Sunday, May 16, 2021

Stanley Cup - Colorado Avalanche

Congratulations to the Colorado Avalanche for the winning the President's Trophy by having the best record in the NHL this season. I look forward to the Spring charge through the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Certainly one of my favorite A-Basin stories goes back to mid-June 1996. The Colorado Avalanche, in their first season in Denver, won the Stanley Cup. The trophy was brought up to A-Basin to be photographed for the Rocky Mountain News at the top of old Exhibition Lift. The Cup traveled with special security staff. On a wet, snowy afternoon we loaded it into a snowcat and drove it up the hill. All of our guests and employees were shocked when they saw hockey's most coveted prize. I remember a few dozen people chasing the snowcat down the hill after the film shoot.

I know there are taboos about touching the Cup, but I think that is mostly for NHL players. I knew then the chance of me playing in the NHL was remote and, besides, somebody had to load it into the snowcat.