Last week’s edition of Westword—the annual “Best of 2006” edition—calls to our attention an almost-too-good-to-be-true deal: free ski waxes en route to Summit County.

On Friday, March 31 Silverton Mountain, an expert-only ski area, opens for unguided skiing for the first time after six years of extensive government permitting.

The Steamboat Ski Area wants to share the joy of its 400+ inch snow season, nearly 33.5 feet and counting, with everyone during the second edition of the BigSno.com Ridiculously Deep Sweepstakes, offering a trip to Steamboat for eight people from April 6-10, 2006.

Sunlight Mountain Resort

Summit Elevation 9,895 feet Vertical Drop 2,010 feet Average Annual Snowfall 250 inches

Date Skied/Logged: February 24, 2006 New Snow: 0 Weather: Warm and sunny Snow Conditions: PP

Hot Springs and Cool Snow

Thank goodness for our Passport to Ski Areas of Colorado! After working at my day job for an eight-day stretch, I wanted nothing more than to disappear onto a quiet snow-capped mountain under a Colorado blue sky. Following the guide of my Passport, I discovered Sunlight Mountain Resort.

Powderhorn Resort

Summit Elevation 9,850 feet
Vertical Drop 1,650 feet
Average Annual Snowfall 250 inches

Date Skied/Logged: February 25, 2006
New Snow: 0”
Weather: Sunny
Snow Conditions: packed powder

Sol Vista Basin

Summit Elevation 9,202 feet
Vertical Drop 1,000 feet
Average Annual Snowfall 220 inches

Date Skied/Logged: February 20, 2006
New Snow: 2”
Weather: Sunny
Snow Conditions: powder/packed powder

The first 13 legs of the Adventure Passports: Resort Challenge have taken us from the champagne powder of Steamboat to untracked lines with an expert guide at Chicago Ridge, all during one of Colorado Ski Country’s best snowfall season’s on-record. Along the way, however, we have noticed a trend at the resorts we are visiting, in that most of them have taken big steps to keep winter cool.

If you’re on the mountain, odds are, you’re looking at a trail map—but have you ever noticed what beautiful combinatons of art and information design they are? They can be an awesome achievement.