Braving the downtown parking prices, I hit opening of the Snowsports Industries of America show at the Colorado Convention Center. Hordes and hordes of exhibitors were on the main floor of the show, including several local Colorado companies.While the après-ski show parties haven’t really gotten into full swing yet, drink…

In this final episode of our four-part series on ski tuning strategies, Matt Hupperts of the Edgeworks in Denver shows you how to hot wax your skis, using a waxing iron and a plastic scraper. On the slopes, you can crayon on a cold wax to improve performance of your…

In the third episode of a four-part series on home ski tuning technique, Matt Hupperts of the Edgeworks discusses waxing strategies. Ski waxes vary wildly in price, from $15 for basic waxes to over $100 for performance waxes. While those high-priced waxes may seem like an indulgence, for skiers looking…

Yesterday we kicked off the first of a four-part series on tuning your skis at home, talking about vice grips and base repair. Of course, that’s only the first part in getting the most out of your boards…

For the next four days, we’ll go over what types of things you can do to maximize the performance of your boards on the slopes. Check back tomorrow to learn how to deburr and sharpen your edges.While there are several places in town that can tune your skis or snowboard,…

Echo Mountain near Mt. Evans in the Front Range has long believed that offering park and pipe skiing — with night options — is a viable business model. To date, with the exception of Keystone, the bigger Colorado resorts have left night skiing alone. But last week, Telluride offered a…

Last week, the Summit Daily reported on the efforts of two U.S. Forest Service officers to bust a pot smoker on the Snowmass chairlift. For the record, smoking any substance, whether legal or illegal, is generally frowned upon while riding the chairlifts. It’s especially vexing when cigarette smokers decide to…

Dominating the vista from Breckenridge, Quandary Peak (14,265 feet) is one of Colorado’s most accessible fourteeners, and a popular one for people looking to start the quest for all 54. Quandary’s East Slopes route is a moderate climb, never getting above 40 degrees in steepness. The route is also a…

In the U.S., there is a rich tradition of “hoboing.” Famed folk singer Utah Phillips wrote many a song about his years hopping trains. In the 1970s, ski bumming became a way of life for many avid skiers who wanted nothing more out of life than the next powder day…

II admit that I get a little frustrated with skiers and boarders blasting down the mountain with earbuds in. I understand wanting to hear tunes, but I prefer to keep the tunes inside my head, and let my brain come up with whatever seems right at the moment. I remember…

On Wednesday morning, ski patrollers at Steamboat Springs found the body of Grace Lynn McNeil, a ski instructor at Arapahoe Basin who had been reported missing Tuesday afternoon. McNeil, who was 23 and originally from Michigan, was described as a good skier who had been on her high school ski…

A while ago, I wrote about rescues and who should save you in the mountains. The story arose from an incident on Mt. Hood. One of the overreactions to the deaths of the three climbers has been the idea of mandating that climbers carry personal locator beacons (PLBs) with them…

Traditionally, New Year’s resolutions are about self-improvement of some sort. Of course, most people fail miserably at them, making me wonder what the point of the resolutions is. But no matter.Why not apply the concept of New Year’s resolutions to outdoor activities? Most people who have a passion for the…

Earlier this month, Eric Peterson wrote about a new iPhone app that turns your phone into a virtual reality display of the ski resort. The video demonstrating its function makes it seem pretty high tech, but it also looks a lot like info overload.Most skiers, however, do like to have…