We’re all back, safe and sound!
The trip was a blast! For those of you that may not know, several of us from DallasSnowboarders.com went on a trip with Snowballers Ski Club over Thanksgiving. We went to Winter Park, CO, via a 15 hour sleeper bus ride.
The Good:
- The trip overall was very well-planned and structured. Gary’s many years of experience of running ski trips is very apparent throughout the trip. There is nothing he doesn’t think of or can’t handle!
- Thanksgiving dinner with friends. Nothing beats enjoying a nice dinner with good friends. One of our friends was sharing his first Thanksgiving experience ever with us! (He’s French)
- Meeting new folks. We met many fine folks on the trip. Tina (snowboardchick_on_bike) and Jeff (FreeRider) are both awesome people and awesome snowboarders. The trip was worth it just to get to meet them.
- Snowboarding. Well, it’s kind of like pizza. Even when it’s not the best, it’s still good!
- The condo was nice and spacious. Two bedrooms, plus a loft, full kitchen, fire place, balcony, and close to the shuttle stop and shops.
The Bad:
- The snow wasn’t optimal. Poor zmt spent his first ever snowboard trip trying to learn on hard-pack and ice. We all were hurting from lots of falls. Man, I have a new love and respect for powder after this trip…
- The bus ride wasn’t very pleasant. Besides it being, well, a bus, there were a few loud/obnoxious folks that made some parts rather unpleasant. Also, we sat right next to the bathroom, which after a few hours REALLY begins to smell horrid. I didn’t get more than a few hours of sleep here and there both ways.
- The condo seemed to be falling apart with little help from us. We locked ourselves out the first night, but I quickly learned that the deadbolt wasn’t a true deadbolt, and could easily be opened with a credit card. We pulled the handle off the oven door, just from normal use. The shower door was broken, and the loft half-wall was at a peculiar angle (hint: not 90 degrees). We ended up leaving the condo in better shape than when we got there!
Overall:
Snowboarding: 9
Snow Conditions: 6
Lodging: 7
Travel: 4
Total: 6.5/10
Be sure to check out our photos from the trip, and the awesome movie Zaskoda put together from the trip footage!
