Browse: November 2007

Beaver Creek's Birds of Prey World Cup races are a rare opportunity to see the best ski racers in the world, but also get caught up in the cow bell-driven hoopla and energy from around the globe.

... And the 2007 Birds of Prey downhill race was no exception. Austrian gold medalist Michael Walchhofer is certainly no stranger to the World Cup podium. American silver medalist Steven Nyman began etching his mark into the Beaver Creek history books last season (when he was third in downhill) and Swiss bronze medalist Didier Cuche was bound to land on the podium after all of his phenomenal training and combined runs on the downhill course this week.

The highlight of Thursday's race, however, was American Andrew Weibrecht. The 21-year-old who only started racing on the World Cup last spring raised eyebrows with his 14th-place finish in Thursday's super-combined race at Beaver Creek.

In Friday's downhill, he was one of the last racers on course, starting with bib No. 53. It was the time in the event when spectators begin talking to people around them rather than watching the race, and all results are pretty much considered final. After Weibrecht kicked out of the gate, however, a hush fell over the crowd, followed by some deserved gasps as the relatively unknown skier flew over rollers and around gates, gathering more and more speed. Then he shot through the finish line, edging racing icon Hermann Maier out of the 10th-place spot.

An incredulous Weibrecht had no idea how well he'd done until he heard the crowd going nuts and said that even if he does nothing else in his racing career, this day will serve as a milestone for the rest of his life. Nice going, Andrew. For full downhill results, visit the International Ski Federation Site here.

The World Cup super-G is scheduled for Saturday at the Beav, but the snow was spitting all day Friday and a very storm-like gray has settled over the valley, with forecasts of 6 inches or more overnight.

We know this doesn't bode well for World Cup racing, but at the same time ... we could use it. Sorry racers, but powder will always come first in our hearts.

We couldn't be happier for Swiss skier Daniel Albrecht, who won the first race of the 2007 Birds of Prey World Cup events at Beaver Creek, edging second-place finisher Jean-Baptiste Grange of France and the Czech Republic's Ondrej Bank for the super-combined gold.

Putting together a tricky mix of high speed for the downhill portion and slowing down for the ultimate in technical prowess for slalom, Albrecht said he didn't recall having any special corn flakes for breakfast or saying any magical chant before his win.

The Swiss skier, despite his gold in last year's world championship super-combined race and silver in giant slalom, had never stood at the top of a World Cup podium until Thursday. You'll never guess who he chose as a hand-off for his award roses. That's right ... the hard-working girls of Plum Vail were the lucky recipients. Needless to say, those flowers will hold a special and boastful spot here at headquarters.

For Grange and Bank, the silver and bronze are by far the best result either skier has ever landed in his respective racing career. Hats off, boys.

The Americans had a decent showing. Crowd favorite Bode Miller came in a respectable fourth Thursday, while Ted Ligety took eighth and TJ Lanning landed in 10th.

Tennis icon Andre Agassi did the honor of doling out awards and handshakes.

Keep watch at Plum for more Birds of Prey coverage.

We can't complain about the excitement of Birds of Prey World Cup racing blowing into Beaver Creek ... and even into our own studio.

How lucky are we at Plum to have Cracker frontman David Lowery play an exclusive acoustic version of "Eurotrash Girl" on our own Fresh Tracks studio chairlift? We got a special dose of what's in store before he plugs in and kicks off the Bid Party tonight at the Beav.

Then there's the race scene. We are in the middle of the World Cup Super-Combined as we speak and Swiss racer Didier Cuche is leading after the downhill portion of the event, followed by American Steven Nyman in second and Lichtenstein's Marco Buechel in third.

The slalom portion of the race, however, can change everything. We'll see if these speed specialists can put the brakes on, bust out their short skis and carve around the tightly packed slalom gates.

The cowbells are jangling, people are screaming from every corner in French, German, Italian and all kinds of other languages we can't identify ... and it's an international extravaganza everywhere you look.

If you're not here ... you need to be. Check back later for results and updates.

This year marked the festival's 20th summer in the Vail Valley, and Plum was on hand for all the festivities. Enjoy this look back at all the fantastic Bravo! events and guests that graced our fair valley this summer, from the Roaring 20's Gala to the 4th of July Concert and beyond.

Vail Mountain has opened and the season is officially underway, and while there is only one run open (the lovely Born Free), one is still fun and one is better than none. Plus, there’s reason to expect several other runs will open soon. We’re finally being treated to sustained colder temperatures. Just ask our Fresh Tracks crew. They’re live from the Transportation Center every morning. Brrrr!

Yes, Fresh Tracks, the Valley’s best local morning show, is back on Channel 16, live seven days a week. Tune in each morning between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. for the most up-to-date weather and mountain conditions as well as the best event coverage and previews. Fresh Tracks is not to be missed this weekend when Birds of Prey comes to town.

On Thursday, Nov. 29, David Lowery of Cracker (Birds’ headlining band) sits down with Plum’s own Erik Williams in the Fresh Tracks studio. But our coverage of the Beav’s biggest event doesn’t stop there, not by a long shot. Keep it tuned to Fresh Tracks all weekend for Plum’s coverage of the Cracker concert, the Downhill, Super-Combined, Super-G and Giant Slalom races. If it’s happening at Birds of Prey, you’ll find it on Channel 16 and at vail.plumtv.com.

Super athlete and long time Vail local Ellen Miller discusses why the fresh and environmentally-conscious approach of Terra Bistro makes the Village eatery her favorite restaurant in the Valley.

Local Flavor gives Vail locals a chance to share stories about their favorite restaurants.

Drew Beebe hits the streets of Lionshead on Vail Opening Day 2007 to ask skiers and riders about their resolutions for the new season.

There's white stuff falling from the sky and on the ground this morning ... Not just an icy layer but REAL Colorado powder. Woooooo! Better late than never.

We were beginning to think Mother Nature was going senile - forgot her formula for brewing up a proper winter. The windshield scrape yielded a layer measuring about 4 inches ... and although the flakes aren't as fluffy as they were an hour ago, they're still falling.

The forecast calls for snow through the weekend. It's about time!

What exactly is the World Cup when it comes to skiing? It’s a big deal. There are many reasons why you should catch at least one of the four men’s races that come to Beaver Creek each year (Nov. 29 – Dec. 3, this time around), the most obvious of which is that the Beav is the only stop in the United States all season for the men’s tour.

In other words, this is likely your only chance to see the best skiers in the world exceed speeds of 80 mph on some of the Beav’s steepest terrain, all of which – as if it weren’t challenging enough – has been injected with chemicals to render it a pure slab of ice. Sound exciting? It is. And it’s free! Grab a cowbell and dive into the hoopla. Shuttles run from Beaver Creek Village to the finish area at Red Tail Camp throughout the event. Rock act Cracker plays a free show to kick things off on Thursday evening. Note the schedule below and, for those of you unversed in ski-racing terminology, a description of each race discipline.

Thursday

10 a.m. Birds Nest seating at Red Tail Camp opens
11 a.m. Men’s World Cup super-combined downhill race (the fastest event in ski racing)
2:30 p.m. Men’s World Cup super- combined slalom race (the most technical event in ski racing, involving the shortest course and the most numerous gates. In the super-combined, the fastest combined downhill time and slalom time wins).
4:30 – 7 p.m. Bid party for the 2013 World Ski Championships and free live performances from epic rock band Cracker (5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.) on Beaver Creek Plaza

Friday

10 a.m. Birds Nest seating at Red Tail Camp opens
11 a.m. Men’s World Cup downhill race. (One shot down, reaching speeds of 80+mph through just a few gates and over a series of jumps and rollers. The fastest to the finish wins)
6 p.m. Black Diamond Ball - Vail Cascade Resort & Spa, Vail

Saturday: Race Cancelled

10 a.m. Birds Nest seating at Red Tail Camp opens
11 a.m. Men’s World Cup super-G race (Super-G is another speed race, involving more gates than downhill but almost as fast).

Sunday

9:45 a.m. Men’s World Cup Giant Slalom race, Run 1
12:45 p.m. Men’s World Cup Giant Slalom race, Run 2. (Often cited by racers as the most difficult discipline, Giant Slalom combines speed and fast, erratic turns around a series of trickily placed gates).

Monday

10 a.m.  RE-SCHEDULED from Saturday: Men’s World Cup super-G race (Super-G is another speed race, involving more gates than downhill but almost as fast).

Robert Aikens moved to Vail in the late 1980s, started his own bookstore and has since become one of Vail's favorite characters. He describes owning the store as a labor of love, how he adores the Grateful Dead and introduces us to his dog, Stella Blue.

It must finally be winter when 20 degrees is the high temperature. It seems only a few days that it was 60 around here. Oh wait ... that was a few days ago.

A favorite saying in Colorado (and in a lot of other places): If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes.

Naturally, when it's single-digits and you're bombing down a mountain on skis or a board (under control, of course ... since there's not a lot of terrain open and IT IS a busy holiday weekend), that chilly air can be downright hostile.

A neck gator or face mask will come in very handy for these frosty days, also warm gloves and thick socks. Wear a thick jacket, an underlayer on top and bottom and a warm fleece. Also, just because it's freezing doesn't mean you won't get sunburned.

That sun is intense. Wear ample sunscreen.

Have fun and be safe!

Long-time Vail local and real estate broker Bob Dorf shares a personal story about why there's a special place in his heart for La Tour restaurant.

Local Flavor gives Vail locals a chance to share stories about their favorite restaurants.

True Vail local Pete Seibert Jr. highlights Billy's Island Grill as one of his all-time favorite restaurants. The son of one of Vail's founders, Seibert claims that Billy's atmosphere is similar to haunts he remembers from the 1970s that made Vail what it is today.

Local Flavor gives Vail locals a chance to share stories about their favorite restaurants.

Verbatim Book Store owner Robert Aikens loves good books and good food. A Vail local for more than a decade, Robert knows where to go to get the best food and service, and tells Plum about his favorite restaurant, La Bottega.

Local Flavor gives Vail locals a chance to share stories about their favorite restaurants. Each segment features a different local figure, highlighting a different restaurant, followed by a graphic with the restaurant's contact info and location pinpointed on a Vail map.

We just got back from Vail Mountain with ruddy cheeks and a red nose after our first licks of the the season. Born Free was the only run open, and it wasn't Born Free proper. That is to say you could ride Born Free Express (Chair 8) to its natural conclusion, and while the Gondola was running, it was only for foot traffic (no skis or boards allowed), so riders were limited to only half of Born Free's full potential. We still had a fantastic time.

The snow was not the deep powder that made Vail famous. Obviously. It's been like 60 degree around here for the past three weeks. It was squeaky, scratchy, noisy stuff and yet, exceptionally rideable. Not a smooth ride, but a fun one. Additionally, the opening day crowds were not as bad as doomsayers and seasoned locals had predicted. The mountain was not crowded. This may be due to the mid-week launch or Born Free's wide and expansive terrain.

We highly recommend getting a couple of runs in on Born Free if you have the opportunity over the next couple of days. And layer up! We're FINALLY getting some sustained colder temperatures.

In this episode of This Week In The Valley we highlight local businesses, meet Dick Hauserman and Robert Aikens, learn how to drive in the Vail roundabouts and we take a look back at highlights from last winter.

It's not a huge surprise, is it? Given the 60-degree warmth (again) on Tuesday, Beaver Creek is joining the postponement club and pushing its Wednesday opening to Friday, Nov. 23. Vail will still open on Wednesday!

On the Beav's bright side, the resort's annual chocolate chip cookie competition will take place as planned, beginning at 2 p.m. on Beaver Creek Plaza. What is this, you ask? It's free cookies! The recipe is taken from the winner of the competition and used throughout the season for the free cookies given away to skiers every afternoon. Yes, you read correctly. Beaver Creek bakes warm cookies and hands them out every day of the ski season ... one of the many reasons we love it there.

The resort is trying to open Latigo and Haymeadow runs for Friday. Stick around the Beav that afternoon for fireworks, tree-lighting and gingerbread house tours.

Keely Fine Foods
970-328-5655
www.keelyfinefoods.com

Shopping for food has recently become a gourmet experience, thanks to Keely Fine Foods. Started by long-time valley locals Tami and Mike Duncan, www.keelyfinefoods.com is a one-stop shop for everything from organic meats to gift baskets.

Wanting a positive focus to help them keep from worrying about their daughter, Keely, who recently finished serving in Iraq, The Duncans set out to provide Vail residents and visitors with an outlet to purchase gourmet foods and baked goods unavailable at local grocery stores. All of Keely's products can be delivered to your door on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.

With the new season approaching, Plum headed to Success Quest to discover the new businesses populating the Valley. Formerly the Biztech trade show, Success Quest, held by the Vail Valley Partnership, is a networking opportunity for small businesses in the Valley

Zach Russem headed to Golden Peak to test his preconceived notions about the hygiene and intellect of snowboarders on the Honda Session crowds.

Despite the dry spell and Vail’s opening day postponement to Wednesday, Copper Mountain is doing good things with its snow guns. Anyone really itching to get out there and ski or ride should head over the pass to Copper, where the American Eagle and Excelerator lifts having been running for a couple of weeks and the American Flyer lift just opened this weekend. That’s a total of three long, substantial runs. It’s always nice to have choices … especially early season with the lack of natural snow.

We even saw something cold and white falling from the sky for a little while Saturday, but it didn’t add up to anything and resembled grapple more than bona fide snow. Nonetheless, REAL snow is in the forecast for Tuesday, so maybe Vail will get its wish for a powder day opening after all.

Even if Vail didn’t open on schedule today, at least the artificial snow being blown with haste onto the Born Free trail leading into Lionshead almost reaches the gondola. By Wednesday’s rescheduled opening, everything should be all set … and (FINGERS CROSSED), maybe we’ll even have some real snow. We were half-hoping we’d walk to the Born Free base area this morning and catch some eager skier who missed the memo about Vail’s opening being postponed gazing forlornly up at the mountain with freshly tuned skis resting on his shoulder. But no, everyone appears to have been informed and besides, it’s 60 degrees and many would-be skiers and snowboarders have probably forgotten that it’s November and are out riding bikes. That said, the forecast is full of snow for next week. We shall see.

The Votes Are Tallied!

Stop chewing on your hand because the results are in! We received nearly 14,000 votes in our contest for The Valley’s Best. Now we've looked at the numbers and our winners have emerged.

Click the categories below to see how you voted for everything from best wings and ski tune to top local galleries and spas.

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Well, Vail will not be opening tomorrow. It's sad, we know, but the opening has only been pushed back a week to Wednesday, November 21. And with that delay comes another. We'll be pushing back the new season of Fresh Tracks, Plum's essential weather and mountain report program, to coincide with the opening of Vail Mountain. So, there's a lot to look forward to next Wednesday: The opening of the mountain and the return of your favorite Plum personalities on the Valley's best morning program, Fresh Tracks.

But just because there's no snow on the mountain doesn't mean there's no snow on your TV. Leading up to opening day, Plum TV Channel 16 will be playing our coverage of all of last year's killer winter events as well as the best winter events from our sister stations, Aspen, Telluride and Sun Valley. Keep it tuned to Channel 16 for the best ski and board coverage on the best mountains.

Also be sure to check out a new This Week in the Valley with Jeniece Pettitt this Wednesday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m.