Breaking News: World Cup Ski Racing Returns to Aspen for the 2022-23 winter season
The U.S. Ski Team and Aspen Skiing Company have secured a men’s Super G and Downhill for next season. This will be the first men’s World Cup in Aspen since hosting the World Cup Finals in 2017. The races were announced Saturday through an article online. Along with the Aspen stop, the men will also race at Palisades Tahoe, with both events taking place following February’s World Championships in France. The last time the men’s tour stopped in Tahoe was in 1969.
This comes as a surprise for those who closely follow the white circus. Before the World Cup Finals, then FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis and the others on the governing body said that Aspen would not be eligible for any World Cup events until they upgraded Lift 1A and the finish area. Lewis was eventually fired from the position, and a new governing body was put in place. They approached the Aspen Skiing Company in hopes of shoring up men’s speed events in 2023. In a conversation on Sunday with Mike Kaplan, the CEO of Aspen Skiing Company, he confirmed the event is likely to happen in March but thought the announcement was premature due to some final details that still needed to be ironed out. But, according to Mike, they are very confident the races will happen.
This will be a great season to follow ski racing with four stops in the United States. In December, the women race in Killington, and the men are in Beaver Creek.
Downtime in Moab, Utah
The offseason is a great time to escape Aspen, and many residents head to the desert. I recently spent a week in Moab as a guest of Bruce Etkin, a retired real estate developer who does charity work for several causes. This desert getaway in downtown Moab, appropriately called Happy Days, comes complete with a 4,700 square foot main house, a 1,600 square foot guest house, a massive garage to store all your gear, two Razor side-by-sides and get this, a 25-meter swimming pool complete with a diving board. It’s been years since diving boards were removed from residential pools, and there’s nothing quite like getting off your bike and diving into a pool. Cold plunge and hot tub are also on the premises.
Bruce does not rent this property out, but he generously gifts it to various charitable organizations, which then auction it off to raise revenue for their nonprofit. If you’re interested in having this getaway in your silent or live auction, reach out to Happy Days on their website.
While primarily known for biking and off-roading, Moab offers amazing canyoneering just south of town near Ken’s Lake. We spent the day with Evan Clapper and highly recommend booking a boutique-guided service with Clapper Adventures. He specializes in providing custom adventures to off-the-beaten-track places and has a long record of safely guiding technical activities.
We stopped in Fruita and rode the Colorado National Monument on our way home. This is a 33-mile loop that takes you through some of the most scenic views in the west. Also known as the Tour of the Moon due to its wild terrain, we rode from Fruita East to Grand Junction, which finishes with a 10-mile road ride back to your start point.
You can turn around and go back the way you came for those looking for something longer. This would be 44 miles with about 4,800 vertical feet of climbing. Start early as it gets scorchingly hot in the afternoon.
Exclusive New Rental Listing in Basalt
An opportunity to live directly on the Roaring Fork River in one of the mid-valley’s most desirable neighborhoods doesn’t come along too often. 180 River Oaks Lane is a 2,350 square foot single-family rental home featuring three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2-car garage, main floor primary bedroom, picturesque outdoor entertaining space, mature growth trees, and a fenced-in yard perfect for pets. Located on three-quarters of an acre near the Roaring Fork Club and Willits Town Center – the River Oaks cul-de-sac is genuinely one of the best locations in all of Basalt. This property is currently being updated and available for long-term rentals starting mid-August.
