Gat. I-70 closed

**Cruiser** · 11-14-2006, 03:35 PM

Berthoud hasn't been closed at all today accoding to 9news. They had chain restrictions onthe commercial vehicles, but other than that it should be open.

**Crinkle** · 11-14-2006, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by board

It doesn't sound like condtions were really that great. Did the wind destroy it all ? Give us some more info. I should be going up to get something tomorrow, correct ?

You're report is making me second guess this. I'm confused.

i meant more base for loveland for the areas that aren't open yet and more compact base on the runs that were open.

you should DEFINITELY be going somewhere tomorrow, it wasn't letting up anytime soon and the wind will fill a lot of tracks in. Conditions were great, just not enough open to make me completely happy.

**Vicious** · 11-14-2006, 03:59 PM

Today was good times.

FUCKING CDOT NEEDS TO GET THEIR SHIT TOGEHTER! This storm has been in the forecast for days and they still weren't f'ing prepared...just like the last big storm. They should have been out dumping sand and plowing this morning as soon as the snow started sticking. This is the second time they have shut down I-70 this season...hopefully they don't just think it's a good idea to close it everytime it dumps. We live in CO for fucks sake!

That aside, I skied alot today...all on chair 1 and it was all FUN. As Crink said, they were making cuts down the gut of 1, but nothing new opened by the time I left. Yes, the roads from Lland to Gtown were snowpacked, but it wasn't death-defying.

Good to see you Crink & Yoss!

On a side note, I skied some sticks at the demo today for fun:

- My Mojo 105s are the absolute shizzle!
- Pontoons are fun as hell, much easier to ski than expected, and actually feel quite stable while bombing a mogul field.
- 189 Squads aren't as scary as people make them out to be, but I wouldn't want them unless I lived in Squaw or JH.

As for snow conditions, I had a brief convo with Yoss about it as he made a few laps as BP before coming to Loveland. We both agreed that the new snow isn't bonding well (if at all) with the older layers we have. He mentioned BP had sections of fresh on top of a layer of crustyish on top of unconsolidated sugar. Bottom line, if you head OB in the next day or two, stay in the trees. Even the cuts the Lland patrol was making under 1 were letting loose a bit.

TOMORROW SHOULD BE SICKTER...assuming CDOT is able to get the road open before then.

**DJMingus** · 11-14-2006, 04:04 PM

Totally agreed on CDOT - those idiots were letting things get out of hand last year, too. There were a couple of days last year I was driving through churned up snow on I70 that made it obvious they hadn't plowed in hours if at all. If they would get ahead of these storms (that they KNOW are coming...duh) conditions wouldn't get so bad. I'm driving a 4x4 truck and feeling like its a necessity these days with the way they're fucking up the sanding and plowing.

**MakersTeleMark** · 11-14-2006, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by Vicious

This is the second time they have shut down I-70 this season...hopefully they don't just think it's a good idea to close it everytime it dumps. We live in CO for fucks sake!

Bottom line, if you head OB in the next day or two, stay in the trees. Even the cuts the Lland patrol was making under 1 were letting loose a bit.

I love it when I70 goes down, keeps the crowds away.

OTOH, remember if the trees are skiable, then the snow in there can slide too. Careful out there.

Edit to add:

This is Spencer and John in the CAIC at 2:30 pm, Tuesday, November 14, 2006.

WEATHER DISCUSSION
The storm is on its way out. It brushed the San Juans, but the Central and Northern Mountains picked up good amounts of snow. Winds are shifting to the northwest this afternoon and cold air will move in. This shuts down snowfall for all but the Divide. Skies will turn partly cloudy tonight, and a few clouds may stick around the high peaks tomorrow. Warm air moves in tomorrow afternoon, warming ridgetops but keeping valleys cold. A ridge builds Wednesday through Friday, with Saturday looking like another shot of moisture.

Northern Mountains
Tonight: Lows 5-15, Winds NW/20-30, Skies Obscured with 0-2" before midnight, Berthoud and Steamboat.
Tomorrow: Highs 20-30, Winds N>W/10-20, Skies Few.
Tomorrow Night: Lows 10-20, Winds W/10-20, Skies Few.

SNOWPACK DISCUSSION
Before today's storm, the mountains had sensitive weak layers topping of a mix of hard crusts and rotten facets. Now, winds added a significant load in the form of new snow and wind drifting. The slabs are sitting on top of the sensitive weak layers, can be thick, and may break wide.

During the storm, sustained westerly winds were 20-30 mph, with gusts into the 70s. Overnight winds will decrease and shift to the northwest, but remain strong enough to keep loading snow. By Wednesday morning, windslabs and drifting will be widespread near and above treeline on north through east to south aspects. Slabs will form farther down the slope than usual, and there will be lots of cross loaded terrain.

In the Northern Mountains, the new snow is perched on several weak layers. Crusts dominated much of the old snow surface. On sun-exposed slopes, strong crusts formed last week, making a good surface for fast-running avalanches. Shadier aspects had weaker faceted snow. Weak, low-density weekend snow separates the old snow and the newly loaded snow. This will make for sensitive, easily triggered avalanches. One observer was able to get out around Crested Butte, and reported an upside down snowpack, where denser snow fell on top of less dense snow. He saw shooting cracks and easily triggered test slopes.

Tomorrow will be almost bluebird. In the search for fresh tracks, it will be very easy to find slopes just primed to slide. Be very careful in your slope selection and evaluation tomorrow.

BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE DANGER FOR WEDNESDAY:
Northern Mountains: The avalanche danger is HIGH near and above treeline. Avalanches will be most likely on north through east to south aspects. Watch for cross loading around terrain features. Below treeline, the danger is MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE where drifted snow is sitting on enough older snow for the new load to slide on.

SLogan/Snook

**skier666** · 11-14-2006, 04:31 PM

Just got off the phone with Pimpin' Frog, he rolled Keystone today and now is commuting HWY 9 to 285 back to Boulder....that should be good times.

**Yossarian** · 11-14-2006, 04:57 PM

eastbound now apparently open from Loveland Area, westbound still closed.
dammit

the good news about the b/c snow at Bert is that this storm is at least warm, so it might yet bond up a little better. The problem, however, is that it's going to be sitting on top of either a) crust, to which it might bond reasonably well but is barely supported by a foot or two of unconsolidated junk, or b) the consolidated junk itself, to which it will not bond anytime soon.

A LOT of snow has come down, play safe, have fun.

P.S. They DID open Cats Meow and all that other jazz under 1, around 1:30 or so. It was FUCKING MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!

Gosey got third chair down it, and I'm ashamed to say, I was sitting in the lodge when I saw the first dood straightline it. I thought they were waiting for tomorrow, and I had to get some work done. But of course, the work vanished damn fast when I saw that guy, and I hauled back out to hit it until just now.

FUCKING MONEY.

Still snowing. Amazing.

Tomorrow up here should be fun as shit. Maybe not epic deep, but steep, soft, windbuffed pow/crud off 1, and maybe 4 will open.

Booyachaka!

**grskier** · 11-14-2006, 05:06 PM

A few things about CDOT....

There aren't enough maintenance workers.
They are limited to one 12 hour shift per day.
Someone's conscious is liable for those that get hurt in crashes on I 70 during storms. Even if they are a dumbass driving 70 on icey roads.
Sometimes there is a lot more to maintaining the road during a storm than just plowing and sanding.
That being said, I'm in Engineering and leaving in a month.

**Superstar Punani** · 11-14-2006, 05:13 PM

Here's a link to the current conditions for the West Coast peoples:

I-70 closure

**summit** · 11-14-2006, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by BlurredElevens

What's this mean? I can't drive to Vail, so I don't have to work....

HAHAHAHA ME NEITHE! w00t! Pow day!

**skiHOG** · 11-14-2006, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Summit

HAHAHAHA ME NEITHE! w00t! Pow day!

damn, i really need to get a job up there and drop this Denver IT bullshit.

**MadMatt** · 11-14-2006, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by jtq_99

damn, i really need to get a job up there and drop this Denver IT bullshit.

Really?

I work IT in Denver. These 12 hour shifts are great! 4 day weekends!!! Weekday skiing!!!! Good pay!!! What more could you ask for?

**DJMingus** · 11-14-2006, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by grskier

A few things about CDOT....

There aren't enough maintenance workers.
They are limited to one 12 hour shift per day.
Someone's conscious is liable for those that get hurt in crashes on I 70 during storms. Even if they are a dumbass driving 70 on icey roads.
Sometimes there is a lot more to maintaining the road during a storm than just plowing and sanding.
That being said, I'm in Engineering and leaving in a month.

I realize there's a lot to it grskier - and I suspect money is at the bottom of all the problems. The fact is I70 was better maintained 20 years ago than it is now. Same is true on the front range roads...

**summit** · 11-14-2006, 05:32 PM

listening to the radio... now is a BAD time to have a medical issue that requires a hospital in denver...

i cant belive how windy it was and is... well since it will stop snowing soon, the wind means everyone still gets refills

**FrankZappa** · 11-14-2006, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by DJMingus

I realize there's a lot to it grskier - and I suspect money is at the bottom of all the problems. The fact is I70 was better maintained 20 years ago than it is now. Same is true on the front range roads...

True DJ, but there were only about 1/20th the idiots on the road then and they didn't all think they were invincable in Spewts like they are now.
Edit: to add that the same goes for the number of semis on there that are prolly the main problem.

**summit** · 11-14-2006, 05:49 PM

I-70 is now open

**DJMingus** · 11-14-2006, 05:50 PM

Frank, mos def true that there are more idiots out there than ever - morons in SUVs that think 4WD is some kind of magic wand, idiots that have no idea what shape their tires are in and don't even know it's relevant, dumb shit truckers that don't want to bother chaining up.

don't get me started on a rant here...

**Dside11-11** · 11-14-2006, 07:41 PM

...and I'm fucking skiing tomorrow. Woot! Woot!

**Yossarian** · 11-14-2006, 07:42 PM

yup, made it to SuCO.
What a shitshow.
Skiing should be good tomorrow though!

Z · 11-14-2006, 07:53 PM

I think I may have to play total hooky and grab first chair tommorow. Today at berthoud was good. Went Nuclear on my way back and driving was sketchball down the pass.

werd.

**grskier** · 11-14-2006, 07:57 PM

Damn meeting tomorrow...

I'm going up on Thursday.

**robokill1981** · 11-14-2006, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by Z

I think I may have to play total hooky and grab first chair tommorow. Today at berthoud was good. Went Nuclear on my way back and driving was sketchball down the pass.

werd.

It went nuclear up at the pass too. Each run got deeper and deeper until I finally had to leave at 3:00. Iski and Kya were heading up for their 9th or 10th lap in a total whiteout when I finally called it quits. If you come to BP tomorrow give me a call. I may be there around 12:00.

**Blurred** · 11-14-2006, 08:26 PM

Dude. BORAT was the most offensive fucking kick ass movie I've ever seen. Watching the whole theatre gasp as I laughed out loud made it that much better. UNFUCKINGREAL.

Walked out of the theatre in Dillon...STILL fucking nuking. Tomorrow is not going to suck........

**smitchell333** · 11-14-2006, 08:30 PM

Bad news was I tried to get up 70 to Loveland late morning and got nixed like most.

Good news was I hit the default at BP. Hit 6 good laps between 12:30 and 3:30. Boot to knee deep. Somewhat heavy snow and the winds alternating no problem and blasting total whiteout. Only wanted to be below TL.

I felt snow conditions weren't too bad below TL avy wise - did a couple steeper tree shots on west side/E facing with no movement, cracking, whumphing or anything. If it continues blowing like it was the avy danger will likely elevate by tomorrow AM.

**MOHSHSIHd** · 11-14-2006, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by BlurredElevens

Dude. BORAT was the most offensive fucking kick ass movie I've ever seen. Watching the whole theatre gasp as I laughed out loud made it that much better. UNFUCKINGREAL.

Walked out of the theatre in Dillon...STILL fucking nuking. Tomorrow is not going to suck........

You ever watch Wonder Showzen? Got both seasons on DVD....shit it unreal and awesome...

anyway, fuck you peeps who are going skiing tomorrow......