Even if I didn't know the date on the calendar, I would know it is fall in Vail, Colorado. In mid-August, the declination of the sun, the cooler mornings, and nippy evenings told me fall was past approaching. While this September has been of the most beautiful I remember in the past 20 falls. It is still fall. Soooooo many people tell me that they love fall; it is their favorite season. While early fall in this high mountain Valley is FABULOUS, it goes quickly. Then we have that quiet grayness when the earth, the aspen trees, and the sky are all a pale shade of gray. They are preparing for one of our fourth seasons.... the lustrous blue sky and white earth of winter.
I struggle with fall, as I LOVE our promising green, sometimes snowy and often rainy springs. In spring, I can accommodate any lingering snows or rain, as I know that our most perfect summer is just around the corner. Fall is a throw-back to my school years. While I loved school, I hated having my freedom nipped and I was back in school wearing shoes and a school uniform. And, once the leaves fell, it became rather mundane and dreary, until the first snow storm. I loved that excitement of the first snow. Nature in a different sense from spring and summer does come alive. It is at its most fierce and often most serene.
The excitement of that first big snow fall is unmatched. Everyone in our Valley gets ready, by going to class for ski fitness training, putting back on those snow tires, placing the snow shovel on the front porch, and getting out the coats, gloves, scarves and hats. The BEST, VERY BEST thing about winter, however, is getting our boards and skis waxed and ready. The mountain opens and the vast majority of us remember our reason for being...it is to hit the hill...or to relax and enjoy our most beautiful winters. This year opening day is less than two months away: Vail Mountain will open for skiing on November 16, 2012 and Beaver Creek will open the following week on November 21, 2012. While you are thinking about it, there is still time to buy an Epic Pass for Ski Season 2012/2013...Come enjoy the beauty, intensity, and mysticism of our Vail Valley winters. I hope to see you soon! Amy
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