More than 8,000 items – skis, snowboards, boots and apparel – packed the hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds on Saturday morning for the 54th annual Hesperus Ski Patrol Ski Swap.
The event, which is being held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, features about 20 vendors from Colorado, New Mexico and Utah who have new and used ski/snowboard equipment for sale at discounted prices. Residents were also able to drop off equipment to sell.
Bruce Williams, director of Hesperus Ski Patrol, said 20 percent of sales will benefit the ski patrol.
“We use that money to buy supplies and equipment, and it pays for training our people,” he said. “We have a good time every year. This event is a lot of fun.”
Hesperus Ski Patrol is an all-volunteer organization that has been promoting safe skiing practices and EMS services at Hesperus Ski Area for over 50 years.
Williams called the ski swap a “community event.”
“We share the wealth here,” he said. “For example, we have Boy Scouts who volunteer to help and so we kick some money back to their organization.”
Dano Vigil, an employee for Le Ski Mastery in Taos, New Mexico, said he has been attending the ski swap for 10 years.
“Sales are incredible today,” he said. “The skis are practically walking off the shelves by themselves. The people here are knowledgeable. They know what they want.”
Le Ski Mastery employee Scott Lacek said new ski technology hits the slopes each winter
“There are technological advances in skiing every year,” he said. “One of those advances, the rocker design, happened several years ago. It changed the sport immensely.”
The side profile of a rockered ski resembles the upturned rails of a rocking chair. On a flat surface, the midsection of a rockered ski will rest on the ground while its tips and tails rise off the ground.
The rocker design offers skiers several advantages, including greater maneuverability and improved flotation in powder.
“Every year, there are subtle differences in skis and the technology,” Lacek said. “It continues to revolutionize skiing.”
mrupani@durangoherald.com
