My USA trip

[Paul Oberin]

I arrived at the Denver convention centre last Thursday to view the 2011 snow sports product and meet up with the guys from BCA to see about becoming the importer for Australia for BCA products, there certainly are some good things happening for 2011, of course we get most of it here this year.
From there I have travelled to Steamboat to ski with a few locals from Australia, Steamboat is in bad need of more snow but still worth skiing here.
Tomorrow I head of to Winter park to test the 2011 skis, I am especially looking forward to testing some of the "All mountain" rockered skis.

[Totalyrottn]

Glad to here you are enjoying your trip but

TTIUWP

[Paul Oberin]

Glad to here you are enjoying your trip but

TTIUWPI have some pics from the tradeshow, but not allowed to show them just yet, I have pics of the icy snow at Steamboat with twigs and rocks showing, looks just like any Aussie resort during winter in a bad season.
I am over here for another 2 weeks yet, hopefully I can take some photos worth posting soon.

[chunky]

Wow. We were in Steamboat almost a year ago to the day and it was magic. Sorry to hear conditions aren't so good.

[Vet]

I'll look after your stand if you want to come back early.:rolleyes:

[SA]

Should have come to Japan :outtahere:

[Shorty936]

tahoe has lots of snow and are getting more this week, fly out in 3 days soo pumped 1st overseas snow trip

[Paul Oberin]

Just checked into our Intrawest owned room at Winter park, the lift is about 30 metres from the front door.
Ski testing starts first up in the morning, it is just starting to snow lightly outside.

[The Frog]

no pics = not happening.

[Paul Oberin]

http://www.paulski.com.au/image/winterpark.jpg

All I have is this picture taken while driving into Winter park a few hours ago.

[Paul Oberin]

We watched a hot air balloon off in the distance while we were at Steamboat yesterday.

http://www.paulski.com.au/image/steamboat.jpg (http://www.paulski.com.au/image/steamboat.jpg)

[Totalyrottn]

Nice shot Paul:cool:

[Hairfarmr aka FZ]

I suggest you bail on Colorado Paul... we have more snow in Tahoe than anywhrere in the country and it is only a one day drive to the area from anywhre in Co...sorry your getting skunked on the snow there (it ois a geat place to ski but w no snow whats the point ...come to where the best conditions in North America are now.... TAHOE !! even Whistler has been getting rain and they are plowing snow from piles to cover some of the olympic event venues (not good)...still if you must stay in Co have fun and be careful

[The Frog]

Does a bad season over there = bumper season here? ;)

[Paul Oberin]

For the next few days I have to stay at Winter park for the USA national ski test days, it is the first time they have had a national test session, you can demo boots, goggles, helmets, poles as well as every imaginable ski and snowboard.
We even get a free lunch including beer and free lift tickets, fairly hard to pass all that up and the snow here is fine, just not deep powder.
I will get around to doing a demo day report soon.

[Paul Oberin]

Starting testing skis today, only fitted 12 skis into a full day of testing so far.
Most of the skis cannot be shown on the internet just yet, so no pics of them. Sorry.

http://www.paulski.com.au/image/testsite.jpg

I was so excited get the chance to test a new model from K2 called the Rictor, and I wasn't dissapointed, the most fun I have had on a set of skis for a while, they have the new all mountain rocker and according to K2 they will replace the Crossfire, I was very sceptical when I was told this by the guy from the K2 factory as I have always thought the Crossfire was the best ski K2 have made as an all rounder, so how can a ski with rocker be an allrounder.
I found an area at Winter park that involves catching 3 high speed quads, and according to a Sunto GPS we have with us, we covered over 25kms testing 6 sets of skis each.
The Rictor was exceptionally easy to ski on the first run which was a gentle blue run, so a slower speed on firm snow, the next run was on a gentle black where we cranked up the speed, this is where I expected the early rise rockered profile to let me down with regards to edge hold, but I was very pleasantly surprised, they hald an edge just as good as the Crossfire and at very high speed were very comfortable to use.
The next lift was quite a steep icy section and only the very best skis held a good edge, but by now I was confident the Rictor would be fine and it didn't let me down.
The rictor was the last ski I tested for the day at around 3pm, I was starting to get tired especially on the last very steep icy section and checking my speed was quite demanding and sapped my legs of energy for a few of the skis with good edge hold, the Rictor was the only ski I tried that really hung on when steep and icy but was effortless to do so, even though by 3pm I was out of energy.
I am going to give them another shot tomorrow as I had so much fun on them.

The Rictor is a ski designed to be great in deep fresh snow, but we don't have any of that here yet, I can tell you it is great on packed snow.

I will do more reports a litle later on.

[Vet]

Does a bad season over there = bumper season here? ;)

According to Buller/Squaw Patrollers & Instructors, the US conditions follow ours, not the other way round.

[Paul Oberin]

As you can see the ski slopes are very uncrowded even though there are said to be about 1200 Snowsports industry people here for today and tomorrow, as well as the usual crowd.
http://www.paulski.com.au/image/winterpark2.jpg

[The Frog]

yeah it looks like a terrible season....not sure how you can put up with it.

[SA]

Obviously no one there 'cos of the lack of snow ;)

[SA]

btw - can the pics be a touch bigger?

:outtahere:

[Podlettte]

Looks alright Paul.

Hey Hairfarmr,

SNowbird got 7ft of snow last week, Paul doens't need to do the most boring drive in the world across Nevada to get better snow than winter park ;)

[BarrelBoy]

Ah, Winter Park. I spent a season there 7 years ago, and often wondered why it didn't have the profile over here of other Colorado resorts. Great place!

[Paul Oberin]

We have left Winter park now and at the moment we are at Frisco, very close to some good mountains, tomorrow we will be at Telluride for a couple of days, then most likely Aspen before coming back to Frisco for 6 days, the SIA offered us a good deal on a season pass for 6 resorts called an Epic pass, it cost us less than 2 day tickets, pity we aren't here for the season now.

[Vet]

the SIA offered us a good deal on a season pass for 6 resorts called an Epic pass, it cost us less than 2 day tickets, pity we aren't here for the season now.

You mean our lift prices, accom rates, queues and resort entry fees aren't cheap?

[Polaris]

It's all relative to what one is happy to pay :)

[SnoWhite]

Or indeed, what one is 'prepared' to pay. Can't say I'm ever 'happy' about parting with my dollars.:tongue:

[Vet]

But if doing both hemispheres is affordable, do both.

This sthrn winter the Vets booked 4 nights at Buller for interschools in a 3 bed bedroom with ensuite for $A102 per night. We're happy. Meanwhile on the Nevada side of Heavenly, I just got my confirmation for 2 weeks in January/Feb 2011 in a 600 sq.ft 2 bedroom apartment with jaccuzzi, free parking, full kitchen and maid service for $A106.78 per night. I'm happy.

[Paul Oberin]

We made it to Telluride, the lift is about 100 mtrs from the door.:skip:

[Vet]

We made it to Telluride, the lift is about 100 mtrs from the door.:skip:

you're lucky. My Squaw resort is 500m from the cable car so they run a private shuttle bus. Or at Heavenly they make me ski 1 km downhill to Heavenly's Boulder or Stagecoach chairlift. :tongue:

[chunky]

oooh I would like to try Telluride one day.

[Paul Oberin]

oooh I would like to try Telluride one day.For an advanced to expert skier it is the place to be, for intermediates and below the others we have seen are better.

[Paul Oberin]

At Telluride still.
We decided to catch chair7 up to the top as we heard it had good steep runs, which it did, this pic is from half way up chair7, longest chair I have been on I think.
http://www.paulski.com.au/image/chair7.jpg

We also went into Revelation bowl.
http://www.paulski.com.au/image/revelationbowl.jpg

Then on the way home to our room we had to go down here, it was quite slick in places.
http://www.paulski.com.au/image/wayhome.jpg

[The Frog]

beats the rain here I spose.

[Vet]

It must be tough testing all those skiis.

[Totalyrottn]

Nice shots, Thanks Paul :)

[The Wang]

Ooooo Telluride. That's definitely on the list

[chunky]

That last run looks pretty steep.

[Paul Oberin]

Did Beaver Creek yesterday, the snow was very slick and icy, really tested the edges on the skis.
Today we skied Vail, much better snow and a huge resort, we were there all day and still didn't ski every part of the resort.
We are off to Breckenridge tomorrow.

[Paul Oberin]

Caught the lift with the highest elevation in North America today, the snow was really dry and great to ski on, the -5F temperature up there wasn't much fun though, and skiing the small bumps up at that altitude saw me gasping for breathe a few times.
You can see a cornice next to the pole to my right, that is some of the best advanced skiing at Breckenridge.

http://www.paulski.com.au/image/paul.jpg

[Paul Oberin]

Hey Officer Schmenz I drove through your gulch today.

http://www.paulski.com.au/image/officers.jpg

[Paul Oberin]

Skied a few bumps at Copper mtn today, I think my knees are going to be sore tomorrow, they are not as young as I think I am. ;)

[Paul Oberin]

Last day over here for us and we still have Keystone and A basin to ski at, so our plan is to do both in the one day.

[SA]

Hey Officer Schmenz I drove through your gulch today.

http://www.paulski.com.au/image/officers.jpg

:eek:

[Polaris]

I've never seen anyone with a 1/2 mile Gulch before :eek:

[ozgirl]

Paul what did you think of Copper - it is one of my favs. A good fun resort with a lot of mix.

good park and good intermediate trees. lots of cruisey groomers.

[Total punter]

We have left Winter park now and at the moment we are at Frisco, very close to some good mountains, tomorrow we will be at Telluride for a couple of days, then most likely Aspen before coming back to Frisco for 6 days, the SIA offered us a good deal on a season pass for 6 resorts called an Epic pass, it cost us less than 2 day tickets, pity we aren't here for the season now.
"ummm honey we missed our plane, next available flight is 2 months" - I dare ya

[Paul Oberin]

Paul what did you think of Copper - it is one of my favs. A good fun resort with a lot of mix.

good park and good intermediate trees. lots of cruisey groomers.They are all good resorts so far except they all badly need more snow.
Copper is a good mountain unless you are a novice, they seem to cater more for intermediate and advanced skiers.
I thought their double blacks were a little tame compared to Tellurides.

Very long groomed blue runs first up this morning, I think if you are into moguls Copper is a good place to go too.
The Poma was a challenge to all but the Aussies it seemed, we watched after watching that, we just rode it like we do in Oz no problem at all.

[Paul Oberin]

"ummm honey we missed our plane, next available flight is 2 months" - I dare yaI am not that brave, it is bad enough I am away for yet another wedding aniversary tomorrow (12th Feb), what I save on not giving presents, buys a few more day tickets over here. ;)

[Boardingbuny]

Umm mah!!! Paul... Naughty Naughty

See thats why we got married on Opening Weekend in Aus, we both know we'll be there. However im sure in a couple of years, we'll be over it and heading to different places to escape each other. LOL.

SOunds great Paul, I cant wait for our trip

[Vet]

I phoned your shop, and I got the answering machine. I think it said "Thank's for calling Paul's ex ski shop". :tongue:

[Paul Oberin]

I did go skiing one day and came back to the shop to find the name had changed to one of the staffs names, all in good fun.

[Paul Oberin]

Our last day skiing today, started at Arapaho basin, skied both lifts they had open and decided to head to Keystone for more variety.
Keystone is in very bad need of new snow, what runs didn't have rocks and grass showing had very slick icy runs.
My poor skis that were new 2 weeks ago are in need of some repairs now.
Just as we got back to our motel to start packing it started snowing quite a bit, best snowfall since we arrived over 2 weeks ago.