Tai Chi and New Ski, Terrain!

Tai Chi Classes Continue in Leadville

If you live in Leadville Today and are looking for an activity that moves at a slower pace, but provides many health benefits, then consider signing up for one of Elaine Waters Tai Chi classes. In October, Waters is offering two day-long workshops: Tai Chi Push Hands and Tai Chi Sword Form. Elaine Waters takes complex and potentially esoteric concepts and delineates them into simple, easy to understand ideas, called tai chi body mechanics.  Elaine Waters shares her deep understanding of Tai Chi principles, and body mechanics, aided by years of study with her famous Master William C.C. Chen who taught her this tai chi sword form in 1987.

Elaine Waters practices and teaches Tai Chi in Leadville

Tai Chi Push Hands Workshop. This class will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5 from ?10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2:30 – 4 p.m. at St. George Church in Leadville. During this one-day workshop attendees will:

• Discover Tai Chi Body Mechanics in Push Hands.
• Learn how to neutralize to gain an advantage.
• The secret of the effortless push is to first neutralize properly.
• Allow the opponent to lose their own balance.
• Learn to use minimum effort to attain maximum effect.

Tai Chi Sword Form. This class will be held on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2:30 – 4 p.m. at St. George Church in Leadville. During this one-day workshops students will begin to learn the 64 postures of the Tai Chi Sword Form Sequence using tai chi body mechanics in this advanced-level workshop with Elaine Waters!

These workshops are held at St. George Church at 200 W. 4^th Street in Leadville. For registration or more information about other classes offered, check the Elaine Waters website.

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Learn the art and movement of Tai Chi in a relaxed and supportive environment, from a longtime, local instructor. Tai Chi is both a moving meditation, as a well as a sophisticated martial art.

• Tai Chi practice cultivates awareness, and the wisdom of the senses, thereby developing the mind-body connection.
• Tai Chi practice calms the temper and clears the mind.
• Tai Chi postures flow together with a rhythm that has  a lubricating effect on the body joints.

For more information, connect at Elaine Water’s website.

First Snowflakes at Ski Cooper

While September has seen extended warm weather accompanied by bright blue skies and sunshine that first dusting of snow on Leadville’s surrounding peaks last week had skiers and boards readying the poles for the 2019/20 season. Fortunately, that nice weather has allowed the development project at Ski Cooper to stay on schedule. Formerly known as the Way Back Pod Improvement Project, the rebranded Tennessee Creek Basin (TCB)  Project will include a new lift and 14 named trails.

According to Dana Tyler Johnson Director of Marketing and Sales at Ski Cooper, “this double black diamond terrain will add steeper glade and tree skiing to Cooper bring our trail total up to 55 trails this season.” Area residents have noticed the activity in the skies as a helicopter transports concrete for the tower bases, and the new lift!

In more specific detail, Cooper’s General Manager Dan Torsell provided the following information in his “What’s Cooking at Cooper” blog:

“There will be three basic types of terrain in the Tennessee Creek Basin, all of which are very steep.  The first type is narrow, cleared, New England-style trails and would include the lift line trail (Maverick) and the trail to the immediate skier’s left of the lift line (Viper) as well as the maintenance access trail on far skier’s left (High Road and Low Road).  While these trails are completely cleared, caution is advised due to pitch and width.”

Crews ready the area for a concrete pour out at the new lift being installed at the recently named Tennessee Creek Basin area at Ski Cooper. Photo: Ski Cooper

“The second type consists of a number of trails that are classic Glade-style trails where there has been significant, but by no means complete tree clearing, providing areas open enough for comfortable maneuvering among the trees for seasoned skiers (when I use the term “skiers”, I refer to both skiers and snowboarders).  However, please note that there are always hazards present in areas like these, so make sure you are prepared to venture there!”

” The third type is what would be considered natural tree skiing areas which have had no tree clearing, thus are completely untouched areas.  These areas require top-notch, well-honed skills, but should provide the adventurous soul with a truly exhilarating experience!”

You can also hear about the summer’s construction success and other updates at Ski Cooper’s Community Day which will be held on Saturday, October 19 in the Lodge. For more details on this project, and to purchase a pass for the upcoming Ski Cooper Season, visit their website.

New Trails and a new lift await Ski Cooper Season Pass holders. Photo: Ski Cooper.