Ski Touring News Roundup — Party and Crisp Air — September 2018

Woke up this morning to the first autumn chill since an exceptionally warm and dry summer here in western Colorado. It always surprises me how well I sleep with a taste of cold mountain air sifting through a cracked window. I think I’ll work on a pair of ski touring boots… still having fun with bench racing the Hoji…

WildSnow news: Firstly, know your friendly blogger will be attending the ISSW avalanche science conference, Innsbruck Austria, October 7 – 12. If anyone wants to meet there for a beer, let me know. I’ve got a place to stay fairly nearby, wouldn’t mind a backup plan if any readers in Innsbruck have an extra futon.

Vintage Ski World 2018 party, they do have a variety of amusing ski tour gear.

Bigger news: If you’re in Colorado: Vintage Ski World is right up there with our favorite top two retailers on the planet. They’ve been working like madmen and madwomen on the largest displayed collection of vintage ski gear on, yes, the planet. They’re going officially public with a grand opening shindig this coming September 27, just a few miles from WildSnow HQ in humble Carbondale.

Rumor has it the owners of Vintage Ski World found a patrol of WWII 10th Mountain Division soldiers who’d been living in caves up high in Colorado’s mountains. While ski training at Camp Hale in 1943, an inexperienced officer sent the crew on a training mission from which they never returned. They’re like those Japanese WWII soldiers that were found on the Pacific islands, recluses who never knew the war was over. In any case, the old soldiers passed their time for the last 70 years by singing ski songs. (The acoustics in their cave were perfect for a capella.) The soldiers will show up at the Vintage party and lead a sing-along. They call themselves the Super Skiers. Be there.

To help Vintage with food and drink planning, please if possible let them know you’re going. You can also simply call them to RSVP for this amazing event, see their website for contact details.

(Official words from Vintage: Join Vintage Ski World to celebrate their Grand Opening at their new, fully stocked warehouse in Carbondale. See the amazing vintage collection of skis, boots, poles, posters, and more while enjoying food-drinks, and live music with an “old school” ski song sing along. Discounts on select merchandise! If you’re in the mood, come dressed in your finest vintage ski wear. Ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. Door prize giveaways!)

Bonus: One tune the Super Skiers might do for the sing along:

LET THE SNOWFLAKES FALL

[Chorus]
So let the snowflakes fall, I’ve no desire at all
To shiver my toes or shatter my nose or splatter them on a tree
I have but one desire, a great big open fire
A bottle of brew, or maybe two, and a girl to drink/ski with me

Now a skier one day did make his way to the top of the mountain high
He waxed his skis and flexed his knees, and then began to slide
Around the turn he lost his nerve as a tree loomed up ahea-hea-head
He was found in the spring when the birdies sing, both he and the tree were dead

[Chorus]

Now take it from me, that learning to ski, is harder than you may think
Why go outside and freeze your hide when you can stay inside and drink?
A bottle of wine or beer is fine, before I go off toe beee ee ed…
.I’ll give it a whirl, ‘cause I met a girl, and dang me she can shred

[Chorus]

I went out one day, which is to say, I thought it might be some fun
I got up the speed I thought I’d need, As I started down the run
But I paid a price when I hit some ice, and went tumbling through the tree-ee-ees
Now I’m in a cast ridin’ one ski fast, ’til the end of this winter’s freeze.

[Chorus]