If you're not a weekend/holiday mountain pilgrim... (Denver, Loveland: moving, expensive)

[jamesdenver]

I have friends who are big boarders and skiiers, and go almost every weekend, driving up from Denver. To me it's way too much work with traffic.

Over the years I've done fewer trips to the mountains, but spend more time when I do go, staying overnight or a few days when i go.

When I take friends or family on ski trips I'll rent a condo for a couple nights - go up Saturday after traffic, ski early and Mondays with less crowds. In the summer I camp at some amazing spots I've found over the years. If I'm with friends who aren't into camping (but into hiking/rafting etc) I stay at a nice budget motel or cabin. (I've sound some wonderful family run motels and cabins from Buena Vista to Poudre Canyon.

I have a better "Colorado" experience, less work driving, and get to some places that are beyond day trips like Durango or Alamosa area. And visitors understand too why I won't commute daily from my place in Denver once I explain the traffic issue.

To me it's a much better experience waking up where I want to be - getting in the first runs, having morning coffee along side a creek/campsite, or breakfast at a local diner, and be to a hiking trail by 9am rather than spend half my morning in traffic. (And before the recent gas drop a night in a motel wasn't much more than the cost of gas to and from Denver)

And when I go I tell the the same dumb phrase about taking my "240th vacation to Colorado"

My strategy anyway...

oh - and i have plenty of friends who aren't that athletic, but still go on ski trips for the ski town atmosphere, sit in a hot tub or go shopping. Or some friends who don't get any further into the mountains than a night at Blackhawk. Nobody cares though, to each their own.

[woob]

Originally Posted by Lafleur

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Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the mountains. But as a Michigander, I've always been a summer person. I'm really big into cycling, hiking, camping, and other summer outdoors activities. I'm just not thrilled about the winter activities here. For one, I don't like hanging out in the cold. Secondly, I hate following the crowds. I can't imagine having to deal with 285 and I-70 traffic on the weekends. Thirdly, the idea of skiing actually makes me nervous. I have bad knees, and up until recently, a history with concussions. The idea of flying down a mountain on my bum knees and vulnerable head does not seem appealing.

Forget skiing, hiking in the winter can be even more enjoyable than in the summer. No crowds, no bugs, crystal blue skies, easier on the knees (snow is softer than rock and dirt). As long as you keep moving and have appropriate clothes, cold is generally not an issue. Check out some of the classes with Colorado Mountain Club to learn how to safely spend time in the mountains during winter.

[sunsprit]

lafleur wrote: "They couldn't care less, and with that, I often feel alienated by them as if I'm not worthy of hanging in their crowds because I don't ski or snowboard. It's kind of that "c'mon, everyone's doing it" mentality and I want to be one of the cool kids but I don't have any interest in doing the cool kids activities."

you've just reinforced my point ...

you're projecting your attitudes about a non-participation in these activities, and your desire to be "one of the crowd".

Only problem is that you don't participate in these activities, so you cannot be one of that crowd and it makes you "uncool" in your own perception of yourself. That's not the problem of the snow sports crowd, it's your problem alone.

Perhaps you should look into why it is so important to you that you be one of that crowd doing stuff that you don't like to do ... especially in view of the fact that there are so many people who, like you, don't do the winter snow sports. Are the people who do the activities you do enjoy simply not "good enough" for you?

[JWEvergreen]

Just be yourself! If someone tries to encourage you to go skiing, just say something like:
"Thanks, I'll pass cuz it's not my 'thing'. But there's a great concert coming up. Would you like to go?"

Often times the ski resort towns have other events going on that don't involve skiing. (Festivals, chilli cook-offs etc. that could keep you entertained while your friends are skiing and then you can hook up with them later. And they also have great bars and restaurants where you can sit and watch all the action and when your friends need a break, they'll come and join you. Many times there is live entertainment too!

I have spent hours hanging out in Winter Park for example while my huband is skiing. I've had a blast watching the competitions as well as the bunny hills and everthing in between. Met lots of people (both men and women) doing the exact same thing! They didn't want to ski either!

[Olim2005]

Originally Posted by Lafleur

...do you think it's difficult to live here in Denver?

I've noticed this with a lot of locals. Most of them are not natives, but people who have moved here from out of state. They have a way about making you feel like a leper when you can't talk about all your weekend trips up to the mountains.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the mountains. But as a Michigander, I've always been a summer person. I'm really big into cycling, hiking, camping, and other summer outdoors activities. I'm just not thrilled about the winter activities here. For one, I don't like hanging out in the cold. Secondly, I hate following the crowds. I can't imagine having to deal with 285 and I-70 traffic on the weekends. Thirdly, the idea of skiing actually makes me nervous. I have bad knees, and up until recently, a history with concussions. The idea of flying down a mountain on my bum knees and vulnerable head does not seem appealing.

And for all of this, I feel like some people seemingly look down you for not "getting out there" at every waking moment of your spare time. I actually enjoy hanging out in the city, people watching, sitting at a cafe, going to local shows, etc. On the weekends and during the week, I do rec sports as well. These are the things I enjoy, but I feel like people who move here are not fond of that lifestyle, and therefore, they end up not wanting to associate with you all that much.

I live in Boulder County and yes, that does exist where people tend to brag about their weekend trip to the mountains. But what I have come to find is most of those braggers are not really athletes or active (weekend warrior types) and really can't do anything else. They go ski and stay in there nice hotels and drink and eat out. It's not exactly roughing it. Ironically, it takes so long to get to the ski resort that most people don't have lives...how can you get to the mountains if your kids have sports or if you have hobbies/sports yourself. Most of those people are from out of state too...my 2 coworkers who brag are from California and N. Carolina...and they try so hard to pose the Colorado lifestyle. Its annoying.

I have no desire to ski in Colorado and I grew up skiing (but in NH). It's really expensive and you wait hours in line, get stuck in traffic jams, and have to drive hours to get there.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by Olim2005

I live in Boulder County and yes, that does exist where people tend to brag about their weekend trip to the mountains. But what I have come to find is most of those braggers are not really athletes or active (weekend warrior types) and really can't do anything else. They go ski and stay in there nice hotels and drink and eat out. It's not exactly roughing it. Ironically, it takes so long to get to the ski resort that most people don't have lives...how can you get to the mountains if your kids have sports or if you have hobbies/sports yourself. Most of those people are from out of state too...my 2 coworkers who brag are from California and N. Carolina...and they try so hard to pose the Colorado lifestyle. Its annoying.

I have no desire to ski in Colorado and I grew up skiing (but in NH). It's really expensive and you wait hours in line, get stuck in traffic jams, and have to drive hours to get there.

It's the same thing in California, most beach goers are out of state transplants. The locals tend to take it for granted or think it is too much of a hassle. Beach in Ca == Mountains in Co.

Went up to keystone yesterday, left at 6am, 1:45m drive, free parking at river run, perhaps 5min wait at lift/Gondi... Not bad for a Saturday.

[randomparent]

This family doesn't spend much time in the mountains. One of my kids goes skiing with his Scout troop a couple of times a year, but other than that we're boring suburbanites. I'm fairly certain that our lack of participation does have a detrimental effect on my son's social life, and when the troop goes skiing, he gets left behind because he's not nearly as adept as the other boys. My other two kids could not care less. Their friends are part of a different scene. As for my husband and me, our weekends are already chock full of "flatland" activities. We simply don't have the time for I-70 ski traffic. It might be nice to get away from it all in the summer, but right now we have other priorities. For now, I'll settle for the view.

[harrison21]

I lived in Vail for a couple of years when I first moved out here, so maybe that colors my perception, but I don't see the "mountain obsession" here in Denver at all. Vail was exactly as you are describing. I moved up there for a job, not for the skiing and felt very alienated. Skiing/boarding was all anyone wanted to do or talk about. I mean, I understand it's a big interest up there, but it was like no one had any personality or interests beyond being a "ski bum" at all. I had nothing to even talk about with people because it was all skiing/boarding stories. Even in the summer it was all whining about when it would be skiing/boarding season again. I took some lessons when I first moved there and went maybe once every 4-5 weeks. I enjoyed it as something different to do, but I didn't subscribe to the life-consuming obsession. I was very pleasantly surprised to get away from all of that when I moved to Denver. I'm 27 and have made tons of friends here who are also in their 20s-30s and also transplants. None of them ski regularly. I've lived here for 2 1/2 years now and I've only run into a couple of people in passing that have the whole "life consuming obsession" with skiing thing going on. Denver is a big place- there are plenty of people with diverse interests. Ignore the ski bums and look for people with similar interests to yours.

[Mezter]

I've lived here nearly all my life and haven't been skiing. People will at you so weird and basically disown you as a Coloradan if you haven't. Lol

[denverian]

I have plenty of neighbors who "disappear" for the winter to their mountain condos. Personally, I don't like cold and snow, or sitting in traffic. I've been skiing before, but it's extremely expensive and just not worth the hassle. We go up into the mountains in summer a few times. Then it's about escaping the heat, and it's all green and beautiful