February 2010 - Posts
February 28, 2010
Hi Folks,
The new stairs from Gold Hill Chute #8 to Chute #9 opened for the first time today. A big "THANK YOU" goes to Mark Bosse, who designed and built the stairs.
Additionally, Chutes 7, 8, 9, as well as Black Iron Bowl, Bald Mountain, and Palmyra Peak all opened for hike-to skiing today. A big "THANK YOU" also goes out to the Ski Patrol for their excellent work.
Below is a picture of the ski patrol heading up to Gold Hill Chute #8. The ski company built a snowcat road from the top of the Revelation Lift to Gold Hill #8 last summer which allows for snowmobile access. This snowmobile route, in addition to the new stairway, has made patrol access much easier in this area - which is a good thing. You can also see a fair amount of skiers heading up the hiking route:
The new stairway starts out at Gold Hill Chute #8 with a spectacular viewing platform:
The mountain views in every direction are fantastic:
Then the climb begins by walking the bridge section across what is called 8 1/2:
The accent to the top of Gold Hill Chute #9 is a little longer than it looks:
But worth the effort:
Finally, arrival. What an incredible place in ski country:
This is what the entrace to Gold Hill #9 looks like from the top:
It starts out narrow and then gradually gets wider. It's steepest at the top:
Below are several pictures of my 14 year-old daughter Alex, and wife Noreen, skiing the chute today:
Here's a few pictures of Gordy Sato, a friend of mine, exiting the chute:
What a fantastic place:
Gold Hill # 9 dumps you out into Palmyra Basin, a huge bowl below Palmyra Peak. This area provides an awsome ski experience:
I love this gigantic basin. Its got lots of different routes to choose from:
Looking up at Palmyra Peak is fantastic when you're down in Palmyra Basin:
As I mentioned earlier, Palmyra Peak was also open to the public today for hike-to skiing. If you look closely, you can see people standing at the top, and about half way down the run called "Senior's":
This area is so huge. I'm using a 300mm zoom lense and the skiers still look like ants at the top of the peak:
Nice rock "fingers" at the top:
Skiers decending Palmyra Peak:
There were several skiers also coming down Gold Hill Chute #7 today:
Kids love Palmyra Basin too! Below is a picture of local ripper Micah Hesse in Palmyra Basin:
This is a picture of skiers left of Palmyra Basin:
It's interesting how Palmyra Basin has all these different bowls and routes that step down as you go:
And to skiers right as you decend, you find another huge area people refer to as the "Fans". You can traverse over and get fresh tracks:
The terrain in Black Iron Bowl, Gold Hill Chutes, Bald Mountain, and Palmyra Peak is for expert skiers and snowboarders only. Cliffs, narrow chutes and variable conditions exist. Be aware, ski and ride with care.
I hope you've enjoyed this little photo tour. Please feel free to post a comment or question. Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit.
Enjoy! - Dave
February 24, 2010
Hi Folks,
Our ski resort staff, with the help of a heavy-lift KMAX helicopter operated by a Canadian helicopter company called Heliqwest, installed a steel bridge and two sections of steel stairs which run over the cliffs from Gold Hill Chute #8 to Gold Hill Chute #9 early this morning. The structure is 30" wide, has hand rails on both sides, and serrated step treads.
The purpose of this project is to provide a more comfortable route to GH #9 for our guests and patrollers. GH #9 is the most gentle (but still advanced) chute of all ten Gold Hill chutes. Gold Hill #9 provides skier access to the incredible, giant, powder fields of Palmyra Basin below.
The concept of the project was "imagineered" last summer when we were building a snowcat/snowmobile road up to GH #8. The French Alps resort of Chamonix, and the Aiguille du Midi - Mont Blanc in particular, provided inspiration for this project.
Twelve-year veteran Mark Bosse, ski company Lift Master Mechanic and expert steel fabricator, built the bridge and stairway sections over the last several months in the mountain department shop parking lot.
Below is a picture of the site, as the sun was just lighting the sky, before the steel arrived. If you look carefully you can see the foundation brackets which were installed over the cliffs last fall by Mark. He drilled deep holes into the rock and anchored the steel foundation plates (which he built) with steel rods and grout:
Crews await the first bridge section to arrive. Mark Bosse is in the orange helmet:
The helicopter arrives with the first bridge section:
The lower bridge section fits like a glove into the foundation brackets, and the crew gets ready for the middle stairway section to arrive next:
The KMAX moves the first section of the stairway into position. It is 48 feet long and weights 3,300 lbs.:
It slides right in to the foundation brackets without a problem:
One more piece in place, no problems:
The last and biggest piece of the stairway is 54 feet long. The KMAX lifts slowly at almost 13,000 feet above sea level:
All pieces are in place. A huge sigh of relief is felt by the entire crew:
Mark Bosse survey's his excellent work, mission complete:
I'd like to give a sincere "thank you" to Mark Bosse, Jeff Proteau, VP - Mtn. Operations and Planning, and the entire mountain department team who made this dream a reality.
Mark has a few welding projects to finish up in the field before the structure is ready to open to the public, which will take at least a few days. We'll let you know when it opens.
Telluride Ski and Golf's slogan is Unmatched in North America. That slogan means different things to various people, but one thing is for sure: Telluride is a very unique and special international destination ski resort which offers adventures in skiing like no other place on this continent. We're committed to providing exceptional alpine recreational experiences on a year-round basis to everyone who visits, our staff members, and those who call Telluride and Mountain Village home. Enjoy! - Dave
P.S. Please feel free to post a comment or question - we always love to hear from you. Just scroll to the bottom, type away in the dialog box, and hit submit.
Blog photos by Brad Foley, Brett Schreckengost, and Dave Riley
February 22, 2010
Hi Folks,
Thirty three inches of dry, light, fluffy powder have fallen over the last 7 days.
The season total is 205", and it's still snowing this morning. Two hundred five inches equals 17 feet of total snowfall this season.
We now have a 72" base, or 6 feet.
You might wonder what the difference is between 6 feet of base and 17 feet of total snowfall. Our snow has a very low water-to-air ratio, meaning that our snow if full of air. After it falls, over time it compresses under its own weight, or "settles" as we call it. Parts of the country that have a higher water-to-air ratio don't experience as much natural compression.
Telluride has some of the best snow in the Rocky Mountains this year. - Enjoy.
Telluride Mountain Village:
Alpino Vino's new outdoor deck. "Highest Wine Bar in the World" at 12,000 feet:
Enjoying a late afternoon run down Lookout:
February 20, 2010
Hi Folks,
Telluride Ski Resort has been blessed with some of the best snow in North America this year. One of the things I really love about this place is the quality and consistency of the snow. Not to mention the spectacular views, terrain, historic Town, Euro Village, great dining, shopping, lodging, ski school, Eco Adventures - the list goes on and on. Telluride is truly Unmatched in North America.
To date, we've received 189 inches of snow, and we have a fantastic 63" base - which is still growing. We received well over a foot last night, it snowed all day today, and the forecast is for more snow tonight and tomorrow. Historically speaking, March is typically the snowiest month of the winter season, and when it does clear the sun is really strong in southwestern Colorado. Needless to say, we've got fantastic conditions guaranteed through the end of the season.
The powder and coverage at the top of Gold Hill Express was really nice this morning:
Kevin Maughan, Manager of Resort Service for Telluride Ski & Golf, helps organize guests in the lift line today at Gold Hill Express. Thanks Kevin!
Local kids in Telluride become very good skiers - and there is a reason. They ski two half-days per midweek for "Ski PE", then also ski Saturdays and Sundays. I guess when you ski four days a week the mileage adds up and the skills develop rapidly. My daughter Alex was enjoying the new snow this morning on Happy Thought. It's fun to watch local kids ski around this mountain:
Alex enjoys some light/dry powder on Zulu Queen:
Alex's friend, Sara Fulton - 14 years old, shows style in the trees next to Allias Alley:
Sara's younger brother TJ (12 years old), rips:
Who doesn't love soft powdery bumps?
Fat skis float nicely in the deep powder:
During a brief break in the snowstorm today, Palmyra Peak made a wonderful appearence:
Throwing snow on her dad after skiing Dynamo:
If you haven't been able to ski Telluride yet this year, now is the time to come.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Just scroll to the bottom, fill out the dialog box, and hit submit. We love to hear from you! - Dave
February 2, 2010
Hi Folks,
Quick update, Palmyra Peak and Gold Hill Chute #9 are scheduled to open tomorrow for expert-only, extreme, hike-to terrain.
- Dave