Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

[grskier]

Ok. Try this again! Me and a buddy are rolling into Aspen this evening for the xgames. We are coming from north Idaho and trailering the the full setup for Timbersled. We have races Friday and setting up sometime tonight or tomorrow. Do not know the area, but strong bc skiers with proper knowledge. Brought touring gear. Looking to try and get out for one day. Any suggestions around the Aspen area? Be cool to hook up with someone that is going out! Unfortunately, the six full kits are not available to rip! Thanks!

http://avalanche.state.co.us/forecas...alanche/aspen/

Hopefully things settle down soon. But if not our in bounds skiing has been great.

There are some options up the pass and up Castle Creek Valley that'd be easiest to get to from here.

Good luck with your race, I'll likely bring my 4 year old up to check some of the events out.

[Shredhead]

If you only have a few hours, just skin up the Tiehack side of Buttermilk. It's not rad, but you'll see more MILFs in an hour than you would in a year in Bonner.

[Underoos]

Mary Jane is good today, nothing unbelievable but weekday skiing is always good.

Little chilly, deep in spots. I got on the Gauge with another single and sure enough, "Have you made a lap? IS THE PANO OPEN!?!?!?"

"It's spinning, but I don't know if it's open. Personally, I don't give two shits about the Pano"

Silence after that. But, when I got off at the top I hung a left and went down there. Put a fresh line down the bowl for the first time in a long time.

Had 4 mugs at Pep's. Home on the couch now.

[Bobby Stainless]

10 inches or so in the past 24 hrs, here at Ajax.

Highlands tomorrow.

[hatchgreenchile]

Wait, it's snowing AND Pano was open???
Bizzaro world!

[Underoos]

Wasn't snowing, no wind.

But yeah.

[fastfred]

only in colorado

and you think everyone in the back country knows what they are doing

http://www.summitdaily.com/news/minn...our-years-ago/

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Routt County commissioners expressed their frustration Monday with two Minnesota men who had to be rescued for a second time from Fish Creek Canyon on Jan. 12 by Search and Rescue volunteers, leading to one rescuer suffering multiple bone fractures after he was swept up in an avalanche in the steep canyon.

“I’m incensed that those guys had to be rescued twice,” Commissioner Cari Hermacinski said Monday. “They had no additional outdoor equipment with them, food, water, stove. Do we have a civil complaint against them? I could live with the second call if they had some equipment. I’m damn mad.”

Her remarks were made after other county officials confirmed to the commissioners that the county’s workers’ compensation will cover the medical bills for rescuer Jay Bowman, who was fortunate to ride out the avalanche without being buried but unfortunate to collide with aspen trees. Those collisions lead to injuries that required 13 screws to stabilize his upper arm, several broken bones in his leg and a laceration to his head.

Adding to the frustration was that the same men — a skier and a snowboarder — had previously called for assistance from Search and Rescue about four years ago in roughly the same location. This time around, they weren’t carrying any of the strongly recommended safety equipment for backcountry skiers — no avalanche beacon, no additional clothing, no avalanche shovel, no means of navigating.

Routt County Attorney Erick Knaus told the commissioners Monday he has reached out to the District Attorney’s Office to have a discussion about the matter.

“The easiest criminal action (to pursue) might be restitution, but I don’t even know if they’re looking at this case for prosecution,” Knaus said.

County Manager Tom Sullivan said because Routt County Search and Rescue volunteers carry out rescue missions under the jurisdiction of the Routt County sheriff, they are eligible for workers’ compensation through the county, which covers medical expenses and 66 percent of lost wages.

In Bowman’s case, lost wages won’t be an issue. He confirmed this week that in addition to all the hours he invests in Search and Rescue, he serves on the boards of directors of four community organizations, but he is not employed.

Sullivan said Routt County arranges for its workers’ comp, along with a half dozen counties that are home to large ski areas, through the nonprofit County Technical Services Inc. Typically, any claims elevate the cost of coverage.

Assistant County Attorney Lynaia South reminded the Board of Commissioners that the Colorado Search and Rescue Board, which advises county sheriffs across the state, has a policy of not charging victims for backcountry rescues. However, in the case of rescued adventurers who possess a hunting, fishing or hiking license, snowmobile/ATV/boat registrations or the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue card, a portion of the associated fees help to defer the cost of searches and rescues.

The first line item in the Search and Rescue board’s policy on charging for rescues reads: “At no time, and in no manner, should an individual member of a volunteer search and rescue organization benefit monetarily from rendering emergency service to the subject of a search, rescue or recovery effort.”

Routt County Search and Rescue is affiliated with the Mountain Rescue Association, which involves rigorous testing every five years.

[funkendrenchman]

10 inches or so in the past 24 hrs, here at Ajax.

Highlands tomorrow.

Only 6" behind 07-08 pace!

[summit]

only in colorado
and you think everyone in the back country knows what they are doing

Who thinks that? Idiots are idiots everywhere...

the county’s workers’ compensation will cover the medical bills for rescuer ... ride out the avalanche ... injuries that required 13 screws to stabilize his upper arm, several broken bones in his leg and a laceration to his head.
... the same men ... previously called for assistance from Search and Rescue about four years ago in roughly the same location. This time around, they weren’t carrying any of the strongly recommended safety equipment...
“The easiest criminal action (to pursue) might be restitution"

I believe no-charge-for-rescue should be the standard for the current US system.

But in a case of repeated/willfully negligent action I think it is warranted, and some agencies do that. Seems warranted here... but I don't see why they have to prosecute in order to do that?

[Rideski]

Profiting is a vast delta from recovering from multiple fractures.

Additional bullshit that he doesn't get lost wages because he volunteers all of his time. He'll be working his ass off for the next 6 months at least to get back to square one on health alone.

I have a buddy that did several years on Park County S&R who was self employed. Makes me wonder what happens in that scenario? Fork over your profit and loss statements?

Why should the ski areas rake in millions while S&R is all on their own? Maybe the line gets fuzzier if it was on Buffalo mtn but exiting out a ski area gate, how much of Intrawests bottom line would it take to help the guy out with some meal prep?

[Rideski]

While I'm at it I'll add the pro patrol wage is utterly ridiculous, even without considering what went down at Squaw today.

[adrenalated]

Maybe the line gets fuzzier if it was on Buffalo mtn but exiting out a ski area gate

I have seen no indication that the two exited the ski area gate. Maybe they did, but I haven't seen that written anywhere. According the CAIC report on the slide, the slide occurred on the south side of Buffalo Mtn, and that the rescuers were following the lost skiers tracks at the time. To me that would imply that they did NOT exit the ski area gate, but I really have no idea.

Obviously, they were fuckwits regardless.

[Rideski]

Good to know, thanks, still at work only catching soundbites of both stories.

[simple]

They did exit the ski area. Talked to a nurse at the hospital and she said the guy who got caught in the slide had the gnarliest surgery she has ever seen on his arm and shoulder. Those two skiers are numb nuts.

[Rideski]

https://www.thestreet.com/story/1369...r-results.html

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...300333765.html

[simple]

Well that storm was a dud for most of CO. UT got hammered. Wolf Creek got nuked on.

[BFD]

can confirm

[Telemarketeer]

Well that storm was a dud for most of CO. UT got hammered. Wolf Creek got nuked on.

Wasn't really predicted to be that big up north but I'd say we got about a foot at the Basin the other day. I'll take anything on top of the base we have now.

Not looking forward to all this melting. Might be the year to buy a raft though.

[ASmileyFace]

Wasn't a dud down south for sure.

From Joel today. We are at 90% of peak. 10 weeks before the average snowpack peak.

[The SnowShow]

Well that storm was a dud for most of CO. UT got hammered. Wolf Creek got nuked on.

Yes and no. It did seem to fizzle out (cold temps?) but Vail/BC had a huge day Sunday and LL/AB were good yesterday...

[simple]

Good is not good enough for Todd

[skiHOG]

Vail has been great the last three days. Feel like they under reported a couple of times. East Vail laps yesterday were thigh deep.

[zartagen]

Vail under-reported most days this week and came up with 24" for the week. Not a dud in my mind.

[JaytaeMoney]

A dud? Are you kidding me? This thread has become a parody of itself, conditions in Colorado are freaking ALL TIME right now.

Do you guys actually ski?

[simple]

Wait! You mean more snow collected in East vail with a west wind storm? Get the fuck out of here.

Yeah a dud. Loveland and eldora wasn't waist deep and those are the two best mountains in the front range.