Countdown to the ribbon of death

[The Dude]

Loveland's website has started a countdown clock to the opening day for the ribbon of death. Its based on an opening date of Thursday October 14, 2004.

As of right now, 50 days to opening.

Sad to say that I will try to be there, at least for a few runs.

Dude

[Z]

<---------ALL IN

[freshie247]

All aboard for the gaper-pinball express

[summit]

A-Basin must open Oct 13!

[board]

I always look forward to the ribbon ! 1st turns of the new season means that the good shit is just that much closer.

[Hacksaw]

Ah yes, "Mombo Madness."

[Below Zero]

Originally posted by The Dude


Sad to say that I will try to be there, at least for a few runs.

Dude

I don't understand - why sad to say? At least one run is worth it! Who cares if it's a blue run - it's just about hanging out, skiing a run, maybe testing out some new gear you bought, and drinkin beer!

[Anxious Mo-Fo]

I guess A-Basin can't do any worse than last year.



Last winter's snow was varied

BY BOB BERWYN
August 20, 2004


Snowfall tallies recorded by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) show the variability of snowfall across the state last winter.

Arapahoe Basin, for example, reported only 183.5 inches of snow from November to March, only 79 percent of normal, while just a few miles away at Breckenridge, snowfall totals for the same period registered at 253 inches, or 104 percent of normal.

According to the CAIC, Copper Mountain tallied 212 inches from November to March, 93 percent of normal.

None of the ski areas in the state's northern mountains broke the 300-inch mark for the November-March period, although Beaver Creek came close, with 292.7 inches, 104 percent of normal.

Steamboat tallied the biggest total at 294 inches, 107 percent of normal. Steamboat enjoyed two monster months early on, with 77 inches in November and 76 inches in December.

Keystone and Loveland ski areas were the losers in the snowfall derby, totaling just 144 and 141.6 inches respectively. Keystone even suffered early in the winter when other areas where garnering respectable totals.

While Breck saw 74 inches drop in November, Keystone's total for the same month was only 29 inches.

In December, 49 inches fell at Breckenridge, but only 22.5 inches at Keystone. That was also the lowest monthly total for the entire winter for all the ski areas tracked by the CAIC.

Vail reported 265.1 inches for the season, 85 percent of average and very close to Winter Park's total of 258.1 inches (81 percent of average).

Ski areas in the central and southern mountains fared better overall, with many reporting slightly above-average snowfall for the season - although none was spared the serious March meltdown that caused conditions to deteriorate rapidly across the state.

Aspen Highlands, for example, tallied 223.6 inches between November and March, 109 percent of normal.

Wolf Creek got off to a great start, with 110 inches in November and ended up with 373 inches (120 percent of normal) for the season, by far the most of any ski area tracked by the CAIC.

Wolf Creek was the place to be for powder hounds last winter, with 71 inches in December, 70 inches in January and 95 inches in February. But it suffered in March just like everyone else, with snowfall dropping off to just 27 inches.

Besides Wolf Creek, only Snowmass reached the magic 300-inch mark for the season, coming in exactly on that mark.

[FigureEleven]

I am always so floored by how local the storms are in CO. Also, if vail was only 85 percent of normal... i am pretty stoked for this year cause E. Vail did not suck at last season. Bring it, bring it, bring it.

[shera]

I've got to agree on the "local" storm business. It seems like there's always fresh powder to be had in Colorado, but you have to go here or there to get it. It was really fun to storm chase around the state last year. I had fresh powder turns every single week.

I'm hoping and expecting to ski fresh new soft sweet snow long before Oct 15th. The San Juans are the best possibilty for sure. But Jones Pass was also really great early last year...

Loveland has the killer snowmaking crew and the ribbon of death was very high quality compared to A Basin. A Basin was crowded and icy from opening day.

Who's planning to do the boot packing at Silverton this year?

/random early season thoughts

[FigureEleven]

Shera,
Do you have any idea of what the dates for bootpacking might roughly be? When was it last year? I hope to sacrifice a weekend to that this year.

[meatdrink9]

Those CO average snow total numbers by posted by anxious MoFo make me sad in my pants. Not only were they shit last year, but generally they're averages are in the 200's. LCC = 500's, even snowbasin (low elevation) is in the 400's. Last year it was 600 and 500. Crazy the difference between the two states.

And like figure11 I too look forward to East Vail at full capacity.

[iskibc]

Those numbers make me sad too, but they were measurements taken between November and March. There were some decent storms that came through in October, April, and May last year. I realize that the majority of these resorts don't open until Nov. and shutdown in early April, but these are the months when places like Loveland and A-basin get some good dumps.

Typically we get most of our snow in March, but last year was just the opposite. Warm temps, melting snow, and dry weather for the month ruined our chances for at least an average year. It amazes me how Wolf Creek pulls in 400" on average and Buffalo Pass sucks in 550" on average, but resorts that are in close proximity (Purg, Steamboat, WP) only pull in half of those totals for the year. Even the differences between A-basin and Loveland puzzle me sometimes.

[jibij]

Originally posted by meatdrink9
Those CO average snow total numbers by posted by anxious MoFo make me sad in my pants.

How do they compare to the totals you had in St. Louis?

I love opening day at Loveland and I'll be sad in my pants when I miss it this year.

[meatdrink9]

Originally posted by jibij
How do they compare to the totals you had in St. Louis?

Quiet you.

[funkendrenchman]

Snow level expected to drop to 10,000 ft by Saturday.

[ak_powder_monkey]

Originally posted by funkendrenchman
Snow level expected to drop to 10,000 ft by Saturday.

Snow leval about 6000' here of course the mountains here are about 4000 so I won't see termination dust for a while

In regards to snow totals we had as much in december at aly as most colorado resorts this year, somthing like 230" of course I only got to ski aly once that month