Snowboarding in Aspen, Colorado

Ryan and I just got back from a 5 day vacation in Aspen, Colorado!

“I’m talkin’ about a place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I’m talkin’ about a little place called Aspen.” I could not resist a little Dumb & Dumber reference.

I have always heard amazing things about Colorado’s beauty and adventure that when our friends invited us to join them in Aspen for a snowboarding weekend we jumped on the invitation!

We spent two days snowboarding at Snowmass Ski Resort which is the largest of the four Aspen mountains. Snowmass has the most vertical feet of skiing of any ski area in the United States covering 4,400 feet in elevation.  We hit the slopes early as we had lots of mountain to cover!

Our first day on the mountain we were blessed to wake up to 5 inches of fresh snow which continued to accumulate throughout the morning.  I was super psyched as I am not a very confident snowboarder but when there is a nice cushion of powder to break my fall, I am one happy girl.  We hit the trails for 5 1/2 hours stopping once for a much-needed lunch break – southwestern chicken wrap with a side of kale salad and a coconut water. I was pleasantly surprised at the healthy options the resort had to offer.

Our second day on the mountain was a bit slicker then the first, as that nice cushion was well packed down.  Knowing my mind is a powerful thing, I shook off the fear of falling and took the mountain head on.  We tackled the longest and highest trails on the mountain that day.  We began by hiking up to Long Shot Trail followed by a fun photo session to catch our breaths and soak in the view.

We hit the trail which extended nearly 5 miles long and took us about 45 minutes to complete.  I love the long runs. Next we went straight up to 11,775 feet in elevation to take Green Cabin trail down to lunch – gluten-free cheese pizza and trail mix.  Once again, the healthy options were amazing.

After just 3 hours of snowboarding those two long runs, us girls were mentally worn out. We battled our way back down the mountain, accidentally hitting a black diamond trail (pretty hilarious), to enjoy a warm Chi Latte over a bonfire, as the boys finished out a few final runs. It was well deserved!

After two days of snowboarding I was quickly reminded of how great of a body and mind workout snowboarding is in the winter.  I was left physically and mentally drained after our long days on the mountain.  Nothing a nap, hot tub and a cocktail couldn’t fix.

Physically, snowboarding improves your body’s cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and balance. The average person can expect to burn between 250 and 630 calories per hour, depending on the difficulty of the terrain.   Snowboarding helps strengthen nearly all the muscles of your body, including quads, calves, hamstrings, feet and ankles.  Snowboarding requires good balance, so you’ll develop stronger core muscles. You’ll also tone your upper body as you use your arms for balance and to pick you up when you fall.  I typically feel it most in my calves and hamstrings the morning after.

Mentally, snowboarding improves your concentration and focus. It requires rapid changes in pace and direction as you navigate the terrain.  I could feel the mental exhaustion as I would wipe out more and more as our day came to a close.

Overall this snowboarding adventure was a great success as no one was rushed to the emergency room.  That is normally a good sign, right? I improved a lot on this trip as I found myself truly enjoying myself as normally I would be tense and fearing a bad fall. I was happy to know I am greater than what my mind tells me I am.

Have you been Snowboarding or Skiing this Winter? Where did you go?