"Ride the Limo Rail"

This weekend marks the final weekend fro Loveland and Echo Ski Resorts. The Smith Limo Rail Jam has become a closing day tradition at Loveland. I have never seen anything like the Smith Limo Rail, but skiers and riders can actually go on jumps and slide on a rail on top of a stretch limo!

Local artist Arnie Green will play on the patio to close out another successful season at Loveland. Echo will close out the season as well. Echo Mountain Park is the closest mountain to Denver, however does not ofter much more than a couple runs and a terrain park.

"Two More Months of Skiing in Summit County"

As all the mountains close down for the season; don’t fret, because Arapahoe Basin plans on staying open for as long as the conditions are safe for skiing. As of today, A-Basin is still 100 percent open and skiers are still enjoying fresh powder from time to time. With what seems to be the never ending ski season, the Basin has had 63 inches of snow in February, which is 20 inches more than last season. The solid base will give spring skiing lovers a month or two more of days in the sun.

Although conditions may not be the best, riders find other ways to stay entertained while at A-Basin. "The Beach” has become one of the greatest parts about visiting summit county. Right between the parking lot and the bottom of the lifts, locals set up grills, lawn chairs, and tons of food for an all day party on the mountain.

A-Basin is expected to stay open till at least mid-June. So if you’re not ready to put your ski gear away for the season, hit up the Basin for one more day of fun in the sun.

"The Ski Industry to Go Green"

Most ski areas have been going green over the past few years. Resorts are using wind power to run the ski lifts. The problem is that skis that are not bought up or handed down become a part of the waste stream, which is the case in Summit County, CO. The ski industry is trying to go green and make its ski equipment easier to recycle.

Ski equipment can be re-used for materials such as flooring, but the problem is that there are so many layers and materials on skis and snowboards that it is difficult to separate the parts. One possibility is bringing old skis to shredding facilities and adding an environmental fee to the price of skis and boots to help with the cost.

The main challenge is that most ski equipment is made in China, which makes it hard to regulate environmental performance standards. Snowsports Industries of America has partnered with the natural Resources Defense Council to help set measurable goals for retailers.

To find out how you can recycle your skis visit recycling database-world.org

"Imperial Challenge...That's an Understatement"

This Sunday marks the end of Breckenridge Ski Resort’s 2007-2008 ski season. With over 350 inches of snow fall this year, the season has been extremely successful. Want one last day of spring skiing? Check out Ridge Street Massive Music and the Imperial Challenge.

On April 18 check out Grace Potter and the Nocturnals with opening bands. The show starts right after the mountain closes. Robert Randolph will begin playing at 3 p.m.on April 19. All skiers and boarders cannot deny the pleasure found in a long day of skiing followed by an afternoon of sweet sounds.

The twelfth annual Imperial Challenge sounds like a little too much action for me. Bikers will begin with a 6.2 mile ride from the Breckenridge town across peak 7 to Peak 8. If you don’t think that will get your legs burning, you will them be hauling to the top of the Imperial Bowl and zooming back down to the base. Bikers will need all the support they can get to make it through the challenging ride.

"New Technology at Vail Could Shorten Lift Lines"

Vail has announced the possibility of using new technology to scan season passes. Skiers will not even have to take their passes out of their pockets in order for employees to scan passes and access information. This will be made possible by using radio frequency identification.

Vail has also tested sensors that are mounted above the lift lines on Vista Bahn, Chair 3, and Chair 4. The sensors will detect the RFID chips inside the passes and will give the ski company information about where skiers go throughout the day. This will make grooming more efficient.

As a regular at Vail Mountain, anything that could cut down lift lines would be great. Most of the time skiers are scrambling around trying to find where they put their passes. The only negative to the improvement is that lift scanners jobs could be almost eliminated.

"First Indoor Ski Resort in U.S. to Open This Year"

As a lover of nature and skiing, I cannot imagine taking a ski vacation to an indoor ski resort. The combination of fake snow, a white dome for the sky, no clean, crisp, fresh air, and long lift lines is a disgrace to all snow sports. Xanadu is a $2 billion entertainment and retain village under construction at the Meadowlands Sports Complex located in East Rutherford, N.J.

The dome’s attraction will be a 140-foot tall ski run. All I can say is that I wouldn’t want to be there for opening day. The interesting structure has gotten heads turning and people wondering what the interior will look like. Apparently the dome will have everything from entertainment, sports, retail, offices, and hotel space.

This new complex has given people who live in areas that traditionally don’t get snow the chance to ski all year round. A Las Vegas firm as announced that they will be adding ski slopes to their indoor water park, Las Vegas Wet, which is scheduled to open in 2011. Xanadu is scheduled to open sometime later this year.

"The Sounds of Sunsation"

Coppers end of the year celebration, Sunsation, is back for the seventh year in a row. Who can complain with partying at free concerts after a long day of spring skiing in the sunshine? Last weekend seven - bands played over Saturday and Sunday including reggae bands Eek-A-Mouse and Pato Banton & The Reggae Revolution. These were concerts not to be missed as the positive beats kept the crowd seriously entertained.

This weekend you can still catch several amazing acts from around the nation. The music starts at 11 a.m. each day and continues until 5 p.m. This year artists include Band of Heathens, Perpetual Groove, George Clinton & Parliament-funkadelic, Trevor Hall, Lotus, and Matisyahu.

Also, don’t forget to catch one of the hottest competitions of the season. The Hometown Heroes will be competing against 12 of today’s top amateurs. Competitors will be riding in teams and hitting up Copper Mountain’s rail and terrain park. Don’t miss the weekend extravaganza in the mountains. April 20 will be your last chance to ski Copper Ski Resort.

"Celebrate a Record Breaking Season at Steamboat"

This weekend marks the end of the 2007/2008 ski season at Steamboat Ski Resort. Racking in at a groundbreaking 486 inches, Steamboat has had a champaign powder season. They will close the season with their first Springalicious Festival taking place April 5 and April 6.

The festival will include the 28th Annual Cardboard Classic, and new this year is the Splashdown pond skimming competition. Thee bands will also be featured throughout the two day festival; American Relay, The Radiators, and Susan Tedeschi.

What exactly is the Cardboard Classic you ask? Well it involves homemade cardboard crafts racing to the finish line. I would imagine that one might see some hilarious crashes which might make it worthwhile. There will be 50 crafts and the proceeds will be donated to Yampa Valley Recycles.

If you haven’t seen a pond skimming competition, you haven’t lived! From my experience watching pond skimming at Vail, I saw some of the craziest costumes including topless ladies. I think it would be awful skiing down the mountain half naked to then fall into a 30 degree pond, but for everyone else it’s one of the most entertaining ways that you can spend your weekend. Don’t miss the last weekend celebration at Steamboat Ski Resort.

"Don't be a 'Gaper'...Make Fun of Them"

Zip up your one piece bright pink ski suit and head to the mountains, because today is Breckenridge’s annual Gaper Day! What exactly is Gaper Day you ask? Well, local and employees deal with “gapers” every day. Basically they are the tourists that come around during the high season that are recognizable from a mile away. It’s a day for locals to poke a little fun at the tourists and it’s a day that locals look forward to all season.

I feel bad for any tourists that happens to be visiting Breckenridge during Gaper Day. Imagine standing at the top of the terrain park when a gang of people on mini skis wearing neon colored suits and hats, and rear-entry boots come whizzing by doing ridiculous jumps through the half-pipe, and falling over on the rails. Now that would be a frightening sight to see if you weren’t aware of the tradition.

For most people, Gaper Day is chance to get drunk and laugh at all the crazy outfits people come up with. One of the classic outfits include jeans, a mullet, a cowboy hat, and an obnoxious sweatshirt. This video explains everything you need to know about Gaper Day.