The door slams shut, its 12:30 pm sharp as the CMU Outdoor Program van rolls out of the driveway on another Tuesday and Thursday Afternoon Outing. In a mere 45 minutes, the students pile out of the van, gather their ski and snowboard gear, and head into the cozy lodge. Some will head for ski class, others enjoy the terrain park, some just want to crank out big GS turns, others like the moguls and I usually head to the far west end for some untracked snow. But first I park the van in one of the coveted open parking spots in the top lot, usually available on any given Tuesday or Thursday afternoon, and only 50 feet from the chairlift. The skies are clear and sunny; just another day at this amazing resort located a few miles east of Grand Junction. Of course I am talking about Powderhorn. Not many universities can boast about getting 3 hours of skiing in between classes. But that is the reality when you live in GJ.
Perched on the flanks of the Grand Mesa, there are numerous reasons to head to Powderhorn, One of the biggest is the incredible culture of outdoor enthusiast that mingle on the patio, in the bar, in the lunch room and of course on the slopes. First and for most, Powderhorn folks are skiers and love to have fun. And they come in all ages, shapes and sizes. Three year olds whiz through the magic forest with their grandparents in tow, expertly trained Colorado Discover Ability volunteers fly down the slopes with specialized mono skis, snowboarders jib over logs, skiers slide across the rail slide in the terrain park and telemark skiers drop a knee into a perfectly carved turn. All walks of life congregate at Powderhorn.
There are no high speed quads here, although I have heard rumors of change, instead you get to relax and check out the stickers on the chairlift towers or explain to your daughter how a pair of pink panties and colorful beads ended up in a tree. You gotta love Marti Gras on the mountain. Powderhorn has the best pace, not fast and certainly not slow. Just check out the skiers and snowboarders logging some serious airtime on the perfectly manicured upper peace terrain park. Then watch as skiers of all abilities rip up the rails at lower peace park. The terrain parks alone could keep you occupied for hours. The pace is really what ever you want it to be. You can relax on a long mellow run or head into the trees for some epic gladded tree skiing.
Some resorts are intimidating. For a beginner skier, heading to a place like Vail or Copper could seem like a daunting task. You have to park miles away from the lifts, take a shuttle bus, and then somehow navigate the complex system of chairs going in every direction. By the time you find yourself on the map, its time for lunch. Running back to the lodge or your car for a sack lunch seems like a waste of time, instead you shell out the big bucks for the $15 dollar cheeseburger. Powderhorn is much simpler. There are a total of three chair lifts and all the runs lead back to the main lodge. You can easily walk back to your car for your sack lunch or better yet, just leave it in one of the cubbies in the lunch area. And if you do want that cheeseburger, well there is that option too, at half the price.
Logistics aside, the best part of learning at Powderhorn are the perfect slopes with an incredible progression. Start out on the bunny hill, then progress to the main chair lift and get off at mid way. Finally graduate to the top of the hill and make your way down one of the many groomed intermediate runs. If the lifts intimidate, don’t fret, the lifties at Powderhorn are some of the best. These hard workers are all smiles, making sure every person gets to the top safe and sound. They’ll even wipe the snow off your seat for you!
If you have never skied before, then don’t worry, your not alone. We all started out as beginners. Check out the ski school. There are lessons for everyone, from the expert skier trying to hone their skills to the total beginner. Believe me, ski lessons are worth their weight in gold. Get a lesson today and be skiing on your own tomorrow. If snowboarding is your game, then check out Austin Hadley, one of my CMU OP staff members. He will have you carving perfect turns in no time.
A range of ski school options exist for kids as well. Starting with the Powdercats, a program for 5 – 7 year olds that want to explore the mountain, work on skills and have lots of fun. For the more advanced skier, then join team Yeti, designed to take kids aged 8 – 15 to the next level of skiing. They explore all aspects of the mountain, including slopestyle, backcountry awareness and even avalanche beacon training. Interested in ski racing, then check out the Powderhorn Racing Club. This program runs the gamut, from introducing kids to racing and skill development to full on USSA racing. Ski coaches such as Jesse Scott, one of my former CMU OP students, have been with the PRC for 14 years. And believe me, with Jesse’s incredibly positive attitude; your kid will be banging the gates like a pro.
And there are no limits to skiing with Colorado Discover Ability. Housed in the main lodge at Powderhorn, CDA offers private, family and group lessons for people with disabilities. Another former CMU OP alumni, Ron Lunsford directs the program and its legion of volunteers who help turn disability into extraordinary ability.
But Powderhorn is not just for beginners. If you like tree skiing, then Powderhorn is your dream. With perfectly gladded aspens, runs like Sven’s Bend and Thunderbird Glade will keep you going for days. Powderhorn is famous for its quirky boulder gardens. When condition warrant, you can fly from the tops of snow-shrouded boulders, a truly unique experience. Love the backcountry, then look no further. According to Rondo, Powderhorn’s ski patrol director and another former CMU OP alumni (starting to see a pattern), “Powderhorn offers some of the safest backcountry skiing in the state.” You can head either east or west of the main ski area and find untracked powder almost any day of the week. Rondo’s posse of patrollers keep the slopes safe everyday of the week. If you need anything just ask one of the skiers in red with a large white cross. They will lead you in the right direction. The sign at the West End ski partrol warming hut says it all, “Tired? Cold? Hungry? Come on in!”
And when the sun goes down and you can hear the calls of the patrollers making their sweep, get ready for some genuine ski après at the main lodge. You can set out on the sunset deck with friends and yes, watch the sunset. On weekends, live bands rock the house and there are plenty of local beers on tap. Scotty Waters, with his iconic leather cowboy hat, has been pouring my beers for 10 years. Scotty figures he’s not leaving anytime soon, “they’ll probably find me dead behind the bar one day and spread my ashes in the magic forest.” And if you want to know the next special event, just check out Scotty’s art in the stairwell. Powderhorn hosts special events practically every weekend, from retro old school days and racing events to pond skimming and telemark Saturdays. You can even inner tube down the mountain. If nothing else, just come and see the views. You can see the Bookcliffs Mountains stretch for miles. So there you have it. Powderhorn has something for everyone. So if you have never experienced Powderhorn, why not give it a show. I guarantee, you want regret it.