PURGATORY RESORT – Josh Steinlauf of Durango handled his pond skimming run like a pro: right through the water, not a drop on him.
Purgatory Resort is beginning its end-of-the season craziness, and pond skimming, skiing into and – if you’ve built up enough speed – through a pond of water, was on tap Sunday.
“I went through it, but not in it. You know how cold it is? It’s 1 degree above freezing,” he said.
Taylor Davies of Durango hit bottom.
“I touched the bottom of the pond with my board and my body. It was very cold water, but I splashed the Skyhawk. I got him directly with my splash,” Davies said.
Skylar the Skyhawk, mascot for Fort Lewis College, kicked off the runs. Angling to his right, the big bird failed to skim the pond, but managed to only wet his suspiciously human-like legs up to the calves.
“Everyone was scared to go, so I said I’ll go,” Davies, wearing his soaking wet Captain Native American costume, said. “Now, I’m going to get a beer and hang out with my wife and kids.”
Kit Barton of Durango said he “tried to do a 180.”
“I flopped. I wasn’t going fast enough. But it was fun, so it was all good. I wonder if they’ll let me do it again.”
Daily operations at Purgatory ended Sunday, but the resort will be open for Saturday and Sunday skiing as long as the snow lasts. Purgatory still lists an 82-inch base depth.
The last day of weekend skiing has not yet been set.
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