Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

**montanaskier** · 02-02-2013, 07:26 PM

the Beav wasn't much better. All the lots were full, highway 6 full, rodeo lot full, and the lot across from the rodeo lot was over half full it looked like. The Beav never seems as crowded at least at places like Grouse and BoP

**grskier** · 02-02-2013, 07:35 PM

I left the front range late to try to avoid the traffic.. was still brutal from Genessee to Idaho Springs.
That was at 11...

When is the next storm coming through?

**montanaskier** · 02-02-2013, 07:36 PM

^^^ late next week

**hatchgreenchile** · 02-02-2013, 08:31 PM

Snow was soft at Copper, but also pretty crowded. The Resolution area is real thin

Sent from Dillon, CO

**mfkracing** · 02-02-2013, 08:55 PM

Don't trust is right. SE aspect of ptarmigan ridge in the vail pass rec area. Lets just say that with Thursday at Vail and today's events this is the most memorable week of skiing In my life.

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**~mikey b** · 02-02-2013, 09:44 PM

People wonder why I left Vail for Calibama.....

**Grandyoso** · 02-03-2013, 12:19 AM

The SE ridge of Ptarmigan has been skiing well and stable for the past month. Until Wednesdays snow and wind. I was there with a couple of partners and dropped them up top and let them make the decision of weather to ski the ridge or drop in. Looks like they choose wrong. The slide was slow and didn't have a lot of energy, could have been a lot worse.

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**Lindahl** · 02-03-2013, 06:36 AM

Grandyoso - what day was that? Doesn't look like yesterday (sat) - no sun.

**rmnpsplitter** · 02-03-2013, 07:52 AM

From caic:

On Saturday February 2nd there were at least five avalanche incidents across the state from the Wyoming border to Silverton in southern Colorado. There was one fatality, and several people with reported injuries.

The current snowpack across Colorado is in a delicate state of balance. Before the last storm cycle moved across the state the base layers of the snow were exceptionally weak. The new snow during the storm came in with significant wind and a high water content, meaning the new snow was heavy, and developed quickly into dangerous slabs.

It is taking little additional stress to trigger large, deep and dangerous avalanches. These conditions will linger for some time into the future. Backcountry riders are advised to use extra caution if traveling in or around avalanche terrain today.

Stay safe out there today!

**benkraj** · 02-03-2013, 09:30 AM

I was skiing Montgomery bowl yesterday, and saw the aftermath of the Diamond Peak slide from down the valley. Another group there had called 911 and they'd seen better. Apparently there were 5 or so people probing around the debris field after they had pulled one person out.

It slid huge... I'd(from down the valley) guess 500m wide? I was pretty surprised there were so many tracks on the diamond, even at 9am when I first showed up to the zimmerman lot. Other parts had been skied quite a bit before the slide. My pit(which all depths are estimates as I didn't write them down) found the storm snow(maybe 18") sitting on top of a 3" of 4 finger, 1" 1 finger slab. Below this was maybe 20 inches of facets and rounds/some sugar at the bottom. Very bottom had another inch of pretty hard snow, 1 finger? I'm not sure on what interface the slide went, but I'd probably guess on either side of the middle slab---though my tests were unreactive(though this is a sunny east aspect, they were on a shaded E/NE aspect.)

**Grandyoso** · 02-03-2013, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by Lindahl

Grandyoso - what day was that? Doesn't look like yesterday (sat) - no sun.

That was on Friday, sorry for the lack of detail. Here is a link https://avalanche.state.co.us/obs/ob...p?obs_id=17043 .

**kailas** · 02-03-2013, 10:39 AM

Then why don't you transplant flatlander, suburban, cityslickers go back where you came from, you
gumming up the works!!

**RonMexico** · 02-03-2013, 01:02 PM

Cross post from Summit/Eagle thread. Great conditions at Vail Pass yesterday. Quick edit as proof.

**hatchgreenchile** · 02-03-2013, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by RonMexico

Cross post from Summit/Eagle thread. Great conditions at Vail Pass yesterday. Quick edit as proof.

Quality POV right there. Nice stoke.

**smmokan** · 02-03-2013, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by telemike

People wonder why I left Vail for Calibama.....

Actually, no one cares.

**georgio** · 02-03-2013, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Cold_Smokin'

Quality POV right there. Nice stoke.

That is some SWEET POV footage. POV follow cam is probably the most fun to watch.

**~mikey b** · 02-03-2013, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

Actually, no one cares.

Aw! I have feeling too ya know.

I know at least 8 people that care. Unfortunately, 4 of them were happy to see me go.

I thought you cared about me Steve....

**bamboocoreONLY** · 02-03-2013, 08:48 PM

laughed my ass of at the line of cars going up to the mtns as I drove to denver saturday morning for SIA. was backed up consistently from the tunnel until evergreen.

anyone going to the on-snow demo tomorrow?

**Lindahl** · 02-03-2013, 09:17 PM

If I could find a way to get in... wish I could demo a shitton of skis

**N1CK.** · 02-03-2013, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Lindahl

If I could find a way to get in... wish I could demo a shitton of skis

This, me too ^

**SkeezeBall** · 02-04-2013, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Hott Butt Mud

Uh yeah. I have never seen so many cars parked on the Frontage Road. It was parked all the way to where the road goes under I-70 in East Vail. Surprisingly, no lines at chair 5 and most of the front side. Apparently, every John Denver just had to make their way to Blue Sky. Heard it was an hour long lift line back there.

What a shit show. I hope all those people end up hating Vail and never come back!

Earl's and Pete's bowl skied deeep. No lift lines at blue sky till about 1030 then skied Pete's till 1. Didn't hit long lift lines all day. It pays to get an early start

**grrrr** · 02-04-2013, 09:38 AM

I figured Sunday would be a better day, due to some sporting event on TV...still way more crowded than I like but as long as I am going to ski weekends in Colorado I guess I'll get used to it.

Got paged to a wildfire while I was riding up the T-Bar though. Not enough snow in my part of the mountains yet!

**Wildman** · 02-04-2013, 10:27 AM

Was headed down to Silverton on Friday and stopped off at Vail for a few pow laps. Everything was great until last run. We hit North Rim en route to the village and I sent the diving board cleanly and cut hard left to hit the 2nd cliff band. Sent the 2nd one and Tore my ACL on impact. Needed a sled ride out. Props to Ski Patrol for getting me out. Season Over. In Silverton my party found the snow really deep in the trees but everything is getting super set up. Heavy.

**zartagen** · 02-04-2013, 10:41 AM

^vibes, man. Hope for a speedy recovery.

**Kevo** · 02-04-2013, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by grrrr

I figured Sunday would be a better day, due to some sporting event on TV...still way more crowded than I like but as long as I am going to ski weekends in Colorado I guess I'll get used to it.

Got paged to a wildfire while I was riding up the T-Bar though. Not enough snow in my part of the mountains yet!

Vail was actually not very crowded yesterday. We left North Boulde at 6:45 and made it up there in 2 hours, which is incredibly fast.

No lift lines (at least non more than 2 minutes. There were lots of rocks exposed in the back bowls and many bare spots showing up again on south facing slopes. There was a sun crust on anything that had previously been powder, but it was still a fun day.

We drove back at 2PM, and it took 3.5 hours to get back. I-70 still sucks.