The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Ski for free
The recent cold snap brought snow to the valley and our first glimpses of winter: skiing at Lily Lake and snowmaking at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR). Erica Reiter, the resort’s public relations and communications manager, said snowmaking crews were able to fire up the guns all weekend, nonstop. That’s just in time for opening day, less than a week away.
On Wednesday, November 21, local kids will line up in the early morning hours (or perhaps, like they did a couple of years ago, the night before) to snag the honor of first chair. But, Reiter said, this year, another guest of honor will make an appearance on the slopes. Üllr, the legendary figure most skiers know as the God of Snow, is expected to show off his skills on Warming House Hill.
He’ll be accompanied by his lovely Norse maidens, and in anticipation of their arrival, Reiter says the resort is building Üllr a throne. Groomers are piling up a mountain of snow, and resort staffers will carve it into a throne fit for a king. On the big day, they’ll don their own costumes as Üllr and his maidens. Skiers are invited to do the same.
“We’re all praying for snow this year, so we can all dress like a Viking and honor Üllr,” Reiter said.
She added that, interestingly, Üllr wasn’t always known as the God of Snow. His name means Glory, and he was a skilled Norse hunter who happened to hunt on skis. (Further research by the Crested Butte News suggests that he was also the stepson of Thor, proving that even the Norse gods had complicated family trees.)
Since Üllr is a god naturally adept at making turns, modern-day ski enthusiasts decided he’d be able to pull some strings when it came to making snow. He must have risen to the occasion because these days his identity as the God of Snow goes unquestioned and makes him a fitting guest for a community hoping to put last year’s dry winter behind them.
Skiers are encouraged to come up with their best interpretations of the Norse god or one of his lovely maidens and head to the slopes for free skiing on opening day. The resort will pass out lift tickets in the parking lot and lift lines, or skiers can pick them up in the Adventure Center. There will also be a pass-holders line that just might give them an advantage when it comes to getting on the lift.
Pass holders and free skiers alike will be treated to hot chocolate, and skiers looking for an adult beverage can pitch in a little cash to get theirs with peppermint schnapps. Dr. Z’s Chatty Apes (formerly known as Kung Pao) will play on the Butte 66 deck at 3:30 p.m.
It’s a bit too early to tell what lifts will be open but the Red Lady Lift is a guarantee, with Bubba’s Shortcut to Houston, Peanut to Lower Keystone and Lower Twister open (the Ice Bar will also be open for business, though Uley’s will stay closed). The Lower Keystone jib park and Warming House Hill will also be open, and the Peachtree Lift will serve Augusta and High Tide.
If Üllr pulls some weight Teo could be open, too. Reiter said, “We are really hoping to make snow in Lower Ruby to open the Teo lift, but that is really going to depend on the temperatures in the next week, so keep your fingers crossed.”
And then join Üllr on the slopes this Wednesday to usher in the glory of the season.
