Snow Storm Opens U.S. Ski and Snowboard Season

Roughly 1,500 skiers and snowboarders made the trip for opening day on Saturday at Wolf Creek in Pagosa Springs, Colo., where the previous record early opening was on October 26, 2007. . Excitement was in the air as the people amassed early, vying for the first lift tickets with hopes of the first lift ride in Colorado, on possibly the earliest opening date in Colorado history. Some even slept in their vehicles in the parking lot to gain that extra edge. With eight inches falling overnight to complement the three feet already on the ground, skier and riders had much to be happy about.

A snow depth of 35 inches at the summit and 32 inches midway is quite respectable, considering many aspen trees still have their beautiful foliage. The three lifts open at Wolf Creek over the weekend serviced a variety of beginner, intermediate and expert terrain, including the ski area’s Alberta Peak and neighboring Step Bowl. Read More

5th and 6th graders rejoice! Colorado Ski Country Passports now available

Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) announced today the return of last year’s successful First Class lesson as part of the launch of its popular 5th and 6th Grade Passport programs for the 2011-12 ski season. Registration is now open for the Passports, so click here to get on board. We used it last year, and if you have a fifth or sixth grader there’s really no reason whatsoever not to sign up.

The Passport Programs introduce fifth and sixth grade kids to skiing and snowboarding by giving them free and discounted access to Colorado’s legendary resorts. And don’t forget about CSCUSA’s $10 Gems Card for discounts at member resorts. Click here for more info about the Gems Card.

The CSCUSA 5th Grade Passport is available to all fifth graders and provides three days of free skiing at each of the 21 CSCUSA participating member resorts. The 6th Grade Passport gives sixth graders four days of skiing at the same participating CSCUSA resorts for $99, equaling 84 ski days for less than $1.20 a day. Read More

Snowboard On The Rocks Photo Gallery

On Friday September 16, the second annual Snowboard on the Rocks music and shred film festival descended on Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks amphitheater. The event exploded onto the scene last year, hosting perhaps the largest snowboard premiere in history, and outdid itself this year.

The evening featured screenings of Videograss’s Shoot the Moon, FODT’s Familia, and Standard’s TB20, along with performances by RJD2, Doomtree, and Michal Menert.

As snow was falling in the high country above Red Rocks, the vibe at the event was a good sign of the level of stoke in Colorado. Here’s a look at the night’s festivities. Enjoy.

Check out the pictures HERE

This Weekend in Stoke: Snowboard on the Rocks drops in

Mmm... totally! "We are looking forward to 10,000 snowboarders getting together to celebrate the sport and the start of the new season," says Waide Hoyt, production manager for Standard Films. The company is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Totally Board series tonight with the world premiere ofTB:20 at Snowboard on the Rocks ($25, get there at 6 p.m. if you're after autographs), and Hoyt's predicted head count won't be far off: Red Rocks Amphitheatre seats just shy of 10,000, and organizers say it's on track to sell out. "Everything worked out with Colorado hosting the world premiere, being such a huge hub for snowboarding," Hoyt says. Cheer extra loud when Kimmy Fasani's part comes on: She filmed it here in Colorado at Silverton Mountain, and Silverton will be among the local ski areas offering discounts to Snowboard on the Rocks ticket holders. Read More

Ski shops giving Colorado Mountain College's pioneering business program a big lift Read more: Ski shops giving Colorado Mountain College's pioneerin

One year after Colorado Mountain College received four-year accreditation for its pioneering ski and snowboard business program, shops are stocking a line of skis and boots designed by the school's students.

A unique partnership between the college and Nordica USA led to the development and marketing of a sidecountry-specific line of Austrian-made alpine skis and Italian-made boots built for both resort and backcountry skiing that is harvesting widespread accolades.

"This was so much more than design theory," said Michael Martin, director of a ski and snowboard business program in Steamboat Springs. "We had actual prototypes in the classroom and on the snow. Based on refinements we generated through our testing, we were able to give them a real world input" Read More

Movie schedule announced for The Meeting September 29 - October 1

Aspen/Snowmass, Colo. September 2, 2011 – Aspen/Snowmass is proud to announce the movie lineup for the seventh year of The Meeting, going down in Aspen, Colo., September 29 – October 1. The event will deliver a packed schedule of the top 2011-2012 ski and snowboard movies and will feature live music and parties.

Tickets for movies at the Wheeler and the Sundeck party are now on sale through the Wheeler Opera House. Each screening at the Wheeler includes two movies (with the exception of Brain Farm’s The Art of Flight) and tickets are $10 per screening. Sundeck pricing is $15. To purchase tickets visitwww.wheeleroperahouse.com or call 970-920-5770.

Belly Up Aspen acts and pricing will be announced soon. Meeting sessions will also be announced soon. Read More

Vail Resorts Upgrades RunKeeper-Like Ski & Snowboard App With Photos

Vail Resorts is preparing to release the second version of EpicMix, a highly innovative social gaming app that enables visitors to track their activities and share them with their friends and family using radio frequency-enabled chips embedded in their access cards.

The app, slated to launch mid-December, is a cross between Nike+, which allows users to track their physical activities with chips embedded in Nike shoes and watches, and Gowalla, which rewards users for exploring new areas via its Trips feature. Like Gowalla, EpicMix rewards users with vital pins for various accomplishments, such as being on the first chairlift of the day or skiing a certain number of vertical feet over a designated period of time. Read More