Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

[cravenmorhead]

Text of the Denver order. As I read it, you can still travel to your outdoor activity, so long as you can still space out during your outdoor activity. https://kdvr.com/wp-content/uploads/...03.23.2020.pdf

[SkiBall]

Just Denver, Mayor Hancock is live right now laying down the rules.
Liquor stores closed as of 5pm March 24th.

Closed-closed or close at 5p daily? C-C, shits gonna get wild.

[MakersTeleMark]

Totally closed. Dispensaries too.

[cravenmorhead]

Recreational dispensaries closed, medical dispensaries open.
And as I read it, liquor delivery still flies.

[SkiBall]

Colfax gonna get loose.

[The SnowShow]

What I'm confused about: is it ok to live in Denver but run out to the foothills for a hike, while following social distancing strictly. Are you going to be fined?

[cravenmorhead]

What I'm confused about: is it ok to live in Denver but run out to the foothills for a hike, while following social distancing strictly. Are you going to be fined?

Did you read the text of the order? Specifically, paragraphs 4 and 6(a)(iii).

Outdoor recreation that maintains social distancing is an "Essential Activity."

Travel is allowed for "Essential Activities."

What's confusing?

[The SnowShow]

Did you read the text of the order? Specifically, paragraphs 4 and 6(a)(iii).

Outdoor recreation that maintains social distancing is an "Essential Activity."

Travel is allowed for "Essential Activities."

What's confusing?

It wasn't clear whether travel past a certain limit was allowable. I think it is in other places (like 5 miles).

[cravenmorhead]

I see nothing at all in the order regarding travel past a certain distance. Again, with this sort of thing it very much pays to read the actual text of the order. It's 12 pages long. And it's going to be much more informative than whatever news story comes out the fastest.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Closing liquor stores and dispensaries will cause more problems than it will solve.

[Dee Hubbs]

The Mayor's office just changed their stance on the liquor stores, they will now stay open.

[galibier_numero_un]

This was posted in a BC skiing Facebook group earlier today.

If my moderately gimpy knee weren't acting up over the past 3 weeks, I'd struggle more with the decision to stay home (I get it). It ain't easy, but I don't want to be that guy (who's a vector that killed someone's grandma).

I started skiing when I was 4. I started backcountry skiing at 21. So, I’ve been skiing nearly my entire life, and backcountry skiing nearly my entire adult life. To say that it has been a huge part of my life would be a massive understatement.

Perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned in backcountry skiing is patience. It’s an absolute necessity to be able to ski safely in places without avalanche mitigation work; the patience to wait for the conditions to match the line, and the humility to walk away to be able to ski another day. The mountains aren’t going anywhere; there will always be more powder days; eventually the day will be right for any given line.

In the face of a 100-year global pandemic, this is true now more than ever. Only now, there’s more to consider than just the normal considerations about snow conditions, weather, and group dynamics. We now have to consider our potential impact on society as a whole and the communities we live in and choose to visit.

I’ve looked more closely at Chaffee County (Salida, Buena Vista, and the southern half of the Sawatch Range) than others because my parents live there. So let’s do some math. The county has around 18,500 residents. They have one hospital. It has 25 beds. Roughly 10% of COVID-19 cases in Colorado require hospitalization. In Chaffee County, over 50% of the population is over the age of 45 and therefore the hospitalization rate there will likely be higher.
But even at the 10% rate, if the hospital is completely emptied of all other patients, the maximum number of people in the county that can contract COVID-19 at one time is 250. Any more than that, there’s no beds. People die.

And is this number is a much more generous estimate than reality. The reality is 50-65% of the beds will already be full with other patients, the hospitalization rate of the older population will be higher, and the most important resources needed like ICU beds and ventilators are much more limited. Simply put, if more than a couple dozen people in Chaffee County contract COVID-19 at the same time, people will die unnecessarily. Maybe you won’t know them. Maybe it’ll be my parents. Maybe it’ll be yours.

The bottom line is, now is the time for patience. The avalanche danger and snow conditions are no longer the primary factor in our decision making. The potential for us to unknowingly spread the disease to places that do not have the resources to handle it is the most important factor. This is not the flu, this is not a cold. None of us have ever seen anything like this, we have no past experience to draw on. That means uncertainty is high, and when uncertainty is high, we pull back and make more conservative decisions.

I’m not saying don’t recreate. I’m saying be extremely thoughtful about how you do so. If you can drive to a trailhead solo, where you know you won’t see any other people, and can travel to and from your home with no stops along the way (not even for gas!) then do so. But remember: the line will be there another time. There will be other powder days.

I understand the need to get out in the mountains more than most. For over 20 years it’s been my main method to maintain my mental health. But I’m personally looking at the risk to society right now and deciding it’s not worth it. I’m staying in the county where my address is as much as possible. And I’m doing other things to try to maintain sanity. Working out at home. Playing online video games with my niece and brother-in-law. Learning new songs on guitar. Listening to music. Walking the dogs around my neighborhood. Having virtual happy hours with friends. I wish I was skiing, but I’ll be OK. The mountains aren't going anywhere.

... Thom

[fastfred]

it was dumping in breck big fat flakes was expecting it to be big and tomorrow to be huge then it stopped
and yeah fuck you I'm a carrier of a couple diseases and I've put almost a thousand miles on my car in just over a week
you can publicly shame me and blow me at the same time

[The SnowShow]

I see nothing at all in the order regarding travel past a certain distance. Again, with this sort of thing it very much pays to read the actual text of the order. It's 12 pages long. And it's going to be much more informative than whatever news story comes out the fastest.

Agree, and that’s why I read it. I didn’t see anything and was surprised given that other orders around the country have had distance limits.

May not matter anyway. I’m sure Polis will be announcing any hour/day a statewide mandate that may have other limitations. We all just need to stay the fuck away from one another for a little bit and get through this.

[skaredshtles]

it was dumping in breck big fat flakes was expecting it to be big and tomorrow to be huge then it stopped
and yeah fuck you I'm a carrier of a couple diseases and I've put almost a thousand miles on my car in just over a week
you can publicly shame me and blow me at the same time

Seriously, man - we're not concerned with gonorrhea and syphilis at this point in time. You good.

[Danno]

This was posted in a BC skiing Facebook group earlier today.

If my moderately gimpy knee weren't acting up over the past 3 weeks, I'd struggle more with the decision to stay home (I get it). It ain't easy, but I don't want to be that guy (who's a vector that killed someone's grandma).


... Thom

posted by a mag, actually. not sure if you didn't know or didn't want to out him. But I agree with what he is saying.

[galibier_numero_un]

posted by a mag, actually. not sure if you didn't know or didn't want to out him. But I agree with what he is saying.

Yup. I know him ;-)

People like Fred diminish my faith in the human race.

... Thom

[goldenboy]

the words "they" and "allow" insinuate that there in some institution is running the show. We didn't have that pre-COVID 19. Who is stopping Suzie from Littleton Venmo-ing money to Bob from Dallas in exchange from the lockbox code?

Here in CB/Gunnison county you can email violations and there are pretty hefty fines attached to it.

[Kinnikinnick]

How many mountain locals have driven down to Denver or Grand Junction or Durango in the last week and gotten supplies? Gassed up, hit the grocery, liquor, and costco?

You’re the ones living in locations with far too few hospital beds and sponging off the capacity in. Ig towns. Spreading your virus around coming into town shopping but boy youll piss and moan if city folks hit the trailheads. But THEY should stay away. Not you rural freeloaders, but THEM. You dont pay the resort and mt town bills, they do, but fuck them. You dont pay for the highways and maintenance to get you and umpteen supplies into the mountains, they do, but fuck them.


No! How about the parasites stay home and those paying get to go out?
How about you diseased mountain fucks stay quarantined? And YOU fucks stay away from the trailheads.

Endangering the rest of us, selfish.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[d-root]

I haven't left the Fraser Valley for 3+months now......quit your bitching.

[SkiBall]

We are definitely paying for it. But with all the other industries we have up here, we'll be just skippy.

[ride550]

How many mountain locals have driven down to Denver or Grand Junction or Durango in the last week and gotten supplies? Gassed up, hit the grocery, liquor, and costco?

You’re the ones living in locations with far too few hospital beds and sponging off the capacity in. Ig towns. Spreading your virus around coming into town shopping but boy youll piss and moan if city folks hit the trailheads. But THEY should stay away. Not you rural freeloaders, but THEM. You dont pay the resort and mt town bills, they do, but fuck them. You dont pay for the highways and maintenance to get you and umpteen supplies into the mountains, they do, but fuck them.


No! How about the parasites stay home and those paying get to go out?
How about you diseased mountain fucks stay quarantined? And YOU fucks stay away from the trailheads.

Endangering the rest of us, selfish.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

whoa! hardcore man. But yeah, you're right. We're all in this together. Tell you what, if you bring me down some of that cheap and delicious costco booze.....you can have at our diseased mountain fuck offerings.

[cmsummit]

Seems like someone could benefit from some medication and I'm not referring to......

our diseased mountain fuck offerings.

[This End Up]

No booze, no weed, no skiing, might as well move back to jersey.

[Name Redacted]

As a general rule, I tend to avoid large gatherings of people, especially in the outdoors. If I pulled up to a trailhead or top of a pass and saw what people are reporting, I'd probably turn around and go elsewhere, and that's way before giving any consideration to contracting any kind of virus.

Pretty ironic how the outdoor culture that CO has worked so hard to cultivate might now be our downfall.