Snowmass/Aspen, Colorado

Date: March 11-18, 2017
Trip Leader: Raghu Naik
Trip Assistant: Len Szymanski  

Thanks to our members who met at Ericsson parking lot in a timely manner, we were off to LaGuardia by 7:25 a.m.  After dealing with construction on the way, we arrived at check-in at 9:40.  With plenty of time to grab a bite to eat, we boarded at 11:15 and were off to Denver.

Arriving at Denver at 1:45 p.m. we claimed our luggage and met with our fellow travelers who booked their own flights.  We boarded our bus for Snowmass and after a short stop for food and beverages, we resumed our journey.  Traveling along I-70 we were treated to views of the Rockies and a great sunset.

When we arrived at the Pokolodi Lodge, the staff handled our luggage and delivered it to our rooms.  It was a nice surprise to see all rooms had been remodeled since our last visit in 2014. 

Sunday morning began with a buffet breakfast and we were treated to a majestic sunrise over the Rockies.  Finally, it was time to ski – but where to start?!  Snowmass, Aspen, Aspen Highlands or Buttermilk?  Thanks to great transportation, one could ski one or two or more in a day!

Sunday night was time for a wine and cheese welcome hosted by the Pokolodi, which the hotel kindly repeated on Monday night.  On Wednesday it was the club’s turn to offer wine, beer, cheese and appetizers after a long day of skiing.

A nice bonus on this trip was the World Cup F.I.S. final races at Aspen.  Many of us attended the men’s and women’s downhill on March 15, the men’s and women’s Super G on the 16^th, and the Alpine team slalom on the 17^th.  For this event men and women ski down the course side-by-side.  Team slalom will be an event in the next Olympics.  Let’s just say that all the racers were very fast!

After each day’s races, it was possible to go to the World Cup Village where we could visit many vendors.  At night we found racers signing autographs and, later in the evening, there were concerts.  We also got to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day while there.  There is more to a Holmdel Ski Club trip than just skiing!

After a week of fun, it was time for our clean-out the fridge party on Friday evening.  The following morning, we gathered at the breakfast buffet and, after a good breakfast, we loaded the bus.  Time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery on the way to Denver airport.  Saying goodbye to those who booked their own flights, we headed to our gate and left for LaGuardia.  Once there, it was one more time of loading the bus and then we were off to Piscataway.  Once at Ericsson, we unloaded the bus in short order.  There were lots of handshakes, hugs, and wishing everyone well before we headed for home, tired but happy.

Raghu and Len would like to thank all participants for their patience and help.  See you next time!

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