Colorado’s decades-old Labor Day ski sale tradition could become a thing of the past

Christy Sports, the Colorado retailer that has done the most in recent years to preserve the tradition of Labor Day ski and snowboard sales, will cut a different line this year by shifting those sales to a primarily online format.

For the past 13 years, Powder Daze lured Front Range skiers and snowboarders during the summer heat to its Littleton store, which would be crammed with last year’s skis, boards and boots at clearance prices. Powder Daze continued a Colorado skier ritual that began in the 1950s when Gart Bros. invented the Labor Day ski sale. Just last year, Christy’s director of brand marketing, Randy England, was touting an expanded Powder Daze at the Littleton store that was a combination winter gear kickoff sale and snow sports expo.

Not this year, though. The Littleton store and other Front Range Christy locations will have summer inventory on their floors — primarily, patio furniture — when Powder Daze begins Friday as an online ski and snowboard sale. Summer goods in Christy stores will be on sale for up to 50% off, while ski and snowboard gear online will be on sale for up to 60% off.

England is calling it an “End of Summer Event,” while hinting that in-store ski and snowboard sales are coming in October.

Read more from John Meyer at DenverPost.com.