Serving you, homeowners in the Telluride valley, with inspiring, relevant local information highlighting the abundant happenings and hidden surprises of this wonderfully remote mountain community that we call our year-round home.
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The weather fully cooperated with all the holiday guests vacation plans here in Telluride. We had a beautiful white December with over 7 feet of snow recorded! Many families and visiting Kastle Retreats, LLC guests were certainly in the right place at the right time! For up to date weather reports log onto: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/81435?x=10&whatprefs=WeatherLocalTravel&y
Brrrrr………..it has been one cold winter thus far. Rumor has it that the temperature dropped to minus 22 Fahrenheit on the 27th of December. Hurry up and simmer up that pot of chicken soup! These sorts of cold temperatures will keep the snow on the slopes nice and solid. Without the typical mid-December thaw and freeze cycle occurring sheets of ice are much less likely to build up. Having your skis in tip top condition as far as edges sharpened, bottoms diamond finished and edges de-burred will greatly enhance your skiing experience. Skiing can be great when the slopes are hard and glassy but not actually icy- see Sheilagh’s ski tips below*.
The media tell us that the immediate Telluride received more snow then anyone can remember or has been recorded in past Decembers! The Telluride area is hovering around 117% of normal precipitation for this month. Great news! See comments about recent conditions at www.helitrax.com, which is
Everyone knows that coming to Telluride is an adventure- something different than home. Back home the palm trees are swaying or perhaps the cherry trees are blossoming by mid-March. Here in snow bound Telluride though our cold temperatures and snow falls will continue into mid-April. As the primary users of the home we are sending you a shout to remind visiting family members and guests to leave the thermostats as is. Post a note that reads:
POST A NOTE AT THE HOUSE MAIN THERMOSTAT
It is really common for some well meaning house guest to turn down the heat to OFF or 55 degrees when they leave. It nearly promises trouble should (in other words “when”) the outside temperature drop again.
Typically when the temperature in the home is set to less than 60 degrees than we will get a low temp alarm at around 11pm in the evening if there is a problem with the boiler heating. When it is set at 60 degrees we typically get called around 2 am thus the house has a little more cushion with a higher temperature until the plumber arrives in the am. We have discovered over many years that most of the homes* will hold their heat till the next morning when we are able to either; a). Adjust the thermostat, b) get a plumber in to fix the boiler or troubleshoot the problem if need be. Alternatively when a family friend adjusts the heat to say what they are used to back in
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Ski Tips for skiing with little children
Wear a hat- up to 40% of your body heat can be lost thru your head. For those who wear helmets, they make tiny and adult size super-cool skull caps for under helmets.
Wear something (usually a neck gator) to protect your lungs from extremely cold temps
Make the kids wear neck gators (make sure they help to pick out the color!) It makes a world of difference! After 30-degrees this is optional.
Take break if they say they are cold. If they “force you” to take more breaks than you want then make them drink a warm liquid –that should solve their concerns long enough to get a few runs in anyhow!
For the really little toddler skiers; we strongly suggest a hula hoop for their first outings after the magic carpet. We have one that you can borrow. It hurts us to see tourists with little ones bending over on the slopes all day!
We spent some time over the holidays skiing with local kids – you know when the outside air temperatures were hovering around zero throughout the day- like the 23rd. Kids have all kinds of stories but some are fairly believable. Please be cautious about allowing group ski instructors take the little ones onto Chair #10 when the outside air temperatures are less than 15 degrees. That chair accesses fantastic beginner terrain, as well as the famed kid’s intermediate
http://www.weather.com/ready/winter/wind_chill.html
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One of Telluride’s premier dining locations, main street’s Hongas Lotus Petal Restaurant received accolades in a New York Times article on December 2nd, 2007. Her cookbook is available at the Between the Covers Bookstore and at:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/travel/02Bite.html. Little known fact; Honga’s is
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Both towns were busting out of their seams this past holiday season. Our homes were certainly running full tilt with homeowners, their extended families, private rentals, in house private chefs, masseuses, dog sitters and taxi drivers coming to and fro. The fireworks and celebrations in TOT and the TMV ringing in the New Year were wonderful and exciting. The skiing was spectacular and if you were thinking creatively and timed it just right the lift lines were manageable. Locals always have the “line” on everything. Here goes the
‘Beat the lift line madness approach”. We noticed a half-hour lift line on January 2nd at the bottom on lift #4 around 11AM whereas the gondola had no line whatsoever. So if logging in some vertical on Chair #4 runs was your goal then why not forego the lift line and ride the 6-minute gondola ride to the top? Similarly the skiing was fantastic on the Coonskin side, including Lower Lookout. Ski that section then take Bailout to the T’Ride Trail and board the gondola for a mere 5-minute ride to log on some more vert! Now who has an appetite for that Gorrono burger? Also if you are on the hill by 9AM, ski the groomers on Chair 4 till the crowds gather then beat them to the groomers on Chair 5 till around noon. You’ll be ahead of them once again come chow time! Ask one of us about ways around town to beat crowds and parking secrets- we would be happy to fill you in!
After the holidays, visitors and locals can look forward to the Telluride SnowFest and the 11th Anniversary of the gondola January 12-15th. Snow Fest is an enjoyable winter carnival for the whole family and features giant snow sculptures, snowmobile stunt show, a snowshoe race, a heat miser party with live music and more.
Aemono is shutting down their Lawson Hill/Society Turn deli/take-out shop and reopening on
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Registration is now open for both the
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Ski tips from a National Collegiate Champ
The sensation of gliding over snow that is soft and forgiving can be blissful and very similar to surfing waves. Skiing is a flowing activity not a static one as in hockey skating- i.e. stop-go-stop-go. The “volume” on your sensory perceptions, touch and sound, can be tuned down a bit say from a 7-level of awareness to a 4 or even a 3 level. Skiing in these powder conditions requires a “light touch”. Skiing on hard pack requires a Strong and Firm touch however.
Once the powdery top level has been skied-off the challenges of the sport reappear. Skidding, sliding and a fearful mindset creep back into our heads. Try to imagine yourself in the below approach next time the hard pack conditions reappear.
When the conditions are icy apply Firm Consistent Pressure from the tip thru the tail of the ski. I specifically mean draw an arc in the snow with your ski edge. Try this simple application of even pressure for three small sized turns, then stop and look at your turns. One of my plans for attack on ice is to apply what I call the 10-40-40-10 rule. Consider a typical “C” shaped ski turn. 10% pressure at the top 1/8th of the turn, then 40% pressurization of the ski thru the second section (you are “in” the true fall line of the turn now), then another 40% of pressure in the third half of the turn (you are still in the gravity “fall line” –yet are fast approaching the exit ramp now!), then finish off the arc with another 10% pressurization of that main ski. See below.
Many folks mistakenly walk on eggshells when skiing the ice and hard pack. They precariously approach each turn with trepidation and hesitation. Note to self; skis are constructed of substantial materials; steel, titanium and wood cores. You have to stomp on those puppies to get them to bend and create an arc. >Yet, stomp on them with all of your weight and in a nanno second what you will create is a “hockey stop” shaped turn. >Get off them too quickly and you will create a skidded turn. Consistent, firm pressure in the above proportions applied throughout the turn shape will give you control (turn shape) and grace on skis.
Fail to be firm and consistent with your pressure and your skis will slide out.
Fail to follow through to the end of the ski, the finish section of the turn and you will lose your turn shape and probably slide out. Not too mention lose any momentum and grace you had built up in the ski.
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News
ROAD OPENS IN OPHIR
On last Saturday night, Jan.5, a natural slide closed
In the mid 80's the road was closed for three weeks.
Local residents have banded together, watching out for each other though some are about to request that diapers be airlifted in.
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January 2008 Calendar
Monday, January 14, 2008
"Borders" The opening reception for an exhibition by local artists that explores cultural, artistic and personal borders. Ah
Monday, January 14, 2008
Priest Lake Pursuit A Nordic race that begins with a mass start, a 7.5-km classic loop, a change of skis and then a 7.5-km skate loop. 970.728.1144
Friday, January 18, 2008 - Monday, January 21, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Great American Trailer Park Musical A new musical about agoraphobia, adultery, ’80s nostalgia, spray cheese, road kill, kleptomania, strippers, disco and more. Described as “Southpark” meets “Desperate Housewives.” Palm Theatre, 7:00 p.m. 970.369.5669
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The New Mastersounds The funky sounds of the The New Mastersounds, a band from the
Friday, January 25, 2008
Guest DJ Day Tune in to FM 89.3, 91.7, 105.5 or www.koto.org to hear locals vie for the coveted Silver Tongue Award and raise money for KOTO community radio. Call 970.728.4333 to pledge to keep Telluride’s radio commercial free.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Beaux Arts Ball Telluride Council for the Arts and Humanities captures the rakish charm of Telluride’s steamy past in a merry party themed “Red Hot + Rio: A Brazilian Carnival” at the Sheridan Opera House, 7 p.m.
970.728.3930
Saturday, January 26, 2008 - Sunday, January 27, 2008
Smartwool Race Series Over 200 ski racers (ages 15-25) from Colorado compete on Milk Run to qualify for the state FIS Rocky Mountain Trophy series. 970.728.6163
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Real-estate Wrap-up 2007
Telluride Has another Record Setting Year!!
Good Morning Sunshine!!! In the face of all the adversity, the well documented credit, financial and stock market woes, Telluride is again one of the contrarians of the real estate world. We set sales records in 2000, 2005 and again in 2007. Our real estate community produced over $756, 000,000.00 in sales this year according to Telluride Consulting. This is an increase of $32,000,000.00 over our last record year of 2005. None of us has a crystal ball, but from the level of activity we have seen over the
Wrap Up of another year- our 18th- at Kastle Keepers, LLC and Kastle Retreats LLC
The company’s Suburban vehicle was put to great use this past holiday season. Scheduled airports pickups, late night pickups and private cab services were in demand and readily available. This Christmas season brought an unprecedented amount of clientele in for wonderful gatherings with their families. Last minute requests were addressed and accommodated as best could be under extenuating circumstances. Lee, Trevor and Rusty personalized service, on-site crisis management as well as the basic menu of caretaking plus concierge offerings to each family, one-by-one. Any and all of the requested and planned services like private in-house chef, ski lessons, ski rentals, tune-ups, airport car deliveries, dinner reservations, tree and garland hanging went smoothly. hustled to provide Overall we approached the holidays well prepared and embraced the work to be done. Several dormant boiler systems strained under the sudden load as did the driveway heat melt systems but with a little attention from the guys all the bugs got worked out. Then the snow and low temps came. And came! It was a beautiful and white wonderland. Thank you so very much for filling out the Christmas Special Request forms, staying in touch and providing us with invaluable feedback and reflections on our performances. Lee met personally with dozens of homeowners over the last 3-weeks of December and into early January and said that he short a lista of new tasks to complete for the individual client . We couldn’t do our jobs without your trust and support!
Our services and capabilities continue to be stretched and challenged each high demand season guiding our way towards a better and improved repertoire.
The Kastle Retreats holiday seasonal rentals were an exciting new venue to get the season off to a busy start. Visiting guests received the same amenities and courtesies and given to the homeowners themselves. The attention to detail in the preparation of these homes for rental occupancy created seamless travel experiences for the guests.
See you in 2008!
Taking on the bumps on lift 4!
