Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

[Fritz]

^^^agreed. Fuck that October layer. Hopefully this melts off and we get some early season wet dumps.

[doebedoe]

Boarders probably did that shit where they are in line for the 6-pack with a group and then just wait at the line. Fucking hate when people do that and I've had my share do that after I join them.

There is a special pleasure when someone does it in front of you. They push off for the next chair, you wait, then sneak in and fuck up all their hoped for happiness.

[doebedoe]

As for the October layer -- looks like we'll get through without one this year. Gonna be pretty warm after the storm tonight.

I don't really care one way or the other. WROD is nice to start getting legs underneath you before it nukes. I just feel bad for my buddy trying to get his 12th consecutive month and is facing the possibility of St Mary's again.

[montanaskier]

This weather is great. Nobody wants a coat on for Halloween! Mid to late Nov dumpage would be perfect.

[The SnowShow]

I heard St Mary's is in horrible shape. Even has a hole opening up mid-snowfield.

I'm all for the warm October and then start nuking mid-Nov. It's been a great fall hiking in the alpine.

[skiingislife]

I just feel bad for my buddy trying to get his 12th consecutive month and is facing the possibility of St Mary's again.

Denver people problems. Tell him there's a ski area open.

[d-root]

So correct me if I'm wrong. Hearing alot about not having that horrible October layer. Colorado as a continental snowpack, right? The base layers always rot out. We have a steep temp. gradient throughout the middle of Winter. So, even if we get a sufficient storm in the second week of November, that layer at the ground will be depth hoar come end of December or January. We never see constant dumpage. Also, high north facing slopes are still holding snow...

[The SnowShow]

I think it's the difference between a very sketchy snowpack vs a very very sketchy snowpack.

[Name Redacted]

So correct me if I'm wrong. Hearing alot about not having that horrible October layer. Colorado as a continental snowpack, right? The base layers always rot out. We have a steep temp. gradient throughout the middle of Winter. So, even if we get a sufficient storm in the second week of November, that layer at the ground will be depth hoar come end of December or January. We never see constant dumpage. Also, high north facing slopes are still holding snow...

but but but...........THE DEPTH HOARZ ARE COMING!!!!!!!!

[adrenalated]

If there is a temp gradient of more than 1°C per 10cm of snowpack, yes the snow will facet and weaken. If the gradient is less than that, the snow will round and strengthen.

Whether or not that happens this year remains to be seen. Theoretically if it doesn't snow until later, and then snows consistently for at least long enough to develop a deep enough snowpack to prevent the strong temperature gradient from forming, then maybe it will be more stable than usual. The ideal situation would be regular snowfall with no prolonged dry spells, with warm air temperatures. As you note, unlikely in CO.

All we can say for sure is that at least there are a lot of slopes with no snow on them now, so at least there's a chance there will be less/no depth hoar on those slopes. But we'll have to wait and see what happens.

[hatchgreenchile]

I find it easier to expect rotted layers all winter, regardless of snow totals in the early part of the year. YMMV.

A little warm for my taste here in town, but I'll always take an extended fall. Turn on the jets mid/late November with heavy base building snow, then keep it real cold, overcast and snowy in January/February. My foolish eyes have been drawn to many south facing slopes this offseason.

[hawkgt]

right here is a bumper sticker in the making

COLORADO - a very sketchy snowpack vs a very very sketchy snowpack.

[grskier]

I've actually been fascinated at how slowly things seem to be melting out considering how warm it has been.

[goldengatestinx]

I vote for super dry sunny weather until late November then full on nukeage till March 30th. After that sporadic dumping interspersed with warm sunny spring days.

For those of us that remember when ski areas never opened until Thanksgiving, this whole early season WROD fake winter shit is fucking stupid anyway. I've even heard dorks who are complaining that AB won't let them skin up the WROD before opening. Go hike a mountain ya losers.

Bust ass spending money making snow in Oct then close when the snow is good, weathers warm and days are long. The industry is run by morons.

[Fritz]

right here is a bumper sticker in the making

Seriously. The only upside of being a backcountry skier in CO is that we probably have the sketchiest snowpack to learn from. This is me with my glass-half-full hat on. Oh yeah, and perhaps the best May/June/July harvest.

[goldenboy]

I've actually been fascinated at how slowly things seem to be melting out considering how warm it has been.

Seriously- and there's some ice forming too. It just goes to show how low the sun already is.

[Name Redacted]

Bust ass spending money making snow in Oct then close when the snow is good, weathers warm and days are long. The industry is run by morons.

They should use giant heaters to dry out the trails in the spring for bike season.

[cmsummit]

Bust ass spending money making snow in Oct then close when the snow is good, weathers warm and days are long. The industry is run by morons.

So closing down the mountain when there isn't enough revenue being generated to sustain operations is moronic? Really, it's the vast majority of skiers that are morons. If people changed their skiing habits, the industry would change as well.

[Name Redacted]

So closing down the mountain when there isn't enough revenue being generated to sustain operations is moronic? Really, it's the vast majority of skiers that are morons. If people changed their skiing habits, the industry would change as well.

Maybe if the industry hadn't changed people's skiing habits to skiing the WROD in October, they wouldn't have to waste all this time and effort and resources on it. Whatever, it's a business, gotta make that scratch and VR surely knows how to do that.

[grskier]

Seriously- and there's some ice forming too. It just goes to show how low the sun already is.

There is going to be a line in December... Somewhere a few hundred feet below treeline that will start an extra layer from the last few days.

[viglio]

I think it's the difference between a very sketchy snowpack vs a very very sketchy snowpack.

Throw this on some CAIC shirts & hats and sell the crap outta it.

[The SnowShow]

Haha, maybe I need to trademark that post

[Kinnikinnick]

There's no predicting what the danger will be. Some years it dumps early and turns all to depth hoar. Some years it turns to hoar but then is metamorphosized away. Some years it doesn't snow early but then when it comes it's hoared out, some years it builds into a pretty nicely knit pack with little hoaring.

Take whats given and always be wary.

[kailas]

Evidence colorado is now full of GAPERS!

[simple]

Evidence colorado is now full of GAPERS!

What is the evidence? The real badass skiers left CO a long time ago. CO is where you check in for a while before you go to the real ski destinations. #resortlife