click on this picture to see a cool videoSnow skiing is one of the greatest of athletic activities, especially powder skiing. Resorts like Alta, Snowbird, Sun Valley, Vail, Aspen have some of the best skiing in the world and I've been lucky enough to ski those areas many times. I've never skied in Europe or Canada. I lived in Aspen in 1970 and 1971, my ski pass cost $250 for the 3 mountains owned my the Ski Corp : Ajax, Buttermilk and Snowmass.
click on this picture to see a cool video
I learned how to ski when I was in the 3rd grade while attending the Rim of the World Elementary School near Lake Arrowhead. It was a big winter and we would ski during recess and lunch on the little rope tow near the playground. I would also go over to Big Bear and ski the areas there like Snow Valley and Snow Summit. Eventually I graduated to other areas around Southern California and then graduated to the big hazagazza . . . Mammoth Mountain. There isn't a better place to ski than Mammoth that's only 5 hours from Southern California (once I drove there with a friend in his Porche 911 in 3 1/2 hours!). Dave's Run, the Cornice, face of #3 and all the other great runs at Mammoth is where I really learned how to ski.
During my first year of college at Menlo, Geoff Shelden and I took the train to Aspen for the first time for a week of skiing and I became addicted to Colorado snow forever. Another time, while at USC, Tom Shenk, Larry Halonen, John Bruce, John Waterman and I took a trip that was ultimately going to get us to Jackson Hole but we decided to stop along the way and warm up. We made it to Alta, Utah for a few days but everyone managed to injure themselves in one way or another so we abandoned the rest of the trip . . . still haven't skied at Jackson Hole. After graduating from USC (in January 1969) Hal Beery and I drove a VW Van to Aspen, camped in the van for a week and worked at the Copper Kettle at the base of Little Nell washing dishes at night skiing the powder during the day, my love affair with Aspen began that week! For several years Toni and I would stay at the Alta Peruvian Lodge for a week right after New Years.
Many more stories to tell but to say the least I've enjoyed snow skiing.
While living in Fair Oaks I could be in the parking lot at Sierra at Tahoe in 70 minutes or at Squaw Valley in 90 minutes but we've moved to San Luis Obispo so the skiing is further away.
Northstar Squaw Valley Heavenly Kirkwood Mt Rose Diamond Peak