Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

[Wildman]

What does Vail Pass/Uneva Peak look like?

sugar over rocks

[mortalim]

No good. Any suggestions? I assume a generally sketchy snowpack...

sugar over rocks

Boney and sketchy snowpack.

[hatchgreenchile]

No good. Any suggestions? I assume a generally sketchy snowpack...

Fish Creek and Buff Pass are pretty deep right now.

[Ireallyliketoski2]

No good. Any suggestions? I assume a generally sketchy snowpack...

Stay out of the backcountry, stick to groomers till we get more snow.

[harpo-the-skier]

Open Snow is saying the storm track is moving south into CO by the 14th near the end of the ice fest so we will probably bring skis just in case. One more question about silverton: should we bring at/bc gear or will an alpine/resort setup suffice? We will have avi gear.

I am coming from Tahoe to Ouray for the Ice Climbing Festival. I am wondering if snow conditions are good enough at Silverton to bring ski gear. Obviously conditions will change in a week, but what are conditions in the San Juans now? I will continue to follow this thread.

[garuda]

Open Snow is saying the storm track is moving south into CO by the 14th near the end of the ice fest so we will probably bring skis just in case. One more question about silverton: should we bring at/bc gear or will an alpine/resort setup suffice? We will have avi gear.

Whatever skis you don't mind getting core shots in. But alpine is fine. Bootpacking rather than skinning is the norm there.

[Shredhead]

The actual Ajax summit base is 20".

Despite a thin base, the mountain is skiing great. Once we get that 40" base, the bumps gets hudge.

I agree, I had a great day. Good seeing you guys!

[montanaskier]

What does Vail Pass/Uneva Peak look like?

above Black Lakes is the safest zone but basically just bench to bench skiing. The other side has some tracks on the face opposite matchsticks. I'd assume that stuff has a pretty good suncrust.

Unless you're around Steamboat, it still hasn't snowed much...still very thin.

[Rontele]

EC and GEM like Alabama/NAM and WRF like ND.

[Like a Boss]

Wow, GFS backtracked pretty quick on the Monday "storm." Now showing nada. It's starting to feel like last year at the Beav. Rocks and grass showing in spots that should have good coverage and 41 degrees today.

[montanaskier]

We didn't get much snow in Dec in EC. WAY more than Oct and Nov but not a ton. High pressure til next week then it'll snow more.

[UGASkiDawg]

We didn't get much snow in Dec in EC. WAY more than Oct and Nov but not a ton. High pressure til next week then it'll snow more.

Correct...people outside Steamboat, WC and Monarch who think this year is any better than last are dreaming.....different and the timing is better but the coverage sucks anywhere along I70 . We need snow and we need it bad. That being said...any skiing is better than no skiing. I mean we could all live in Alabama...

[cmsummit]

Correct...people outside Steamboat, WC and Monarch who think this year is any better than last are dreaming.....

Well, the skiing at Breck is better now than it was at this time last year. I was still hiking up into Contest Bowl the 2nd weekend in January last year because the T-bar wasn't open. The T-bar and Horseshoe Bowl have been open for a couple of weeks now. And here is a photo taken in the Back Bowls at Vail on January 1st, 2012:



It isn't that much better than last year around here, but it's still better.

[montanaskier]

Yeah we're ahead of last yeAr and its been cold at least......wicked cold lately.

[mplatt]

I was at Vail on Wednesday. Honestly the snowpack wasnt terrible. It was pretty thin on the front bowls but the far back bowls were deeper. I stick to the trees though so the snow was alot thicker and wasnt skied out

[montanaskier]

THIN conditions abound, looks snowier after this week.

[mfkracing]

We sled-skied all over Vail pass today. I don't know any of the names, but the snow was great. Definitely not deep but I didn't hit anything. There is some fun to be had back there.

[pappag]

Thin and icy but definitely skiable in Tyndall Gorge in RMNP. Booted up DT today. Top layer punchy but not on the descent. Be sure to ski before sun hides behind the mountains to the south and you'll be good.

[rmnpsplitter]

Thin and icy but definitely skiable in Tyndall Gorge in RMNP. Booted up DT today. Top layer punchy but not on the descent. Be sure to ski before sun hides behind the mountains to the south and you'll be good.

How high did you get? We were up there on Saturday but didn't go any further than the apron. Looked just a little thin and windblown for my liking. Wondering how much of a sun crust we'll be dealing with after this week of warm temps. Dodging the crowds on the ride back down was pretty comical, people give you the funniest looks when ripping down the trail.

[cmsummit]

Skinned Peak 6 yesterday and skied the looker's right stuff off the summit ridge away from all the rocks to the south. North Chute on 6.5 looked good to go coverage wise. Snow was pretty good, soft but a little punchy. Hit a couple rocks getting out, but nothing major. NEED MORE SNOW.

[pappag]

How high did you get? We were up there on Saturday but didn't go any further than the apron. Looked just a little thin and windblown for my liking. Wondering how much of a sun crust we'll be dealing with after this week of warm temps. Dodging the crowds on the ride back down was pretty comical, people give you the funniest looks when ripping down the trail.

Made it up to the crux. 2 friends skied from the top before us and 2 others just ahead of me and burnhard also went for the summit but we dropped before they did to avoid getting washed out by debris. Thin and windblown for sure but it sure beats meadow skipping.

In related news, RMNP/Steamboat/Never Summer looks to get hit pretty good Saturday. Wolfie/SW CO even harder starting on Friday night.

[montanaskier]

I'm counting on all your support tonight! RTR

[mortalim]

Did 2 tours this weekend, Uneva Peak and Jones Pass. Got to the base of the peak of Uneva on the S ridgeline above the bowl. Peered over to the East and SE aspects - that side looks awesome - and the parts that aren't in the sun all day might be, except for the wind slab.



Bowl was wind scoured and bony, anything in the sun was sugary, and especially sugary and hollow down in the trees.

Skinned up Jones pass road and did a couple runs on the east facing pitch from between the rocks at about 12000ft. Hard wind slab, powder in the shade.



Another run on the east face (from 12,000 ft) north of the road back down the gulley to the fence. Nice pow turns up top turning into sun crust. Trees were thinner but pow was nice. All the rest of the east facing trees were severely sugary and hollow.

We need more snow, but when we get it ... look out.

Thanks to the folks who gave me a tow on the sled! Good times.

[pappag]

Pics from yesterday in RMNP:
http://thomas-armento.smugmug.com/Ot...uloir-20130106

Trip report:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...-CO-Jan-6-2013

[mortalim]

Sweet! I want some of that action; and fewer 4 mile skins up a road for 200ft vertical runs.

Pics from yesterday in RMNP:
http://thomas-armento.smugmug.com/Ot...uloir-20130106

Trip report:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...-CO-Jan-6-2013