Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

Yeah re: Genesee you'd have to buy out the guy who has his Mansion there now and or the bottom property so millions just to get control of the land. And then you'd have the challenges above as well as the environmental hurdles and the Jeffco planning hurdles. Can you imagine the public meetings where everyone in Genesee comes out screaming about the impact on their lives.

If it'll happen it will have to be some large lot property in more or less its own valley with existing water rights and private road access to insulate from other property owners. With the property value pressures on the front range it gets to be quite a unicorn. Unless you could get the forest service to help you approve something and good luck there.

I think that the demand is there and growing. I don't know how many people that I've talked to that are close to giving up on weekend skiing on I70. Eldora has become the go to alternative but that's gotten to be a cluster to get to at times on the weekend too. And the population on the front range keeps increasing so perhaps eventually the demand will become so great that something becomes feasible .

NIMBYs would be out in full force for anything close to the metro. The ski run lights give me migraines!

I'm a big fan of feeder hills where beginners can get a cheap ticket, link some turns, gain experience and not have to deal with big resort bullshit, but the market hasn't sustained those for years. Geography and historical snowfall has always favored areas on or west of the divide.

There was a big upslope in 2012 and we were snowshoeing up at the top of White Ranch, a good 30" or so. There were 2 dudes making some quality turns up there. Made me think "What if?" :rolleyes2

What's wrong with Echo? It's about as close as you are going to get a ski area with decent snowfall or able to hold man made. Otherwise, put a lift on St Mary's again?

Echo isn't on the Epic Pass... If it was I bet more people would go, but I doubt it would make a noticeable dent in the traffic.

Yes yes.....

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Originally Posted by ULLRismyco-pilot

What's wrong with Echo? It's about as close as you are going to get a ski area with decent snowfall or able to hold man made. Otherwise, put a lift on St Mary's again?

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It needs a bit better access for most casual skiers. With the slow road up from Evergreen, I think it takes about as long as getting to Loveland.

It's too bad, because that could be a good option, especially if it were to expand a bit. What if Echo was as big as Eldora? I'd think a decent chuck of beginner skiers who are sick of sitting in weekend traffic could head up there and would want to if it had a bit more.

So with temps getting into the mid 40's this week how is the snow holding up? Still decent in the shade / trees or has it all gone to shit pretty much?

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Originally Posted by TahoeJ

So with temps getting into the mid 40's this week how is the snow holding up? Still decent in the shade / trees or has it all gone to shit pretty much?

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This time of year the sun doesn't hit anything north facing, and it ain't hitting 40 degrees anywhere near 10K'.

Some awesome chalk to ski on here... Also not getting THAT warm at elevation.

Good to know. I always forget your snow is so much dryer than ours that it doesn't turn as quickly.

Chalky Yum Yum's or sastrOogie depending on your aspect

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Originally Posted by TahoeJ

I always forget your snow is so much dryer than ours that it doesn't turn as quickly.

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It doesn't "turn" until March. Enjoy the chalk.

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Originally Posted by TahoeJ

Good to know. I always forget your snow is so much dryer than ours that it doesn't turn as quickly.

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And the higher altitude helps a lot obviously. The Basin is skiing particularly well right now with everything open.

I wouldn't say it's a shitshow during the week generally. I ski 1-2 days a week during the week and hardly ever have traffic issues. YMMV.

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Originally Posted by TahoeJ

Good to know. I always forget your snow is so much dryer than ours that it doesn't turn as quickly.

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You'll probably find settled pow on east through north aspects in the trees on your hut trip this weekend.

snow is currently being wind fucked, season is over, don't worry it'll start back up march 20

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Originally Posted by adrenalated

You'll probably find settled pow on east through north aspects in the trees on your hut trip this weekend.

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That's good to hear - plus maybe a nice little top coating, at least. Just trying to manage expectations accordingly as I'll be leaving behind a 3-4 foot storm rolling into Tahoe. Haha, of course. But we've had plenty of pow days already this season so NBD.

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Originally Posted by TahoeJ

That's good to hear - plus maybe a nice little top coating, at least. Just trying to manage expectations accordingly as I'll be leaving behind a 3-4 foot storm rolling into Tahoe. Haha, of course. But we've had plenty of pow days already this season so NBD.

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Don't worry. 6" of blower here skies like 2' of cement there ;)

What hut?

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Originally Posted by The SnowShow

Don't worry. 6" of blower here skies like 2' of cement there ;)

What hut?

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Depends on the storm but sometimes that's very true. We've actually had pretty light snow for the most part this season.

Just two quick nights at the Walter hut then some resort days.

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Originally Posted by TahoeJ

Depends on the storm but sometimes that's very true. We've actually had pretty light snow for the most part this season.

Just two quick nights at the Walter hut then some resort days.

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It's funny, this year we've generally had thicker snow aside from a few blower days. But many of the December storms coated everything so inbounds terrain like the East Wall at ABasin is not only open much earlier but has amazing coverage.

Cool - should be good around there, based on what I've seen on social media.

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Originally Posted by ski-wpk

What skis? Did the same to a pair of Dynastar Cham 107s a few weeks ago, also with a tele mount.

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Faction Candide Thovex 3.0. Faction warranteed them, and are sending me a new pair of Chapter 116's..... well, they were supposed to ship last week, and I haven't even received a shipping notification yet.....

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Originally Posted by adrenalated

They say Candide Thovex on the sidewall so I'm gonna assume they were Factions.

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Yep

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Originally Posted by Ireallyliketoski

The sastrugi on the upper slopes of James Peak yesterday was all time, filling rattling. However, the lower part of the glacier was actually filled with windblown powder, best snow I've ever skied on the low angled side of the glacier. It was windy too.

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Lemme know when you're up here. I live in the neighborhood at the glacier.

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Originally Posted by BFD

heritage square will either be a housing development or a gravel pit in five years, so that's not gonna happen
I put some thought into the idea of making a gravel pit a snowdump, than grooming it into a terrain, halfpipe park for the local kids to have something to do after school. I have no idea what Denver has for gravel pits or snow dumps but definitely the population to possibly pencil out. But yea hard to brag about the blower.

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Denver has ruby hill rail yard, with lights on at night.

I hit it up sometimes if I want to go hit a couple rails after work. Biggest problem with ruby hill is no rope tow and it's pretty small.

I think something along the lines of ruby hill but a little bit bigger with a Poma or something would be really popular

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Originally Posted by fastfred

snow is currently being wind fucked,

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Was stoked to ski peak 7 bowl at breck yesterday for the first time this season only to find sastrugi wind fucked snow almost the entire way down. It was like skiing the surface of the moon.