Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

[The SnowShow]

Did you huck the big reddish cliffs by Red Square?
My knees can't take it either.

[summit]

Vail hucking = flat landings

[The SnowShow]

Actually the one under those cliffs aren't flat. Maybe 15°

Anyone watching the X Games? I swear I see many regular locals at Keystone or Breck who are just as good.

[Lightning1911]

Crested Butte was fun. Good snow. Dead end chute was good.... but it killed my ski.

[hatchgreenchile]

A fine day for firm groomers, powder honey holes and good company .

Also, a fine day to dig a little snow chair, kick up the feet and daydream about ropes dropping on Shadow to Waterfall

[ski-wpk]

Crested Butte was fun. Good snow. Dead end chute was good.... but it killed my ski.

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

[adrenalated]

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

[Ireallyliketoski2]

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.

[The SnowShow]

65° in Denver. Broke out the mtn bike and rode at Red Rocks.

[goldengatestinx]

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.

All time high strugi on the north side of the Ridge. Still fun though. And have a preview of the I70 shots how heading to the tunnel.

[The SnowShow]

Random thought: I know this probably won't work, but what if Heritage Square opened in the winter (Mid Dec-March) and had a number of runs with primarily man-made snow and night skiing? They already have a 2 person lift. It could be used as a beginner ski hill option for weekend warriors who don't want to deal with I70 or for casual night skiing for the metro area. I'd go for a few runs after work even if it was like skiing a shit tiny eastern hill.
Thoughts?

[hatchgreenchile]

I'd prefer Water World would open up mid-winter.
They've got a gondola, it's a clear choice.

[smmokan]

Word is Boulder is looking at putting a gondola from Pearl Street up to the Hill. Maybe they'll just run it all the way up to the top of Chautauqua.

[The SnowShow]

It's too bad you can't skin up into Chautauqua and the Flatties. Well, legally.

[smitchell333]

Random thought: I know this probably won't work, but what if Heritage Square opened in the winter (Mid Dec-March) and had a number of runs with primarily man-made snow and night skiing? They already have a 2 person lift. It could be used as a beginner ski hill option for weekend warriors who don't want to deal with I70 or for casual night skiing for the metro area. I'd go for a few runs after work even if it was like skiing a shit tiny eastern hill.
Thoughts?

There used to be a ski in Genesee a long while back. With snowmaking nowadays it could work. I'd think someday something along those lines will open , but maybe just a bit higher than Heritage to have more consistent temps.

With the boom in front range population, it's a bit of a shame that all those non i70 resorts closed down. Geneva, Hidden Valley, Berthoud, Genesee.

It's too bad you can't skin up into Chautauqua and the Flatties. Well, legally.

If there's snow then you can go...on skis.

As long as you're "free heel". From the rules
https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/rules-regulations

"Visitors may free-heel ski (cross country and Telemark) on OSMP trails. Visitors are not permitted to ski or snowboard with fixed heels on OSMP."

[The SnowShow]

^^ ah, didn't know that.

Where was the ski in Gennesse?

It is too bad. It's weird to me that some east coast friends I have can drive 25 mins and go ski a small hill at night or after work but we can't here in Denver. I'd think a small operation on a north facing slope would do alright, and yeah, maybe up a bit in elevation, like Evergreen. Something like Echo but closer.

[Danno]

Durango has Chapman Hill, it does seem like we could have something.

[smitchell333]

^^ ah, didn't know that.

Where was the ski in Gennesse?

It is too bad. It's weird to me that some east coast friends I have can drive 25 mins and go ski a small hill at night or after work but we can't here in Denver. I'd think a small operation on a north facing slope would do alright, and yeah, maybe up a bit in elevation, like Evergreen. Something like Echo but closer.

http://www.coloradoskihistory.com/lost/arap_east.html

[The SnowShow]

"Frequent visitors to Arapahoe East were the Denver Playboy
Club bunnies. One of our instructors, Mike Stevenson, was
married to a Denver bunny. I remember many parties after the
slopes closed at 9:00 pm with several bunnies in attendance."

There we go!

[The SnowShow]

Arapahoe East sounds like exactly what I'm talking about. Maybe something like that would work economically these days with the huge population increase? Add mtn biking lift access for the summer season?

[Shredhead]

Nice day to hike the Bowl.

[fastfred]

the start up costs for a new "small" front range ski area are outrageous with little to no return so keep dreaming, look at echo mtn, it'll be closed again in two years

heritage square will either be a housing development or a gravel pit in five years, so that's not gonna happen

having big ideas is awesome but having the money and energy to back them up well that doesn't exist, the average front ranger is all about powder and big turns so they can brag on social media to their friends back where ever they came from, posting up photos of themselves high on some lift served peak, front rangers aren't about hanging out on the bunny hill, getting fresh air, exercise, and making easy turns

[summit]

ok how about a way to lower the start up costs? why do they have to be outrageous? they used to be low enough to allow many small resorts to pop up and stick around (or go under with a few bad winters and no snow making)

[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.

[fastfred]

ok how about a way to lower the start up costs? why do they have to be outrageous? they used to be low enough to allow many small resorts to pop up and stick around (or go under with a few bad winters and no snow making)

come on your no dummy
this is crap I deal with every day and it will crush anyone trying to open or start a business

add up the costs:

purchase or lease of property
insurance costs (with no proven track record and a new start up you will pay some of the highest liablity costs out there)
lift install
lift maintence, utility costs
employees, taxes, w/c, liability, uniforms
snowmaking (forget it, the cost to install, water rights or purchase from municipality, and utiliity costs to run please)
day lodge, rental equipment,
lighting for night skiing


I don't want to be a debbie downer but starting a business without massive deep pockets and the ability to loose lots of money for a tax write off well its what pipe dreams are made of
putting your dick out on the line to run and own a business is a big fantasy that the whole world has, the reality is very different, I drop over 30k in insurance costs a year alone, go figure, I wake up every morning with 1,000.00 out the window by lunch time