Ryan Ross heads to the high country to sample some of Summit County's best microbreweries: Backcountry, Breckenridge, and Dillon Dam Brewery. Watch as he learns the true meaning of high altitude drinking on film. Shot and edited by Megan Leigh Sweeney.

Ryan Ross forgot to get his wife a present on her birthday. Whoops! He heads into Vail to check out what some shops there have to offer, meanwhile getting distracted with beer and spas. Shot and edited by Megan Leigh Sweeney.

Finally the ski season is here. Tomorrow Northstar resort opens, fully equipped with EpicMix and the new EpicMix photo. This is all new stuff at Northstar. Find out below how to activate your pass on your computer and phone so you can start tracking your epic experiences on the mountain immediately....

On its own, EpicMix is great: professional photos, vertical feet statistics, pins, and points. But with friends, things can get even more interesting. By connecting my Facebook and Twitter accounts I'm able to do what I do best: talk smack (only half kidding). Yes, simply by knowing I had more...

As a member of the U.S. Ski Team, we are guided by our sports science department on methods to maintain all the work we put in our legs. We train hard all summer so it is important to keep strong from the end of summer to spring. There are three basic tips to getting through the season healthy and...

Long gone are the days of toting around a point and shoot camera, clunky camcorder, AND your cell phone. That's way too much gear for one skier to keep track of. I took my new Sprint Motorola Photon 4G skiing at Breckenridge Ski Resort for the ultimate technology test run . Here's how I spend...

Now that the ice rink is up and running at Northstar California it's time to work your moves on your skates as well as on the slopes. Here are the Top 5 basic ice skating moves to help you get on your way to perfecting your icy hot super slide in no time. Blades of Glory? You will have. 1. Stroking...

The foot and half base that's leaving you praying for snow nightly? It's cramping your ski style. The cold weather, like temperature lows below zero? You'd rather stay indoors than bundle up--it's OK, sometimes we all get a little fair-weathered. Those ski conditioning workouts you gutted...

For our 8 th wedding anniversary, I surprised Ryan with a Caribbean cruise...unselfishly of course. ;) Knowing that the minimal clothing I'd be wearing would not cover what I considered flabby arms, a saggy butt, and a tummy pooch gave me the motivation I needed to find my abs again. I've gotten...

The best Alpine skiers in the world visit Beaver Creek every year for the annual Birds of Prey World Cup. The site is known for it one of the most prestigious and difficult downhill's on the circuit. But the Giant Slalom venue on the same hill is no picnic. For the last couple of years The...

When I was a kid my grandmother would call me on my birthday and ask me if I felt any older. I’d always laugh and tell her that I felt the same as the day before. I feel the same way about the days following the turn of the New Year. Still sort of feels like the day before. So in an effort to...

Valentine’s Day is approaching and guys this is your chance to shine. A dozen roses. Dinner and champagne. C’mon. You can do better. Those things may keep you out of trouble but it’s not unique enough to stand out. Instead think about a day of adventure on the slopes and fun at Après...

No matter how slick you are on the slopes, you should know what to do if you or someone you know gets in a bind. Keystone Ski Patrol Director Craig Simson helped answer questions about slope snafus and gave important mountain tips everyone should know. Before the Question and Answer session, let's...

Ok, I'll admit it, I thought I was in shape and ready for powder after crushing groomers and park runs all season. But once the powder finally came down, I was in for a rude awakening. After charging serious vert at Heavenly and Northstar on the first powder days of the season, I woke up the following...

It’s no secret that the winter elements are harsh on your skin. I deferred to the professionals on this one and talked to Wendy Westbrook, seasoned esthetician at Arrabelle's RockResorts Spa in Vail. She weighed in on how to take care of your case during the chilly months but her expertise...

The Basics. 
Always go back to the basics. 

OUTSIDE SKI 
weight (pressure) the outside ski (away of the turns center) Keep it simple. The cues used to adapt ski technique need to be simple and direct. "Bend the tips" Try to Bend the tips of your skis. Use the ski to make the turn. And when...

Around 10 years ago I was asked to speak at an elementary school, something I have always considered a great honor. Following the school visit I was scheduled to speak at a conference to 3000 real estate agents. Going into the day I was prepared to speak to the kids and had no idea how to speak to an...

Every now and then a gamble will pay off. The likelihood of finding a good pair of used ski boots on Craigslist isn’t very good. But I didn’t have much to lose. I’d wager a guess that the boots my wife was wearing had more vertical feet on them than just about any other pair on the...

Breaking news from EpicMix World Headquarters: all of your digital high-resolution photos from the entire 2011-2012 season are on sale through May 31st, 2012. From opening day through spring break, each photo you've taken this winter is available for download at an unparalleled price. Packages of...

As March winds down it's the ideal time for one last stop on the slope to partake in some Spring skiing . But before you head out with dreams of powdery blizzard conditions, you'll need to prepare for what April has to offer (and these tips may help). 1. Don't expect powder Historically...

The annual Pond Skimming Championships are about to hit Vail . I have participated in this event a few times over the last few years as a test skimmer ( I guess that would be the definition.) Check out these videos of me "testing the waters" at the 2009 competition here . According to...

I hadn’t reached for my water filter since last fall, when I’d backpacked into the Flat Tops Wilderness north of Vail and stashed it in the garage after the trip. But a few weeks ago, I shoved it into my pack for a hut trip. After skinning to the hut, I yanked out the filter for the first...

As much as we hate to admit it, it’s almost the off-season. Some might say good riddance, wishing for the snow to be gone sooner rather than later to start hitting the trails and links. Others might be pushing the rewind button, ready and willing to backtrack to winter, even if it was a warm one...

You didn’t swallow any cotton and it’s not the drier air. You didn’t go on an apple juice binge. And you’ve been in the mountains long enough to know that you don’t have altitude sickness. So why do you feel like you’re underperforming as you exercise? You know...

The air is crisp and snow has started falling in the mountains. There's no better time than now to start setting up your digital lifestyle to share and track your upcoming winter season. Here's a recap of the best tech to check out this season. Instagram for sharing photos Instagram is...