for frozen water just as holy as the ocean he’d known throughout his childhood. Could it be that this transformation from ocean lover to mountain man paralleled water’s own transmutation?
When I was a child, my parents took us weekly to Mass at St. Anastasia CatholicChurch, where I first learned the importance of community as much as communion. But, annually, we’d take a holiday in the mountains near Southern California to ski, where I saw the presence of a higher power in action.
These experiences, flowing between mountains and oceans, laid the foundation for smoother sailing in later years. The unadulterated joy of alpine vacations with my family echoed throughout my adolescence and early adulthood, long after skiing as a family came to an abrupt halt in my sophomore year of high school.
It’s impossible to forget the reverberations of my father's voice booming through snow-laden trees as fluffy flakes landed on our own tiny outstretched hands. How he had pulled my sister back onto the chairlift when her notorious 5-year-old wiggles went a little too far. How he’d hollered “Just tuck and point it,” when a windstorm threatened to push Kika and I, our tiny Brown bodies, backward up a scoured ridge.
He was handsome, athletic, and always the life of the party—but now he’s gone, and has been, for over a decade. Up until his final days on this Earth, Poppy went full send, or as he might’ve said, “gave it the old college try.” The echoes of his laugh don't disappear, though: Every year, it gets a little easier to remember to celebrate the life that he lived, embodying the best of what I remember. And in many ways, that means going full send.
Échale Ganas, Mujercita
Multicultural children often struggle with identity. Torn between past and present, tradition and the modern, we’ve historically had to pick a lane. Society still doesn’t treat the children of immigrants kindly, even if their lineage predates Anglo colonization. After my father passed, I struggled, for years, to understand who I was and where I fit. Only after electing to study abroad in college, to go to Spain and begin unearthing the lost stories of our past, did I start to wrap my head around who Joaquín had been. Cobwebs often obscure the door to your family’s history.
I learned the phrase “échale ganas” in Spain. My friends screamed this at soccer games. They wanted to see players win, expending maximum effort without fear of failure. Confidence in the Hail Mary goal almost always translated to a muchneeded point.
I wondered if my father knew that phrase—he must’ve. He spoke fluent Spanish, after all; he just didn’t teach it to me. Assimilation was the game he’d had to play over the years; this is how he found success in business, our mostly-Anglo neighborhood, and in our church. Why would he have taught me differently? When I took a fancy marketing
job at a corporate giant in Portland, I made a conscious choice to return to the mountains. I showed up, solo, to Skibowl for night skiing or Mount Hood Meadows for weekends. I was alone in a strange city, trying to find a new kind of joy after leaving the ocean and a painful romantic relationship behind. Weaving through trees, l wondered, often, if my father would have skied with me even though I'd swapped my skis for a snowboard. I still giggle when I remember him heckling snowboarders when I was very young.
Those silent nights, carving turns or ducking into the warming hut, I remembered the closeness my family had held during those happy years. I'd sip a Tripel, slowly, before facing stormy Oregon nights again. For nearly three years, I gave my heart and soul to my corporate bosses. Driving change marketing at a global scale was addictive, if not tiring. My weekend adventures in the mountains, though, pulled my heartstrings. M83 lyrics played a soundtrack to my life: “Send your dreams where nobody hides/ Give your tears to the tide.” In my stressful day job, I constantly feared
GENERATIONS: THE AUTHOR IN THE WYOMING BACKCOUNTRY; HER FATHER IN THE AIR FORCE.
failure. Our matrixed organization pinned my role's headcount on constantly shifting project budgets. I could lose my job at any time; why was I still in Portland? My parents had traveled the world as entrepreneurs ahead of their time... maybe I could figure something out, just like them. I may not have been a lobbyist or consultant for international recycling projects, but I had faith. My parents, both of them, had shown me that hard work, an open mind, and kindness can take you far. "Dale, Dani," I affirmed to myself. "Échale ganas, mujercita." I knew I could do this something... different.
Sending It
If empowerment is the pursuit of a dream without regard for the obstacles that might stand in your way, then that's what I was the day I boarded the plane to Santiago, Chile. Over the next few years, as I rebuilt my life to focus on my priorities, my family values, I remembered: Faith in community, kindness toward others, and feeding my inspiration to give back to the land that's given me so much would get me exactly to where I'd need to be.
I like to tell myself that I'm living the wildest dreams of my father, who will never get to come to my first ski film premiere, see the homestead I've cultivated with Johnny, or hear me acknowledge him in an award speech. High on the mountaintops, though, and every November, I'll find him. He'll greet me with open arms: "Mija, estoy tan orgulloso de ti." Daughter, I'm just so proud of you.
And that's all a girl wants, isn't it?
A Driver for the Dead
A MOUNTAIN TOWN GHOST STORY FOR THE SEASON
by PETER KRAY
Candy took her sunglasses off as it started to snow. She smiled to see the snowflakes melt on the hood of her black car, perfectly round droplets from little white falling stars. The ephemerality of it all.
It was the first snow of the season, and she knew everyone would be happy in Vail. The clouds dropped low over Giant Steps and Pepi’s Face on the mountain as she drove down the Frontage Road.
She had a ride to pick up somewhere near Golden Peak. Klara Stuttner. It was a name she seemed to remember seeing in the paper, giving money to the symphony or sharing a memory about the history of the town. The directions said she had a party to go to.
Candy grabbed a scrunchie from the glove box and pulled her long red hair back into a ponytail as she drove up the winding driveway with aspens all around. It was a little white house that looked like something from a fairy tale. Tyrolean style, with green shutters, white walls, and a red door.
A tall, gray-haired woman in a dark dress and a white-buttoned sweater was standing there. She was looking up at the snow as if she were dreaming as Candy stopped the car.
“Miss Stuttner?”
“Yes,” she said. Her breath was like smoke in the air.
“I’m Candy, your driver.”
Candy offered her arm to walk Klara across the driveway and noticed the small bouquet of wilted flowers she held at her waist. The way Klara’s pale blue eyes searched her face as she asked, “Do you mind if I sit in the front of the car?”
“Oh?” Candy said. She never had anyone ride beside her. “Of course. It would be my pleasure.”
Candy turned up the heat as they drove back down the driveway. It was getting so cold. She felt like she needed to make conversation, a little nervous with someone beside her, and said, “I’m so excited for the snow. I just learned to ski last year.”
“Skiing is a wonderful thing,” Klara said slowly, measuring the words. “That is what I miss most of all. I skied that mountain for more than 50 years.”
As they turned west on I-70 toward Minturn, Klara looked past Candy to the ribbon-like swaths of the ski runs on the left of the highway, where the slopes were turning white as sugar with the increasing snow.
She told Candy, “I always felt just like an angel when I skied fresh powder in the Back Bowls. That heaven should be as simple as a blue sky and a white mountain covered in snow.”
Klara smiled as she remembered Pete Seibert and the men of the 10th Mountain Division who had been instrumental in building the ski area. The years before Eisenhower Tunnel when Denver skiers had to drive over Loveland Pass, skiing with President Gerald Ford and astronaut John Glenn, and aprés with the ski patrollers at Donovan’s Copper Bar.
She talked about the Lionshead Gondola accident in 1976, when four people died as the cars jumped the cable and plunged to the hill. The freak skiing accident that killed Archduke Alfonso de Borbon y de Dampierre of Spain in 1989, when the World Alpine Ski Championships returned to America for the first time in 40 years.
And in 1977, when the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy murdered three women in Colorado, and escaped from jail near Aspen. Klara said, “Everyone thought he was coming back to Vail.”
Then she sighed, and Candy thought all the air had gone out of her. But Klara said, “That was all so long ago.”
Candy thought she saw tears in Klara’s eyes as she said, “It’s the town I loved the most. Movie matinees at the Crossroads on Saturday afternoons, cocktails on the patio at Pepi’s, dinner at the Swiss Chalet, and when you came outside, the first smell of winter in the air."
As they took the exit to Minturn, Klara asked Candy to stop the car.
At the dirt pull-off, Klara said, “Peeper’s Palace, the old volunteer ski patroller’s lodge used to be here. But it burned to the ground.”
Then Klara looked at Candy and nodded, her chin and cheeks as gray as the clouds. She said, “You’ve been so kind to listen to my stories. And to drive me here. If you don’t mind, I’ll go ride in the back now.”
Candy sat perfectly still, staring intently out the front window until she heard the winged-windows rise in the wind behind her, then the click and the lock of the trunk door. And there was only the sound of the wipers as she drove her black hearse through the blizzard of snow, up to the gates of the River View Cemetery, where a grave had been dug for Klara many days before.
—Elevation Outdoors editor-at-large Peter Kray is the author of the God of Skiing. The book has been called “the greatest ski novel of all time.” Don’t believe the hype? Buy and read it here:
amzn.com/dp/0692028331
THIS IS BIGHORN MOUNTAIN COUNTRY
The world comes out west expecting to see cowboys driving horses through the streets of downtown; pronghorn butting heads on windswept bluffs; clouds encircling the towering pinnacles of the Cloud Peak Wilderness; and endless expanses of wild, open country. These are some of the fibers that have been stitched together over time to create the patchwork quilt of Sheridan County’s identity, each part and parcel to the Wyoming experience. Toss in a historic downtown district, with western allure, hospitality and good graces to spare; a vibrant art scene; bombastic craft culture; a robust festival and events calendar; small town charm from one historic outpost to the next; and living history on every corner, and you have a Wyoming experience unlike anything you could have ever imagined. This is Sheridan County, the beating heart of Bighorn Mountain Country, and we invite you to WY Responsibly while you explore our backyard.
