Last Saturday it rained again as I was teaching on the slopes. Fortunately it stopped by noon and we had a chance to dry out. The Snow Squad kids are doing great. They are becoming bolder on the slopes and want to stay in the terrain park. We introduced them to a slalom course and played Winter Olympics. They loved it. Some parents wanted us to have their kid ready to visit a bigger place like Peek’n Peak or Holiday Valley. I think we’re accomplishing that. Wednesday we had a big storm come through the area dumping 5-8 inches. We had another powder day at Brandywine that evening. I pointed out to my students “You see all that stuff on the hill, that’s called ‘snow’.”
Last weekend was a great one for skiing in Colorado and the Great Awesome Weather Computer (GAWC) tells me another powder weekend is shaping up this weekend as well. Just about everybody is going to get snow this week, except for perhaps the upper Midwest. Even the snow-starved Sierras will be getting some more snow. Last weekend mammoth received a badly needed 10-14” dump. With more snow coming Mammoth is getting excited about the upcoming President’s Day weekend holiday. The GAWC tells me everybody’s going to get snow over the next 7 to 10 days. However, the epicenter of this week’s snow accumulation was in the Poconos, Berkshires, and Catskills. Let’s take a closer look.
Eastern Great Lakes – I woke up Wednesday morning with about 4 fresh inches of snow in my driveway. However, that storm is gone and the only place who is going to get some snow on Thursday is western New York. This weekend should be pretty cloudy with temperatures in the 20’s. Sunday should be pretty snowy for our club’s ski bus trip to Holiday Valley. Currently Seven Springs PA received over a foot of snow earlier this week and they under-rate their conditions as “decent.” Actually, I think the operators want the powder for themselves or they have a case of “mad pow” disease. Currently they are 100% open with a 36-48” base. Holiday Valley is about 88% open but they are optimistic they will be completely open this weekend. The only runs that are closed are the ungroomed and skied-out glade runs.
New England – Jay Peak VT is about 95% open with a 25-50” base and “good” conditions. The guy in the picture below said it was his first at Jay Peak and thinks the glades there are the best in the East. Yeah I see what you mean guy. Cannon Mountain NH is 77% open with a 15-45” base and “good” conditions. Sunday River ME is 74% open with a 16-36” base and “good” conditions. The northern areas received some snow yesterday but most of it fell in the Berkshires. This weekend they are expecting a mixture of clouds and sun with highs in the lower 20’s. Snow possible on Sunday.
Glade run at Jay Peak
Catskills – Belleayre NY is 75% open with an 18-65” base and “good” conditions. Windham reports they are 100% open with a 10-60” base and “excellent” conditions. This region received some snow earlier this week plus an additional 4-8” yesterday. That’s it for the snow until Sunday. Temperatures this weekend will be in the upper teens.
Poconos – All of the major resorts are 100% open with about 18-36” bases. Nearly everyone reports having “excellent” conditions. No more snow is expected for the rest of the week. Some more is expected on Sunday. Highs for the weekend will be in the upper 20’s.
Southern Appalachians – Currently, Snowshoe WV is 100% open with a 34-46” base and “good” conditions. Wintergreen Resort VA is 95% open with a 50-60” base and “very good” conditions. Sugar Mountain NC is 100% open with a 48-96” base and “excellent” conditions. Highs will be around freezing in West Virginia this weekend with snow possible on Sunday. It will be warmer on the front range of the Appalachians with highs around 40 this weekend. A rain/snow mix is expected on Sunday that will probably be elevation dependent.
Upper Midwest – A lot of areas up here are reporting “excellent” conditions, along with impressive bases typically seen out west. Boyne MI is 85% open with a 60-85” base and “excellent” conditions. Wilmot Mountain WI is 96% open with a 43-102” base and “excellent” conditions. Afton Alps MN is 96% open with a 58-80” base and “excellent” conditions. See what I mean? Temperatures and conditions are going to vary locally over the weekend. Lows could dip into the single digits this Sunday in Minnesota but temperatures are more likely to be around 20 most places. Some areas will receive snow this weekend and for others the only thing coming down with be the sun’s rays.
Northern Rockies – Many resorts in this region have been getting snow this week up to about a foot (i.e., Jackson Hole). Even though it’s been snowing everyday at Jackson Hole WY for nearly a week they report their conditions as merely “good.” They are 100% open with a 63-77” base. It’s the same story over at Big Sky MO, which is also 100% open with a 49-79” base. It’s been snowing there too and they report having “excellent” conditions. Conditions really vary in Idaho. In the northern-most part of the state at Schweitzer ID, they are 100% open with a 45-70” base and “good” conditions. Further south at Sun Valley, they are just over 60% open with only a 26-34” base. Good thing none of our local ski clubs are going there this year. Lake Louise AB is 74% open with a 51-53” base and “excellent” conditions. Things are looking better for Sun Valley this weekend. Some snow’s expected through the weekend with highs around freezing. It will pretty much the same story in Wyoming and Montana. Up in Alberta it will be colder around 20 with a mixture of clouds and sun.
Central Rockies – Virtually everybody’s been getting snow. Aspen received nearly 3’ of snow at the end of last week. Accumulations of up to nearly 2’ (Wolf Creek CO) have been reported this week. Consequently, everybody has either “very good” or “excellent” conditions. We have some of our local clubs going to Summit County this coming week. Let’s see how things are shaping up for them. Copper Mountain CO is 97% open with a 64-77” base and “excellent” conditions. Vail CO is 100% open with a 64” base and with, well, “excellent” conditions. Beaver Creek CO is 100% open with a 65” base and, you guessed it, “excellent” conditions. Daisy the powder hound and Stokes the snowcat are howling and meowing like crazy – HOOOWL! MEEEOOWW! That’s enough guys, quiet down. I’m trying to write here! Let me tell you what they’re all excited about. It’s going to continue snowing throughout the weekend. You could have problems getting there. You could have a picture perfect powder day on Sunday. Then it’s suppose to snow again on Monday with another picture perfect powder day on Tuesday. Then some sun/clouds/sun for Wednesday. Cloudy on Thursday and more snow on Friday. I predict at least 4 POWDER DAYS next week! Saturday should be pretty good for the return trip home. Yep, you guys have hit the snow lottery. Enjoy!
Beaver Creek 1-31-14
Southern Rockies – Areas in this region are about 77% open and they’ve been getting snow this week. Taos NM has received 18” this week and has a 34-42” base. Conditions are rated as “good” but I think they might be better than that. Native American owned Ski Apache NM also received a foot of snow a few days ago. They have about 70% of their runs open with a 25-28” base and “very good” conditions. Arizona Snowbowl AZ received 6” a few days ago and are about 77% open with a 32” base and “excellent” conditions. There will be some snow today and tomorrow. Then it will be mostly sunny over the weekend with highs around 50.
Pacific Northwest – Isolated snowstorms blessed some resorts with new snow in this region. For example, Mt. Bachelor OR received 2’ this week and a few other spots received a few inches as well. Word has it Mt. Bachelor failed to plow their lot from all the fresh snow preventing the workers from getting there. Consequently they weren’t open, PO’ing many ski bums who tried to go there. Presently that resort is about 85% open, a big welcomed change from a few weeks ago. They have a 61-76” base with “excellent” conditions. It’s about time! Further north at Mt. Baker WA they have 80% of their runs open with an 80-93” base and “good” conditions. Whistler/Blackcomb is 98% open with a 50” base and “good” conditions. Stokes the snowcat likes the forecast and gives it his MEOW! The more reserved Daisy the powder hound isn’t as optimistic. Oregon and Washington expect periods of snow throughout the weekend with highs around freezing. Conditions will be different in British Columbia where it will be sunny this weekend with highs in the 20’s.
Pow day at Mt. Bachelor 2-5-14
Sierras – Conditions are slowly improving following the decent dump this region received last week. Heavenly received over 2’ of snow last week enabling them to open up a few more runs. Currently they are about 35% open with a 37-45” base and “excellent” conditions. Across the lake at Squaw Valley they remain only about 20% open with a 21-31” base and “good” conditions. The storm last week only gave them about 10” of fresh snow. However, the place to ski in the Sierras right now is Mammoth, which is about 80% open with a 25-35” base and “good” conditions. They’re the only place to receive any new snow this week, capturing about 5” on Sunday. Weather conditions with vary this weekend. Around Lake Tahoe they expecting precipitation throughout the weekend, but form of that precipitation will depend on the elevation. It could be rain or rain/snow mix at the base, and snow higher up. Highs will reach the 40’s. Over at Mammoth though there will be a mix of sun and clouds on Saturday and precipitation on Sunday. Highs will be in the 40’s. Daisy and Stokes took a look at this forecast and decided to go back to sleep. They liked the possibility of predicted snow, they just don’t want to ski in the rain at the base.
Southern California – Just for a change let’s take a look at another San Bernadino Mountain resort called Mountain High. This resort has a 1600 vertical foot drop that summits out at 8200 feet. It is the closest resort to Los Angeles, just over an hour’s drive. This is a family oriented resort with 20% beginner, 42% intermediate, 34% advanced, and 3% expert runs. They have 14 lifts covering 290 acres and their longest run is 2 miles. Unfortunately, the season hasn’t been pretty good for them either. Currently they are 23% open with a 12-16” base. The weather forecast predicts sun, clouds, breeze, and highs in the 50’s this weekend.
So it looks like the place to ski this weekend is the central Rockies again. Take your pick of places. Afterwards let’s hook up at the best pizza place around, Peppino’s in Frisco.
Ski Bums 