PHOTO COURTESY COPPER MOUNTAIN
Want inside knowledge on the best ways to enjoy skiing and snowboarding the highest state in the U.S.A.? We polled our favorite Natives and came up with this list of 27 things you must do to claim serious Colorado Cred.
#1 Keep driving past Vail on a crazy busy powder day and enjoy Beaver Creek. Frontsiders and race fans must get a run in on Birds of Prey.
#2 Make full moon road laps on Loveland Pass. (Bonus points for nudity and alcohol.)
#3 Grill brats at Belle’s Camp at Vail.
#4 Ride the Ridge Cat at Loveland. Or skin to the top.
#5 Shred Silverton (and slam a beer at the yurt after powder all day).
#6 Camp in the parking lot at Berthoud Pass (to ski next day).
#7 Buy weed AT High Country Healing in Alma and don’t make a big deal about it.
#8 Hike Highlands Bowl. (Only counts if you do at least two laps.)
#9 Mow down the Dos Locos Happy Hour in Keystone.
#10 Drink Champagne Supernova in the in-bar hot tub at 39 Degrees in Sky Hotel, Aspen.
#11 NAB fresh tracks on Forever at Vail when a pass closure has kept Front Range hordes away (a.k.a. a Country Club Day).
#12 Party with dirty telemarkers at the Ice Bar in Crested Butte.
#13 Enjoy a Bacon Bloody at A-Basin and tailgate at The Beach.
#14 Pony up for a trip with Heliski Telluride.
#15 Hike Tucker at Copper.
#16 Make out with someone while you ride the new ski train to Winter Park and Mary Jane.
#17 Hit Wolf Creek on an early-season, mid-week powder day.
#18 Pay tribute at to the ski god at Breckenridge’s Ullr Fest.
#19 Ski a 14er. Quandry Peak is a good place to start.
#20 Enjoy Margaritas at the Saloon in Minturn after you escape Vail via the Minutrn Mile (and have your car parked there waiting for you.)
#21 Wait for an upslope STORM—and for I-70 to close—and bring your fatties to Eldora.
#22 Ski Purgatory and mountain bike Phil’s World on the same day (and drink wine in sunny Cortez).
#23 Pay homage at the 10th mtn monument and snowcat ski at Ski Cooper.
#24 Put your personal trademark on Steamboat’s champagne powder.
#25 Tie the knot or renew your vows at the top of Loveland on Valentine’s day … then have your “reception” at the Rathskeller.
#26 Stop for a BURGER AND Soft Serve at Dairy King in Empire.
#27 Sit in f-ing traffic for six hours on 1-70.
Contributors: Aaron Bible, Krista Crabtree, Peter Kray, Andy Hawk, Kevin Luby, Helen Olsson, Tracy Ross, Doug Schnitzspahn, Rachel Walker, Bevin Wallace, Tom Winter
PHOTOS (TOP TO BOTTOM) DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN, DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN, DAVID CLIFFORD, KEVIN LUBY, KEVIN LUBY, COURTESY WOLF CREEK
