Kym and I were reflecting last week, as we prepared to return home from a delightful vacation on Maui, about how lucky we are to be living in a place where we actually look forward to coming home. Island life seems idyllic I know, but for me, I need the mountains and the seasons. I would wager quite heavily that not many people on those mainland bound planes feel that way about their destinations. In a sense, I have always spent my life running away from a regular 9 - 5, Monday to Friday existence. It was an equation that never quite made sense to me, the one where you spend 50 weeks of your life trying to earn enough money to spend the remaining two weeks doing something you wish you could spend your life doing.

 

This aspect of our society first struck me when I began guiding rafts in New Zealand in the mid eighties. I grew up a city boy, but something drew me away. As I became immersed in small town life, I felt a penny drop. I realized that I was living somewhere and doing something in a place where people would drive long distances, and pay good money, to have me drive them down a river. I suddenly realized I was on to a good thing.

 

One of my best friends in town is a guy I met when I first came to this valley in 1990. He married recently, and a few people have quizzed him on whether or not he and his wife have had a honeymoon. ‘Honeymoon?’, he says, ‘If we went somewhere, we’d only want to come to a place like this anyway. Life’s a honeymoon.’ So tomorrow I am faced with the typical Salida dilemma. Should I go to work, or go snowboarding / fishing / mountain biking? [ depending on the season ]. As is often the case, I’ll probably wind up combining the two.

 

As we are still in the snow season here in the mountains, a trip to Monarch will be in order. Not only has all this winter’s snow led to some sublime powder days at Monarch Mountain,  it also brings good energy to the community. When Monarch is having a good year, it’s flow on effect is palpable. More money circulates, and more locals get out to enjoy the winter time outdoors. [ I do spare a thought here for the ranchers however, who will be glad to see the back of the low level snow I am sure. ]

 

If there is a better all round skiing experience in Colorado than Monarch, I have yet to encounter it. One of the reasons that Salida retains it’s old world charm is that we do not have a ski area right out our back door. This has allowed the community to develop in its own way, rather than become another carbon copy mountain town. A quick drive up Monarch Pass to the ski area, and you are in another world. All natural snow, no lift lines, some of the best tree and back country terrain in the state, and stunning views of the continental divide. One great thing about living so close to the area is that you can pick your days, and get away for a couple of hours when you need to blow the cobwebs out. I cannot think of a better way to do this than cutting a fresh track through knee deep powder amongst the trees, while the rest of the world is stuck in a traffic jam.