As someone who has never skied outside of their home resort, I was a little bit unsure of the entire Epic Pass and the experiences it would bring. Yet my apprehension quickly diminished as we drove out early Saturday with a playlist of classic rock and a stoke level that was probably slightly un-proportionate to the one short run that was waiting for us on the other side of Loveland pass.
Once we arrived and parked, it was time to deal with some of the struggles that come along with the first day of the season. These include the awkward adjustment to walking in ski boots again, finding multiple cliff bar wrappers and empty chapsticks in your ski jacket, impatiently waiting in line to get your pass (which can be avoided by getting it sent to you), and dealing with the irrational fear that once you get off the ski lift your body won’t remember how to ski.
These small struggles pay off. The lift line, although a little long, is a fun environment and offers a nice break after the first thigh-burning run. The laps are quick but rewarding and you realize with relief that maybe you haven’t lost all of last season’s skills. There were mild mogul lines down the middle, and even a set of rails on the side if you are into that sort of thing.
The overall snow conditions exceeded expectation, providing a comfortable coverage that didn’t inflict severe damage to your skis, like I have come to expect from early season. There were lots of people, but with that I was reminded of the large skiing culture I have always loved and that which I had missed during the summer season.
It was so exciting to be back in the mountains and to experience the beautiful Arapahoe Basin area. Although the dreams of endless face shots and gnarly vertical are not a possibility yet, they are definitely in sight (both literally and figuratively).