Born in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, I grew up exploring one of America’s best playgrounds. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall the mountains had something to offer and I was ready to soak it all in. Skiing the Rockies always made me feel the most at home and connected to nature. There’s an energy in the dead of winter above ~10k feet that’s hard to explain to those who haven’t experienced it. The harsh landscape and unforgiving climate makes you feel alive. It’s beautiful and majestic but dangerous at the same time. A small mistake in the back country can dramatically affect the landscape and be the difference between a great or perilous experience. Regardless of the respect and awe we can have for them, the mountains care nothing for us. They were here long before we were and will be around long after we’re gone. Perhaps it’s a stoic respect I have that draws me to them and makes me want to introduce them to everyone in my life.

As a teenager I visited Tirol for the first time. The experience stuck with me so vividly and deeply that when our friends Thomas and Sarah were planing where to meet us during their European travels this past summer, I immediately suggested Innsbruck, Austria. I hadn’t been to Innsbruck since the 90’s but sometimes a place leaves an impression that you can’t shake.

Tirol is a subdivision of the Western Austrian Alps, sandwiched in-between Germany and Italy, and shares a border with Switzerland. This area has a long storied history. Science can date early civilizations in this region to 12,000BC. It’s been conquered by the Romans, Byzantines, and Goths, home to famous kings like Charlemagne, Fredrick IV, and Maximilian, and played a strategic role in nearly all European conflicts including WWI & WWII.

In comparison to the Rockies, the base of the Alps is incredibly low. In example, the altitude of my home town in Colorado is 6,035ft [1,839m] and a typical ski town would be around 9,600ft [2,926m]. Whereas Innsbruck, commonly referred to as the capitol of Tirol, is only 1,880ft [574m]. In the Alps you almost always need to take a gondola quite a distance before you arrive at the base of the ski resort. Skiing elevations fluctuate between 1,500-3,200m base to peak.

Tirol is nothing like the Rockies. It’s more rugged, harsh and somewhat frightening. It’s where you’d picture a winter survival story to take place. Yet somehow, I feel at home in Tirol.

On a Wednesday in mid March we set out to discover more of this wonderful place. Door to door it only took 3 hours with the new direct flights to Innsbruck. When we arrived we caught the shuttle bound for a little town up the mountain called Mutters. The “das MEI” hotel would be our base of operations for the week. This newly built boutique hotel was full of amenities from spa treatments to world class dining. Every morning we were treated to a wonderful breakfast and every night we had a beautiful four course meal - all included in the package and very common for accommodations in Austria.

Maybe the coolest part of the breakfast experience was the dry aged pork leg put out for everyone to slice a fresh piece of prosciutto.

- Day 1 -

We were up early and first to breakfast so we could make the most of the day. Unlike our experience in Chamonix, the equipment rental was not attached to the hotel and we needed to make a stop to get sized and outfitted before we could hit the slopes.

We met a wonderfully happy young tech, named Fabi, who was eager to help us out and give us the introduction we needed to explore the various ski resorts in the area. Armed with maps and knowledge, we headed to the buss stop to catch the next line to Axamer Alm.

Axamer Lizum is a little town nestled in the Alps, Southwest of Innsbruck. Axamer is not a large resort but there are some real gems to be skied here. This place was ground zero for the ‘64 and '76 Olympics freestyle events. Skiing in the 60's and 70's was different. It was more daring, less protected and had a finess that got lost in the snowboard era. I was excited to ski Innsbruck because it's hollowed Olympic ground and Logan was excited to be back in the snow.

Because it’s off-peak time for European travel, ski school wasn’t active. So, Logan got some one on one time with an instructor which allowed for more repetition and gave him a real understanding of the basics.

I ventured to the other side of the mountain to get after some fresh snow from the night before. Fabi recommended some fatter skis [Faction 182, 90 under foot] for the powder and I gave them a shot. This is not typically my type of ski. It’s fat and requires large mountain turns; where I prefer to keep it tighter and preferably under moguls. Once I realized how effortless the carving could be I started to enjoy the fat sticks more. It’s not necessary my style; but because the powder in this region is wetter and thereby more dense, the wider skis tend to flow better on the large open runs when you have any fresh show above the boot line.

Axamer isn’t huge but there’s plenty for all skill levels. You quickly begin to notice that European skiing isn’t solely “run based.” Unlike skiing in the States, were runs are carved out of the trees, here runs are natural gaps in the landscape because you’re often near or above the tree-line. If you have a good enough line of sight, you can easily carve your own way down the mountain and make it as difficult as you’d like.

After a few rides up the lift I began to see some different tracks and gained confidence to explore with the locals. The trick is spotting local kids and following just far enough back to make sure you don’t suddenly go off a cliff you didn’t know was there.

The restaurant at the top, along with the train, was built for the Olympics.

One of the runs that I really wanted to do was an Olympic staple in both ‘64 and '76. It's officially named "Ruhrgas 10," but comonly refered to as *Olympic Black* locally. It's a long tight dogleg, with a 63% grade, down about 1,250ft [381m] of elevation, which was specifically created for the Olympics. The moguls are between knee and thigh high and the dogleg is the only break you get. It's actually detached from the resort and on the other side of the little Axamer valley. There is a single chairlift (original from the '64 games) that takes you to the top.

I didn’t fall, but I didn’t do great either. I had the wrong skis for this type of run and wasn’t prepared for the ice in the valleys of the moguls. The ice under the fresh powder gets exposed real quick because of the Western wind and steepness of the hill. These type of conditions require shorter sticks that you can jump turn to slow the decent. I gave it multiple gos but this monster kicked my butt over and over again. After a few hours, and some tired legs, I decided to make my way back to the hotel. The path home takes you through some really scenic back country that is only visible as a one way trek due to the elevation changes. It was the best run of the day and so enjoyable that I forgot to take pictures; until I started to notice I was skiing past one of our hikes from the summer. The water wheel was a dead giveaway and I tried to recreate the same picks to show Logan.

Back at the hotel Logan and Doreen were coming from their own adventure. They got to sled and have some hot cocoa while waiting for the ski instructor. Logan had so much excitement he passed out on the bus ride back.

Dinners at the in-house restaurant were awesome every night. Not only was the food great, the service was incredible and they remembered every preference we had and were ready every night for us. The time in-between courses provided a chance for us to talk and have some fun. Logan’s preferred good time these days is playing *Uno* - particularly Winnie The Pooh Uno. He’s good at it and plays with all his cards showing to demonstrate he’s not cheating.

- Day 2 -

Snow fell the night before and it was a perfect day to go try out the lower half of the Stubai glacier. Schlick 2000 is due South of Innsbruck and mostly below the tree line. There is a train that goes directly from Innsbruck and stops in Mutters. This little train is not only convenient, it’s full of beautiful views that are candy for the eyes. As it switches back and forth around the mountains, you get lost in the landscape views and gorgeous homes nestled into the mountainside. This land has been occupied for generations but it’s the mix of ancient and modern that grabs your attention.

The plan was to have some father-son time in the morning and for me to ski the rest of the mountain in the afternoon. The fresh powder made the blue run off the T-bar slow and sticky which was a perfect training environment for Logan. We spent most of the morning training how to transfer our weight while turning. Logan picked it up pretty early on and within an hour barely needed any help at all going down the mountain. Most kids learn the ridiculous pizza/ French fry method which isn’t sustainable if you’re ever planning to actually ski and not just fall down the mountain.

His little legs can only take so much, so after a few hours it was time for a hot chocolate and snack. Doreen and Logan took the train back to Mutters while I went to explore the rest of the resort. By this point it had started to really snow. The build up in powder was thick and made me happy I had changed out my skis from the day before. I decided to try out some *Head* Monster SLR 2 157cm, 69 under foot - more of an all mountain ski.

Schlick made me work for it all afternoon. There were a series of narrow black runs that funnelled into a super chair on the backside that made me feel like I had the mountain all to myself (Europeans don’t ski in “weather”). Run after run in the deep powder took its toll and I ended up calling it a day around 3:30 because it was so taxing. It’s hard to maneuver/ jump turn in Tirol spring powder due to its density but the challenge was exciting and the heated chairlift (first time I’d ever seen one of these) made the ride up the mountain cozy. Unlike the day before, I felt like I nailed my runs and walked away satisfied but soaked from head to toe due to the constant down pour of wet snow.

When it was all said and done we had a fantastic day, learned a ton and got to enjoy another great meal as a family.

- Day 3 -

When you wake up in the mountains you sense the fresh air and beauty even before you breath it in. Innsbruck is surrounded by snow capped mountains and green grassy fields in the winter. The juxtaposition is almost an assault on the eyes and plays tricks on a kid from Colorado who only had both for a very brief time in late spring.

Saturday was a family day and the chance for us to take the train into the city and explore all the things we didn’t get to see over the summer. First on the list was the famous tower.

Stadtturm [Innsbruck City Tower] is a Gothic structure and said to have been started in 1442. It was first sighted in 1450 by visiting soldiers. The medieval structure was a symbol that projected the city’s wealth, strength, and burgeoning growth. It served as a part of city hall and was used to protect its citizens from fire, intruders and general mayhem. The last guard left his post in 1967 making this one of the longest continuously manned fortifications in Europe. The tower stands stands 51m [150ft] tall with a modern 133 step dual spiral staircases that provide easy access up and down the narrow passage way.

Logan climbed the entire staircase up and down with the promise of ice cream later in the day. At the top he was super excited to get the opportunity to look through the binoculars since we missed our chance in Chamonix due to the train schedule.

After taking in the views we sat down for a coffee and soaked up the beautiful day in Old Town beneath the famous golden roof. The Goldenes Dachl [Golden Roof] was originally built in the early 15th century by Fredrich IV as an addition for the residence of the royals. In 1493 Maximilian I commissioned the roof to show off the strength and wealth of the royal family and as a place to sit in state for various events. The inauguration of the roof coincided with the second marriage of Maximilian to Bianca Maria Sforza of Milan. While we were there we saw two marriages take place under the roof - one in full Austrian regalia.

The perfect weather created an energy in the city that begged for a walk around to take in all the sights. While we’ve walked these streets before, they never get old and we feel like we see something new every time.

One such new discovery was the local market hall and all the local delicious goods housed within. Seeing a culture through the food is always something we enjoy and something we try to bring home with us.

Not one to forget promises made, Logan reminded us that there was no ice cream at the market hall. So, we continued our journey and found ourselves back at the same stand we visited with Thomas and Sarah over the summer.

The train ride back was even more beautiful as the low winter sun had moved to the other side of the valley. I spent some time walking and taking pictures in and around Mutters during nap time.

Included in the accommodations package was one formal evening dinner. Unbeknownst to us, Saturday was our 5 - course romantic candle lit dinner. Logan was super excited because he saw the candelabra being used at another table the night before and tonight was our turn to use it. As parents of a 4 year old, we’ll take a romantic dinner where we can get one - especially with Winnie The Poo Uno is involved.

- Day 4 -

The main ski area near Innsbruck is Stubai glacier and it’s located due South over the mountain from Schlick 2000. Stubai is a massive resort buried deep in the mountains. Without a car it took an hour to get to the base of the mountain but the transportation system was once again top notch.

The entire area is essentially a massive bowl at the peak of the range. Two huge gondolas take you to different parts of the glacier. Once I was in the gondola it was easy to see why this is the area of choice. The entire resort is sheltered from the Southern wind and the position of the bowl, combined with the altitude, provides full sun exposure to the upper and middle faces. The combination of low wind with good sun exposure at altitude means there is rarely ice under foot. The snow doesn’t melt fast enough to create icy conditions. The weather patterns also tend to provide at least a dusting of nightly snow which makes the wide open expanse even more enticing. Simply put, this is good old fashion bowl skiing. An entire resort that’s a bowl is a lot more common in the Alps than the Rockies.

The skiing was great; steep with a touch of powder. Most of the hard runs were only accessible via T-Bar which was nice because it prevented beginners from clogging the slope. After some hard skiing I was in line to repeat Run 22, a nice narrow black with some moguls on a 60 degree slope, when the chairlift broke. Four more chairs and I would have been stuck. Luckily I got to turn around and head to a different part of the mountain. While I was on the next chairlift I heard a massive announcement. Like nothing I have ever experienced, a loud speaker rang out telling the entire glacier, in multiple languages, that Daunjoch chairlift would be closed for the foreseeable future. The message concluded wishing everyone a safe and wonderful ski day. This was not a bull horn announcement; this was a crystal clear, mountain wide, voice which sounded like it came from the creator of the glacier itself. In that moment reality felt like I was in a mashup of a Disneyland/ Truman Show experience.

The lift closure brought me to Schaufelspitze, the top of Tirol at 10,935ft [3,333m]. From here you can see across the border into Italy. Immediately what hits you is how sheltered Stubai is. The top of the lift curls around to the backside of the mountain and exposes you to the Southern winds. After one run it became unbearable and not worth it to ski the snow park - not to mention that my headset ran out of juice and I desperately needed to find a place to charge it. Having forgot the cable to plug in my extra battery I reluctantly headed to the Eisgrat restaurant just down the hill.

To call this place a restaurant is not doing it justice. It’s a shopping mall with a food court. There are two individual super gondolas that feed into it, three restaurants, a coffee bar, outside table service, and a full blown Intersport [e.g. Dicks, Gart Brothers, or whatever your local outdoor supplier is]. This Intersport was bigger than the one we have in Berlin and not only had a full winter lineup, but also a complete rental and ski sales department - yes, department. Keep in mind we’re 9,514ft [2,900m] up on a glacier in the middle of nowhere. I was in awe - I’ve never seen anything like this before. I couldn’t help but wonder who buys skis at the top of a mountain.

The one thing this massive complex was missing was a charging cable for my headset. Just as I thought all hope was lost and that I’d have to finish the day listing to random conversations, the Intersport rep pointed me to the complementary charging station by the entry. This clever stand (which I’d seen before in San Francisco) looks like a series of PO Boxes with various power cables in each slot and allows you to create your own code so your device is safely locked away while it’s charging. I used this opportunity to act like a proper European skier and take a break for a beer. 30 min on quick charge was all I needed before it was time to head out again and finish the day.

By late afternoon the Daunjoch chairlift was back open for business and I headed over to give it another go before the end of the day. It’s over 10K [6.2 miles] from the top of Daunjoch to the bottom of the glacier. The run is beautiful and a great way to end the day. After a 30 min buss ride and chasing after the train, in ski boots, to catch it just before it left, I was back in Mutters to enjoy another wonderful meal with the family.

- Day 5 -

Our last day was always going to be all about father-son time. By this point Logan had learned enough to take it to the next level and ski by himself down the bunny hill. But first, we needed to enjoy our last morning in Mutters, take in the view and eat another delicious breakfast.

We headed back to Axamer Lizum where we had access to two t-bars and a bunny hill. Right away it was obvious Logan had picked up a few things over the week. After a few runs he told me that I didn’t need to accompany him on the lift anymore and that I should stay far behind him because he knows how to ski now. Maybe the best part was watching him ski past all the teenagers who were also learning to ski that day. It was an absolute joy to see how much fun he had while skiing and to know what an accomplishment it was for him. Knowing that he enjoys the snow and skiing as much as I did at his age made the entire trip an experience to remember.

We took a break at the distinctly European cafe next to the lift. These places always amaze me. The quality of food and drinks is always top notch but the ridiculousness of having such an experience in the middle of a sport activity is beyond bizarre.

Afterwards I got the chance to ski *Olympic Black* one more time on the shorter, narrower skis. It felt a lot better until the final run when I sprained my knee trying to chase after the jr. ski team on the way down. And with that, our ski adventure was over. We headed back to the hotel, had some R&R then got ready to head to the airport.

Tirol is an amazing area. We always have fun here and always look forward to when we can return. As people, we change on a regular basis. Year over year we mark our growth in different ways, from learning a new sport to living someplace different. Yet, places tend to remain how we remember them. Buildings and populations might change but the landscape rarely does. These mountains haven’t changed in millions of years. Sure there are always minor changes happening; but in the broad scheme of things these are the same mountains that formed in the Mesozoic Era. For thousands of years, people have sought this place out. There have been an infinite number of experiences in these mountains - ours was just one of them. Similar to the experiences I have of the Rockies from my youth, Tirol will be with all of us forever.

Until Next Time,

The McNeills