The lift lines opened for the season at Beaver Creek with hot chocolate this morning. 4 inches of new snow in the past 48 hours made for some great first tracks on 231 acres of open trails. I'm halfway to earning the Beaver Creek Bookend pin, awarded for skiing on opening and closing day. There's really no better way to start a season.
Check out my photos of opening day at Beaver Creek.
The sun was shining as the Village came alive with families celebrating opening day. Ice skaters hit the rink, some for the first time. The EpicMix display at the bottom of the Centennial Express included a life-size chocolate chip cookie and signs that read "I skied the Beave on opening day 2011!!"
Guests on the chairlift were excited to be back on the mountain. Casey Durbin, a Beaver Creek local, captured the spirit of the day when he said, "opening day--it's better than Christmas." Durbin is most excited for Thresher Glade and Royal Elk Glades to open. He said, "every tree run at Beaver Creek is the best tree run."
The terrain park is open for the season and open lifts include Centennial Express, Cinch Express, Buckaroo Gondola, Bachelor Gulch Express, and Strawberry Park Express. Open Trails included Red Buffalo, Latigo, Gold Dust, Fool's Gold, Haymeadow and Sawbuck. I hit some great snow off of the Cinch Express.
In the afternoon everyone headed to the Village for the eighth annual Chocolate Chip Cookie Competition. Over 100 applicants submitted recipes and cookies in an attempt to be crowned the world's best. The judges narrowed the competition down to five finalists. Each finalist baked 1,000 cookies for the day. Guests of all ages sampled the cookies in search of this season's winner. At 3pm on the Village Grand Staircase, the judges announced that "The Chunk" is the chocolate chip cookie of the 2011-2012 season. Congratulations Shannon Bostrom, your cookies are delicious.
The festivities will continue through Thanksgiving week with plenty of activities to enjoy. Be sure to check out the following:
Beaver Creek Tree Lighting Ceremony
On Thanksgiving Day, the 31-year-old tree lighting tradition continues as the blue spruce from Beaver Creek Colorado is lit for the holidays. The ice rink in Beaver Creek Plaza comes alive with the Christmas spirit. This year, the festivities will include a gingerbread village display, fireworks, carolers, and even Santa!
Free Family Film
After the tree lighting, be sure to head to the Vilar Performing Arts Center for the free family film Tickets for Shrek the Halls and How to Train your Dragon are available from the box office at the Vilar Performing Arts Center beginning at 5:00 pm. Seating for the event is first come, first served. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served at the public reception from 6:30-7:00 pm.
Wizard of Oz
This classic musical is the perfect family performance. Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 4:30 and 6:30pm at the Vilar Performing Arts Center. Click here for tickets and more information.
--Kirsten Lindholm