COLORADO Monarch Mountain Ski Area near Salida Meet Tony Drees If you visit Aspen Highlands, don’t be surprised if you spot Tony Drees surrounded by an eager group of students or whooshing past you on three-track skis. As an instructor and avid adaptive skier, he easily clocks over 100 days on the mountain each season. However, as a military veteran who lost his leg in 2018, his sunny ski days were not born from an easy journey. The award-winning documentary “One For All” tells his story of resilience through the unimaginable as he becomes the first Black amputee to do a ski-jump backflip at 55 years old. Today, he translates the lessons he’s learned to inspire skiers of all stripes, ages and abilities, so they too can get a piece of that joy. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MONARCH MOUNTAIN SKI AREA; TRANSITION-EXPERT TONY DREES; JACK AFFLECK/VAIL RESORTS “For me, to be able to show up every day and have this [mountain] as my office view — and that I get to do this thing that I love so much around a bunch of people that also love it so much — what that does for my mental health is almost unquantifiable.” Experience the wonder of skiing in Colorado for yourself. From beginner-friendly bunny hills to black-diamond glades, there’s a route for every skier at these resorts. Get to know them all on Colorado.com. Vail Ski Resort COLORADO . COM 53
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2025: Page 53
