Why You Should Try Skiing in the Rocky Mountains.

Normally in the days leading up to a trip, I’ll already have at the very least created a loose itinerary with a general game plan for what I plan on accomplishing at that destination.

I guess you’re not as well-equipped to able to do that when you buy your plane tickets the day before you plan on getting there.

I can now officially check, “Go on a spontaneous trip somewhere” off my bucket list.

I’ve always wanted to visit Colorado, and I’ve also always wanted to go skiing. So faced with an eight-day stretch in the middle of January without being on the schedule for work, why not do both? I didn’t know much about the different ski towns in Colorado except for Breckenridge, which a lot of friends have been to. And while I think I would’ve enjoyed my time there, I wanted to go a little further into the Rockies, so I picked Vail, a little further west on I-70.

So the day before, I purchased my plane tickets, bought a two-day pass to Vail ski resort, and reserved some ski equipment at a local ski shop. It all happened so quickly, I wasn’t really sure what I was thinking, or if I was thinking at all. But after laying down the money, there was no going back.

I took off on Friday morning and landed in Denver mid-morning. And while I didn’t get too much time to explore, it was definitely a really neat city to walk around. To be honest, it sort of reminded me of Indianapolis in that it was a big city without feeling like a big city. I meandered around the city center a little, checking out Union Station, the 16th Street Mall, and Larimer Square. I took off for Vail that afternoon, making my way through some scenic byways that wound their way through the heart of the Rockies. And while I’ve seen plenty of mountains before, this was my first time seeing the Rockies.

And boy were they impressive.

I woke up bright and early the next day so that I could get to the slopes early enough to beat the crowds. Yet if we’re being totally honest, the real reason I wanted to get there early was so I could get my ski legs under me to keep from making a complete fool of myself by the time the slopes were busy and full of people. This was my first time skiing, after all.

As I had anticipated, I fell down more times than I could count. I remember getting to the top of the mountain, my first time on a ski lift, first time on skis, and the first time in the Rockies, being an entire seven thousand feet up a mountainside and looking down the slope to the bottom. I thought to myself, “what the hell am I thinking, choosing an actual mountain range to be the place I first try skiing…” And by “skiing” I actually mean “tumbling,” which I did plenty of. But I was proud of myself for doing it nonetheless and for getting up each time and trying again. After so many times falling face-first, your wounded pride can't go much lower, so why not just keep trying?

And while I definitely grew frustrated on more than one account, it was enough for me to be outside, doing something active that I reminded myself that I have no one to impress and that I was doing the whole thing for the experience itself. Nothing serious.

Snow fell the entire day, giving everything a nice powder. Even the locals I talked with told me I couldn’t have picked a better weekend to come up and ski. I ended the day with a hot shower and some stretches. I knew I’d be sore the next day.

Sunday was filled with a lot less falling and a lot more skiing. I was able to handle most of the beginner slopes, and by the end of the day had begun to do some of the more intermediate ones. And while I had thought the previous day’s weather was gorgeous, Sunday was even better. Not only did the sun creep out a few different times, but it stopped snowing long enough that we were able to catch a sneak peek of some mountaintops around us. What had been the previous day doubt over choosing the Rockies to ski turned into gratitude that I did.

What a sight to see.

For those of you looking for a quick, cheap, and gorgeous weekend away, Vail should top your list. And if not Vail, any of the ski towns you can find in Colorado, because there are plenty. I’ve been told that if you can ski in the northeast, with it’s ski slopes constantly being coated in a fine layer of ice, making the experience that much more difficult, you can ski anywhere. And while my one weekend of limited ski experience may not give me the right to say so, I'd like to think that I can say the same of the Rockies. What with each day bringing a new layer of powder to ski, legit mountains that can take up to a half-hour to fully descend, and whether that makes your day just that much more perfect, I certainly know that I’ll be back to give skiing another shot.