My great plan a few weeks ago:
I thought it would be fun to go out for brunch with the family, ski a couple of runs before Breckenridge closed for the day, and then relax at night. A complete shutdown at Breck and skiing Keystone didn’t come close to niggling my wild imagination.
The day started out sunny and warm with a light breeze. After waiting an hour for a table, we enjoyed a leisurely meal and then headed for the gondola. As we were about to board, it ground to a halt. We were forced into waiting mode again. What now?
The lift operators talked amongst themselves. Then one of them turned to face the growing crowd. “The mountain has closed due to high winds!”
I looked at her with raised eyebrows. Dang! It was too late to drive to another mountain. All kinds of woulda- coulda-shouldas came to mind.
Then I remembered Keystone is open until 8:00 PM for night skiing!
I hadn’t skied at night for a long time but recalled the excitement of it. While looming shadows swallowed the landscape, the crisp air and contrast of dark and light made an otherwise easy slope, a decent challenge.
It came as no surprise that so many lined up at the base. Some of them must have driven over in the afternoon when Breckenridge closed. I took this photo around 5:00 PM. It looks like the middle of the night!
I’ve always enjoyed the lighting while night skiing. Sometimes it’s easier to see the shadows pop from the snow.
It’s important to see where you’re going!
That said, after an almost blind run while wearing goggles, I took them off. The lenses were too dark. Then the wind howled and my sight blurred.
It didn’t take long until my eyes adjusted, but my camera didn’t. Ha!
Even in the chilly wind, we found time to relax with my son, Kelly Lindau, and his girlfriend, Leksy Wolk…
And to take the obligatory selfie!
We had a blast!
It’s always fun to try something different when plans change. It forces you to step out of your routine and experience something new. It became a very memorable day!
How do you handle change? Are you up for experiencing something new? Have you ever skied at night?
Click for more adventure on the Wild Ride!
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Susie Lindau's Wild Ride 
Love that selfie. Is that Danny or Spiderman behind you? As for handling change, the same as folding money, seldom!
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Thanks, Al!
Both. He’s wearing his Spidey jacket! Ha!
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This looks so fun! I haven’t been skiing in forever! This makes me want to go before our season is over!
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Thanks for reading!
You should definitely go. The season started late this year in Colorado but snowstorms are rolling in on a regular basis now. Finally!
Where do you usually ski?
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I’m in NC, so usually Appalachian, Sugar Mountain, or Beech Mountain.
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I bet you get “ice cream” snow. Super soft and cushy! We only get it once in a while.
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Sometimes we do! It’s beautiful when it does happen.
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Love that!
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You know? In all this time the lure of whooshing down the slopes hasn’t happened. I think because my first introduction to skiing was on the news when they covered a guy dying while skiing, hitting a tree or something. I was like … That may not be for me. But it might be because there is no snow where I live and when we went to the mountains tubing with the kids seemed more fun. Snowboarding is something I might want to try, Shaun White inspires that, not the crazy tricks just kiddie slope action. Although you could hit anything with skis or boards. But most of my adventures have all been warm-weather escapades. I think because the sun shines down on me year-round. But I am glad you were able to still go skiing at a different place, persistence pays off 🙂
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Hey Guat! Great to “see” you!
Kelly lives in LA and bought a Cali ski pass. It’s not too far away. No excuses for you, ha! But you gotta want it. I’m always up for something new, so skiing at night will be remembered so much longer than a couple runs I take every time I’m up in Breck.
I’ve snowboarded twice and need a week to get the hang of it. Boarding is supposed to be easier on the knees. You should try it with your kids!
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Ha! A Cali Pass. Is that in Mammoth? It’s great there! But it is a ways. Oh! Maybe you meant Big Bear 🙂 either way it’s totally doable like you say, and if it’s easier then it’s a deal!
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I think it’s Mammoth, but I’m not sure. It takes us two hours to drive to Breck from Boulder. I’m so used to it!
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I love to ski at night Susie, it always look so magical with all of the lights. My philosophy is if plan A didn’t work, go to plan B😘
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That is so cool, Lynn! Where do you ski?
Yep, plans are always changing. It’s a lot easier when we’re flexible!
Thanks for stopping by!
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We have skied in a number of locations. Currently we are renting an apartment in the Eastern Townships of Quebec for 2 months. We have a ski pass for Mont Sutton but there are several to ski in this area⛷❄️🎿😁
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That is so amazing! Quebec is on my bucket list!
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It is an awesome province filled with so much beauty & a love of all things outdoors regardless of the season. We are so grateful to have this experience!
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I live through you.. I do not like change.. except in clothing.. funny isn’t it.. I am an old fuddy duddy
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Sometimes we don’t see ourselves like others see us. I think of you as cutting edge in a lot of ways! You have your own style and have no problem walking up to complete strangers to interview them. I don’t know any fuddy duddies like that!!!
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I have not skied at night. I have not skied by day. My klutzy limbs think it’s better that way. 😄
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That sounds like a line in a Dr. Seuss book. Ha! We all have our limitations and comfort zones. I bet you would love it if you tried. 🙂
Nice to “see” you Carrie!
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Me too. 😊
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The short time I was in ski club, we always stayed until after dark. Probably closed out the slope, to be honest! (Present hours at Bittersweet are ’til 9 Su, ’til 10 M-R and 10:30 F/Sa. Lots of night skiing!)
Never did try snowboarding…my uncle talked me out of it. 😛
I don’t ski/board now because I don’t have a lot of interest in it, and the aforementioned ski area is 55 miles away! (The next closest is Mount Holly at 83 miles in the opposite direction.) Pfft, I can’t even rouse myself to go tubing at Hawk Island and that’s only 20 miles! (Actually, I didn’t realize it was that close. Hmm…)
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I want to try snowboarding again! Boarding is easier on your knees and the learning curve is 1/50th of skiing! It took me forever to progress in skiing. I’ve heard It only takes about 4-5 days to feel confident snowboarding. It’s on my list this year!
It’s 100 miles to Summit County. About two hours away. There’s a smaller area less than an hour from here above Boulder, but I’d rather ski in the mountains. When I lived in the Midwest anything over 30 minutes seemed like forever. In the west, you get used to the long drives!
Thanks for stopping by, Daya!
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I wondered if boarding would be easier! I should’ve listened to myself, not my uncle. 😛
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Go for it!!
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I see you liked my last post…do you want a link to the clue page? 😀
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Oh I wish I could ski during the day much more during the night. This looked like so much fun.
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It was! Anything to change a routine and mix it up is good for us.
Thanks for reading, Lindsey!
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You just reminded me of a time when I went night skiing and had a lot of fun, but OMG was it ever cold. It was -9 and the tiny icicles blasted into my face. That’s the thing I remember most about it. Burning cheeks and icicles biting them. Nice for you that you could still salvage something of the day.
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That sounds frigid, Anneli!
Night skiing in Wisconsin was a much lower price so we went pretty often. We had those same super low temperatures. That night in Keystone was so much warmer! I bet it was in the 30’s when we started and dropped to the twenties when we left. Nothing to complain about. 🙂
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Sounds like a great time!
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This looks like so much fun and something different from the same old! I’ve never been skiing before (a little bit scared to be honest) but this looks so exciting x
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You should try it! Snowboarding is a lot easier and has a super fast learning curve. About 4-5 days and you can ski a lot of the mountain!
Thanks for reading!
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Ooooh I will give it a try some point x
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You should! I bet you would love the feeling of flying down the mountain.
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I use to night ski (well snowboard lol) all the time when I was growing up! I loved it because it was a change from normal boarding!
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That is so cool! Where did you ski?
I have two days in snowboarding and need about four more to get the hang of it. It’s on my bucket list this year!!!
Thanks for reading, Phoenix!
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This was at the ski hill in my hometown of Fort McMurray Alberta!
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Oh, wow! I heli-skied in Kootenay, but haven’t explored that area…yet. 🙂
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The night pictures look great! I skied on Friday nights during high school, a bus would take us there for 4 hours of skiing outside Seattle
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Oh, cool, John! Back in grade school, we used to bus to the “hill” in Wisconsin. Most of us started in seventh grade. I bet I’m one of the few who still skis on a regular basis! Do you?
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Unfortunately my wife is a non-skier, so I have only done it a few times in the past decade…but discovered that, like riding a bike, once you know how it comes back easily – and I do love it!
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It is like riding a bike. Ironically, my husband is skiing with friends. Ha!
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Looks fun! I have been skiing a few times in Aspen. There are great places to ski there. I am still learning!
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Aspen is one of my favorite places!!! I skied there last year. Skiing is much harder than snowboarding. It took me a long time to master it and it can still kick my butt. Snowboarding is supposed to be much easier. I plan to give it another try.
Thanks for reading, MM!
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Skiing in the night? That’s first time I have heard about it. Sounds fun! Also, it is so dark even at 5 PM!! that’s something new for me.
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Hey Arv! It was a great time. During our winter solstice, sunset is 4:40 PM. Mountains obstruct the setting sun so it seems a lot earlier.
You should try it!
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Great! I will Susie. Happy to learn more about it. Thanks 🙂
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Ok, first of all, as soon as I read “I looked at her with raised eyebrows” I knew your wheels were already turning and the plan was not to bag it and hit the lounge. Hahaha
The photos are beautiful! The extent of my skiing skills is watching other people enjoying it from afar.
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Hey Lisa! That’s exactly what we did. Ha! I thought for sure they would reopen. After hot-tubbing, we bagged it and headed for Keystone.
Thanks so much!
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It’s been a while (a long while) but I have actually skied at night. I like change but my husband is almost allergic to it.
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That’s too bad! My girlfriend joined a women’s ski group and leaves her husband at home! 🙂
Great to “see” you, Jan!
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I’m not proud, but I’m a fearful person. When there’s something new to try, I often hesitate. I give you lots of credit for skiing at night. It does look like fun–and mystical.
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It’s a feast for the eyes. As an artist, I kept stopping to take pictures. Ha!
Everyone is different with comfort zones that suit them. I like pushing myself a bit. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
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I miss night skiing! I’ve night-skied Keystone…what a blast…but those days are long gone for me, now….
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Hey, Frank! So good to “see” you!
I would guess that most of the friends I started skiing with are no longer able. I’ve pretty much given up competitive tennis to avoid injury, but skiing actually builds muscle. I’m careful not to take chances although I still ski black diamonds. Don’t tell anyone…
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Getting thrown around and bounced off things a lot in my 30s and 40s necessitates that I no longer get thrown around and bounced off of things. :-]
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No more, “Yehaaaaas” for you!
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I’ve had a good run. Pardon the pun. ;-]
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Ha!
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I’ve never night skied but it looks like fun.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
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It is! There’s so much to be said for lighting. I don’t think I’d try any black diamonds. Ha!
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You’re so resourceful, Susie, in many ways! Porter enjoys night-skiing, and I’m a competition-level apres-skier, LOL!
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Wow! Night skiing seems like you much fun and you obviously had an unforgettable experience, Susie! That lighting is exceptional!
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looks like a fun day! always wanted to try skiing, but never have. Love the snow though, looks like a blast.
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I always like to think that every time I make a plan, God laughs!
Seldom do my plans work out the way I want them to. Most of the time I think they turn out better. There is something about not knowing what to do next or how to fix the problem that is challenging and then when you work it out it makes it an extra special surprise. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as night skiing. It certainly looks like you were able to turn things around to have a lot of fun.
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That is so true, Michelle! It was a lot of unplanned fun. The very best kind!
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