My First Trip to Red Mountain Resort: Shred the Love

We spent the day “Shredding The Love” today at Red Mountain Resort in Rossland.  Yes, the management at Mountain FM determined that it would be okay to send me out skiing today. The last time I scarred some children at Phoenix Mountain when my pants fell down on the bunny hill (for that story click here).

Today I was way out of my comfort zone heading up to Red. I am not great at skiing. I wouldn’t say I’m dangerous on skis (to anyone other than myself) so I set out to shred the love.

John and Jenny (from the New Morning Rocks) were broadcasting live from the bottom of the hills and they were my safe place. This was my first time at a straight up mountain; it is definitely the biggest place I have ever skied. As we approached I started to get a little bit of an anxiety attack looking at the incredible runs and small dots making their way down the mountain.

The first half hour of my Red Mountain experience was really more proof that I am becoming a pansy with age. Last week I learned my lesson with dark places on rides and roller coasters, this week I learned I really need to keep skiing or I will always get the antsy feeling before going to the hill.

On a side note, for the first time since we moved to the Koots I went to the gym this week. I am making every effort to work out everyday after my show. I have been to the gym three days in a row straight; I was feeling pretty much like jello when we hit the slopes.

After we got into the day, more like after Kevin dragged me to the first run of the day I was totally back in the swing of things. I was pretty freaked out by the lift at first; I haven’t been on one other than at Martock pretty much a decade ago. It totally weirded me out at first but I got over it quickly.

Skiing Red was great! There was 0 wait time to get on the chairlifts and the runs were a lot of fun! When they say, “Ditch the Crowds!” they really mean it. Red is a great place to cut the crap and get time on the slopes.

After taking in my share of the first chair lift during the first part of the day, Kevin coaxed me into going up to the top of Granite Mountain. I have never been anywhere like it. I wish I could have taken pictures from the lift; we were higher than I have ever been in my life!

By the time we reached the top it had changed from lightly snowing to pretty much almost whiteout conditions. It was blustery and ice pellety when we got off the Motherlode (as you can see in this picture).  We were going to take the run that connects to Grey Mountain and ski Grey for bit. The weather turned on us a bit and we ended up making it our last run of the day and took Northern Bell to the bottom.

In my truly anxious way, the white made me worry. Kevin’s red pant was my beacon on the trip down. I kept them in site and knew all would be all right. This is typically how I am on my first run anywhere; I am guessing you would be a hell of a lot more ballsy than I am on the first run. The entire time all I could think of was about the news headlines reading “Idiot Girl From Flat Province Gets Lost On Ski Hill”. Passing university was easier to me than basic navigation and judging distances. This is a “me thing”, children and basic skiers were whizzing by me all day at Red. 

Another side note, I was totally blown away by the crisp smell of the freshest alpine air while skiing down these runs. 

Overall a great first trip to Red! There are lots of runs for all skill levels.

I was really impressed by the numbers of kids out on the hill. There were so many kids killing it on the slopes! It is so nice to see families out keeping kids active. I wish I had learned to ski as a child L

As I mentioned, in the first part of the blog, today was great event at Red Mountain called “Shred the Love”. “Shred the Love” is a fundraiser for Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC) John and Jenny broadcasted live from the event all the important details about this initiative from 10a-2pm. 50% of the revenue from the day lift ticket sales at Red were donated to B4BC!

 

For more about B4BC you can check them out here.

Next week there will be another amazing fundraiser at Red Mountain, if you missed out today or want to get another run in before the end of the season it is the perfect time to get to Red (and support an important cause). Next Sunday is “Slopes for Hope” a fundraiser to support the Canadian Cancer Society. 

“Slopes for Hope” is another cool event that challenges everyone partaking a chance to ski the height of Mt. Everest (29,092 ft). You can register now here.

Just in case you are wondering what maps out to be at Red Mountain here are the runs you would have to get in to meet the goal:

Red- 1,420 feet - 20.5 runs

Silverlode-705 feet - 41runs

Motherlode-2,332 feet - 12.5 runs

Paradise – 1,286 feet - 22.5 runs

Grey – 1,988 feet -14.5 runs

(Stats from: http://www.redresort.com/activities/events/?nodepage=47354)

You have a week! Get to it!

Register up and start fundraising. Any adult who raises $100 will receive a ½ price lift ticket and any child who raises $50 will receive a ½ price lift ticket. Support this important cause and win some swag on March 16^th 2014 at “Slopes for Hope”.

Again (do it now) click here to register.

For more information about skiing's hidden gem in the Koots, Red Mountain Resort click here. 

Friends, come visit us and lets go skiing!