I grew up with O.S.S. (Only-Sister Syndrome), which often became S.O.S. when participating in sports with my ultra-competitive brothers. The biggest slam to my ego was when they accused me of doing anything “like a girl.”
But here’s the deal: last week at Keystone Resort, I “skied like a girl” and loved every minute of it. [photopress:skibetties1_1.jpg,full,pp_image]While my husband and son went sledding at the Nordic Center, my daughter Hadley and I got a sneak peak at Keystone’s infamous Betty Fest ski clinics, the ultimate in girl bonding. Their regular clinic includes two days of on-hill training for all levels, video analysis and women- specific discussions.
Our little Betty Fest consisted of amiable PSIA-certified women instructors and [perhaps most importantly] pink feather boas.
I have skied since I was a wee Canadian lassie and worked as a publicist in Utah’s ski industry. But here’s the deal: I haven’t improved in years. And so when my kick-butt instructor Cathy asked me what skills I wanted to work on, I told her I wanted to ski moguls like Wonder Woman, who incidentally, is one step above skiing like a girl.
Cathy’s first item of business: bringing me down to the depths of humility and correcting every single technique I had. And just when I felt I was starting to resemble a one-legged tree frog on skis, she built me back up so I was rocking those bumps…and not just rolling over them.
Though make no mistake: even during the rolling, the feather boa held up marvelously and I highly recommend Keystone’s next Betty Fest February 28 – March 1. I hope to be there, boa and all.
Keystone Lake: A Cut of Canada
Most families have some kind of initiation when someone marries into the clan. My American husband received a pair of hockey skates with the explicit instructions that any of our future half-breeds should be born on the blade.
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But here’s the the deal: a Canuck’s idea of skating is not circling around on some uninspired indoor rink with music blaring in the background. We like wide open spaces and skate for miles on rivers and lakes. Frozen nose hairs are an added bonus.
Keystone Lake is about as close to The Real Skating Deal as I have come since moving to the United States. They boast their five-acre lake is the largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor skating rink in North America. My little clan had the time of our lives cruising around, watching the pick-up hockey game and marveling at the mountain grandeur as flurries of ice particles glittered in the swirling air. It was the perfect cut of Canada.
Minus the frozen nose hairs.
When the Spa & Sleigh Rides Do Not Mix
While at the Keystone Lodge and Spa I received the Aboriginal Mala Mayi treatment. After a gentle full-body scrub, I was covered in silky warm Mapi Body Mud, received a Paudi scalp massage, followed by a full-body Marta Kodo massage. It was 100 minutes of sheer bliss, only to be interrupted by a mad dash to Keystone’s famous sleigh ride dinner with my family.
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It should have been the perfect evening in our horse-drawn sleigh. Snuggling up to my children as we soared across Soda Creek Valley’s snowy wonderland. Watching the snowflakes collect on their lashes as we gazed up at the explosion of stars. Hearing them giggle in delight as we arrived at the restored ranch homestead. Eating a delicious four-course steak dinner with all the fixins’. Laughing as we sang along to cowboy tunes all night.
But it wasn’t perfect. Not for me, anyway.
Remember that blissful massage I had a couple hours prior? There was some detoxification involved. The kind that involves flushing the bad toxins out of my body at a very rapid rate. I’ll stop there. Just know that I became very acquainted with the cowboy outhouse all evening long. I learned then what I should have known all along: cowboys and spas should never, ever mix.
Maybe I should just stick to sking like a girl.
What are some of your favorite getaways in your area? And most importantly: would you ever ski with a pink boa?
Author: Amber Johnson
Amber is the founder and editor of Mile High Mamas, travel writer and former columnist for The Denver Post. She is a passionate community builder and loves the outdoors. She has two awesome teens and is happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin.
mommyknows
I love Sunshine Village in Banff National Park for skiing. LOVE it! Most likely wouldn’t wear a boa, well not for free anyway.
My kids love going to Drumheller in the Alberta Badlands in the summer to hike and fossil hunt.
Amber Johnson
Sunshine is one of my favorites as well. I have fond memories of skipping the gondola ride and just skiing out back to our car!
Alison
I would not wear a pink boa around town, but I wouldn’t mind skiing with one! The slopes sort of promote unique behavior as it is! I think I need to ask for one of these clinics for xmas next year! My husband doesn’t ski (he had to have surgery after his one and only ski experience after moving to CO 10 years ago). And, I have not skied for the last two winters since having my son! Oh — and my favorite get away is Steamboat — my mom grew up there and I’ve always loved starting out with breakfast made by Grandma, followed by a day of skiing, an afternoon of ice skating and then an evening of soaking in the natural hot springs!
Amber
I would seriously recommend Betty Fest, especially if you’re the only one who skis in your family. There is nothing like female bonding on the slopes!
Tia Juana
You know Amber, as I read this I couldn’t help but think, once again, at how different we are from one another. That is until I got to that last paragraph. I’m lactose intolerant. Enough said.
Just goes to show that no matter how different our lives are, we’re pretty much just humans…..
tracey
Oh… dear….
Well. Glad you had fun on everything else, at least!
Kimberly
I just love reading about your adventures. Sledding is about as far as I dare go when it comes to outdoor/snow adventures! You definitely have me considering to try it!
Ice Cream
You always make me want to move to Colorado. Only you could do that.
Terra
ok, I am thinking maybe that detox could help me drop the 6 pounds I am unmotivated to lose? Hmmmm. We love Beaver Creek and our sleigh rides take us more than half way up the mountain to Beanos cabin (in the winter they are driven by snowcats rather than horses) snow blowing in your face, some people singing, scratchy wool blankets and all in the name of “experience” but it is great and we do it often.
Stephanie
Wow! What a fun trip. I really wish I lived in Colorado.
Guinevere Meadow
I want to come on a ski trip with you!!! Only I’ve never, ever, skiied (sp?) in my LIFE so I’m sure you would be highly entertained by me.
chellie
I love the pink boa. I’d totally ski with it. 🙂
You make me want to experience Colorado. Is it better skiing than Utah? We were recently in Utah and they had the moguls ready to go for the big world competition. It was amazing… oh and the ski jumps were unreal.
chellie
I just typed a comment but don’t see it…
hmmm
Anyway, I’d totally ski with a pink boa – bring it on!
We were recently in Utah at Deer Valley and saw the moguls and ski jumps ready for the world competition – it was AMAZING.
I’d like to experience Colorado.. but is the skiing as good as Utah?
yvonne
That pink boa is so cute–if only I skied ; )
You are so right about Canadians and outdoor ice skating rinks (and, the frozen nose hairs ; )
What an adventure!!!
Michelle at Scribbit
Do you know how jealous I am of you right this very minute?
It’s killing me.
Tirzah
Skiing like a girls sounds like a lot of fun! I just wish I wasn’t such a klutz! I’ve never tried skiing!
Amber
Great comments, ladies. And it’s never too late to try skiing. Just hook up with a great instructor like I had at Keystone and it makes your experience so much better. I have quit trying to teach friends–I just don’t have the patience or knowledge of how to do it!
Amber
Chellie–Skiing Colorado is every bit as good as Utah. I’ve skied and loved them both! Utah’s advantages: great snow, lots of ski areas within 45 minutes of the airport. Drawback: Park City is the only real resort town.
Colorado’s: Great snow, fantastic ski towns all over the state. Drawback: I-70 traffic is a nightmare and you can get stuck for hours. Best to overnight it.
Amber
Tia Juana–If mulitple trips to the outhouse make me “human”, well…..
Damselfly
Lovelovelove the boa!
Where I live, Bettys are surfer girls.
GrumpyAngel
You make it sound so blissful almost to the point of convicning this tropical island girl that she wants to go skiing with a boa 🙂 Almost, but not quite. I love reading about your adventures though, in the warmth of my home in 70 degree California weather.
MommyTime
That sounds like a heavenly weekend. I don’t know if I ski like a girl or now, but I know for certain that I fall like a champ. (I grew up in Georgia; not a lot of ski territory in the deep south). However, if given even the smallest chance, I would ski with a pink boa on any day of the week!
Amber Johnson
Sorry, pics are no longer showing up. Server problems!