Swap Skiing for These Sports

Some days you just don't want to ski. Maybe you don't want to get out of bed. Maybe your knees ache and your quads burn (my whole body ached my second day on the snow, worse than when I tried snowboarding). Maybe you're unsure of your skiing skills on the slushier than normal conditions, especially when there's ice lurking underneath. But that doesn't mean you have to abandon all hopes of exercise--or live it up in the fitness center all day.

Not even close, as people have been proving to me all week. I've seen snowshoers trekking up the mountain plenty of times--I even tried to bring mine this trip but they didn't fit in the ski bag. I've seen at least two fly fishermen wading in the waters of Gore Creek. I've seen bikes cruising along U.S. 6 and the Frontage Road. It's like playing a game of I-Spy. But it's also given me plenty of ideas for ways to keep my legs busy without putting on the skis as outlined in this buzz.snow.com post.


It might be a strange mix of sport, like skiing in the morning and golfing in the afternoon, but it's not every season where you can say you did both in one day. Word has it that the Vail Golf Club is opening its driving range on Saturday, April 7, in addition to other mountain courses already open. And I'm the last person to complain about checking out the running trails that have been covered in snow every other time I've visited. Say it ain't so, but winter is long behind (there was only one promise of snow and it dumped near Denver but not here) and all eyes are on spring.

Would you try any of these spring skiing alternatives?