Telluride Truffle Flavors
TRUFFLES LIFE

One of the prettiest phenomenons we have here in the mountains and it only really happens in the winter. Around 4pm or so, just as you're cozying up with a glass of rich dark red wine after a day on the slopes, the sun puts out a last hurrah as it sets. A deep rose light paints all of the snowcapped mountains pink. It gently warms one's heart and ends what is usually another perfect day.

This is about the spiral of life in Telluride. Telluride is all about living life to the fullest. We give up a lot to live here - money, opportunities, variety. But we do it because of the way we feel when we look out our windows at those mountains; because unlike larger cities, you learn to forgive your enemies because you're going to run into them a lot and you've probably known them a long time. Or we do it because we're on some FBI most wanted list. Its a bunch of characters up here.

Another favorite past time in Colorado is white water rafting. Which can be a lot of fun. But if anyone ever says - "let's do a class 5 rapid" say "no thank you" and take your life in the other direction. These rapids have roaring water and maybe a big rock or two and a very scary name like: Dead Falls, No Turning Back, Death Plunge. Oh - and did I mention that you can get killed in these? But - here's to all those boaters (and there are quite a few) who do them anyway and live. Call them stupid or brave - they are taking life by the horns and riding it to the finish line.

Mountains around here have snow on the tops of them up until about August...and then start turning white again in October. Locals take all day to hike up and ski one long run down on them - 3 hours up 15 minutes down. We're sort of manic about skiing around here - we just can't stop!

If you ski, you know what a powder day is. If you don't but live in a snowy area, these are the days when kids stay home from school and parents shovel the driveway. If you live in Florida, these are the days that you hear about up north and think, thank God you live in Florida. For Telluride locals, it's a day when you jump out of bed in order to wait in line at 7 a.m. to get first tracks at 9.

There you are, in skis and boots, on top of a hill of virgin snow, then . . . whoosh -- someone whizzes by and gets freshies before you. What they leave on the snow is "first tracks" - sweet when they're your own - bad bad bad when they're someone else's.

While the rest of the country is enjoying spring with blooming flowers and warm sunny days, the mountain towns of Colorado are in what we call Mud Season. That's when it's just not sure if it wants to rain or snow and the ground is thawing - turning to mud and mixing with the melting snow. A real mess. Oh - and we're not here - we left for Mexico or Hawaii where it's pretty and WARM! Not the best time of year to come and visit but it makes a nice truffle.

These are people who like it pure. They are "free climbers" who go up sheer mountain walls without the benefit of ropes, or they free their heels and tele ski. And they don't want anything getting between them and their chocolate. Just give it to 'em straight.

When skiing, a black diamond is a sign of a very advanced slope. Don't go on it unless you are qualified. Ski Patrol has many stories of terrified skiers who simply can't get down and must be rescued from the steeps. When we developed this truffle laced with a shot of Tequila and topped with salt, we felt it was our most extreme truffle and therefore deserved the name.

We've got deer, elk, mountain lions, and …. Cows, black and white cows here in Telluride. But the cows are very special. Just like crocuses at lower altitudes, the cows are our sign of spring in the valley. They come up from their lower altitude winter pastures to a large area known as the valley floor - hence the name "Valley Cow." The valley floor is a gorgeous 50 acre area to the right as you drive into town. The Valley floor is the crown glory of our little town and the Valley Cows are dear to our hearts.

At the very far end of an Indian summer you wake and walk outside. Right away you know it's fall because there is an early frost on all the earth. Winter is soon approaching. You can feel the excitement of winter. So… you immediately go inside, put on a heavy sweater and go to check your ski gear.

When the mountains aren't snowcapped you can see the shale on many of them. Pieces of shale are flat rock that slide a bit when walking on them. You can see what I mean if you hike up to the top of Ajax which is right at the end of the Telluride valley. We don't really call them rocky top, but it just sort of describes what they look like.

This is what you have to go through to get to a Powder Day (see that description above.)   Storms in the mountains can be ferocious lots of snow and lots of wind.   It’s fun when you’re all warm and cozy inside with a fire.  But driving when it’s hard to see where the road ends and oblivion begins.  Well – now that’s another mater. 

In the mountains, trees can only grow to an altitude of around 10,000 feet and then no more. This line between trees and nothing is referred to as Timeberline.

The bunny hill is that small, barely sloping hill where most people (if they're smart) learn to ski. After learning to ski you can't believe this barely sloping hill ever terrified you. But put on a snowboard and go back to it and you'll quickly remember the terror. This also is where you fell laughing more times than you wanted to count or you snow plowed, thighs burning and cursing the person who talked you into it.