I got up for a few turns this morning with a few instructors to check out the new terrain. We took the Gondola up and then Rudi’s down to the BC lift. I was pretty stoked to find some calve-deep powder on the right side of Rudi’s, but lower down it got a bit rougher. From the top of BC we cruised down Tower to Heavenly Daze and made our way down to Jess’s Cut-Off, across to See Me, and on to the park. The Daze is pretty rough; there’s some slightly softer snow on the sides, but the majority is ground up ice balls.

Once you get down to the park everything changes though. The snow and grooming on lower mountain has been fantastic, and the park crew is doing a tremendous job keeping the Little Rodeo Park smooth and safe. The park is flowing great, and the features are set up perfectly. I’m super optimistic about this season’s park, if Nick can build two more parks as sweet as this one, I think we’re in for a treat.

Luckily the weather warmed up and the sky turned blue before too long, resulting in a gorgeous Steamboat day. Christie Peak was the only lift running today, but it served up several runs, and the snow was surprisingly good. More snow is right around the corner, and the gondola is expected to start running Friday, providing access to a couple of long blue groomers down.

The real story however is the terrain park. Steamboat’s new terrain park director, Nick Roma, put together one of Steamboat’s best opening day parks on record, and it was packed all day. The park has a dozen features, including a couple of flat boxes and rails, a rainbow, a battleship, a nice 15 foot jump, and a killer bottom feature that can be approached and hit in several different ways. The snow was a bit slow today, so speed was a bit of an issue, but as long as you stomped your landings it wasn’t too bad. This was just a start, but if Nick can keep this up all season, I think we’re in for a banger park year.

View the entire photo gallery here.

This is the final day of the 30 Days on the Road series, but there’s still a few back-posts coming, and I’ll be working up a follow-up post on the whole month as well.

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“30 Days on the Road” is a blog series tracking my travel for thirty days in October and November; from leaving Alaska on October 27th until Steamboat opens on November 25th. Due to a series of cool opportunities I don’t have to be back at a “real job” until 11/26th, and after a summer that seemed way too long, I’ll be making the most of my free month with as much snow and snow industry fun as I can cram in. The goal is two-fold, first to get you pumped about the upcoming season, and two to help keep track of time as I wander aimlessly for a month.

I’ll also be posting updates on Facebook and Twitter, so make sure and check out the action there too.

You can read the blog post about opening day here.

Still no riding in Steamboat, but I took a short snow walk, and then started setting up for the split board how-to article.

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“30 Days on the Road” is a blog series tracking my travel for thirty days in October and November; from leaving Alaska on October 27th until Steamboat opens on November 25th. Due to a series of cool opportunities I don’t have to be back at a “real job” until 11/26th, and after a summer that seemed way too long, I’ll be making the most of my free month with as much snow and snow industry fun as I can cram in. The goal is two-fold, first to get you pumped about the upcoming season, and two to help keep track of time as I wander aimlessly for a month.

I’ll also be posting updates on Facebook and Twitter, so make sure and check out the action there too.

The mountains were beautiful, I love this time of year in Colorado, there’s still color in the hills, but the mountains are crisp and white. Loveland was packed, which was great as it made me feel better about not stopping for a few laps (my gear was all in the boat, so riding had to wait one more day).

Coming down from Rabbit Ears Pass into Steamboat is such a great feeling; Steamboat feels more and more like home every year, and rounding that last corner and seeing the mountain always makes me a bit giddy. After a quick stop at the house to drop off luggage, tradition required a stop at Double Z’s for some fries and BBQ sauce, it really is the best.

I rounded out the day by partially unpacking and digging up enough gear to ride at Loveland on Sunday. Somewhat boring day for a blog post, but sometimes you have to get from Point A to Point B; today was that day in between.

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“30 Days on the Road” is a blog series tracking my travel for thirty days in October and November; from leaving Alaska on October 27th until Steamboat opens on November 25th. Due to a series of cool opportunities I don’t have to be back at a “real job” until 11/26th, and after a summer that seemed way too long, I’ll be making the most of my free month with as much snow and snow industry fun as I can cram in. The goal is two-fold, first to get you pumped about the upcoming season, and two to help keep track of time as I wander aimlessly for a month.

I’ll also be posting updates on Facebook and Twitter, so make sure and check out the action there too.

VANCOUVER, Oct. 1 /CNW/ – Intrawest today announced that, beginning with the 2009-2010 winter season, the Company will increase awareness of the importance of helmet use at all of its wholly-owned ski resorts in North America. Intrawest will recommend that all skiers and snowboarders visiting its resorts wear helmets and there will be mandatory helmet requirements for all children and youth(1) participants in Ski and Snowboard School Programs as well as all students participating in freestyle terrain park programs, regardless of their age. The new helmet use guidelines underscore Intrawest’s commitment to guest safety and have the support of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) and Canada West Ski Areas Association (CWSAA).

A helmet will be included with all children/youth ski and snowboard rental packages from all of Intrawest’s equipment rental outlets. The new guidelines will be supported with enhanced employee education sessions and common language highlighting the importance of helmet use will appear on resort websites and in all trail maps. Going forward, Intrawest will place an increased focus on using website images and advertising visuals that feature skiers and snowboarders wearing helmets and Intrawest will introduce new graphic standards that require all of its ski resorts to feature helmets predominantly.

In the past at some resorts, a parent/guardian has had the ability to opt-out of having their children wear a helmet in certain on-mountain programs and activities. Beginning this season, Intrawest will remove the parent/guardian “opt-out clause” from all children’s waivers for Ski and Snowboard School Programs and all freestyle terrain park student programs.

Looking ahead to the 2010-2011 winter season, Intrawest will require employees to wear a helmet at all times while skiing or snowboarding on-duty in any freestyle terrain park at its resorts. Staff at Intrawest’s Ski and Snowboard Schools will also be required to wear a helmet if they serve as a guide or an instructor for any program that requires mandatory helmet use by a resort guest. Several Intrawest resorts will begin to implement these new employee helmet use guidelines this winter and the remaining resorts will be fully compliant by the beginning of the 2010-2011 winter season.

“Intrawest is working in conjunction with the ski industry to establish important best practices on behalf of our resort guests and employees,” said Bill Jensen, chief executive officer at Intrawest. “Together, we have established a new baseline for helmet use at our resorts that has received strong support from the NSAA and CWSAA. We will continue to work with all of the ski industry associations in the United States and Canada to raise awareness of this important initiative and the obligation of everyone to ski and ride in a controlled and responsible manner.”

The helmet usage guidelines will be phased in at the following Intrawest  ski resorts:
- Copper Mountain (Colorado) – Stratton Mountain (Vermont)
- Mountain Creek (New Jersey) – Tremblant Resort (Quebec)
- Panorama Mountain (British Columbia) – Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia)
- Snowshoe Mountain (West Virginia) – Winter Park Resort (Colorado)
- Steamboat Ski Resort (Colorado)

About Intrawest
Intrawest is a leader in the development and management of experiential destination resorts. The Company has interests in a network of resorts at North America’s most popular mountain destinations including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world. In addition, Intrawest markets and sells real estate at its resorts in North America and at other third-party locations around the world. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia and is a portfolio company owned primarily by private equity funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC (NYSE: FIG). For more information, visit www.intrawest.com

(1) Required helmet use for children/youth program participants aged three to 12, 13, 14 or 17 at Intrawest’s wholly-owned ski resorts in North America (upper age limit will be determined by each resort and will include regional considerations).

We’re giving away two tickets to the Steamboat premier of TGR’s new film Re:Session, Friday, Oct. 2 @ the Sheraton Ballroom.

As usual, post a comment to enter. Winner will be notified Friday morning. Short window here, get your entries in!

Doors at 7:00pm, Showtime at 8:00pm
Tickets are available at Ski Haus for $15
970-879-0424

Watch the Trailer and get stoked:

About TGR’s Re:Session
Teton Gravity Research is proud to announce the release of its new 16mm and HD ski & snowboard film Re:Session. Re:Session takes viewers beyond the traditional ski and snowboard movie into a revolutionary realm of action sports entertainment. Shot on both film and RED ONE high definition camera technology, Re: Session documents the true wealth of the mountain experience. Follow the crew as they score in one of Alagna, Italy’s deepest seasons on record. Check out forbidden powder in Poland, massive wedges in Colorado, new gap jumps in Utah, and seven weeks of epic riding conditions in Alaska. Re: Session brings the most talented athletes in the sport together into one must-see film.

The all-star roster includes TGR regulars Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Seth Morrison, Jeremy Jones, Kye Petersen, Ian McIntosh, Dana Flahr, Dylan Hood, Erik Roner, Wiley Miller, and Dash Longe rounded out with the fresh faces of Tanner Hall, Sammy Carlson and Callum Pettit.

Shot on location in: Jackson Hole WY, Alagna Italy, Last Frontier Heli-Skiing, Poland, Slovakia, Haines AK, North Cascade Heli-Skiing, Colorado, Stevens Pass WA, Utah, Montana, and Pemberton B.C.

Enter to win at a premiere location or online an Alaskan heli ski/snowboard trip with Alaska Heliskiing. Also, register to win a vacation for two to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or TGR sponsor gear package.

Sponsored by: The North Face, Rossignol, Dynastar/Lange, Powder Magazine and Oakley

OK, so Schaffrick may not exactly be on that level right now, but the 14-year-old Steamboat Springs native showed Thursday morning at Copper Mountain that she’s well on her way.

Read the full article here: http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20081212/SPORTS/812119930/-1/rss01

“Mountain crews are working around the clock to take advantage of the cold temperatures by continuing to make snow across the mountain in anticipation of a great Opening Day,” said Doug Allen, vice president of mountain operations for Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “With the snowfalls that the resort has already received as well as what is forecasted for the remainder of this week, the mountain should be in great shape for Opening Day.”

As of 5am at mid-mountain, Steamboat has received 6 inches of new snow in the past 24-hours and 8 inches of snow in the past 72-hours. Since November 21st, Steamboat has received 21 inches of Champagne Powder snow at mid-mountain and is currently reporting a 14-inch base at mid-mountain. Forecasts are calling for cold temperatures and snowfalls to continue throughout the remainder of the week and into the weekend.

“These snowfalls add to the excitement of the pairing of Scholarship/Opening Day and the Grand Opening of the Christie Peak Express lift,” said Chris Diamond, president & chief operating officer of the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “I encourage everyone to come out and make a few turns, enjoy the new express lift and support a very worthwhile organization, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, this Friday.”

Specially-priced $20 lift tickets will be offered ONLY on Friday, November 30, 2007. No season passes or value passes will be valid that day. Scholarship Day tickets may be purchased at the Main Ticket Office, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are available in advance beginning Wednesday, November 28th.

Experience Steamboat this season with a variety of winter vacation packages like the Winter Escape package, which offers a free day of skiing and a free night of lodging before December 21, 2007 and specials including exclusive-to-Colorado Front Range offers like the Breakaway package. Steamboat Central Reservations®, which represents the majority of the lodging properties in the area, offers exclusive online iCORIS technology, allowing guests to book their entire vacation online. Call toll-free (800) 922-2722 or visit steamboat.com

To stay up to date on Steamboat’s snow conditions visit www.steamboat.com, view the Mountain Cam, photo-of-the-day, movie archives and register to receive the Straight Talk Mountain Report. Snow conditions will be updated as conditions change and can be access by calling 970.879.7300 or online at steamboat.com.