Shopping in Colorado Ski Resorts is Poetry in Motion
"When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping."
—William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
OK, so maybe it wasn't The Bard who penned those immortal words, but whoever did was obviously well-acquainted with Colorado's most popular ski resorts.
Honest. No matter what your needs might be or where your tastes run, you are assured of finding exactly the right thing when you shop the resorts of family-friendly Summit County, internationally influenced Vail/Beaver Creek and of course, star-studded Aspen.
Summit County shopping options are virtually unlimited in all directions. At the north end of the county you'll find more than 70 brand-name shops with apparel and accessories for all ages at the Silverthorne Factory Stores. Browse or power shop — the choice is yours — the likes of Evan Picone, Tommy Hilfiger, Liz Claiborne, Jones New York, Nike, Levi's and OshKosh B'Gosh!
Eastern Summit County is home to lovely Keystone Resort, where more than 30 stores provide a full range of shopping opportunities for the entire family. Here you'll see one-of-a-kind gift shops, fine art galleries and funky boutiques. Among the stores you'll encounter in Keystone are Amazonias for sweaters, Christy Sports (ChristySports.com or 1-877-SkiSmart) for all your on-slope apparel and gear needs and Gorsuch Ltd. for fine clothing and home furnishings.
About 15 miles southwest of Keystone lies the historic mining town of Breckenridge, which hit "white gold" with its famed ski resort and is today a fascinating combination of Old West and new millennium featuring more than 200 shops, galleries, restaurants and bars.
Geared to all ages, Breckenridge appeals to the younger set with specialty clothing at Marty's for Kids and toys at Flying Colors Too?. Active wear stores for big people are conveniently located along colorful Main Street, as well as at the base resorts of Beaver Run and The Village at Breckenridge. Good bets are Rec Sports and Wintersport. Handcrafted clothing and wearable art can be found at Breck's numerous unique boutiques, and T-shirt and gift shops are plentiful if it's a souvenir you're after.
Upscale fur and leather are at Twisted Pine; down and funky hip-hop threads might jump out at you in Goods. Local artisans and internationally renowned artists are displayed at Breckenridge Gallery and Hibberd McGrath. There are also stores with racks of hats, tall shoes and joyous socks. Just point yourself out the door, and you'll find it all in Breckenridge.
Smack in the middle of Summit County are the quaint little towns of Frisco and Dillon, where yet more shopping adventures await. These towns are custom-made for strolling, so give yourself plenty of time to explore.
And, westernmost in the county, lies the recently completed New Village at Copper Mountain where the Mountain Adventure Center (MAC) boasts the largest rental and retail store at the resort. Look for goods by Oakley, Sun Cruz, North Face and other manufacturers. And visit Surefoot for footwear, Polar Revolution for snowboarding gear and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for a trip to heaven.
About 20 miles west of Copper Mountain is Vail Village, a storybook page illustrated with Swiss/Austrian accents. Postcard-perfect with pedestrian-only streets, Vail provides a gorgeous backdrop for scores of retail businesses, and nearby Lionshead is home to even more shopping options. Accessories, jewelry and gifts, furnishings, haute couture and flashy sportswear are displayed in peaked and gabled windows, and if it's specialty items you seek, Vail is indeed a very special place.
Give in to your animal urges at the Alaska Fur Gallery and Designer Furs; wrap yourself in luxe fibers from Caamano Sweaters and Cashmere Vail; and suit up in something from spots where the locals shop, like Charlie's Resortwear. Designer name’s your thing? You'll find Polo Ralph Lauren right in the village.
West of Vail is the young, exciting and oh-so-continental Beaver Creek Village. In an unhurried atmosphere, you'll delight to Bavarian music and a shopping promenade with dozens of galleries and boutiques. Find the perfect designer apparel and European fashions for adults and Euro/American togs for infants to preteens. Of course, you're privy to a full selection of ski and snowboard clothes and equipment, too, and the sophisticated Gorsuch Ltd. is found in both Vail and Beaver Creek.
And now... we're at Aspen, a universe unto itself. Blessed with incredible natural beauty, steeped in history and frequented by The Beautiful People, Aspen boldly retains a charm all its own. It's a mix of urbane and Old West, culturally enlivened and aesthetically enriched. And shopping? 'Til you drop, honey!
Downtown's Hyman and Cooper Avenue malls are home to designer shops and name-brand outlets, all easily accessible along streets closed to motor vehicles. Beyond the mall more shops lie in wait with an amazingly vast array of goods.
Aspen Sports and McDonough's give you the full spectrum of American and European skiwear. Original works by Warhol, Picasso, Matisse, Rockwell and Dali share wall space at the Museum Works Galleries.
However, if you're simply in the mood for a piece of fudge, finding it is a piece of cake! So is locating jewelry, pottery, Native-American art and artifacts, baseball caps (is that Meg Ryan?), in-line skates, T-shirts and fleece jackets.
The Gucci label has a retail outlet in Aspen, Italian cashmere sweaters are the trademark of Manrico Cashmere and handwoven and hand-painted garments jazz up Limited Additions.
And, in triumphant encore, Aspen also boasts some of the best consignment stores on the planet, with Susie's and Aspen Consignment.
You will also find quality apparel and gear at the Specialty Sports network of rental/retail outlets, which consists of more than 70 stores throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
Now, can we further wax poetic about Colorado and its splendid resort shopping? How's this: "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety." That truism, by the way, really is Shakespeare (Antony and Cleopatra, Act II, Scene 2).
Helmets Top Out as a Fashion Statement for the Well-dressed Skier
Not so very long ago, anyone who ventured onto the ski slopes wearing a helmet was automatically assumed to be a nerd, at least by those whose hipness had spun completely out of control.
Well, tables have a way of turning. Today, skiing without a helmet is like wearing a big sign on your noggin that says, "Nothing up here worth saving anyway!"
"Helmets are the rage," proclaims Jonah Drescher, director of e-commerce for sportswear icon Christy Sports (ChristySports.com). With 40 stores in Colorado and Utah (including Summit County, Vail/Beaver Creek and Aspen), Christy Sports carries top brands in not only apparel but also gear, and Drescher says this season no one in his or her right mind will be seen without fashionably chic head protection.
"Both skiers and 'boarders wear them," he says. "They are comfortable, strong and have removable ear flaps. And they might just save your life."
Boeri, Leedom and Red by Burton are popular brands, and Drescher says the helmets come in "lots of colors, but neutrals are the most popular."
In keeping with the helmet message, other ski apparel has turned more to function and safety than to making a huge fashion statement. Spyder, for instance, has 40 or 50 models of both men's and women's jackets. Obermeyer, North Face, Columbia, Couloir, Descente, Nils, Bonfire and Burton also carry extensive lines of outerwear. However, "it's all about waterproof, breathable material," Drescher explains.
Shells repel moisture and deflect wind, and are lightweight and flexible. Gone forever, it would appear, are the days of looking like the Michelin Man on skis. No more bulky parkas over stiff bibs, according to Drescher. If there is a "look," it's sleeker and more comfortable.
Also, the most important aspect of dressing for outdoor sports is layering, and Drescher says, "Fleece pieces are typically the most popular layering items. We have everything from microfleece to Berber, from lightweight to windstop. Fleece has definitely replaced wool in the land of sweaters and layering pieces."
As for colors, Drescher says you'll see brights (poppy is big) paired with more subdued tones.
"And undergarments are more technologically advanced and breathable, with water movement. They whisk moisture away from your body, keeping you warm. Cotton has gone the way of the dodo in undergarments," he says.
Hats and gloves are also big news this year. "Hats are wool-fleece mixes and crazy designs," Drescher says. "There are so many styles out there these days that we can't even begin to name them."
Gloves have gone way high-tech. "They're nearly to the elbow and are fully technical, three-piece crossovers between skiing and snowboarding. Everything seems to have more of a wrist collar or band this year, and two- and three-piece systems are very popular. A lot of mittens, for instance, will have fleece gloves inside," he says.
OK, skiers go for the sleek look, but what about snowboarders? "They still wear the big pants," Drescher says. "Lined cargo pants, lined jeans. It's the style of youth, baggy and big, basically street clothing with lining."
In spite of the hair thing — neon greens, blues, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds, purples — snowboarder clothing is not as bright. "It's more subdued," Drescher says.
Oh, and one more thing you should know before you decide to go for a ride on Colorado's slopes: The well-dressed rider wears a kidney belt.
In short, trends may come and trends may go, but it looks as though dressing for safety might be here to stay.
Kathleen Thomas is a freelance writer living in Hartsel, Colorado.
Shopping Adventures in the Colorado Rockies
West of Vail is the young, exciting and oh-so-continental Beaver Creek Village. In an unhurried atmosphere, you'll delight to Bavarian music and a shopping promenade with dozens of galleries and boutiques. Find the perfect designer apparel and European fashions for adults and Euro/American togs for infants to preteens. Of course, you're privy to a full selection of ski and snowboard clothes and equipment, too, and the sophisticated Gorsuch Ltd. is found in both Vail and Beaver Creek.
Now, can we further wax poetic about Colorado and its splendid resort shopping? How's this: "Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety." That truism, by the way, really is Shakespeare (Antony and Cleopatra, Act II, Scene 2).