Icey Shop Spotlight - Powder 7

Winter is on its way back to the Colorado high country, friends, and chairlifts will be spinning in just a few weeks. That means local ski shops are hard at work getting folks geared up for the season. In honor of that noblest of endeavors, we're going take some time to highlight our favorite places to buy Icelantic skis in North America.

First up is Powder7 Ski Shop in Golden, CO.

Just up the street from Icelantic's new Worldwide Headquarters in Golden is another homegrown business that's casting a big, ski-shaped shadow. Husband-and-wife team Jordan Jones and Amy Dannwolf started Powder7 in nearby Lakewood in 2007, and slow, steady growth has turned it into Colorado's favorite local, family-owned, internet ski and ride superstore. Their most recent advancement: a sweet-looking new storefront that opened this fall, built out of beetle-kill wood, packed with mountain-themed art, and displaying every type of ski equipment dreamt up by humans.

Who are these people: Jordan and Amy met on the track team at Boston University, where Jordan attempted to charge Amy $5 admission to a party and ended up with a girlfriend instead. Like all East Coast skiers, Jordan came to Colorado after graduation, selling skis on eBay while working as a Denver Police Officer and a pro triathlete. Amy joined him after her own graduation, they taught themselves how to write code for eCommerce websites, and began the slow process of global internet domination. Now, nine years later, the staff at Powder7 has swelled to about a dozen friendly, ski-knowledgeable weirdos, who spend all year talking snow, selling fun, and shipping gear around the world.

Why are they so rad: Well, the shop dog, a terrier named Gulliver, is pretty badass. And, in addition to the new skis, boots, bindings, etc., that you'll find at other shops, they have a thousand different used demo skis for sale--offering an attractive alternative for people who don't necessarily want to spend a grand on new gear. It's also cool that you can browse (and buy) every single thing they've got online at <a href="http://www.powder7.com">powder7.com</a>, and have them ship it right to you. Even if you live in a van in the Mad River Glen parking lot. The big thing, though, is that skiing and riding is all they do. They don't sell lawn furniture or golf shirts in the summer, they don't read books or have friends, they just test out snow gear and use those findings to match humans to skis. It's a good gig.

Pro tips: When you go, make sure you take a look at the original artwork in the store, particularly the painted doors by Powder7's own Sarah Beabout. One door features Wolf Creek's Knife Ridge, the other shows the rugged San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. If you're lucky, shop owner Jordan might even play barista and pull you a steaming shot of espresso from a sparkling chrome La Pavoni espresso maker. You can also watch through a window while ski techs mount your new Icelantic skis or feed them through their massive Austrian Wintersteiger machine for a fresh tune while you wait.

Where they at: You can visit their brick-and-mortar store at 880 Brickyard Circle in Golden, CO. or shop their entire inventory including the latest 2017 skis from Icelantic, and those sweet, sweet used demos online at powder7.com

Their Facebook game is strong, too.

Keep tabs on them there, or hit 'em up on Twitter and Instagram @powder7com.