9th annual igloo

Every year for the past 9 winters a group of people (yours truly included) have met in the woods at about 10,000 feet to build an igloo. Its debatable as to whether it is truly an igloo (because we make it by piling up snow and not stacking cut cubes of ice) but we call it an igloo anyway. So the 9th annual igloo was finished last week.

Through the years, the igloo has been different shapes and sizes. The largest sat about 26 people - no kidding. But igloos are warm because of the people in them and when you have 6 people in an igloo built for 26 - its pretty #%$$# COLD. So this year we went back to the quaint size of seating for 14.

Last night was our first party and it was really cold up there, but 8 brave souls showed for our traditional Tai Soup pot luck in the igloo. We straped on snowshoes or put skins on telle skis and started the treck to the igloo hidden in the woods.

Tai soup in an igloo is done by one person bringing the herbs and base for Tai soup and the rest of us bringing ingredients to throw into the wok. So we put the wok on the the camp stove and everyone takes their little bag of whatever from their back packs. We announce what we have and get approval before we throw it in. Broccoli, chicken, snow peas, scallops, rice noodles etc are thrown into the soup and we talk as it cooks.

About an hour into the evening we hear a commotion outside - it is our friend and acclaimed chef, Nick. He drags into the iglloo a large pack that he proceeds to empty with huge amounts of food. He takes over the wok, which is now empty and prepares the most amzaing Tai fired rice. We dubbed it - "Fried Rice your mother wish she could make". No offense to mothers everywhere.

After about 3 hours of being in the igloo, we made our way out joking that we may be too fat to fit through the narrow igloo tunnel to the outside. But make it we did, strapped on the snowshoes and siliently made our way back to civilization.

There is something about being in snow filled woods high up in the mountains on a winter's night. Its magical. Most nights you can see without a flashlight. The stars are BLAZING. The silence is profound. The crunch of each step is freshly audible. Its calming and reminds us all what is really important. ...... HEAT! ha ha.

Skiing on new skis was certainly OK yesterday. The snow was great - scratchy in some places, but lift 5 was awesome. That was the place to be. It wasn't deep powder, but there weren't any rocks and that is something. Lift 9 was not open. Lift 6 was but only the lift - only one run - See Forever was open - not truely a lift 6 run but accessed by lift 6. But you got to go up and look at that awesome view up there. WOW!! I'm always amazed. They will most likely be opening more and more of the mountain as we get to Thanksgiving. So get on up here. Its good.

Wow - lots of snow here. The ski area is reporting 4 feet so far and 20 inches in the past few days. Even though many ski areas measure snow suspiciously, I believe them this time. There is alot of snow out there. If I were you, I'd make plans to come up to ski for Thanksgiving weekend - the ski area opens the day before Thanksgiving. Its going to be good. More snow expected this weekend! I'll keep ya posted.

Its snowing! Its snowing!! Yep the white stuff is all over the place. We got about 6 inches in town on Saturday and then it snowed again last night a bit. The mountains are looking very white. This looks like the beginning of our base for the winter. Yesterday I ran into the Mountain Manager up at Telski (the nick name for the ski mountain) and he said its cold enough to make snow - so making snow they are. Its looking good. So start waxing those skis.

Its off season here in Telluride. The fall colors are almost gone but the snow isn't here yet. Therefore we don't have alot of visitors.

If you want to see this town at its quietest - this is close to it . Things are slow ... quiet ... peaceful. The air is a bit nippy but still warm enough to sit around at the Coffee Cowboy in the center of town and discuss our opinions about when the snow will come. This time of year we all have time. Life is slow. Its the calm before the storm called .... Ski Season.

Today, Telluride is the most beautiful I have ever seen. Now isn't that a bold statement? All day I have been looking up and being reshocked. My camera won't catch this, so I've got to try and describe it to you.

A new snow has lightly iced each evergreen. As you look up, the hills are a wash of icy white tipped pine trees looking like a black and white photograph but the aspens are showing vibrant shades of green and gold. Its still stormy - so it's mainly shades of gray except for the vibrant aspens which are electified in this light - almost neon.

It looks like someone has painted colors on a black and white photograh. It doesn't look real and I keep looking at it trying to figure out the illusion.. Because of the storm, the light changes 10 times an hour so the vision moves as if watching a slide show. Every moment its a bit different than the moment before. I hope someone with a great camera was out there. Cause this was the day. It was magical. Yep... thats what the mountains do.

Went into town today and it was PACKED. Film festival is over so what gives? Imogene. Yep that crazy crazy race that goes up one side of a really really really big mountain and then down the other side. One of my friends did it last year and walked funny for a very long time. I don't know who won yet, but god bless them. Me - I had a great breakfast at Sofio's. The Sunshine Omelet - its the best ....IF you like sourcream and guacamole and the best green chile sauce - YUM. Someone! Please! get me the recipee for that green chile sauce!

No more fires!! And it's been raining every day. Isn't that great news? Things are looking greener.

Hey - this weekend is Jazz Festival and Telluride Truffle is doing a dessert concession. We will have things like chocolate espresso cake with a true chocolate butter cream. Chocolate truffle cake, great carrot cake, apple tarts, apricot bread pudding etc.

So come on by and get a piece of the best desserts you have EVER had. No kidding. I've been eating them all week.

The fires I spoke about last have all been put out. However, today, there is a new fire very close to us in Norwood which is about 30 miles away by road, much closer by air. It started as a small fire and now has gotten rather large. Our main concern here is that many people that we know live in the Norwood and Redvale area. Unfortunately due to high winds, the fire can not be fought today - so it grows larger. I am now looking out my office window and can barely see the mountains due to smoke.

The chances of this coming into Telluride is slim and all access to us is very much open. The smoke is only so thick to obscure parts of the view, but is not impeding us in any other way.

How the TRUFFLES got their names

Divine inspiration I would like to think.

Tomorrow's the big day. Our first day here is called "donut day" because the ski club - a club that teaches the kids to ski donates donuts for everyone and the mountain donates all moneys to the ski club for the day. And it only costs $24 to ski. So its good for everyone. Looks like they've got a good day.

Happy New Year's Eve

Telluride is the busiest it has ever been for the Christmas Holidays. People are everywhere. The snow conditions are great and except for a few days, the sun has been shinning through beautiful blue skies. I have not been skiing however, I have been making truffles and boxing truffles, and FedExing truffles and running them to local stores etc. Which makes me very very happy and makes the company very very happy. So - I'm very very happy in general. I'll ski next week.