Inspiration Found
A gal needs to find inspiration somewhere, right? Here is where I find mine. Right in the heart of Colorado ski country. Perched way up high in Telluride. Away from it all.
Telluride, CO
The catch phrase for Telluride in promotions is “Unmatched in North America.” For me it is unmatched anywhere. My hubs & I have been coming here since winter ’03, I was pregnant and did not yet know it. I fell in love with it here immediately. Telluride was special then and even more now. Sharing this experience with our children is huge. This was the first year we all skied together. My little 4 year old rocked ski school & my 7 daughter scored her well coveted poles. She had to get to a certain level in ski school to be allowed her sticks.
Happy Place
For those of you who have been reading my blog for some time you know my happy place. I have posted about these magical mountains in the winter, summer & fall. I have yet to visit in the spring, but some day I will I’m sure.
Ski Country
I was a very beginner skier back in ’03. I skied green bunny trails, some intermediate, and nothing was graceful. Now I buzz all around the mountain. Finding powder makes my day. Moguls excite me in and tree skiing thrills me. The terrain here is amazing and unmatched. We have been here multiple times every year since 2003. The best part of all this ski business is passing my favorite sport down to my kids. I want this sport to be natural to them. Not only do they get to learn this great skill, they socialize with kids from around the world, breathe the fresh air & learn about coordinating their little bodies.
Amazing People
The ski instructors have become friends. In the winter they greet our kids with open arms & in the summer they put on a spectacular summer camp.
Base camp here starts at about 8,700 feet and the highest chair lift operates at just over the 12,000 ft range. The air is light, clean, clear & it fuels my soul. For those of you who have never visited here you might want to put it on your “to do” list. I hesitate to say too much because the lure of this place is how quiet & not overrun with tourists it is. Telluride sits perched way up high in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado. It takes a bit more effort to get here then most places. That adds to it’s charm. There are no chain restaurants and stores. Small restaurants & shops are family run. The people who live here take great pride in the natural beauty & local culture.
Ski Food
I love to cook for my family when we are here. In the summer I frequent the farmer’s market. In the winter I cook up hearty ski fare such as chili, pasta, power bars and of course HUGE breakfasts. When you ski hard all day you get extra meals to burn. That is win-win for me! My two favorite things to do – be active & eat! Generally I cook a big batch meal that lasts a few nights. Since we are ravenous when we come in I like to have the meals prepared so all I need to do is re-heat.
Winter Ski Recipe Favorites
Here are some of our favorites that I make time and time again when we are in the mountains. We always need to take into account that food takes longer to cook here because of the altitude.
- Stuffed French Toast
- Pancakes
- Oatmeal
- a big pot of Applesauce
- a big pot of Tomato Sauce to ladle over everything
- Cookies and Muffins: Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Chocolate Oat Muffins
- Breakfast/anytime bars: Maple Apple Pie Oat Bars
- a big Roast Chicken for grab and go meals
- my favorite Steelhead Trout with Guaca-Salsa
- a pot of Veggie Soup – we can toss any protein in this to make a full meal
Do you have a happy place? Somewhere that inspires & fuels your soul?
looks like the perfect place to relax and get away from it all!! Glad you’re having a blast with the fam!
Awe! This is so cool to see! I have been to Telluride a
couple times, and I just loved seeing all the great spots. Thanks
for sharing!
How fun, Marla! Your kids look so at ease in all of their
ski gear. There are those places in the world, somewhere different
for each of us, that touch our hearts and wriggle into our souls.
You have obviously found yours.
So jealous! You are so fortunate to be at such a great
place with your family. Fun, special times that are and look
priceless! Enjoy!
Looks like a great vacation, Marla! My step-daughter lived
and worked in Telluride for a couple of years and she loved it!
She’s a huge winter sports person and a great snow-skier. My happy
place is laying on the beach in front of Hula Grill on Kaanapali
Beach in Maui! I pull out my scrapbook often when I need to take
myself back to that happy place!
ah, telluride…so beautiful! nothing beats the rocky
mountains in the winter…i bet your beautiful kiddos had an
amazing time!
What a gorgeous place! i’d love to visit Colorado. Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing photos, Marla! Your family is adorable and it looks
like you had so much fun. Thanks for sharing this glimpse into your
vacation. Welcome home!
Hi Marla, Telluride was one of my husband’s favorite skiing
spots when he lived in Colorado – it truly is breath taking!!!
Wonderful line up of “ski food” !!! My “happy place” is White’s
Landing on Catalina Island!!!
What a wonderful post. Hi Marla. My name is Bud and I host
a cooking show called “Books and Cooks” at the Wilkinson Public
Library here in Telluride. It is the first Tuesday of every month
at noon. It has been running for almost two years now. We have
someone different each month and they cook a favorite recipe for
the audience. We have streamed them LIVE on the web, recorded them
for the libraries web site, and they have aired on TCTV-12. What I
am getting at is I would love for you to make one of these tasty
treats with us on your next trip. I will provide all of the
equipment.
Chef Bud: I love this idea!! I will be back in town the month of August. I am thinking we can do this then if you like. I am assuming you do this program year round?? I will email you to coordinate. On the off chance I am back before then I will let you know. (I wish!)
Marla, What a beautiful gift for your family and children:
time together that is fun and healthy and inspirational! What
memories you are building and positive role model you are
providing! Packing your own lunch on a ski-day is the only way to
go. It is SO much healthier and more delicious, too! Banff and Lake
Louise are my happy places. They are within 20 miles of each other
– so it is the same. I think, until you have skied Lake Louise, you
cannot say that your mountain is the best in NA. Maybe in the USA.
I think Lake Louise skiing has everything beat. But, your little
mountain village and the scenery where you are looks too good to be
true! So wonderful that you can do these things with your kiddies.
They are absolutely adorable! 🙂 Valerie
Valerie: The hubs and I honeymooned in Whistler. The Canadian Rockies are gorgeous! Lake Louise & Banff are high on my list to visit. Our time share has reciprocal use at those two spots so hopefully one day. Then you could meet me there!
I lovelovelovelove when you share your family and life
here… its one of my favorite things to read about!! Your kids are
just too adorable! Looks like a fantastic time!
Amanda: Awwww, thanks girl. I am so glad you like to see a bit more than just the recipes. I had a blast putting this post together!
I am so glad you have such an amazing place as this to go
to for inspiration Marla! It truly is beautiful and makes me wish I
was more of a skier!
I’ve never been to Telluride in the winter but it looks
beautiful! Our favorite winter spots are Park City, UT, Tahoe, or
Mammoth. Tahoe and Mammoth are driving distance but Park City is
only a quick flight away plus I’ve got relatives there so it’s an
easy/cheap vacation. We LOVE to eat and ski. I think skiing is the
best sport a family can enjoy together because it’s healthy and
allows for lots of conversation throughout the day. Thanks for the
great recipe links.
Lesley: You are so lucky you have family in such a beautiful place. I have heard wonderful things about Park City. Yes, eating & skiing is a match made in heaven. For us active travel is the only way to go, this gal can’t sit still 😉 Off to dinner with the family to talk about the ski day!
It seems that your babies had a lot of fun. And there’s
nothing more comforting that a good homemade meal after a long day
of skiing!
I want to go on holidays! Im soo planning to go to Istambul 😉 that is going to be my meditation place!
http://www.beinitaly.blogspot.com
Glad you are having fun, but you should come to UT and ski next time:)
Thanks for all the kind words and praise about Telluride Marla! Great to see you and your family out here again – looking forward to another beautiful summer!
What beautiful photos and special memories! I need a vacation.
Wow Marla, telluride is so beautiful. Congratulations to
your daughter for her graduation to poles! Wow. Your little boy is
too cute all bundled up in his snow gear. What a pure and
inspirational place. I was so happy to share it with you last
summer. We miss you! Xoxo
Angie: We would love for you & your little guy to experience Telluride again. You need to try out the winter. He would love the snow!!
amazing pics my friend! feels like just yesterday that you were there…LAST year! time flies ! 🙂
What a brilliant Happy Place, thanks for sharing 🙂
I can absolutely see why this is your happy place…it’s so peaceful and serene! The views are just stunning, Marla. I bet your hubby and the kiddos love it there too!
what a special tradition you are creating for you kids. and the memories you are gathering together, as a family, is “unmatched”. you are blessed!
Susan: Every second we are here I feel truly blessed. I could never take this experience for granted. My daughter cried last night & woke up crying because she does not want to leave. Breaks my heart, but makes me so happy I can share this with them.
PS: I cried too 🙂
How’d you take pics with ski gloves? Amazing! I can’t wait to try out this area and find powder. Attempting to learn on carvers and ice-snow here in the southeast was scary! Thanks for sharing your vacation!
Angie: I agree. We know this mountain so well we try to avoid any ice-snow spots. The snow in T-ride is ideal. I hope you can experience it one day. If you do, you gotta let me know so we can meet up 🙂 As far as the gloves go, I take them off to grab those snaps. There is a combo of SLR (at the base), iPhone and point and shoot photos in this post. The BIG camera stays at home while I ski.
Stumbled on your blog through a friend on FB and am
delighted to see you are in Telluride! I had the divine pleasure of
LIVING there from 1990-94 and seeing your pictures brings back some
of my best memories. Things are much more grand there now (we had
no gondola, no Gold Hill access except for hiking, etc) but the
feel of the town hasn’t changed. I have not managed to take my
children back yet, but your pictures inspire me to make it a
priority. Enjoy your time in heaven on earth.
M.A. Gallerini: Thanks for stopping by, so happy that you found me through a friend on Facebook! I can only imagine how different things were in Telluride before the gondola. Lucky you to have lived there in the early 90’s! Things are more grand over there, but you are right – still heaven on earth. Hopefully you can get your kids back sometime soon, the magic is waiting.
What a gorgeous place!
What stunning pictures! And lovely ski friendly recipes
too. It makes me want to strap a pair of skis on!
I always love your Telluride posts – makes me want to hop on a plane and go there right now … and I don’t like snow!
Beautiful!
love it Marla – makes me want to take up winter sports . . . almost . . . i’m much too old and The Prof says we don’t have enough life insurance OR medical insurance – LOL!! but seriously, it does look like fun! (and i DO need LOTS more activity!)
How did I miss this?! Wow what a fun trip. Love peeking at all the great photos you’ve taken. Can’t wait to see you soon!
I would join you here in a heartbeat! My heart is back in Colorado as well. My husband and I lived in Colorado Springs for about 3 years and spent a summer in Broomfield for an internship while Scott was in school (we were desperate to get back!) There is nothing more amazing than those mountains. I get up there and feel like I can breath, think, and just soak in the beauty of it all. Now you have me wanting to get on a plane and get back there!
Thanks so much for linking up and enjoy your weekend!
Oh how I miss those family run restaurants that serve po
boys and gumbo…sounds like it’s time for a road trip
soon
This looks like a very peaceful place. It must be great to
be there with your lovely family.
It looks great….I have been skiing in Austria…Do you in
the US also apres ski ?? Apres ski is mean reason people go ski….
Marco
I LOVE your “happy place” Marla, thank you for sharing it with us. PS: Your kiddos are looking so adorable in their ski suits.
Beautiful scenery! I’d love to learn to ski some day. My
happy place is the desert. I love hiking in the dry heat and taking
in views of rocky hills and spiky plants.
We’re planning on going snowboarding in the morning.
Nothing like Telluride, but I’m still excited about getting the
kids out. Glad you had fun and were able to take the time out to
spend with your family!
I’ve never been to Telluride, but it looks phenomenal. How
wonderful that you’re raising your kids to enjoy something you are
passionate about! That will ensure lots of family time together
even when they get older. As for me, my happy place is at the beach
in Hawaii where I wake up to pure sunshine, the ocean and the
mountains every morning.
Jeanette: Thanks for sharing your Happy Place with us! I find that when I am stressed out I can think about my mountains, the crisp cool air & skiing. The icky’s generally fade away when I think about the good stuff. These trips are something we all work hard for. Yes, the memories we are building with the kids are priceless.
I love these pictures! Skiing is soooo much fun! My husband
and I went to Aspen last winter but have not made it skiing this
season yet…these pictures make the want to go! 🙂
Christina: I have never been to Aspen, always hear great things though. I hope you guys get to take a ski trip this season, still a little over 2 months left 😉
Marla, what a wonderful place to spend time with your family! Just by reading your post you can tell you are in your happy place. I love those little places where everything else in your life goes away and you get to just be happy with those you love. It looks like that is exactly what you are doing in Telluride! And it looks absolutely beautiful! I’m not much of a cold weather girl but your pictures make me want to go. I spent a summer in Steamboat Springs… Colorado is such a beautiful and magical place. Thanks for sharing your family and your happy place. 🙂
Love to see how your quality time is spent
Marla…especially away from your routine and responsibilities.
This place looks wonderful. I do however prefer beach vacations. My
favourite place so far has been on the S. Eastern tip of
Sardegna…great quality time of my own ;o) Ciao for now,
Claudia