Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

**goldenboy** · 02-06-2008, 10:07 AM

So Z, you had a good time in Crested Butte and Summit just doesn't seem the same, or what?

Those T-ride venues are going to feel like a walk in the park compared to what I was showing you here, so you and D-side go and kill it!!

It's all about the wind direction and CB has been blessed with plenty of W or SW ones this year. NW= the famous donut hole in CB, plenty of snow in the BC, none at the ski area.

Regarding beetle kill, last summer was the first time I saw a few trees here and there in the CB area with brown trees. Not many, but those little fuckers are here, too. Hopefully this winter's prolonged cold temps kill them, as cold winters can. Grand county forests are depressing. The Aspen trees are also sick and diseased- once someone points out the sick ones compared to the healthy ones it becomes pretty obvious. Lots of Aspens in this area will die soon

Back to weather conditions- it's snowing, like it always does in Crested Butte

I can barely move, but if I must ski more pow, than I shall.

**lemon boy** · 02-06-2008, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by goldenboy

So Z, you had a good time in Crested Butte and Summit just doesn't seem the same, or what?

Those T-ride venues are going to feel like a walk in the park compared to what I was showing you here, so you and D-side go and kill it!!

Wow, bragging about the butte's snow before the winter is even over? You have a short memory for painful winters....which is a good CB trait

zappa- so much of the kill in grand is in extremely rural parts of the county that pollution just doesn't seem to answer the bill.

**Rontele** · 02-06-2008, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Z

Im only talking about what CAIC considers the Summit and Front range zones. Seems like we get psyched to get the "tail-end" of storms. F that.

Z, other folks in this thread have struck it on the head. SuCo and the Front Range just don't do well out of a WSW flow because there are so many mountain ranges between us and where the moisture upglides into the mountains.

The next storm coming in tomorrow will favor the front range/SuCo because it is coming from the NW, which puts those mountains on the leading edge, not the tail of the moisture. As you can imagine, the Front Range also does well out of "upslope" storms because those are the first mountains the moisture meets.

The skiing has been decent at Berthoud, but for the wind. THat being said, the best days I've had this winter are in Aspen, where they are getting demolished.

**powder_prophet** · 02-06-2008, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by jon turner

This was in the Leadville paper last week:

"There is no longer much official doubt that the bark beetle will kill all the lodgepole pines in Lake County within the next few years. On Jan. 14, U.S. Forest Service officials announced that they expect all mature lodgepole trees within the state of Colorado to be dead within the next 3-5 years. Once considered to be an issue only in northern Colorado, the pine beetle is now spreading throughout the state, said officials. Lake County was one of six counties identified as having a 'new' epidemic on its hands."

I remember seeing this in the paper as well. Really piqued my attention. Seems like a scare tactic to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure these little buggers will get a few of the trees in Lake County, but killing all Lodgepoles within the next 3-5 years?!? That's just over-exagerations and scare tactics. Today, the forest up here all look healthy: a deep, beautiful green. There aren't even pockets of infestation yet (if I'm wrong, sorry. And please, let me know where in Lake county there are a couple dead Lodgepoles...). The situation in Grand County certainly didn't happen in 3-5 years. I remember when I first started driving to WP from Laramie almost 10 years ago, and you could already see the infestation starting to get a foothold. Every year since then it has just gotten worse and worse.

Now, as far as the whole pollution=beetle-kill issue, I'm not so sure about this. While I don't doubt your evidence, FZ, all that proves is that the trees have been weakened by the pollution. While this may have some effect on the beetle kill, its certainly not the whole story. As was stated earlier, some of the hardest hit parts of Grand County are pretty rural and away from intense traffic. If anyone has driven from Granby to Rand, you know what I mean: whole mountainsides are red, and that highway is hardly "high-traffic."

**homerjay** · 02-06-2008, 01:21 PM

Eagle County is very hard hit by the pine beetle epidemic...Red Sandstone area north of Vail especially bad. FS and TOV have partnered to do some logging on parts of Vail mountain above West Vail....not a bad deal, I get free firewood and better tree skiing out of the deal.

More importantly, it's fucking dumping. Again.

**Rontele** · 02-06-2008, 02:19 PM

NWS dropped the SBS in favor a long-term WSW for the north-western slope. Also, expect WFO Bou to hoist the same for the NoCen mtns with their afternoon pkg. Looks like a good couple of days.

**montanaskier** · 02-06-2008, 02:27 PM

Winter Storm Warning hoisted. 18-36 inches by Friday morning. This weekend should be good.

**GoEhuge** · 02-06-2008, 02:33 PM

Friday is the day off.... the only time I don't hate my job.

**smmokan** · 02-06-2008, 03:01 PM

MS- are you going out on Friday? I can make it up there, but I have to be back in Denver by 4:00.

**montanaskier** · 02-06-2008, 04:10 PM

not sure right now, work is crazy to say the least at the moment. I'll let ya know when I know.

**jon turner** · 02-06-2008, 04:15 PM

Damn. Was thinking about Aspen this weekend, but looking at NOAA's report for the week might have to hit up Vail instead.

Montanaskier, If you don't make it out Friday, we should meet up for turns Saturday.

**montanaskier** · 02-06-2008, 04:24 PM

will definately be out for turns on Sat, Vail or BC. May also do a tour on Sunday.

**goldenboy** · 02-06-2008, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

Wow, bragging about the butte's snow before the winter is even over? You have a short memory for painful winters....which is a good CB trait

Actually, I was referring to terrain more than snow. Given the choice between 200" at CB and 400" in Summit- I'll gladly take 200.

Apologies hereby extended for my raging case of butte-a-tude.

**jon turner** · 02-06-2008, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by goldenboy

Actually, I was referring to terrain more than snow. Given the choice between 200" at CB and 400" in Summit- I'll gladly take 200.

Apologies hereby extended for my raging case of butte-a-tude.

You're such a jerk, GB.

**powder_prophet** · 02-07-2008, 01:32 AM

Just saw this on the Silverton website. Thought it was worth sharing...

"
Who Likes it Deep?- As we approach 200% of average snowpack the mountain continues to shrink as the snow piles up. The seasonal snow total now exceeds 375". With upper mountain areas remaining untouched for almost all of the winter, the last we checked the upper mountain had a 180" base. That was about 6 feet of snow ago, so we believe it could be very deep on the upper mountain at this time. We are averaging 4 days of sunshine per month, so we haven't even seen the upper mountain very often this year."

**jon turner** · 02-07-2008, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by powder_prophet

Just saw this on the Silverton website. Thought it was worth sharing...

"
Who Likes it Deep?- As we approach 200% of average snowpack the mountain continues to shrink as the snow piles up. The seasonal snow total now exceeds 375". With upper mountain areas remaining untouched for almost all of the winter, the last we checked the upper mountain had a 180" base. That was about 6 feet of snow ago, so we believe it could be very deep on the upper mountain at this time. We are averaging 4 days of sunshine per month, so we haven't even seen the upper mountain very often this year."

NEED to go to silverton....sooon.

**powder_prophet** · 02-07-2008, 03:04 PM

Shhhhhhhhhhhh

Its snowing. And the winds seem to have died down, at least for the moment. They were fucking vicious last night. Yesterday morning the peaks were beautiful and white after a week of snow and low-winds. Caught a glimpse of them this morning in between clouds, and they look scoured, scarred, and raped by the wind.

**lemon boy** · 02-07-2008, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by goldenboy

Actually, I was referring to terrain more than snow. Given the choice between 200" at CB and 400" in Summit- I'll gladly take 200.

No to that I can agree.

**Rontele** · 02-08-2008, 11:15 AM

A little bit of a break this weekend and then the pain train of storms seems lined up again.

**montanaskier** · 02-08-2008, 07:13 PM

I love the pain train. Was gonna tour on Sunday but with this wind and the current rating, I think I'll wait until things settle a bit. Keep it coming ULLR.

**powder_prophet** · 02-11-2008, 12:43 PM

After a delightfully sunny weekend, it is once again snowing. Not too hard, but big ol' fat flakes!!!

That is all.

**montanaskier** · 02-11-2008, 04:14 PM

flurries in Vail currently and 33 degrees. This weekend was nice. Looks like Wed/Thurs is the next potential for some decent snow for the area. Pres. weekend looks sunny and warm again. Next week seems to be cooler and more stormy. Lets hope the snow machine gets stuck on high again soon!

**montanaskier** · 02-12-2008, 07:33 AM

looks like the San Juans are poised to get hit this weekend. All areas should see some snow. 41 degrees as a high on Wed prior to the front passing, that is warm.

**funkendrenchman** · 02-12-2008, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by montanaskier

looks like the San Juans are poised to get hit this weekend. All areas should see some snow. 41 degrees as a high on Wed prior to the front passing, that is warm.

Warm for this winter so far, but only a few degrees above the normal high.