Colorado Conditions

I know many of us like to get out West from time to time.

Crested Butte sent out this picture earlier today of the snowliage produced by the aspens and a 3" storm, which I'm a real sucker for. Crested Butte has been on my list for a long time, and I hope to get out there for some pow sometime.

This photo was taken today, 10/2/14, and it looks like CBMR is off to a nice start.



photo by Chris Segal

Surprised nobody posted this yet:

Colorado Ski Season Opens at A-Basin

A-Basin is open as of yesterday (Friday).

Sometimes I think I'd like to live in Crested Butte. Cool little downtown, phenomenal mountain biking, awesome skiing.

But then I circle back to this:



If I'm moving out west, I'm looking for western quantities of snow. 150", 125" and 230" the last three years just doesn't cut it.

I still want to check it out, though, and a Taos, CBMR, Wolf Creek trip would be fun in a good Pineapple Express year.

The photo looks good until you get to the top of the image. The sky doesn't look right, too much editing here, I think.

COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — October 28, 2014 — Copper Mountain strives to provide the highest quality experience for guests all year long. With this in mind, Copper has made the difficult decision to delay Opening Day for the 2014/15 winter season from Friday, Oct. 31 to Friday, Nov. 7.

Unusually warm temperatures have limited snow making production causing the inability to create a top-to-bottom skiing and riding experience for our planned opening day. With the forecast looking favorable, Copper Mountain’s Resort Leadership is confident the snow making team can create a quality surface for opening on Friday, Nov. 7. Top-to-bottom skiing will be open on Ptarmigan via Excelerator lift as well as on Rhapsody and Main Vein via American Eagle lift. Easy Rider will also be open for beginner terrain.

Copper will once again introduce the full roster of Olympic medalists and World Champion alpine skiers while hosting the First Tracks Alpine Team Naming presented by Nature Valley on Saturday, Nov. 8. Athletes expected to attend include Mikaela Shiffrin, Julia Mancuso, Ted Ligety, Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn. This full day pep-rally allows fans a chance to watch the U.S. Alpine Ski Team train, participate in a fan-led parade, cheer on and send off their favorite athletes on the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup ski season.

Arapahoe Basin is open to skinning now during non operational hours.... they've had a lot of snow lately too.

The early season dumping continues at Monarch Monarch...

Monarch has installed a webcam...

http://skimonarch.com/webcams

ml242 wrote

Monarch has installed a webcam...

http://skimonarch.com/webcams

It is very dark there right now.

A basin tomorrow
http://www.denverpost.com/2016/10/19/arapahoe-basin-ski-area-opens-friday/

Just saw this reading a 11/7 T.R. on TAY:

TR on TAY wrote

South Diamond Peak (11,781’), Cameron Pass
Day 5
November 6, 2016


Number of ski trails “open" in Colorado: 1 (at A-Basin).

Trails, not ski areas.  

They might open another trail this week.  That is, if it gets cold enough for (yikes!  Am I in NJ?!?) snowmaking.

We don't appear to be getting an early start out West.

Copper has their USSA training terrain open but its not open to the public.  My son is heading out there an a couple of weeks for 18 days of training.

PSIA Demo team was out using it recently and the photos looked good.

Almost 60 in Aspen yesterday.

Glad I canceled my trip in early December. My season pass will wait to be used until January.

Well, as bad an early season much of the West has had, outside of BC Colorado seems to have it best right now.  PNW this week has been dealing with some wet conditions and frozen crud the past few days, Tahoe is snow starved, Utah isn’t much better, and some warm weather is hitting WY/MT.  Meanwhile....Summit Co resorts have seen more than 2ft of snow in Feb, 18 inches in the past 3 days, with temps at elevation staying favorable, and upwards of 10 inches in the forecast for Saturday.  A-Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge are all near 100% open.  

So, I bagged my Alta visit for the weekend and am booked for Denver.  Skiing A-Basin on Sunday, deciding between Keystone and Breckenridge for Saturday.  Interested in Keystone to go beyond the Outback/Outpost terrain and skin out to the hike to terrain in Independence, Bergman and Erikson Bowls.  A sort of backcountry day without hitting the backcountry.  Maybe.

Will report back on conditions.

I am going to Santa Fe and Breck in 3 weeks..Curious to hear about Breck

If I decide to go Breck instead of Keystone I’ll let you know.

i pm you for a email address so i can send you some Zermatt info

I may audible and ski Loveland tomorrow.  Honestly, Breck might be the best place for storm day skiing (expecting 5-10+) because it has the most trees to explore if the vis is bad.  However, the idea of paying $149 for a lift ticket just doesn’t sit right with me.....