It's time...

Yesterday, I pulled the trigger on an Epic Pass ski season pass. After skiing Vail & Beaver Creek that past two years and seeing the value you get with this pass, it seemed worthwhile. Add to this Vail's decision to buy Michigan's Mt. Brighton (20 minutes from home for me), and it seems like a no-brainer.

Would I ski Mt. Brighton often enough to warrant a season pass? Nope. It's small, icy, and can get crowded at peak times. But the way I look at it, if I ski four days out West, I basically pay for the pass and get a free pass to a local hill. This Winter I'm committed to doing a better job to maintain my fitness. A couple of hours skiing on a Tuesday night will be a welcome alternative to the gym. Plus I have some local buddies who also have the pass. So, I think we'll be having some "Old Guy Ski Nights" this year!

Last day at Beaver Creek - one of my favorites!

In addition, my goal would be to try and sneak in a couple of trips out West. It's usually pretty economical to score a flight to Denver or Salt Lake, so this seems pretty doable. Again, anything over 4 days and I've paid for the pass and gotten Brighton for free. With the Epic I get unlimited days at Breckenridge and Keystone, plus some blackouts at Utah's Canyons and some Tahoe areas, as well as a total of 10 days to Vail & Beaver Creek. Seems like a solid deal. I prefer Utah, but I've definitely enjoyed Colorado these past two years (3' of snow in 4 days last year!!!).

I also scored on my regular season pass at Caberfae Peaks, in NW Michigan. When I've got a little more time, this gets me some better skiing than staying local. Plus, at $99 early season, it's also a no-brainer.

Already the days are getting shorter, the nights cooler, and just a hint of color has come to the maples in my yard. My new Blizzard Bonafide's and my trusty Volkl RTM 84's are waxed and ready to go.

Soon enough the snowflakes should start flying - looking forward to an outstanding season!

-Sean-