Barbara Lawlor, Eldora. Another Eldora Mountain Resort season has become a thing of the past. After four and a half months of skiing and snowboarding, and being what Colorado is famous for, EMR shut down the chairs and lift employee Ari Lemieux-Mach stood behind the Lift Closed sign and apologized to “just one more run” guests. Ari, from Gold Hill, has been an Eldora employee for the past nine years.
It was time.
The parking lot was dirt-packed, with occasional rivulets of snowmelt. After a day threatening a snowstorm, the sun chased the clouds away and beamed its damaging warmth on the mountain.
The snow was slush.
Many arms and legs and sometimes bellies were bare. People on the deck hula hooped in ski boots.
Skis and snowboards left shiny reflection trails in their crystalline wake.
The last ride up the hill is always the result of much negotiating and begging and John Marcotte of Boulder has become an expert. Once again, his 11th time in the last 15 years, he was aboard the last chair, sharing it with Doc Conway, waving at the liftie who was doing a little happy dance, celebrating the end of a long but great season.
EMR general manager Brent Tregaskis said it was one of the resort’s best year.
From between a row of parked cars wafted the scent of grilling brats and a bongo beat set the rhythm for a group of Nederland High School students and two adult males wearing Hawaain shirts and washboard ties and outrageous tights, but having a melodious time putting the resort to bed for the summer.
