The following are Chicago Ski Club’s Club 50 Ski Trips for 2012. Click on the trip to see its flyer along with contact information, deposit and final payment forms and where to send your checks and forms.
Steamboat Springs Ski Trip »
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS SKI TRIP (3/6-12/11)
Blue Skies - Sometimes
Steamboat Snow Tales
After arriving at Hayden and collecting our belongings, the ski club was quickly transported to our lodgings in Steamboat Springs. The Dulany Condominiums were located right on the mountain – just steps away from the high-speed gondola that whisked up 2200 foot of the mountain toward the 10,372 foot Storm Peak. From there multiple choices existed to experience the various faces of the mountain. Steamboat is unusual as a ski mountain in that it has slopes on three faces making it possible to follow the sun around the mountain, that is, if it is possible to see the mountain at all. We had WEATHER! It varied from wonderful, bright, and sunny to overcast, somewhat blizzard like conditions with extremely limited visibility approaching only ten foot. The best aspect was that the snow provided plenty of powder to enjoy. To some of the less skilled skiers, the weather and mountain conditions produced extreme anxiety to the more accomplished an exciting challenge! Daily tours of the mountain were provided by both the mountain Ambassador’s and the Over the Hill Gang; it was a fantastic opportunity to experience the slopes with a guided group. Each evening Club members gathered together at the various condominiums for snacks/ spirits and a chance to regale each other with tales of the day’s slope side adventures. All agree whole-heartedly: It was a great trip!
The group had a pleasant surprise on the last evening before the trip back home. Dave, Jim, Bill and Warren were hosts for the final “wine and cheese” party. Usually, that is the night where all the leftover munchies appear for a final time. But this time, the gang was introduced to “Patrick, the proprietor of Ski Time Wine & Spirits, a local purveyor of good food and drink.
Brian produced ample quantities of four varieties of fine wine produced by small vintners from around the world. Each of us was presented with a large and perfect Reidel wine glass, and received a generous splash of each selection, one at a time. As we swirled, sniffed, sipped, chewed and swallowed the heavenly vintages, Brian told us interesting things about the
selections, and a variety of other fascinating wine factoids.
selections, and a variety of other fascinating wine factoids.
Two good tips: When serving white wine, remove the bottle from the fridge 15 minutes before serving. When serving red wine, put the bottle into the fridge 15 minutes before serving.
The neat thing is that Brian, about as straight-forward as could be, told us neat things in a way that totally avoided the haughtiness that often accompanies the patter of the wine experts.
The evening finished off with the presentation by Dave of Thursday’s leftover pizzas, recut into hors d’oeuvres, served piping hot, as Warren and Jim’s photos of the week’s activities slideshowed on the widescreen TV.