Forever Blue

Today's skies are so blue I found myself swimming down the slopes in an ocean of Rocky Mountain goodness.  Perfectly groomed trails and the spirit of the West seems to be the theme for the day.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the snow today.  It felt like the top layer was soft enough to dig an edge into while the firm undercrust was firm and supportive.  There are a handful of times when skiing that I feel myself focusing on proper weighting from turn to turn.  Today was one of those days and I could feel the strength in my legs as I added pressure to the tips of my sticks as I carved wide, sweeping turns.  Turning seemed almost effortless and was absolutely enjoyable.

Buddy's Run was smooth and fast this morning.  I tried darting off to skier's left to hit the outer edges of the trail.  I found the conditions more comfortable and enjoyable towards the center of the trail.  There was something about the rolling terrain mixed with a fresh texture of corduroy that threw a big smile on my face.  As the sun began to penetrate this side of the mountain, the long shadows across the slopes kept me dancing from ski to ski in a playful manner.  I think I let out a bit of a giggle about half way down and I honestly felt like a kid again.  There's definitely something about clear, sunny skies and white, pristine snow that mix to generate excellent days like today.

There's some high-energy action at the base of the mountain today as well.  The race crew is busy preparing for the 39th Annual Cowboy Downhill tomorrow.  This event draws the best pro rodeo competitors up from the national stock show in Denver for a day of laughs and good natured fun on the slopes.  The Red Bull "Wing Team" is also set up in Gondola Square with a modified Hummer truck complete with a live DJ, flat screen TVs, disco lights and video games.  I've never seen anything like it and judging from the expressions of other folks, neither have they.

So yes... blue skies and glorious mountain conditions have combined today for a memorable time in Steamboat.  Life in a resort town couldn't get much better than this and I hope you get a chance to join us soon.

Have a great day on the mountain,

David Wittlinger, Alpine Skier

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