Browse: December 2007

Renowned pop artist Steve Kaufman sits down with Jeniece Pettitt on Fresh Tracks to offer insight into his art and process, and discuss his show at Master's Gallery at Vail.

Update (4:30 p.m.)- From Mindy Crane of CDOT:

"Eastbound I-70 is now open between Silverthorne and Denver, but it remains closed between Silverthorne and Vail.  We expect this small section of eastbound I-70 to reopen shortly...US 6 over Loveland Pass will remain closed overnight... westbound I-70 is completely open from Denver to Vail. Also, both directions of US 40 over Berthoud Pass are open."

Update (2:35 p.m.)- I-70 Westbound from Copper to Vail has reopened.

It's no dream. It has been absolutely dumping snow for the past 2 days. Vail has recieved 10 inches in the last 24 hours alone. Whiteout conditions abound, and while that may be great for the mountain, it's not so good for the roads. I-70 closed a massive stretch (about 75 miles) yesterday at 5 p.m. and it looks like the Vail's main lifeline could stay closed another evening. Mindy Crane of the Colorado Dept. of Transportation sends along the latest news:

"We do not have any new information at this time as to when I-70, Berthoud Pass and Loveland Pass will reopen. We are still receiving sustained winds of 50 mph and gusts up to 70 mph. The worst conditions exist east of the Eisenhower Tunnel. Conditions are improving towards Vail and on the west side of the Eisenhower Tunnel; however, conditions are not safe for travel along the corridor. Weather conditions will need to greatly improve and avalanche control will need to be completed before I-70 reopens (some mitigation has been completed already). CDOT asks motorists to be patient and is encouraging them not to wait out the closure. In addition, US 285 is currently open, but travel is not recommended along this route either as conditions are not much better."

Missed flights certainly can be frustrating but safety has to be the number one priority, and CDOT is looking out for all of us. And if the worst case scenariois that you have to spend an extra day in Vail, well, that's not all too bad, right? We certainly love your company and would love to ring in the New Year with you. The more the merrier!

Keep an eye on the Plum ticker for the latest updates on road closures.

Solaris sales and marketing director Craig Cohn sits down with Erik Williams to discuss the remarkable changes coming to the area formerly known as Crossroads. Craig explains why Solaris will be seen as "the new center of Vail Village." December 29, 2007.

Check out our new digs! Fresh Tracks host Erik Williams gives us a look inside the new Plum Studio atop the Transportation Center, currently under construction, and brings us behind the scenes to meet the people who create the show.

Copper Mountain is making extra sure its visitors go home clean.

As we pulled out of the free parking area (the Alpine Lot) recently, a handful of smiling Copper employees stood waving windshield scrapers, buckets and checkered flags, encouraging vehicles to pull in for a free wipe down before they hit the highway.

What service! All in the arctic cold and with a smile.

The true measure of a great ski area is the hidden amenities. We definitely needed the scrub. Thanks, Copper!

Craig Cohn, sales and marketing director for Solaris, discusses what's to come in "the new center of Vail Village" on Plum's Fresh Tracks, Dec. 27, 2007.

How can 2007 be coming to a close already? We were finally, FINALLY getting used to writing it on letters and whatnot. Always hard to be out with the old for some of us … At any rate, 2008 is looming and if you’re in Vail or nearby, you have no shortage of options for ringing it in with style.

Since everyone takes a different approach to celebrating – some prefer a quiet, intimate dinner while others aim for a raucous, full-blown party – we’ve jotted down a few options here that are sure to make everybody happy.

• Nice Dinners:

Exquisite, intimate dinners are a hot choice for celebratory undertakings in these parts, and many of the area’s most delicious joints have something special on the plate for New Year’s Eve.

Of the many options for Dec. 31, Frites in Edwards is offering a second seating including a four-course chef’s menu for $85. There’s also Dish, just down the road in Edwards, which is offering a come-when-you-like, $65 six-course New Year’s feast. Edwards’ brand new fine-dining establishment Matthew’s is also throwing down on New Year’s Eve with live music and special additions to the menu (970-926-8646). Zacca Za, the new “red sauce joint” in Eagle-Vail is doing a $95 chef’s tasting six-course extravaganza with a DJ spinning dance tunes and champagne toast (970-748-4848).

Not to be outdone, Up the Creek in Vail is offering a $100 first seating with six courses and a second seating with limited availability (call 970-476-8141). The Lodge at Vail’s Wildflower and Cucina Rustica are doing five-course first and second seatings, with reservations and more information at 970-477-3724.

• Food and Music:

One of the best deals in town could be the $50 Italian buffet and live music by local favorites Little Hercules at Mango’s Mountain Grill in Red Cliff. Call 970-827-9109 or find tickets before they sell out at www.ticketalternative.com.

• Family and Free:

Isn’t it great when those two words come together? The Park Hyatt at Beaver Creek is hosting a New Year’s Eve throwdown with a torchlight ski down at 7 p.m. followed by fireworks. Then, all ages are welcome at McCoy’s until 12:30 a.m. for live entertainment from Shannon Tanner. Also, revelers 21 and older can head to the Park Hyatt’s Whiskey Elk at 9 p.m. for live music by Dave Kemmerly and a complimentary champagne toast. Call 970-949-1234 for more information or visit www.parkhyattbeavercreek.com.

In Vail, the Dec. 31 torchlight ski down and fireworks begin at 6:15 p.m. at Golden Peak.

• Music, food, fireworks:

Down the road, Copper Mountain is having its own New Year’s Bash beginning at 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 31 at the Bighorn Ballroom in the Copper Conference Center. The event is $50 for adults and $35 for children ages 5-11 (free for children 4 and younger), includes an exquisite dinner, live music with Carli and the Reactions and a fireworks display. Call 866-236-4386, ext. 45930 for reservations or visit coppercolorado.com for more information.

The local and state five-0 will be out in full force, so don’t drink and drive. Be safe and happy new year from everyone at Plum!

Nothing like cold temperatures to send off 2007 in style.

We’re getting a sweet taste of the fresh air every morning on Fresh Tracks now that we’re settled into our new studio atop the Vail Transportation Center, smack in the middle of all the action.

Stop by and say hello, blow out a dragon’s string of hot breath live on TV every morning from 7 to 10 a.m. Here’s your big chance to ham it up for all your friends who slept late before you hit the mountain.

Alternately, watch the daily show on Channel 16 from 7 a.m. to noon and keep an eye out for highlights from the 2007 Birds of Prey World Cup races at Beaver Creek and sneak peeks at morning show guests like Masters Gallery artist Steve Kaufman and Ski and Snowboard Club Vail director Aldo Radamus.

It’s now officially much easier to access Beaver Creek. Not that you had to hitch a ride on a camel or anything before (it’s Beaver Creek, after all), but with Wednesday’s opening of the Riverfront Express Gondola, skiers can now get to Beaver Creek directly from Avon.

The gondola takes off from the brand new Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon and, in three minutes, drops passengers at Beaver Creek Landing, where they can take the Beaver Creek Express (a seven-minute ride) to the middle of the ski area at Bachelor Gulch.

Fun! No more camels for us … or shuttles. Catch a ride and enjoy the view.

Good thing we locals got in one last day on the hill because unless we want to pay, Dec. 26 was the last chance to use our passes this year at Vail and Beaver Creek.

Many Vail-Beaver Creek season passes are restricted from Dec. 27 to Dec. 31, but for those of you who hit the slopes during this window, you’re in for a treat.

Keep in mind that it is VERY cold out there. We’re talking subzero and single digits. That means, wear your thick neck gators and balaclavas if you’ve got them. If you don’t have them, now would be a good time to invest. Thick Long Johns with a couple layers under your wooliest jacket and pants is the way to go.

Vail and the Beav have received two feet of snow in the last week and you’ll be hard-pressed to find any area on either hill that is less than stellar.

The best areas at Vail are on the west front side off of Chair 26: Simba, Bwana and Pride. China Bowl was also spectacular on Wednesday, as were Sun Down and Sun Up.

Bundle up and give your ski legs a run for their money while you still can in 2007.

Matt Dalio of the Dalio Family Foundation speaks to Plum about his ideas and efforts to redefine Christmas, relinquishing a powder morning to encourage people to visit redefinechristmas.org and donate to children, making the 2007 holiday season a memorable one.

The 2007 Birds of Prey World Cup men's ski races at Beaver Creek were, like others before them, full of surprises. Swiss skier Daniel Albrecht walked away with two gold medals, American Steven Nyman landed in second place in the downhill race and the Austrians, as they've been known to do, made their mark in a big way.

First of all, we hope everyone's getting all the toys they asked for.

We're wondering if we're the only ones who asked for powder skis ... because guess what? They're going to come in handy!

With many fresh inches at Vail and Beaver Creek, there's not much more we can ask for. Here we are ... in the midst of a magical white Christmas.

Christmas Day is a gorgeous day to be on the slopes because they're typically empty. Seems a lot of people like to drink eggnog and open presents and things instead of skiing. Too bad for them!

Bundle up, because it's going to be chilly. Stay hydrated and have a wonderful holiday! 

Beaver Creek's most extreme terrain - and our personal favorite area on the whole mountain - is now open for the season.

The Stone Creek Chutes, which were opened for the first time last season as part of the Beav's in-bounds offerings, consist of glades, rock bands and cliffs, all caked with the 68 inches of fresh snow that Beaver Creek has received since Dec. 1.

The Chutes are suited to expert skiers and can be accessed from the top of Cinch Express or Drink of Water lifts by taking skier's right down the hill to the upper and lower gates.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a more magical place than Vail for the holidays. As 2007 draws to a close, there are Santa sightings, the annual tree-lighting ceremony and a white Christmas to make us all feel fuzzy inside.

The mountain was surprisingly quiet at Vail today. Everyone must be slaloming through the shops instead doing their last-minute Christmas shopping.

Nobody on the hill was complaining Saturday as the sky was crystal blue, the sun was shining and the snow was fantastic.

It's a little on the chilly side, however ... one of those days where you stand a chance to simultaneously get a sunburn AND frostbite. Don't forget sunscreen on your face and a thick neck gator. Also wear your wooliest socks and gloves and at least two layers under your jacket.

The forecast is calling for a little more snow Sunday, so you might want your rose-colored or orange goggles if the light's a little flat.

Let the glistening white enhance your sense of holiday magic. 

The men’s World Cup races at Beaver Creek have a history of playing out crazily, significantly in defiance of the average fortune teller’s predictions. The 2007 Birds of Prey races Nov. 30 through Dec. 3 were no exception.

They began with World Cup overall reigning champion Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway suffering a horrific crash in the downhill training run. Not only did the crash – which occurred at high speed after Svindal caught air and landed on his back, sending him rolling into the fencing and breaking several bones in his face – sideline the favorite during all of the Beaver Creek races, but it appears to have put him out for the season.

Further, Swiss racer Daniel Albrecht, who shined at last year’s world championships in Are, Sweden, usurped everyone for the super-combined win and then again for the coveted gold medal in giant slalom. Albrecht’s countryman, Didier Cuche, also landed on the podium twice, taking third in GS and downhill.

Steven Nyman stole the show for the Americans, finishing second in downhill behind winner Michael Walchhofer of Austria.

The Austrians took over in the super-G race, which was postponed due to heavy snowfall, filling the podium with Hannes Reichelt on top, Mario Scheiber second and Christoph Gruber third.

And by “comfortable,” we mean you now have less of a chance to fall on your keister while ambling through Vail.

Yes, there is one positive aspect to all the local construction of late: more heated walkways.

Note that the paved thoroughfares in Vail Village – down Bridge Street, around Checkpoint Charlie as well as through Lionshead around the nearly finished Arrabelle structure – are wet and steamy even as it’s dumping snow.
Did we mention that it’s dumping snow? New flakes are forecasted through Sunday, Dec. 23, so it’s true what they say … those white Christmas dreams really do come true.

Anyway, we’re fans of the heated walkways. We hope they’re wind-powered.
Our one request is that the next area graced with heated sidewalks will be that vulnerable turf around the Vail Valley Medical Center. As it stands, it’s pretty icy and slick around there … and where better to put a heated walkway than a place frequented by people on crutches who already have broken bones and torn ligaments? Let’s make it easy on them, eh?

But, we’re getting our white Christmas, so we don’t want to be too greedy.
Enjoy the comfort of the heated sidewalks and be sure to reign in your gait once you step onto the snow and ice.

This episode of This Week In The Valley highlights the 2007 Dummy Gelunde World Championships, the Snow Daze rail jam, our Plum 98 honoree Pete Seibert Jr., BMHS Husky Hockey, and the Vail/BC magazine holiday party.

How did the holidays sneak up on us so quickly again? If you’re in the Vail area this holiday season, you’re not doing too badly, especially considering the snow that’s supposedly moving in on Thursday and forecasted to continue through the weekend.

You won’t want to miss the annual parade from Lionshead and tree-lighting ceremony in Vail Village from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 21.

The event is a classic in Vail. For many years it was frequented by the late Gerald Ford, for whom a dedication was made at last year’s ceremony. Santa Claus has been known to show up, as well as a chorale of carolers. Bundle up and bring your holiday spirit.

Other ways to find your inner glow this week include catching a show at The Vilar Performing Arts Center at Beaver Creek. What better way to expel your Scrooge tendencies than catching "A Christmas Carol" on Friday, Dec. 21, Grammy –nominated guitarist Ottmar Liebert on Dec. 22, The Lettermen Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 23, or Spencer’s Theater of Illusion on Dec. 25 and 26.

Word on the street is that Santa Claus and his elves will be on Beaver Creek Plaza from 3 to 6 p.m., Dec. 20-24.

Also, we recommend spending some time at Copper Mountain, where Santa is making the rounds on the slopes and through the village with his reindeer through Dec. 25.

People keep rolling into town and Christmas rapidly approaches. Have you got all your shopping done? Have you got your wish list in order? And most importantly, have you been naughty or nice?

At Plum we don’t we mind if you’ve been naughty or nice, (the world takes all kinds). We’ve got another fantastic week of quality programming. Our gift to you! And we needn’t nary a Thank You note! Although, if you’d like to leave a comment here, we’d certainly appreciate it.

Fresh Tracks keeps rolling on, live every morning from 7 a.m. to noon, and we’re mere weeks away from the big move into our new studio atop the Transportation Center in Vail Village. Be sure to stop by. We’ll have some hot coffee (courtesy of Covered Bridge) and some other goodies for you. This week’s Fresh Tracks guests include Mountains and Meadows’ Joann Moore, who will talk about the Vail Tree Lighting Ceremony, Maggie Scanlon from local parents’ best friend, Vail Sitters, and if we’re really lucky Santa’s little helpers (no, not the little green ones, the ones with horns), courtesy of Rocky Mountain Reindeer. Also, be on the lookout for this week’s Alpine Bank Game of the Week featuring the Battle Mountain High School hockey team.

So curl up by the fireplace with a warm mug of coco and keep it tuned to Plum Channel 16 for the Valley’s best holiday cheer.

The Dusty Boot
210 Offerson Road
Beaver Creek, CO 81620
970-748-1146

Art Fredricks of the Dusty Boot talks about the steaks, margaritas, and kids drawing on walls in one of the best restaurant/bars in Beaver Creek.
Adults are happy with tub-sized margs and the kids get a sheriff's badge with every visit. Plenty of heavy-footed mountain folk can be found kicking back at the Boot on any given day.

One of the great things about working in the media is that you can get access to almost anyone with just a flash of your press credentials. A few days ago I received a press release from Crumpet the Elf of Santa’s Workshop, LLC, regarding some changes that old St. Nick would be making for Christmas 2007. I got in touch with Santa this morning and what follows is a partial transcript of our discussion (we spent a fair amount of time talking about the writer’s strike and our golf handicaps; I don’t want to bore you)

John Elliot: Santa? It’s John…Elliot. You got me a Grumpy Care Bear in 1986?

Santa Claus: (pause) Ah, yes! I believe you also received a Hess Gas Tanker that year.

JE: Yes, sir. It truly was a banner Christmas in the Elliot household. Word around the world is that you’re implementing some changes for Christmas this year.

SC: Well, yes…but first I must know. John, have you been naughty or nice this year?

JE: (pause) Well, Santa…I mean, naughty and nice are such subjective terms…

SC: Ho Ho Ho! Just be sure to leave extra cookies out for Santa this Christmas!

JE: Noted. Now, how about these changes?

SC: Well, I think the biggest change is that naughty children will no longer be receiving coal.

JE: No more coal? Really?

SC: Yes. Coal is such a pollutant. This year we’re taking steps towards a “greener” Christmas.

JE: Global warming concerns, huh?

SC: Let’s just say that Santa’s home at the North Pole has, inadvertently, become a waterfront property over these past couple of years. We’re trying to beat back the tide. So, starting this year, all naughty children will be receiving corn.

JE: Corn?

SC: Yes. Corn is a much cleaner burning fuel. Can be used in that E-85 ethanol and what not. Or, you know, you could just eat it. Cooked up with some butter and pepper. Quite good. You can’t eat coal! Ho Ho Ho!

JE: True. Any other big changes?

SC: Well, Mrs. Claus bought Santa an early Christmas gift….a new sleigh! The 2008 CheerMaker LX, with wing-tips, a silver trim and satellite radio! I’m quite excited to take this bad boy out on its inaugural run next week. Oh, and we got a new reindeer: Dave.

JE: Dave…the reindeer? That seems like kind of a mundane reindeer name.

SC: Why does everything have to be Blitzen and Dasher and Comet? Dave is a good, solid name. I expect great things from him.

JE: Fair enough. Now, because I’ve got you on the line and I know you’ve traveled all over the world, what are your thoughts on Vail?

SC: Love it. Absolutely love it. It truly is a winter wonderland. The reindeer and I always make sure to take some runs when we’re in town on Christmas Eve.

JE: The reindeer ski?

SC: No, the reindeer are a bit “hipper” than ole Santa. They all snowboard.

JE: Ah, yes. What’s your favorite run Santa?

SC: Well, believe it or not, Santa likes to huck cornices, so I’d have to say Lover’s Leap. Or maybe Iron Mask. Or even that cornice off Genghis Khan, under Tea Cup Express Lift into China Bowl? You know that one?

JE: Yeah, that’s a great one. But Santa, how do you have time to take some runs and still get around the world in one night?

SC: Well…if a few people in Aspen don’t get their presents, no big deal, right? Ho Ho Ho!

JE: Agreed. Well, Santa, thanks so much for taking the time to talk to Plum. We certainly appreciate it. And safe travels next week.

SC: Thank you, my boy! No trouble at all! And remember…. extra cookies this year!


Well, there you have it. Plum’s exclusive with St. Nick himself. So, if you’ve been naughty these past few weeks, maybe you cut lift lines or jumped boundaries or spit from the chair, it’s time to shape up. Or you could end up with a stocking full of corn.

Although, apparently it’s good with butter and pepper.

 

By John Elliot

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Plum headed to Wildflower Farm on December 3, 2006 where children had an opportunity to sit with Santa, share their wishlist and meet his reindeer.

Vail made a time shift over the weekend. Front-side lifts will now open at 8:30 a.m. If you want guaranteed first lines and fresh tracks, it would be best to be at the base by 8 a.m. Remember...The early bird gets the fresh, untouched powder (worms are gross).

Front-side lifts will remain open until 3:30 p.m., with the exception of Sourdough Lift (Chair 14) which will remain open until 3 p.m.

And Plum wants to see your first chair fun, so be sure to send your pics this way.