Skiing, it’s been too long

Mel’s US trip takes on a cooler note in the ski fields of Colorado.

The last (and first) time I skied was ten years ago, and I was absolutely stoked to be starting 2012 with a decent stint in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Last time, my husband and I set up shop in Squaw Valley, and had one of our best times overseas to date – despite my serious apprehensions about hurtling down a hill on slippery sticks!
In the beginning
Arriving in Beaver Creek was all I hoped it to be and more. The town looks like a postcard, and our gorgeous host Chico Thuon, who manages a lot of the luxury rentals in the area (and turned out to be a goldmine of information and organised ice fishing, house cleaning, sledding and ski lessons for our group), greeted us in the town, showed us the local stores, the oversized Walmart and the uniquely named Beaver Liquors (yes, I asked, and yes, they do make a killing selling logo-ed t-shirts to tourists, myself included).

So pretty!

Action stations
Day one was spent pottering around and checking out all BC had to offer, and getting fitted out for ski gear. Day two, on the other hand, was action stations. We got over to the ski fields early…okay, I lie, we got moving early, but by the time we had found all our layers, put on all our layers, taken off all our layers for a quick toilet run and then got out the door, it was about 11am.
The views from the fields, and soon later, the gondola, were breathtaking. Beaver Creek had just experienced its worst snowfall in 15 years, but as many of the friendly locals said, and I agreed, the combination of sunshine and enough snow to get you swooshing down a run was magic. It also made those post slope hot toddies a very pleasant experience – siting out by the snow, enjoying warm sunshine on your face.

Well deserved hot chocolate

The best of the rest
The crowd at Beaver Creek are amazingly friendly – we made friends with locals and other tourists throughout our stay, and the instructors and other ski staff have a big hello and a friendly comment for all. There are a decent smattering of Aussies working in the resort area, and no shortage on the slopes, and you’ll find people from all around the world.
One of the cutest sights I saw were the toddlers in the ski school classes snow plowing down the hill like little fleets of ducks. They also inspired me to get a professional lesson – I opted for a two hour private lesson, and it truly does make a difference.
I ski purely for fun and have no pressing desire to be the best of the best, but a little fine tuning helped me remember a few of the basics that allowed me to try out some trickier runs and upped the enjoyment factor even more.
Beaver Creek has plenty of great places to eat out, from pizza to fine dining, and many bars and pubs. The Blue Moose was our fall back for lazy evenings – dining in and taking out pizzas, chicken wings (very hot!) and a great house red to sip at the bar while you wait.
For me, skiing is something I’d urge everyone to try at least once (though it is the start of a slippery slope, pardon the pun!). It’s the closest thing I can imagine to flying and hugely addictive. My hubby is a keen snowboarder and rated the various runs very highly.

Let’s go!

Three quick ski tips