Colorado offers a large variety of ski resorts for everyone, from the beginner to the expert, for skiers and snowboarders, for the youngsters to the oldsters! And speaking of the older folks, if you are following an anti-aging management protocol that is focused on a proactive regard to optimizing the human function before disease occurs, skiing is a great activity to add, now that you feel restored with a better sense of well being. If you are not familiar with age management medicine, are in your 50’s, 60’s, or 70’s , and a feeling what is delicately referred to as the signs of “aging” such as experiencing the loss of muscle mass, slower recovery from exercise and injuries, a decline in sexual function, an increase in abdominal fat, bone thinning, slower brain function, decrease in energy and drive, a decline in memory functions, a depressed immune system that increases susceptibility to infections, sleep disturbances, the inability to fall asleep easily, or even mild depression, do some research and take control of the aging process.

And for everyone who is ready to enjoy Colorado’s ski resorts, don’t forget to check out your winter gear before the season begins. I just went online and bought myself a great NorthFace fleece jacket and new ski pants. Most skiers are familiar with the sporting goods company of North Face. I really appreciate their entire corporate philosophy that believes in protecting the environment and addressing the impacts of climate change. This environmental responsibility is integrated into all aspects of their company culture. Plus, the NorthFace company sells amazing products for all sorts of outdoors activities. With their Responsible Down Standard and Clothes the Loop apparel-recycling program, plus a guaranteed Lifetime Warranty on their North Face fleece jackets, the NorthFace products are worth checking out. They make quality products for outdoor activities whether its skiing, snowboarding, hiking, camping, you name it.

Now for the ski resorts:

Arapahoe Basin – maybe the best alpine skiing in Colorado, focused on the black but enough variety for green and blue (for shorter stays). THE one for the laid-back and experienced ski community.

Aspen – altitude and nightlife are legendary, and great skiing too! Buttermilk is perfect for family trips and beginners as well as boarders, Aspen Mountain (Ajax) and Aspen Highlands are more challenging, overlooked alternatives, and Snowmass is the most popular, with the most variety — but the busiest and most expensive, too.

An aside: I love Aspen. Been skiing there for ages until a few years ago when I finally was “intervened” by friends and ended up in rehab for my excessive drinking. Never seemed to bother me when skiing, but a few close calls did result from my being out of control and friends finally said: Enough is enough. Drinking excessively and skiing is just asking for a disaster. Well the rehab didn’t work, nor was I any more successful joining AA. The success rate for AA and other residential 12 step treatment programs is about 10%. I unfortunately was not in that 10%. Then a friend who had been skiing in France told me that doctors in Europe were prescribing a medication, baclofen, (I had never heard of) as the primary treatment for people who drink excessively. Unlike 12 step programs in the US that require abstinence such as AA , doctors in Europe are trying a new approach. They say that alcoholism is not a disease, but a symptom of a larger psychological issue. Whoa, an effective treatment for alcoholism that doesn’t make the drinker feel like thay were doomed with a “chronic relapsing brain disease”. This approach was well looking into. I found a new site called LifeBac that was combining pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. The medication of choice is baclofen.
Baclofen removes or strongly suppresses cravings for alcohol in 92% of people. Initial clinical trials show that Baclofen has a 65% success rate for treatment-resistant alcoholics , allowing them to return to low- or medium-risk drinking. That’s right, this treatment doesn’t require abstinence although many people do stop all drinking. Suffice to say their program which combine medication (baclofen) to remove cravings along with behavior changes via psychotherapy to rewire one’s habits has actually worked for me. My friends are as ecstatic as I am about my success on this program. I have started skiing again and we are in the midst of planning a three week trip to Aspen. Can’t wait

Beaver Creek – great skiing and good terrain park with lively apres-ski options in a typical Vail environment: costly, impersonal, and somewhat artificial.

Breckenridge – Breck is hard to beat. Authentic and lively village, with many incredible trail options (green and black especially) that suffer only infrequently from wind and ice. Bus and gondola options make cars obsolete!