Resort Report – Killin’ it in Keystone

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With ski/board season right around the corner…I want to give you some basic reports on some of the best resorts in Colorado. A majority of Colorado resorts are planning to open in early November. Fortunate for you, a lot of the best resorts in the west are nestled in Summit County. I want to start with Keystone Resort. There’s a multitude of terrain options at Keystone. One look at the trail map and you’ll notice terrain for all abilities and styles. Keystone is composed of three unique and awesome mountains… Dercum Mountain, North Peak and The Outback. Below are basic facts about this great mountain.

Base Elevation: 9,280 ft.

Summit Elevation: 12,408 ft.

Vertical Drop: 3,128 ft.

Skiable Terrain: 3,148 acres

No. of Lifts: 20

No. of Trails: 135

Annual Snowfall: 230 in.

Awesome backcountry skiing at Keystone

What I love best: Keystone, in my opinion has some of the best tree runs in Colorado. Well spaced trees and slopes that hold deep powder are what you can find on the backside and in the back bowls at Keystone. I also love that when the snow conditions are poor, you can play in one of the best park set-ups in Summit County. Not only can you easily choose and navigate the A51 park runs according to your ability, but you can take a lift right back up to the top and hurt yourself all over again. A51 is also open at night with jams that help your focus and soothe your aching body!

The tree runs at Keystone make me smile!

Keystone offers some great unique opportunities for those snow-birds that want more than your average resort experience; they offer both night skiing and awesome backcountry KAT skiing via snowcats. Keystone is scheduled to open on November 4.

When the season hits full swing and you’re ready to rock some new terrain, come in to Pioneer Sports to purchase your discounted lift tickets. We have a kiosk located right in our store and we are only 20 minutes away from Keystone.

Heart to Hart

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Ok, let’s get honest with one another… ski season is on its way FAST, and you need to upgrade those beat-up, worn-down, rickedy ol’ skis. You know you have been wanting to upgrade, but you can’t let go. You’re holding on to the nostalgia of the skis more than the realization of their archaic performance and style. It’s time for a heart to Hart talk.

Pioneer Sports is proud to be Summit County’s exclusive dealer and demo center for Hart Skis. Pioneer Sports in Frisco will be carrying largest inventory of Hart Skis in Colorado. Hart fashioned its first seamless metal-edged ski in 1955 and by the mid-1960’s, was one of the most recognized ski brand domestically and dominated the ski market. It was also during the 1960’s that freestyle skiing became a incredibly popular across the globe, thus launching Hart as a mainstay, not only in the US, but around the world. Hart Skis are known for the quality of their materials and hand-craftsmanship.

Whether you compete with the world’s best, or you like to rock the park, Hart has you covered with a variety of highly engineered ski series:
F17 Series Mogul
F Series All Mountain
The Big Mountain Series
Park & Pipe
Race

Hart Ski ski products are warranted to be free of defects in workmanship and materials for one year from the date of purchase.

Come in to Pioneers Sports, Frisco, this fall/winter to demo a Hart Skis model or two (or three)…I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

It’s Time for Local’s Month

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A sweet sale dedicated to YOU…the unique flavor of Summit County!

Come check out Pioneer Sports 2nd annual month-long Locals’ Sale. This is the sale of the season as we gear up for another epic year of skiing and snowboarding! The sale starts the 1st of October and ends on October 31st.

If you’ve been keeping track of the season pregression (I lose track often as summer seems to fly by ever year), you’ve discovered that summer is officially over and fall is here. The aspen leaves are turning golden as a reminder that a season of transition is upon us. The reality of fall for many of us is that it’s the foretaste to another season playing in the pow pow! A summit county winter wonderland is on it’s way; in fact, it’s brewing that perfect blend that we all enjoy and love. I was making my way into the backcountry on a weekend journey in central colorado two weeks ago and ran into some snow-like conditions. Well, not JUST snow-like, but snow was actually falling on me! The next morning I awoke to a blanket of white-capped mountains above treeline…another sign of the year in transition. It made me dream of myself carving on top of the “fluffy” stuff while dodging some trees on my favorite run. It also made me think…what do I NEED to upgrade or buy before the ski season kick starts?

Find sweet discounts on all of last year’s gear from 50-70% off and 20% off the new stuff. And, it’s not just a sale on our hard lines, but choose from all the top apparel and accessory brands as well.

Also, Pioneer Sports is Summit County’s Exclusive Hart Skis Dealer.  

The best freestyle skis out there!

If you know anything about Hart, you know they are making some of the best and most advanced mogul and freestyle skis on the market today. They also have some sweet all mountain skis. Some Hart models that you definately want to check out at Pioneer Sports are the F.17, the Outback, the One, the Attack and the Pulse.

Best Deals at the Best Shop in Summit County

Come to the store and find a smokin’ deal on what you’re missing as yet another ski season is just around the corner!  

Pioneer Sports is a Giant Demo Center

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Stop by Pioneer Sports to check out and demo the latest technology and bike models by Giant. Giant bikes are one of the industry standards and always on top of innovation and advanced technology. Pioneer Sports has all the best models available for you demo if you are looking to get the perfect fit for your taste. Included in store for you to ride and test are full suspension, full suspension downhill and advanced road bikes such as the Anthem, the Reign, the Glory, the Trance X2 and the Defy Advanced. Test any and all the bikes you would like to find the perfect ride for you and/or your family. Any rental fee that you incur will be directly applied as a discount to the bike you chose to purchase.

Now is the best time to buy that bike you have been wanting…the prices are guaranteed to be the best you will find around the Summit Valley! All bikes in stock will be discounted anywhere from 30%-50% off. The sale ends when all the bikes have been sold, so don’t wait; come ASAP to get first dibs.  See you in the store!



Late Summer Fun – Whitewater Rafting

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If you have never experienced a half-day or full-day of whitewater rafting in Colorado, then you are missing the boat…literally and figuratively! Rafting can be a major adventure for those seeking a challenge and thrill, or it can be a fun, relaxing day with the whole family. Either way, spending a day on a river in Colorado is a day well spent! Pioneer Sports is partnered with Performance Tours Whitewater Rafting.

Performance Tours facts and things you should know:

  • Performance Tours was founded in 1986 by Kevin and Mary Foley.  
  • All guides go through a rigorous training process that well exceeds the state’s requirements. Many guides at PT are well seasoned returning guides.  Also, many guides have extra training and certifications such as advanced first aid and swift water rescue training.
  • Performance Tours currently guides over 16,000 guests per season making it one of the most experienced whitewater guide services. They have guided over 300,000 people in rafts since their start in 1986. 
  • Any outdoor adventure activity involves certain risks. Performance Tours takes extra precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. There is a low potential for injury or incident on the mild and moderate rafting trips offered. The risk of incident increases with level of difficulty of the trip. PT gives a safety orientation talk before each rafting trip.
  • In order to choose the best trip for your needs, call the PF office at 1-800-328-7238 and let one of the reservation assistants help you choose the perfect trip for you and your group.  If you already know what trip you would like to do, you can make your reservation online.
  • There are trips designed for even children at least 4 years old and older!
  • You can chose how involved you and your group would like to be during the trip. Performance Tours offer paddle boats where everyone participates, oar boats where the guide solely navigates the raft, or paddle assist which is a combination of the two where the guide rows and the crew paddles intermittently.
  • Below are PT river descriptions:
  • The Arkansas River is considered to be one of the best whitewater rafting rivers in the world, offering everything from family adventure trips to extreme whitewater trips. 
  • The Brown’s Canyon section offers class 3-4 whitewater amidst spectacular mountain and desert scenery, and is the most popular raft trip in the country. 
  • The Royal Gorge Section is a class 4+ section through an 1100′ deep Gorge that goes beneath the world’s highest suspension bridge. There are other whitewater trips ranging from class II- V available on the Arkansas River, as well as Multi-Day trips. 
  • The season runs from May through early September. We have Arkansas river offices in Buena Vista and Canon City/Royal Gorge.
  • Blue River: The Blue river 1/2 day trip offers class 3 whitewater through beautiful alpine scenery. The season is from late May through early July (varies slightly from year to year ). This trip departs from our Frisco office.
  • Colorado River: Great family trip. Class 1-2 whitewater ,( small rapids ), through Canyon scenery .Season runs May through early Sept.
    • Advanced reservations are strongly recommended. Walk-ins are welcomed on a space available basis.
    • The season runs from Late April through mid September. The water levels for rafting are generally very good through mid to late August due to a flow program on the Arkansas River that provides a minimum flow for rafting. Peak runoff (high water) is in late May through June, and the water levels gradually subside throughout the course of the summer. The flows will vary from year to year based on snowpack and weather.

Live life as if you are on an adventure…take advantage of your Rocky Mountain summer…go rafting…go mountain biking…take a hike.  Pioneer Sports wants to help you along on that adventure, so come see us soon!

Beat the Heat-the Summit Valley Way!

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Lakes offer a getaway from summer heat!You shouldn’t let the summer heat keep you locked up inside of your house! Instead, “run to the hills”…i.e. “take a hike”! Seriously, I guarantee that you won’t regret going higher in late July and early August. I’ve found that the best remedy for the mid-summer heat and complacency is to get higher in the mountains.

I can’t say that taking an exteded backpacking trip is the only way to beat the heat, eventhough it’s how I roll, but one can always find ways to get out without much planning. Just heading out for a day hike can be well worth the effort in terms of finding a reduced temperature gradient that makes you say, “ahhhh”! One of my favorite things to do when I’m looking for a little heat (and people) relief is to head for a high alpine lake. Now, I know that not everyone can pack up their things (including the kiddos) and head out for a strenuous day hike to an alpine cirque of epic proportions, but fortunately, that’s not a necessary reality. There are plenty of lake hikes in the valley that one can get to without costing you a leg and a lung!

Here are two lakes that I recommend you visiting to beat that summer heat while not beating up your lungs:

1. Lower Cataract Lake - You can drive to this lake… but the hike around the lake (2.4 mile loop) is well worth the trip! Take your whole family for the day. There’s a waterfall at the inlet of Cataract Creek that you must visit. The magnificent falls cascade some 300 feet.

2. Lily Pad Lakes -The trail of 1.6 miles leads to two lakes, an upper and a lower lake. This is another trip for the whole family. Some viewpoints along the way offer spectacular views of Frisco and Dillon Reservoir.

You’ll want to make sure that you take proper outdoor clothing and gear with you since Colorado weather can be so unpredictable! As I always say… “layering is savoring” and “cotton is the devil”! Stop by Pioneer Sports for your clothing, gear and accessories needs before you head out on your adventure!

Top 5 Reasons to Bike from Vail Pass

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Vail Pass

1. The shuttle is FREE with a 24 hour bike rental from Pioneer Sports.

A 24 hour bike rental at Pioneer Sports in Frisco, CO is $38. There are a variety of bikes to chose from. The store is open from 7:30 AM to 9 PM. We encourage you to call (970-668-3668) in advance and set up a reservation as this is a very popular adventure. Take advantage of the limited $2 off coupon for a 24 hour rental.

2. It’s a fun-filled day appropriate for the whole family.

Since this ride is largely coasting and has minimal vertical gain, the whole family can enjoy it. Seriously… I can’t think of many better ways to get your family out to enjoy an active day in the high country.  The ride can take anywhere from an 1.5 hours, to 5+ hours depending on your side trips and stops. I would encourage you, especially if you are with kids or your family to pack a lunch and stop regularly to enjoy the views and towns (Copper Mtn. and Frisco) along the way. This leisurely cruise down Vail Pass on a bike is a family favorite for many and it should be on your short list too.

3. It’s an extended day of spectacular mountain views and high country serenity. This one speaks for itself, and if you have been over the pass, you know what you’re in for. Most of the time you are driving up or down Vail pass and you get brief views of the peaks and scenery, but you’re truly missing all there is to the panoramic views of this area. Taking bikes from the pass allows you to take it in on your own pace and not blow by it like you probably normally do. I personally LOVE and am thoroughly intrigued by the rugged peaks of the Eagles Nest Wilderness. Don’t forget to take your camera and stop and take plenty of pictures!

4. The road is paved and protected from the highway.

Often, if you want to enjoy going up or coming down a magnificent pass such as this one, you will have to brave the traffic. I’ll be honest… Colorado drivers scare the daylights out of me! Well, there’s nothing to worry about on this trip! The smooth, paved bike trail is aptly protected for most of the 14 mile journey back to the town of Frisco.  Also, Pioneer Sports has road bikes that are perfect for this adventure.

5. You don’t have to pedal up the pass to come back down.

If you’re like me, you may love a good challenge every now and then, and a ride up to Vail Pass on a bike from Copper or Frisco is just that.  However, sometimes you just need to coast, if you know what I mean. This trip affords you the complete and honest right to a leisurely saunter on the bike. Relax for once and take in a day’s worth of picturesque Colorado!

A incredibly relaxing and scenic ride down

 

Coming Soon…a new Bike Park in Frisco!

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The new park will have amenities for all riding levels

Did you know that Frisco, Colorado has a year-round Adventure Park? Once the Frisco Penninsula Bike Park is completed this year, this park will soon keep you busy having fun all year round! This Adventure Park has “an exhilarating multi-lane tubing hill, a freestyle terrain park designed for beginner to intermediate skill levels, a stimulating bike park for all ages, an 8,000 square foot Day Lodge serving Adventure Park customers, and miles of refreshing walking/biking trails.”

The website says that the new bike park will be under construction for much of the summer but you can follow their progression and view updated pictures at Friscopeninsulabikepark.com. Amenities will open as they are completed and available and a projected opening likely will be late summer…maybe around Labor Day.

They plan to open slope style lines for beginners to advanced, a pump track, skills course area, and 4-cross race course. Once these awesome biking amenities are open, you can get geared up and rent your bike at Pioneer Sports.

What a great setting for a bike park!

For more information about Frisco Recreation programs, please call 970-668-2558 or email the recreation office at recreation@townoffrisco.com.

Late Blooming Spring and Mountain Bike Season

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Where did Spring in Colorado go? I guess technically, it’s not over yet, but it seems like I missed most of it. With extended (and record) snow storms in April and May, I guess it came and went without much notice! Hopefully, unlike me, you took the opportunity to get in some extra powder days at one of your favorite ski resorts. You know that Summer is fast approaching when A-Basin and Loveland are either closed or down to weekends only (there’s only 2 weekends left at Arapahoe Basin).

No worries though, because Summer is almost here in the high country and there’s no better way to kick start your three months of “play-hard philosophy” than a day (or weekend) of mountain biking in scenic Summit County. You can find a multitude of great trails within a stones throw of every Summit County mountain town. Pioneer Sports offers bike rentas for all riding levels.

Check out the Dillon Ranger District’s website for a great list of hiking and biking trails. You can find trails to your ability, from easy to advanced and everything in between.

Pioneer Sports offers great bike rental rates:
1 hour $10.00
2 hours $17.00
4 hours/half day $21.00
full day (open to close) $31.00
24 hours $38.00
3+ days (per day) $27.00
*add $10 for Road, Tandems or Suspension Bikes

While we’re waiting for the snow to melt out in our favorite alpine basin, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t and shouldn’t get out there and play anyways…enjoy the majesty of late Spring in the high country by biking the day(s) away!

Breckenridge ski area has a banner season for annual snowfall, an epic 458 inches, and it’s still March

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A look at Breckenridge snow statistics, the super snow year 2011…

Breckenridge snow in 2011

Snow totals are a varied thing but in the end, you reach the 400 inch mark and you have had a great year.

To give you an idea, since 1979: Steamboat has only had 4 seasons with 400+ inches and none broke the 450 inch barrier; Crested Butte never broke 350 inches, Telluride never broke 370 inches, Vail hit the 400 mark three times since 1992 with a record 475 inches in 95-96, Wolf Creek holds the record at 580 inches in a year but are only at 369 inches this year (2011).

This season is not over and Breckenridge has surpassed the 458 inch mark with a foot of powder, 16 inches and another 9 inches today.  The resorts plan on closing in late April and one can only guess on the totals by that point.  If we can get to the 500 mark, this will go down as the snowiest season since the resorts have opened.  Breckenridge is neck and neck with Vail and the other Summit Resorts are right in the mix as well.  Arapahoe Basin will continue to be open for a month after the other resorts close and with their base this year, maybe even longer.