Straight From the Peak

2010-08-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

I got the first of what will be about 5 Buyers Guides in the mail yesterday. For me, this signals the official end of summer. Gin and Tonics are out, bikini away, bring out the fattening beer and start putting on that winter weight. Ski Season is coming.

I threw a lawn chair, a couple tennis balls, a can of Fat Tire, the magazine, and the dogs in the car and drove up to the mountains where I proceeded to throw the tennis ball for 90 minutes while I devoured the issue. Who’s wearing what?! What ski companies accidently named their skis the same thing?! How can I ski like Seth Morrison? Does he get a senior’s discount yet?

The more I read, the more peeved I became. I put the magazine down, hopped in the truck and drove home thinking- am I old? Am I out of it? Am I not as steezy as I think I am? I began to get nervous. I felt uncomfortable. For the first time, I was pretty sure the Lange Girl was younger than me. How could I relate to a ski industry that had adverts of people wearing tall tees?

Then, as I do with most problems, I realized that the problem isn’t me. And here’s why.

The editor’s comments at the beginning of the mag began with “remember straight skis? Me neither.” What does the mean? Humour? Is it an attempt to point out how far we’ve come that straight skis are obsolete? All it did was make me realize that the industry was far from catering to people my age and older…and I’m not even 30. Is the industry done talking to me and exclusively aiming at kids in tall tees?
$160 googles. For months, and months, I saved up for the most expensive pair of goggles on the market. They were $129 Oakley A Frames with Iridium Lenses. I scratched the lenses day 2 and have felt stupid ever since. If Ikea can make a great set up cups for $1 each, I truly believe that the eyewear industry can rock out a pair of kick-ass goggles for $50.
Pro Set Ups. Check out what the pros advertise as wearing. Skis- Armada, Goggles- Smith, Gloves- Pow, blah blah blah. I read each pro’s set-up and noticed that most of the time, something was missing. Maybe they wouldn’t list a jacket or a boot sponsor. I decided THAT was what I was most interested in. If somebody wasn’t paying them to wear something, what would these rockstars of skiing wear? Are they ashamed of their 2007 Dolomites that fit oh-so-good? Did their mom make their long underwear? Are the rocking something supremely unhip, that works supremely well? Now that’s innovative. That’s good Buying Advice.

I guess that’s it. I still love the issues. I read them cover to cover. I can’t afford new stuff this year, but I’m going to beg, borrow and steal to get those new Volkl Katanas. I’ll just be rockin’ the same old gear to go with it. Homemade long undies, scratched Oakley A Frames, 2007 Noridica Boots and no tall tess in site.

The Throne

2010-06-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

There’s something funny about skiers, snowboarders and furniture.

Is it a throne? A statue? A commemorative piece to equipment past? Can we not bear to throw away pieces of equipment that we probably dropped thousands of dollars on over the years? Sadly thinking, is my ski chair the most expensive piece of furniture I own?

From my neighbour’s ski fence to my other neighbours’ ski bench to our new store’s Chairlift Benches, there is some sense of worship and pride about furniture (and property enclosures). I remember my first chair- I collected about two dozen straight as can be skis from friends, ski shop trashcans and whatever of my own quiver I could stand to saw up. I remember it being like cutting $100 bills in half. I bought a porch chair kit from the hardware store, discarded half of it and assembled my domestic pride…now a cottage porch chair.

Perhaps we look upon those with house and homewares made of skis and snowboards as the truly dedicated to the sport. Could anyone really doubt that a guy who’s fence is made entirely of skis, one snowboard and 3 cross country skis as being anything less than a truly passionate lifelong skier? Or is that we feel the need to display our past – from long skinny race skis as bench slats to a flirting affair with snowblades as arm rests? Or maybe it’s just easier to pay homage to thousands of dollars of equipment that we just can’t bare to put them in the dumpster. Like our wedding photos and college diplomas hung on the wall, our porches display our proud pasts.

However, if there’s anything more admirable than ski furniture, it must be the chairlift furniture. A double chairlift made into a porch swing? Pure gold in terms of ski culture credibility. Quite simply, it means that you were in some way so engrained in a mountain community that you scored a chair…you stuck around long enough for one to get removed, you worked for the mountain, you won it from the mountain, you knew where or who to steal it from, you had a ski buddy with enough muscle to help you move the bloody thing, you had the know-how to weld on legs and deal with a hanger arm. Quite simply, more than others around you, you knew what you were doing. Eye on the prize, dear ski furniture fellows.

Through this summer and fall, Red Lodge Mountain Resort is gently taking down your beloved Midway Express (are chainsaws gentle?). Before you all ask ‘BUT WHY?! WE LOVE THE MIDWAY EXPRESS!’ – yup, yup, we hear you. The Midway Express would cost more than 8,333 memberships to Foster and Logan’s beer club to bring up to code to actually run for you loyal skiers and boarders, so alas, she’s gotta go.

Anyway, back to the chainsaws. There are 42 chairs on the Midway Express, 2 have been made into benches for our downtown store and about 5 more are destined for bench-dome, a couple for charities and the rest for the peeps. The first one will be given away the July 4^th and 5 p.m. from our Downtown Location. How to enter? Just purchase anything in the store from July 1 (try to pull yourself away from your Canada Day celebration) through July 4^th and we’ll hand you a ballot to win. Like the cereal commercials say, ‘no purchase necessary…..’ but you’ll have to find the ballots elsewhere. Check out our website for some ideas!

Winter Carnival

2010-04-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Vote now! The theme of the 2011 Winter Carnival is up to you! Vote via the little poll on the right side of your screen.

Spring Skiing

2010-03-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

I love snow, I love the beginning of winter, I love the heart of winter, and I love the blustering cold of winter.

However, by the middle of March, more than any of this, I love spring skiing. Damn the torpedoes, bring on the sun – melt the snow, get the pond ready for the skim, move the bands to the deck, bring on the goggle tan. I’m ready.

There are several sure signs it’s time for spring skiing. The mud encapsulates the parking lot…it drifts up the snow, turning Miami Beach into, well, Miami Beach. Men unzip their pant zippers to reveal, well, everything – especially thighs that probably don’t even see sunlight in July. High School girls take off their winter jackets to inexplicably reveal spaghetti straps. The sit freezing, but looking good on the decks in hopes of being the first with summer tans. Die Hards refuse to remove their goggles on the chair, on the slopes, on the deck, in the parking lot, in the car all with the supreme goal of the perfect goggle tan. College dudes that ski in a t-shirt, maybe even shorts and battle corn-snow burn.

It probably still freezes at night, rendering skiing before 11 a.m. borderline terrible. On a side note- I just realized that Telluride just changed their hours of op to 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. – genius. With daylight savings time, why wouldn’t you? Doesn’t mean you should ski there instead of here, but it’s cool. Skiing from noon to 2 p.m. is brilliant. Soft, corn snow on groomers, chalky grippy snow on steep chutes…there’s no other conditions that can make you feel like more of a rock star.

It’s a great time to try something new! Brave a snowboard, tackle tele-ing…don’t snow-blade, obviously, but try something new. Well, not spaghetti straps either.

Ironically, as I’m writing this, it’s puking outside. Red Lodge Mountain is famous for March snowstorms. I’ve promised hundreds of people booking their vacation (including my parents) that the snow comes in March! Pack your fat boards! However, I did just spend 2 days in 50 degree weather working on my goggle tan. Maybe March is the perfect season for the best of both worlds. Powder days AND exposed man-thigh? We should only be so lucky.

My Olympic Favs.

2010-02-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

1. Random Countries, Random sports. 216 athletes will compete from the United States. A 17 year old named Mehdhi-Selim Khelefi will be competing in cross country. He’s from Algeria (that place famous for its cross-country trails in Northern Africa). A sweet little 35 year old from Ghana will compete in the Downhill event. Both are the only guys competing from their country. I hope in my heart of hearts that at least someone invites them out for a beer. Or that they win gold. One or the other.

2. Spandex. My favourite thing about spandex is the following: you meet a person at the bar or the grocery store and they seem totally normal. BUT, this person might go home, or to some sporting venue and put on skin-tight full-body (head included!) attire and go about their business. YOU’D NEVER KNOW! Spandex is only for the truly brave and truly fit and it takes a real man or woman to wear it, though I suspect it’s something they’d never tell you about.

3. Doubles Luge. I think nothing displays true trust and friendship more than donning a full body spandex outfit, lying on another man’s lap, getting on a small medal sled and roaring down a medal track at 80 mph. I only wish I had friends that good.

4. It could happen to anyone. I grew up Racing at Chicopee Ski Hill, which had a vertical drop of almost 200 feet and over 225,000 skier visits per year. I grew up to be a mediocre skier who poses a minor threat at Town Series Racing (mostly at the after party), but my nemesis Kelly grew up to kick my ass at Chicopee Racing, High School Racing and generally put a giant shadow over my reign of those 200 vertical feet. Kelly qualified for the 2010 Olympics in the downhill and made the national team. The moral of the story? Anyone can qualify for the Olympics, especially if they’re a better skier than me.

5. Obscure Sports. When I was younger, I participated in soccer, skiing and softball. There were occasional weirdos who got to ride horses, or do figure skating, but there wasn’t a single kid who did aerials on the weekend or went out skate skiing and shooting after school. Where do these people come from? How, as a parent, do you say to your kid- “yeah, snowboarding’s cool, but have you considered soaring 70 metres through the air on fat tele gear? Your mother thinks it’s a great idea.”

6. Random Mascots: What in the hell are these things? Is there a “How to Run The Olympics” Handbook? Step one: choose date. Step two: build stadium. Step three: buy crayola crayons for mascot design. What do these have to do with anything? Nada- but everyone wants their picture with one! Marketing genius those Olympic folk.

7. Non-athletic sports. I like when people can compete in sports and not be athletes. I bet most of the US Curling Team works part time at Home Depot and pound a sixer of Miller High Life before, during and after a match. This gives me hope for becoming an Olympic athlete. I’m probably not even going to start trying until I’m 41.

8. Ski Ballet. Seriously. Whatever happened to ski ballet? Will it come back? Should I throw away my 6 foot poles, hopes and dreams? Wikipedia tells me that ski ballet was a demonstration sport in 2 Olympics, but was “discontinued” after 2000. I guess I should have paid closer attention.

9. Figure Skaters on the podium: I occasionally skate at the local rink in Red Lodge and the most harrowing part of it is “walking” from the change room to the ice. Whenever I watch those gold medalists ascend to the part of a podium my heart races. I know it’s not patriotic or “in the spirit of the olympics,” but every time they teeter up those steps, I hope that I’m about to watch the first Rodeo 540 off the podium.

10. Hockey. There is simply nothing on the face of the earth more exciting that Olympic hockey. However, let’s crank it up a notch, and have Olympic Hockey in a country that lives for Olympic Hockey. Imagine if the Canadians lose?! Now THAT’S entertainment. Seriously though, Olympic hockey rules.

NEW YEAR, NEW SPORT

2010-01-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

It’s not easy to try a new activity of any type, but I think there’s something especially incredible about people, especially adults, who try skiing. Let’s weigh it out- here’s a sport that you will try and fail (for a while) at in front of an enormous audience. It’s cold. The equipment is weird. It’s winter and you’re outside. Everyone around you seems to find it effortless. And you’re going to fall. As adults, we don’t typically take up activities that involve us falling. Learning to ski or snowboard is the equivalent of learning to ice skate in a deep freeze at intermission of the Superbowl. Learning to ski or snowboard is only for the truly brave, (or truly clueless).

Think about it. As an adult, what other sport are you going to take up in the latter part of your life? Well, you’ll probably try golf. You’ll put on slacks, a collared shirt, maybe get some shoes, rent some clubs and whack a ball around on a lawn. Short of your total lack of skill, you’ll be an expert. You won’t fall. No one will be watching you. You’ll know how to get in and out of your golf cart. It will be warm. If you hate it, you can just drink a beer and go home. Now let’s look at your first day on skis. You don’t know where to go, who to talk to. You’re going to fall. You have to get on (and off!) a moving sky-chair (oh god- you forgot you were afraid of heights). You’re either super cold or super hot and EVERYONE is watching you learn.

I recently talked to some folks that tried out snowboarding for the first time. Two adults enrolled in the First Timer program and went through the process of renting equipment and going out for a group lesson ($49!). I talked with them after they got their equipment. “He tied my boots for me!” exclaimed one of them. I asked if they had to pick out their own equipment. “Nope- they just handed me this board and asked if I knew how to use the bindings,” they replied (I think they were relieved at being asked- there’s nothing worse than feeling ill-prepared when you’re out on the snow).

Getting suited up seemed to have gone well for them. I braced myself for their on-snow experience. Would they feel like they were getting beat up by bikers in a walk-in cooler or would they be comfortable? Turns out- it wasn’t that big of a deal. In a group of 10 adults and 6 kids, there were 4 instructors – 2 devoted entirely to the adults. One of the instructors was even a senior instructor who instead of teaching snobby private lessons to rich heiresses was down at the ground level, using his expertise to talk to full-grown adults about a new activity. One particularity (and evidently nerdy) fellow I talked to commented regarding having this instructor “I didn’t really get this whole ‘falling leaf’ concept until Ryan talked to me about torsional flex.” Perfect- appropriate language for the crowd.

“So…are you awesome now?” I asked. He shrugged- “He says I’m ready for a Skillbuilder Lesson.” I asked if he could turn. “Oh- I only do heelside.” I thought that it would be a long way down the mountain doing only heelside. But then I considered that if he was ready to do that and felt good enough about his first day to try again, that this was a successful lesson. Not bad for a first timer.

Looking for advice on trying Skiing or Snowboarding?

Read some advise for newbies
Check out our special “Learn to Ride or Ski in 3” Lesson Special
Check out the Mini Park on Miami Beach- keep challenging yourself and KEEP TRYING NEW THINGS!

2009-11-28T07:39:00.000-08:00

Over 1400 people were on hand to help up celebrate our 50th Opening on November 27....Check it out!

New Year: New Gear

2009-11-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

I got new skis this summer. They lived in my living room for about a month and to be honest with you, if there was room, I would have set them a place at my kitchen table. There’s something incredible about new gear- it creates this tangible anticipation for the upcoming season. In the winter, these skis will spend countless hours under my feet and I’ll spend countless chair lift rides staring down at them dreaming of my next turns.

The evening after the new toys were mounted, I sat around the pub with some good ski friends and we talked about skis over our life time- the first “capped” skis, how we used to call those new skis “parabolic,” the first 1080s, the introduction of snowblades, how cool Volant and their stainless steel was.

It made me think about the ski through my life. My first pair of skis were a pair of shiny new brandless skis that featured mickey mouse from tip to tail. My father was ecstatic that skiing would now be eternally fused into our family culture, my mother not as enthused, due to the price tag of these mickey mouse sticks.

For the next 6 years, I would ski exclusively on close-out rental gear. When I close my eyes, I still cringe at how the dull grey Elans dulled my fluorescent purple onesie/hot pink goggle ensemble that I begged and begged for.

After saving my allowance for about 2 years, picking up dog crap and washing the car for a summer, I saved up enough money to purchase my first pair of real skis. My ever-enthusiastic father took me to an outlet store and I spent an eternity studying my possibilities. My $120 finally went towards a pair of stick-straight Fishers- black for once. Finally! The dull grey rental Elans were dead! I was free, hip and had shiny new skis. I polished them, waxed them and when the top coat scratched, I filled it in with a black sharpie. I was in heaven.

My next pair of skis came as a Christmas present- a pair of Salomon F9s in a 183. I was 5 feet tall and skiing the icy slopes of Ontario. I bought a pair of junior Salomon bindings and was inspired. With my “extreme” skis, I dreamed of going west.

I spent the next three years working in a ski shop that enabled me to what I would discover to be the greatest invention in the ski business- The Pro Deal. Enter my first “parabolic skis”- the outrageously priced Volkl P30s. They were hot, hot, hot. Unfortunately, they didn’t help my racing career, so I traded them in for my second and last pro deal on skis- I bought a pair of Rossignol Bandit XXs, quit my job and moved to Whistler.

Like many whistler-ites, I enjoyed myself a bit too much and ended up back in my parents’ basement in Ontario. I regressed to icy slopes, went back to school, bought a pair of Atomic something or anothers (Beta Technology- so, so hot) and tore up the icy slopes. I got bored. Mounted a pair of telemark bindings on my XXs, snowboarded. Grew disenchanted. Looked West.

Nelson, BC- powder haven. I bought AT bindings and G3. Against every ounce of better judgment, I began to walk up mountains to ski them. The G3s would be fun to go up hills on, but awful to ski down on. I was too poor to buy new skis. I suffered. I would continue to suffer. I snowboarded. I telemarked. Anything to get away from bad skis. I became a worse, slower skier. I grew sad.

And then, after an long shopping process, a new pair of K2s lies next to my desk like a loyal dog asking to be taken out for a walk, begging to be played with. They hold promise of a season of loving skiing, loving going fast, loving exploring, lovingly staring down at my new toys from endless rides up the chair.

Time Lapse Webcam

2009-11-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

It started snowing September 30 and snowed HARD for days. Those willing to skin or hike up enjoyed thigh-deep powder runs all over the mountain.

2009-11-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

Let’s get something straight. I do not make a point of going to the suburbs on purpose. However, let’s combine several of my favourite elements and rethink this.

First, let’s throw in a bar with enthusiasm. A bar/restaurant/casino with a giant flat screen, heaps of booze and a willingness to sign us off on their certificate of insurance.

Second, toss in our brand new 15’ rail and the expert hand of Terrain Park rockstar Mick Thompson and his lovely bride.

Third, and this one is important- just enough snow to get a kid ON to the rail and just enough to make him think he can clear getting off the rail. He can’t, of course, but it all about what you can convince a kid he can do.

Fourth, and this one is my favourite – a tractor. There are few rail jams that I’ve been to (and I’ve been to my fair share) where the event is put on by a guy who organizes it, builds the ramp, competes in it and drive a tractor hauling the snow. More jams should be like this.

Fifth, hills be damned, just have the kids climb a ladder onto the roof trellis and hit a skinny ramp off the roof. Waivers signed? Awesome.

Sixth, add the new TGR movie, have a local kid who had a big part in the movie introduce it and then roll out some sick spins and handplants in the flick.

Seventh, and I can’t stress this enough- make it on Halloween. Costumes really perk up a show- from a 5 year old dressed as Luigi to a 20 year old dressed as Max from Where the Wild Things Are to girls dressed as any variation of “Skanky _____” (Skanky bumblebee? Skanky cowgirl? Skanky Bo-Peep? Skanky Swine Flu? GOLD.)

So we drove to the suburb, ate Chinese buffet (bomb), drank Bud Lite in a parking lot, and I experienced my first freestyle event in Billings, MT. Truth be told, I didn’t know what to expect – I’m still new to the area and didn’t know what the scene would be- Billings is a pretty small town and rail jams are a pretty niche thing… Would people show up to celebrate snow culture in a strip mall parking lot? We’re a long way from Whistler, from Park City, from Telluride…could this generate any hype?

I never should have doubted an event that lets me drink beer in a parking lot. The bottom line is- people love bright lights, loud music and kids risking their existence for free stuff. I have to applaud everyone there- it was a beautiful night full of weird people, a great movie and a lot of love for snow. I can’t wait for the next one.

For more pictures, check out our bookface....

Thoughts on the First Storm.

2009-10-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

Things I did in the last 24 hours

Observed weather report. Looks ominous.

Put BBQ and hammock away…damn.

Watched snowflakes innocently drift to ground.

Find Sorels.

Brush off car.

Look for snow shovel. Seems to be missing. Write off snow shovel. Will buy one tomorrow.

Take dogs for walk to IGA to buy wine. Mum says never to endure a snow storm without bottle of red. Pinot if possible.

Brush off dogs. Curse liquidification of snow.

Wore Sorels during The Simpsons – enjoy warm toes.

Watch snowflakes pile up. Look again for snow shovel. Still missing.

Begin to worry about location of snow shovel.

Brush off car.

Note snowflakes sticking to ground. Like magnets. Heavy magnets

Laugh at neighbor shoveling. Pretend that I wouldn’t be shoveling if knew location of shovel.

Brush off car.

Go to sleep.

Sleep peacefully.

Awake at 6 a.m. Answer partner’s question- “no, I don’t know where the snow shovel is.”

Shuttle neighbourhood to work in truck.

Ponder writing poem about the glory of 4-wheel drive.

Find avalanche shovel in basement.

Move neighbour’s Chevy Aveo (aka “Rollerskate”) from parking spot to Broadway in under 45 minutes. Feel surge of pride. Exchange high-fives.

Eat 3 eggo waffles and drink 2 cups of coffee.

Mop floor. Dogs love snow.

Shovel with avalanche shovel. Get laughed at by neighbour.
Curse neighbour and his preachy snow shovel.

Leave early for work.

Get stuck on Rock Creek road behind 16-wheel garbage truck trying to do a three-point turn Austin Powers in Alaska style. Take photos with phone. Send photos to Rollerskate Neighbour.

Arrive at work. Tally up snow throughout day. Do little “actual work.” Blog. Dream about skiing.

As I write this, there are two guys with boards hiking up under the triple. There are lots of closer places to ride (especially since the lifts aren't running), but these guys are here, decked out and hiking up. nice freshies, guys.

This One's for You, Rutecki.

2009-09-30T15:18:00.001-07:00

In 1993, my best friend Dexter and I quit our jobs in Detroit and moved out west to become ski instructors. I immersed myself in my job and became a total hotshot. A rich businesswoman even started supporting me even though I was falling in love with a girl at the local radio station.

Fast forward 16 years. I’m a blogger for Red Lodge Mountain Resort. All in all, a successful career.

Here’s the point. It snowed today. Well, correction- it IS snowing today. Like, puking. Yesterday it was a balmy 20˚C. And today, well – it’s a smooth 3” of snow. And what does the first snow of the year have to do with me ripping off the plot of Aspen Extreme and passing it off as my own biography? First, it’s a sign of my blatant embracing of plagiarism. And second – it means that summer is so, so over.
For the next 2 months, I will be submersing myself in Ski Movies Galore to prepare myself for the upcoming season. This pre-season line-up? Here’s my top three:

TGR’s ‘Tangerine Dream,’ for its excellent downtown RL content.

MSP’s ‘There’s Something About McConkey,’ for its excellent McConkey.

Aspen Extreme, which features the excellent line embraced by all East Coasters. Upon examining the competition for Ski Instructor school, a nervous, but superior skier, Dexter Rutecki comments, “These guys are good, Teej.” To which a less talented, but sassier TJ Burke replies, “Yeah, but they’re not from Detroit.”

Here’s to preseason and the first snow of the year. Can I go skiing yet?

I LIKE TO PARTY.

2009-09-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

On September 19, 2009, several hundred loyal passholders gathered to celebrate all things skiing and snowboarding. They gripped complimentary beers and brats, stood in a giant line and talked about the summer that was and the season that would be. And it was hot.
As an entertainer of those line-standers, I observed several things about the community queuing up to have their photos taken by RLMR’s resident professional photographers. First, when there is the promise of free beer, food, or fresh powder, these people show up EARLY. Second, when I’m holding beer tickets, I’m actually much more attractive that I think I am. Third, when holding a delicious Red Lodge Ale/Lager/Pilsner/Heff in hand, people actually find lines to be much shorter.

Quite the showing, Red Lodge. I was blatantly impressed with the number of people who showed up and enjoyed the community, the indulgent grass patio and the musical stylings of Lee Moran. Here’s what I was more impressed with. We came, we partied, we photographed and not 12 hours later, get this – it got cold. Did you look up at the mountain? That was snow Monday morning, baby.

Looking at the weather report, it won’t stay cold for long, but if that’s a sign from the weather gods that I should drink more local beer, hang out with more season passholders and think more and more about the pending season, I’ll do my best to get this winter rolling.

We here at RLMR would like to sincerely thank our boyfriends and girlfriends at Red Lodge Ales/Sam’s Tap Room for sweating their butts off making sure that you all had beer and brat in hand and smile on face. Those guys know how to throw a party.

The Struggle for Ultimate Tree Runs

2009-09-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

It’s like a powder day, except for goats. And with food, instead of snow.

Let’s back up. According to my internet research, long before man, long before dinosaur, even before transformers walked the earth, goats ruled as noble, fierce creatures. They munched their way through fields of knapweed and other noxious weeds to rule the planet.

Fast forward several dozens of thousands of years to present day. Man has lost out to knapweed, thanks to a brutal and vicious uprising of uncontrollable trends – globalization, skiing in jeans and some phenomenon called the Jonas Brothers. Knapweed runs rampant.

Man attempts to combat knapweed by throwing immense financial backing and manpower behind the effort. With chemicals, labour, machinery and money they spray, spray, spray this infectious combative weed. Man struggles.

Enter the return of God’s Deadliest Creature: The Goat. Demolishing a quarter of its weight in weeds every day, knapweed meets its match. Cost-effective, environmentally friendly and, well, adorable, a herd of goats not only gets the job done, but amuses office workers to no extent in the off season.

Red Lodge Mountain Resort salutes these brave and hungry barnyard animals. As 400 members of this vicious army chomps away, native plants are given a chance to thrive and grow into what we all prize among the highest of rewards for Green Efforts: Epic Tree Runs.

Munch on little goats.

Blog-A-Licious

2009-08-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to RLMR's inaugural blog posting. If I stare at the computer screen long enough, I think I will be able to get my mind away from skiing. If it wasn't for those bloody SteepandCheap pop-ups telling me about deals on bindings and goggles and stuff I totally need.

As it's a balmy 55 degrees out (in August. Really?), all I can do is think about skiing. Did I mention that it snowed at the summit this weekend? Having the best job in the world, my job is pump skiing 24/7/365 and all through July through September, all I think about is Season Passes. So while you slackers are slumming it up on the trails, the river and the lake, I've been waxing my new K2 Phat Luvs and getting you The Best Season Pass Deal Ever.

You've got about three weeks left to save big and score at Season Pass for $395. You wanna know who else has a $395 THREE MOUNTAIN Season Pass? Nobody. Did you know that you can ski at Homewood Mountain Resort and Alpine Meadows in Lake Tahoe FOR FREE with your RLMR Pass? Yup. No messing around up here. You also get 10% off all Retail, Rentals, Demos, Lessons and Food (no beer though, we're not TRYING to go bankrupt here) at the mountain, $39 Midweek Buddy Passes AND 2 rounds of free golf next summer at the RLMR Golf Course.

It's all because we love you. Now buy your pass so I can get back to waxing my skis.