As another snow season begins to open up around the U.S., so do the ski and snowboard movies begin to emerge in ski town theatres to show who threw the sickest 1080, skied the steepest aspects, who rode the longest rails, and who partied the hardest. So, Katja and I went to see the latest of Warren Millers legendary ski movies Playground here at the Abbey Theatre just off College in Durango last night. The guys and gals over at the Warren Miller Movie headquarters sure outdid themselves this year. There was no shortage of steeps, sick freestyle, heliskiing in Cordova on some of the biggest terrain in North America with Points North, all being skied by some of the most skilled riders on the playground today. From Japan to Dubai, Whistler to Aspen, as always the locations and skiing was beyond amazing. You almost want to wear your boots and skis in the theatre just in case it comes to life on screen and you have to spring into action to ski that most perfect of lines.

Maybe just leave them in the car just in case.

Mountain Cam today

The Durango Mountain Resort was supposed to open on this Saturday with the Annual Benefit Day, but the word came out today, that the Benefit Day skiing is re-scheduled for Sunday, December 2nd.

If there is snow. As of today, it still isn't 100% sure whether they are going to get the resort open or not. I was there on Tuesday, and it didn't look good. There was not even nearly enough snow made, and the construction work was even more unfinished than the slopes. But they are working so hard to make it happen and get the place open on Sunday.

There is a big winter storm coming in our way, let's hope it'll dumb a good amount of snow on the mountains on Friday and Saturday. In the worst case scenario the storm will come, but instead of snow, it'll just dumb water on us - then you can forget about skiing next week.

We might all just have to pray for the snow, and actually if you are interested in the "group prayer" - Purgatory and Steamworks Brewing are hosting a "Pray for Powder" event on Friday night at the Steamworks.

John Toursdale at Inside Durango TV made this video of Durango's Matthias Giraud's highlights from the 2006/2007 season.

About the Blog

I started this blog to provide comprehensive information about both winter and summer adventures in Southwest Colorado. I wanted to provide the latest info on the happenings in and around the San Juan Mountains. Whether you are looking to cruise the green slopes at Purgatory, Telluride, or Wolf Creek Ski areas, or skin up Red Mountain over Silverton, or Sneffels over Ouray and Telluride for some more serious turns in the backcountry. I will also bring you articles and commentary both from the keepers of all snow master knowledge, from equipment reviews to trip reports, as well as locals on the best places to fill your belly before a day at the area. We will also bring you those must have deals to further your never ending quiver of snow sports equipment.

So, who am I? I'm Matt, just another transplanted Durangotarian who finally made his way back from sea level to living at about 7000 feet. I've been away from my home town of Austin, Texas for about 14 years now. A former Army helicopter test pilot, I've traveled quite a bit as you can imagine, from Korea, Japan, Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Chech Republic, Macedonia, Kosovo, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, back to the U.S. in 2002 to New York, Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee, and now Durango. In between journeys, I met the love of my life and together created three of the most interesting little people I will ever know in my entire life. Hopefully this is one of the last stops on our list of many homes across the world.

After the Army, I flew news helicopters in Cleveland. You know, those shots you see on the news of the car chase of the guy speeding down the highway hanging out the window driving with his feet drinking a gallon of vodka? That was me, filming it all for the evening news. After about a year of that, I went back to being a test pilot for a large defense contractor working with the Army again in Tennessee. But, it was a little to close to being in the Army again, and the oppotunity to come out to Durango presented itself and I couldn't pass it up. So, so long defense contracts, we up and moved to Colorado.

Best move we ever made. Now we live just out of the Durango city limits on our own little slice of mountain. About the most traffic we get on our street is the neighbors horses and her four dogs going out for a hike into the San Juan National Forest which is just down the road. Now I fly EMS helicopters for the regional hospital, some utility contract flying when there is work to be had with another local company, and work (if you can call it that) at the local ski resort on my days off. Life isn't all that bad right now.

Welcome to our blog about life in the San Juan Mountains and life in and around Durango, Colorado. I hope you enjoy, and if you're ever in Durango, drop me a line and I'd be happy to join you for a local beverage at the pub.