Ullr - God of Skiing

So we are all thanking Ullr right now for the amazing conditions we are having for the opening of the Summit and Eagle County Resorts - Arapahoe Basin, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone and Vail. A- Basin, Breckenridge and Copper Mountain are open already, Vail opens on Friday November 19 with 550 acres and Beaver Creek opens the Wednesday before Thanksgiving on November 25.

But exactly who was Ullr and why do we invoke him when we get the kind of dump we are having right now and have been all week?

I found this article on the web. It was written in 2000 so there are some comments about skis that are outdated but you will get the point, even if it is written in a some what irreverent style.

Ullr - The Man, The Myth
by David McKee, Vancouver, BC.
October 2000

You know the feeling-you are on your skis working the rhythm, enjoyin' the speed, and suddenly for a few turns, you feel immortal.  The feeling is difficult to describe but perhaps you sensed a little inspiration from Ullr.the god of choice among Scandinavians and backcountry snow lovers alike.

Ullr, a.k.a. Uller, Ullin, Holler, Vulder, and Ull, is a pre-Viking era Nordic god and he kept fine company with the likes of Odin, Thor, and other esteemed deities.  Among his many skills, he was the god of skiing, archery, hunting, and was known to be quite promiscuous (which he may have inherited from his mother Sif, the Goddess of Fertility).  Sure, Ullr had some neat traits but in our world of plastic boots, cap skis, laser sights, and Viagra, it's easy to dismiss them as the quaint skills of some randy old god.  Nevertheless, think back to the days when being noted as a master archer was no slight task.

At the time, Ullr was competing with the likes of Thor, who brandished a hammer capable of shooting lightning bolts in battle (sort of like skiing old Karhu XCD's while your buddy is on a pair of AK Launchers).  Then there was Loki the trickster, who could assume the form of animals to deceive or escape the wrath of the gods.  Despite his lack of supernatural powers (aside from skiing), Ullr was the name invoked to warrant good luck when undertaking a duel.  His name, which means glorious or dazzling, clearly reflects his abilities, and myth has it he once held the seat of the highest god.  His character and the legends associated with it are pervasive throughout the historic tales of the Vikings, Goths, Saxons, and ancient Britons.  Basically, Ullr rules!

In addition to dueling, gods were also known to have a penchant for good times, and Ullr, when he was not out making fresh tracks, was known to flirt with the Goddesses on a regular basis.  His sexual prowess is legendary and if modern pop culture is any indication, then the goddesses may well have been sporting horns and pointy metal bras - necessitating some smooth talkin' and delicate moves on Ullr's part (and you thought the obstacle course on Survivor was tough).  As an historical aside: Ullr's sexual prowess seems to support archaeological evidence that polypropylene underwear has not existed until recent times given the effect sweaty polypro has on most folks' amorous inclinations.  However, most important to us snow lovers, Ullr is the god of skiing.  As the undisputed master of skis, he often used his skill to escape from foes or track down prey in addition to shredding fresh POW.  In a sport intimately tied with Scandinavian tradition, it is no wonder that in Norway there are a number of place names that incorporate the name of Ullr.

In the days of Ullr, skis were not entirely what we'd recognize today.  In fact, what we know as skis probably did not evolve until the last century.  In the time of the gods, skis were akin to two planks of wood - one wrapped with cord to provide traction.  As people were often hunting or at war, a single ski pole was often used, allowing a free hand for a weapon.

It is said that Ullr was such a great skier that he would streak across the sky leaving the brilliant stars as his trails (they obviously had some fine powder days).  Though very skilled, Ullr guarded his knowledge closely and refused to show the other gods how to ski.  Luckily for us, he let the secret out of the bag and we will all be soon celebrating his glory.  Next time you are trying to bash through some wind crust or plunge head first into fresh waist deep powder, be sure to invoke his name and remember - ULLR RULES!

Illustration from an Icelandic manuscript
showing Ullr on his skis
and with his bow

Every January the Town of Breckenridge has a crazy Ullr parade down Main Street. Details are on the High Country web site at http://bit.ly/bAyYlm. The parade is followed by the annual Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Competition http://bit.ly/aRQJqW to be held January 25 to 30, 2011. The sculptures will remain until February 6, 2011 weather permitting.
So join us in Summit County at one of our wonderful ski areas this winter and help celebrate our connection to Ullr, Norse God of Snow.

Where to Ski in Summit County

Arapahoe Basin
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Copper Mountain
Keystone Resort
Vail
Beaver Creek

Summit County, Colorado has four great ski areas within 20 miles.
Breckenridge Ski Resort and Keystone Resort are owned and operated by Vail Resorts who also have Vail and Beaver Creek in nearby Eagle County. If you buy a lift ticket for either Breckenridge or Keystone you will also gain lift access to Arapahoe Basin. In addition if you purchase at least a three day Vail Resorts pass in either Breckenridge or Keystone, you will be able to ski one day at either Vail or Beaver Creek, four and five day passes give you two days, six days three days etc. If you need more information about the Vail Resorts lift tickets, check out the section on the lift ticket page of the High Country Activities web site at http://bit.ly/adMdGR.
There are ski shuttles that are available for booking to transport you to the slopes of Vail and Beaver Creek and High Country Activities is able to set up this reservation for you http://bit.ly/9aUmci.
Copper Mountain is independently owned, and has unique terrain that is naturally divided on the mountain into a beginner, intermediate and expert runs, with additional bowl skiing access.
Arapahoe Basin also sells its own lift tickets and is a great mountain for expert skiers with its high elevation and brand new bowl.
To learn more about which mountain might be right for you, the unique aspects of each of them, where they are located in Summit County and what is offered at each resort, the High Country Activities lift ticket page also has a detailed description. http://bit.ly/adMdGR.
If you would like to learn a bit of the history of all of the ski areas and the towns where they are located read the indvidual pages for Arapahoe Basin http://bit.ly/9Iy0Fp, Breckenridge http://bit.ly/9Mld1D, Copper Mountain http://bit.ly/cN0hZL, Keystone http://bit.ly/cT7bbL, Vail http://bit.ly/baTw6u and Beaver Creek  http://bit.ly/bXtVlb.
With the new snow that Summit County is currently receving, High Country Activities hopes that you are excited to come and visit us, and that you will have a better idea of where you might like to spend your time skiing and riding.

Heading West along the Colorado River from Frisco, Colorado

Frisco, Colorado through Glenwood Canyon to Glenwood Springs, Colorado and Grand Junction, Colorado
Colorado National Monument

I left Frisco, CO about 2:00pm on Friday October 15, 2010 for a short trip to western Colorado and over the border to Utah. I immediately hit a traffic jam at Copper Mountain but was rewarded with an awesome view of the back of the snowcapped Ten Mile Range.

Then it was up and over Vail Pass and on Interstate 70 past Vail, Colorado. There were only a few Aspen trees still with their leaves - the silver trunks always look so bare when the leaves have all been dropped. The turn after West Vail at exit 171 towards Minturn is the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway http://bit.ly/cnnD4l that runs through Leadville, Twin Lakes and on to Aspen. 

I70 then runs past Avon with the ski are of Beaver Creek and then comes out of the high central Rockies into the Colorado River Valley. The Eagle River joins the Colorado River in Wolcott, Colorado, and the interstate, and the river are also joined by the train tracks of Amtrak's California Zephyr that runs all the way from Chicago to San Francisco. In one valley you have road, rail and river all going in the same direction. The railroad was part of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad built in the early 1900s that is now the Union Pacific Railroad. This area of the Colorado River Valley is filled with some beautiful ranches along the winding river. Rather than Aspen trees, the large Cottonwoods have groves next to the river, and the altitude is now so much lower the trees are in their full fall foliage.

Just after Dotsero, Colorado the road enters Glenwood Canyon   http://bit.ly/1heH66 , where road, rail, and river are joined by a bike path. There are exits to scenic areas like the Bair Ranch and the Shoshone rapids and another to the hiking trail that leads to Hanging Lake http://bit.ly/dgiqiX. I never cease to marvel at the geology of the canyon and the way the river has cut through the various layers of rock. The water is a beautiful deep green - there has not been much precipitation lately so there is very little sediment flowing in the current. There is still a pretty good flow to the river as water has to be let out of Colorado reservoirs to meet downstream obligations - those golf courses in Nevada and California do have  to be watered, Lake Powell needs to be filled and the Glen Canyon Dam needs a certain amount of water to create power for Arizona.

The canyon finishes at Glenwood Springs where you will find the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool http://bit.ly/kJIXG and the Yampah Spa & Vapor Caves http://bit.ly/Zyl9m as well as the historic Hotel Denver http://bit.ly/aZSpg4 and Hotel Colorado on either side of the river.

My trip then follows the river with the Roan Plateau to the north and Battlement Mesa to the south until reaching Debeque Canyon http://bit.ly/dz7gjb where the James M. Robb Colorado State Park http://bit.ly/cXEHVZ  has five different sections. The canyon is really beautiful and the freeway is right next to the river, with many willows and grasses on the riverbank that have turned to numerous colors from golden brown, to bright yellow to deep red.

The canyon emerges after entering a tunnel with the town of Palisades on the left, the "Heart of Colorado's Fruit and Wine Country" http://bit.ly/9d7pMt. After traveling through the center of Grand Junction, Colorado and crossing the Colorado River numerous times, I finally reach my destination for the night at the Colorado National Monument http://bit.ly/caLrKz. I pay the park fee and ask about the camp site, that I had thought was close to the east entrance to the park, but that it the day use Devil's Kitchen picnic area and the Saddlehorn camp site is 19 miles on the other side of the park. The road is winding with tons of switch backs as it ascends to the top of the monument and the sun is sinking and directly into my face when it is not hidden behind rock faces. There are bends that I come around where the sun goes into shadow and the ground drops off the side of the road sometimes with no barriers and I cannot even see the road until the light adjusts.

Luckily there are markers on the side of the road and I am able to follow the white tips on those and not plunge down to the bottom of a canyon. It is needless to say very nerve wracking but the scenery is dramatic. Ute Canyon with its overlooks is particularly breathtaking from both sides as is Monument Canyon. The camp site is really good with great bathrooms, a picnic table and a charcoal grill at every site. It is pretty full. mostly with campers with California plates. The stars are really bright as we are up on top of the Uncompaghre Plateau and the night time temperatures are relatively warm.