Rocky Mountain News

David Cunningham, a manager at the Board Cartel in Wheat Ridge, holds two Burton "Love" snowboards, part of a limited edition series featuring Playboy centerfolds.

Naked women and snowboarding don't usually go together. And several Colorado mountains want to keep it that way -- at least when it comes to their employees.

Vail Resorts, Winter Park Resort and Echo Mountain are among the mountains banning employees from riding a new line of Burton snowboards that feature nearly nude Playboy centerfolds.

Spokesmen for the resorts say the "Love" boards could offend guests, especially parents of young children who'd rather save the birds-and-bees conversation for another time.

"This is definitely a lot less subtle than some graphics have been in the past," said Molly Mueller, marketing director at Echo Mountain in Idaho Springs.

"We have a stringent employee appearance standard," said Tom Carey, director of guest experience at Winter Park. "We want our employees to be approachable."

Guests will still be allowed to ride the boards, the spokesmen said. Off-the-clock employees will also be allowed to ride them.

At least one mountain is allowing the Love all the time. Monarch Mountain owner Bob Nicolls said he won't ban the risqué boards.

"Those boards aren't illegal," Nicolls said. "Unless it's illegal, I don't think we're going to be censoring it."

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