Freeskier is a fan of road trips. So when the idea came about for a gang of skiers to explore the hidden treasures of Colorado, our proverbial tea kettles whistled loudly, and planning went full steam ahead.
We reached out to our friends Chris Tatsuno and Justin Dersham, who showcased their road-tripping prowess last year on the Powder Highway Road Trip in BC. They happily obliged, and they hit up their pals, the Trew crew, for some additional backing.
With our team assembled, our next move was to chart out the adventure. We sat down with our maps of Colorado and began to brainstorm. We wanted to explore resorts that were off the beaten path; if we could avoid I-70, that'd be ideal. We hoped to visit those special resorts where you find the true core of our sport; those individuals who settle down in remote locals, often in middle of nowhere, just to fulfill their deepest shredding desires. We hoped to draw the curtains and shed some light on these destinations. It is here, after all, where you'll find an unmatched sense of true ski-community.
That's when we stumbled upon the Colorado Gems. A list of 9 resorts outlined by Coloradoski.com that fit our criteria almost perfectly. The rest was easy: It'd be a 9 day trip, where each one of the Gems would be highlighted via video review.
We figure these Gems have been flying below your radar up until now, but follow along and we think you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you see. We'll be posting a video here each and every day, for the next 9 days. The team will entertain you with their on-hill antics, and you'll find out all there is to know about the Gems.
Day 9:
The final day of the Colorado Gems road trip brought the group to Sunlight just outside of Glenwood Springs. It dumped all day and the crew enjoyed powdery glades and even got in a round of human slalom.
Day 8:
After a grueling 4 hour drive from Monarch, the crew was stoked to finally get to Powderhorn. Pillow lines and glades dominated the day and there were pockets of fresh everywhere!
Day 7:
On Day 7 the crew cruised to Monarch Mountain and got lucky enough to go CATSKIING! Steep lines, cliff drops and deep snow made it a day to remember!
Day 6:
Day 6 on the Colorado Gems road trip brought on Ski Cooper and Chicago Ridge Snowcat tours. The group shredded the cat in the morning and checked the mountain in the afternoon. Plenty of snow to go around!
Day 5:
"After shredding 4 of 9 Colorado Gems, the crew headed to the legend, Arapahoe Basin. Colorado Ski Country's patroller of the year, Tony C, let the boys into Montezuma Bowl before the public and they made the most of the creamy pow!"
Day 4:
"Day 4 brought on massive traffic while trying to get to Loveland but everyone made the most of it. After getting to the ski area, the crew found free refills in the trees and a couple cliffs to huck!"
Day 3:
"The crew headed to SolVista on day 3, Chris Tatsuno and AJ Hobbs decided to give their skis a break and drag some knuckles. Teal Anders, the head of the terrain park, showed the crew some natural jibs and flashed his style as well."
Day 2:
"Day 2 of the Colorado Gems road trip has the crew hitting the slopes of Eldora. Mogul runs and glades were the name of the game and everyone found something to get a little air on."
Day 1:
"This is a preview of a day of shredding at Echo Mountain for the Colorado Gems road trip. After a rowdy evening at the Quality Inn in Evergreen, Chris Tatsuno and the rest of the TREW crew meet up with local Echo shredder Rob Whiting."
