Colorado Woos Snow Virgins

From kids carving angels in blankets of fresh fallen snow, to skiers catching air on a fast-flying tear, novices and experts alike have found a million ways to turn that white fluffy stuff into wintertime adventure.

For Colorado, a state that derives over a quarter of its revenue from tourism, snow is a necessary fiscal savior, luring snow boarders, ski bums, extreme sport nuts and ice climbers from all over the globe. But like everywhere else, the recession is cutting deep into Colorado’s tourist revenues, forcing the state to find solutions.

On Monday, to combat the continuing hemorrhage in this year's tourism budget, Colorado's Office of Tourism launched a contest called Colorado Snow at First Sight. While it’s hard to imagine there are people who have never experienced the pleasures of snow, they do exist, and Colorado is asking them to compete for a chance to win a vacation in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

Three lucky "snow virgins" will get a three-month, all-expense paid trip to Colorado to try their hand at snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing and other winter sports. Winners will also get to partake in other Colorado amenities, like hot springs, microbreweries and mountain lodges, posting daily capsule updates about their winter escapes on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Those wishing to enter must upload their 60-second videos on the contest Web site, explaining why they should win the three-month vacation. Visitors to the site will then vote on their favorite video as many times as they wish. The top ten finalists will fly to Colorado in December for an audition, and the three winners will spend their three-month trips in Colorado from December through March.

Sound like a blast? Yeah, baby! Wax up those boards -- the slopes are calling.

Photo courtesy Colorado Office of Tourism.