Snow 2 Surf

Originally published November 9, 2020

There are a few special places on the planet where outdoor recreation opportunities converge in wonderful ways; places where water takes the form of raging waves and deep powdery snow within just a few miles of each other.

I think of Southern California where, if traffic and weather cooperate, you can get a solid dawn patrol surf session in San Clemente and then watch the sun set over the San Bernardino mountains after a few afternoon runs at Snow Summit.

There’s also Christchurch, New Zealand, where world class skiing and surfing are literally only an hour apart- without all the smog and traffic! Other dream locales such as Morocco and Chile offer similar epic surf/ski days as well as amazing cultural experiences. While I grew up in Southern California, I’ve never had to opportunity to visit these other exotic places and the likelihood of ever doing so is slim.

But there is an amazing outdoor recreation community I’ve had the privilege of living in for the past 25 years- Canon City! Yes, you read that right. With the right equipment and weather, river surfing and other river sports are available nearly all year round, and we’re only a short drive to Monarch Mountain in Salida, CO, or just a tad further to some epic riding at Breckenridge, Keystone, or the legend Arapahoe

Basin.

Snow season is upon us, and while the folks up north in Summit County are shoveling their driveways and digging out their musty sweaters, we’re still hosting sunny 60+ degree days that are perfect for some legit river recreation. Hopefully one day this season, if conditions are right, instead of heading home after my session at the Canon City Whitewater Park, I’ll be heading for the hills!