Still some good skiing/boarding left

Still some good skiing/boarding left

April 5, 2001

STAFF REPORT

The 2000-2001 ski/snowboard season is winding down but there still seems to be plenty of snow in the Southwestern Colorado mountains.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, Telluride Resort, and Wolf Creek Ski Area all are open. Only Hesperus, which had some lift violations, is closed for the season. But Durango Mountain (Purgatory) and Telluride will close April 15. Wolf Creek will close this Sunday, April 8.

There is no lack of snow at all three areas. In fact, more is on the way according to the National Weather Service.

Snow showers are forecast for late today, April 5, with more chances for Friday through Monday, April 6-8, as several systems are expected to move across the Four Corners region. Colder temperatures are forecast for Friday and Saturday.

Telluride reports 63 inches of snow over the mountain. Purgatory has 48 inches of snow at mid-mountain. Wolf Creek is reporting 120 inches at the summit and 105 at mid-mountain.

All the Southwestern Colorado ski areas are reporting spring surface conditions. Icy conditions may exist in shady spots while it could be slushy at the base levels, especially in sunny spots.

There are quite a few promotions going on right now.

Although April is the beginning of the end for ski/snowboarding season, Telluride Resort will be a busy place.

The Surge-Air Garden, under Lift 4, will be happening this Saturday and Sunday, April 7 and 8. The Free Rider Series Halfpipe Jam takes place throughout the Air Garden on Saturday. Participants can catch air, showing their moves, off any of the Garden's hits - tabletops, rails, and halfpipes. Those who try their turn in the Air Garden may leave with a prize.

But, to compete against or watch the big boys and girls, attention needs to be focused on the Garden on Sunday. The mountain is sponsoring an event limited to the halfpipe in order to determine who will walk away with the title "Pipe Rider 2001."

The annual Surf the Rockies promotion begins on Saturday. The Bikini Slalom, Telluride Free Ridr Half-Pipe Jam and local’s Fun Race is set for Sunday, April 8.

On Competition Hill, skiers will negotiate through a racecourse, then glide over an open pond to reach the finish in the annual Slush Cup.

This year, on closing day April 15, the town and mountain will also be celebrating Easter. Look for the Easter Bunny skiing the final weekend and lots of colored eggs at the base of Lifts 1 and 10 on Easter morning. Something special (a 2001-02 season lift pass) may be inside one the Bunny's magic eggs.

Durango Mountain Resort has discount lift tickets. Starting April 9th, through closing day on April 15th, 2001, adult lift tickets will be only $19! Adult Flex Pass tickets will drop to $9, and kids Flex Pass holders ski for only $7.

Speed skier Ross Anderson, "The fastest American Indian on Mother Earth" is currently in second place in the Pro World Championships. Ross is a 26-year-old Cheyenne-Arapaho/Mescalero Apache athlete from Durango whose fastest recorded speed in competition is 137.86 mph/220.588 kph.

After training at Durango Mountain Resort this winter, Anderson headed for Europe in early March, traveling and training in France, Switzerland, and Italy. After the first Pro Championship race, Anderson is now in 2nd place, according to information from Purgatory.

Wolf Creek has a special ticket discount for Saturday for college students who present an valid identification card. A costume contest is planned for the last day on the hill on Sunday.

Incidentally, Aspen Mountain made history the other day when it permanently opened it to snowboarding after 54-years of operating as a skier-only mountain. The mountain was opened to boarders on April 1.

Aspen Mountain was one of just five areas in the world open to skiers-only. CEO Pat O’Donnell said it was the "right thing to do to welcome the next generation of snow sports enthusiasts to Aspen/Snowmass."

The opening of the mountain to snowboards also kicks off its final two weeks of ski/board promotions. Scheduled are skiing and snowboarding competitions, concerts, a demo village and lift ticket and lodging discounts.