Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

[smmokan]

FYI, most of the biking trails around Eagle close on 12/15 for a few months.

[Name Redacted]

This pattern is totally gonna change in two weeks. Weatherman said so.

[Kinnikinnick]

Correct — in part. My comment was asking if anyone has changed their tact in picking up hitchers on the pass. Ridiculing someone for asking a question when their intent was to strengthen the backcountry community seems quite brazen.


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“Brazen!!!”
No ridicule of you personally intended. it’s just a Ground Hog Day moment. Every year someone groans and moans about gear at the pass.

That and if you’ve been around long enough you’ll learn that 99.9999% of what people are doing up there doesn’t result in any problem. Should they wear beacons ?( I do ), yes. Will most people riding off the road no matter what you advise/scold/instruct? no.

Is it a big deal? Not really statistically given the history of very few incidents to the number of users.

I’ve been around the cycle so many times. I’ve BEEN the chider. I’ve heard a hundred lectures/scoldings from drivers.

And it’s still the same up there.

But sure give your lectures or refuse rides without beacons, cause you’ll be giving me one.


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[SkiLyft]

“Brazen!!!”
No ridicule of you personally intended. it’s just a Ground Hog Day moment. That and if you’ve been around long enough you’ll learn that 99.9999% of what people are doing up there doesn’t result in any problem. Should they wear beacons ?( I do ), yes. Will most people riding off the road? no.

Is it a big deal? Not really statistically given the history of very few incidents to the number of users.


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None taken. I totally see what you are saying there. It’s tough to know when to care and when not to care; but experience totally can give you a sense of that.


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[Danno]

horizon, while nobody has a crystal ball odds are still decent that things will improve a lot by the time you're here. It may not be awesome, but there will surely be a lot more terrain open.

[hatchgreenchile]

My fears exactly - I guess my concern is that one of those bras would bring the house down on me; but I suppose choosing to ski that pass carries certain inherent risks.

You happen to know of a few accidents in the US or Canada with this scenario? The "gaper on the ridge", clueless as they come, bringing down a slab on top of you. I haven't seen one, but would genuinely be interested if this has happened. Only one I can think of is the big Peak 7 slide decades ago.

If we're getting caught in a slide, the odds are pretty damn high that my party and I were the ones that triggered it. We're the risk out there, not some beater without a beacon.

[Name Redacted]

JONG alert.

(Well not quite JONG, JOOG maybe, I've been here a long time but pretty much absent from the forum for some years).

I'll be staying in Eagle over Christmas and New Year, skiing with my fiancée and my son, with Epic passes. He's quite a decent skier (not a hotshot though), she's only starting to ski off the groomers (which is amazing progress considering she was a total beginner two years ago).

We decided to go to the USA after the poor Christmas / New Year snow we had in Europe a few years running. Now I'm looking at current Alps and Colorado weather side-by-side and I'm questioning the wisdom of my decision. Should I just relax and wait for the inevitable storms to start dumping?

FWIW, I would stay in the Alps, but then again, I've never been to the Alps and getting out of this shitstain of a country for a bit would be quite pleasurable. If you want to travel half way around the globe to witness the downfall of civilization happening from the epicenter, then come on out, although you'll still be insulated from the real world quite a bit here in Eagle, CO!

That said, if you do come to Merca, you'll have at least some snow, some things will be open, and even if not, our beer is better, our women are sexier (ok not really), and our weed is legal.

And don't forget your beacon so you can pass the Skilyft cup check!

[The SnowShow]

So it may snow next week and then trend warm again? Holidays at the resorts are going to be brutal. Or maybe not if everyone cancels

[garuda]

Christmas to NY resort skiing in CO is not likely to impress the way the weather is trending. Depending on your expectations for the trip, this might not be the best year to make the effort. Typically February-March is better timing for a reliable trip from a long ways away.

[WTF is dat]

I remember a few years ago someone created a thread discussing whether or not Loveland Pass Trees are effectively skier compacted because of the heavy traffic that area sees. I can’t remember the discussion but I would think that that zone sees enough traffic that the avalanche risk might be somewhat reduced?

Obviously I would still be cautious in the area.

[skaredshtles]

<snip>

I'll be staying in Eagle over Christmas and New Year, skiing with my fiancée and my son, with Epic passes. He's quite a decent skier (not a hotshot though), she's only starting to ski off the groomers (which is amazing progress considering she was a total beginner two years ago).

We decided to go to the USA after the poor Christmas / New Year snow we had in Europe a few years running. Now I'm looking at current Alps and Colorado weather side-by-side and I'm questioning the wisdom of my decision. Should I just relax and wait for the inevitable storms to start dumping?

I don't think this word means what you think it does.

Hopefully you and yours like mountain biking?

[The SnowShow]

I remember a few years ago someone created a thread discussing whether or not Loveland Pass Trees are effectively skier compacted because of the heavy traffic that area sees. I can’t remember the discussion but I would think that that zone sees enough traffic that the avalanche risk might be somewhat reduced?

Obviously I would still be cautious in the area.

You would think so...just in that flatter zone from the pass down to the lower hairpin turn.

[Name Redacted]

You guys should pool your money and buy some bamboo and rope so you can mark off the dangerous areas.


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[horizon]

FWIW, I would stay in the Alps, but then again, I've never been to the Alps and getting out of this shitstain of a country for a bit would be quite pleasurable. If you want to travel half way around the globe to witness the downfall of civilization happening from the epicenter, then come on out, although you'll still be insulated from the real world quite a bit here in Eagle, CO!

That said, if you do come to Merca, you'll have at least some snow, some things will be open, and even if not, our beer is better, our women are sexier (ok not really), and our weed is legal.

And don't forget your beacon so you can pass the Skilyft cup check!

Haha on the downfall of civilization. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the US will be smarter than that after all.

I agree that a trip later in the season would have been better. But consider the context: my fiancée absolutely loves travelling but also misses her parents. The alternative to a US ski trip would have been Christmas at her place rather than a ski holiday in the Alps. (It didn't help that last Christmas she half-tore her ACL on an icy piste in St Anton, two days after my son dislocated his shoulder). This way, we managed to get her parents to our place before Christmas, and use the holiday more productively. (And really, I've got myself a girl amazing enough to say "let's go skiing several times a year, I want to get good enough to ski powder in Japan with you, and do a summer road trip in Chile... I'm unlikely to say "no, Vail will be a shitshow at Christmas, let's not go").

As for the beacon: I'm more likely to carry it inbounds rather than leave it home if going BC! Actually a few years ago at Jackson Hole a friend and I got buzzed inbounds by some guy who skied by shouting "backpack faggots!". (We actually got out of bounds later that day, so the backpacks had a reason...)

Thanks for the feedback everyone! (wait until I start asking for bootfitters and if there are any decent ski sales available then...)

[Kinnikinnick]

You guys should pool your money and buy some bamboo and rope so you can mark off the dangerous areas.


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YES!!!

We should just rope off the whole thing and that way we can do mandatory beacon checks at the gates to ski anything.

[The SnowShow]

Actually a few years ago at Jackson Hole a friend and I got buzzed inbounds by some guy who skied by shouting "backpack faggots!". (We actually got out of bounds later that day, so the backpacks had a reason...)

Seriously?! Wow, JH is just so cool.

[cravenmorhead]

I remember a few years ago someone created a thread discussing whether or not Loveland Pass Trees are effectively skier compacted because of the heavy traffic that area sees. I can’t remember the discussion but I would think that that zone sees enough traffic that the avalanche risk might be somewhat reduced?

Obviously I would still be cautious in the area.

Slide, the podcast by covert (mag) had a bit on this concept last season. The main take-home point was that the compaction is varied enough that on the whole it doesn't improve the safety of the slope much.

[fastfred]

Last time I gave a dude a ride over the pass he smoked my weed and didn’t say thank you. He was also clueless about backcountry safety


After that day I vowed never again

Must of picked me up that day. Never taken an avalanche class in my life. Always hate listening to some bullshit teacher. Beacons are pretty pricy too. Do where does that put me on the holier than thouw list

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[Shredhead]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! (wait until I start asking for bootfitters and if there are any decent ski sales available then...)

Without knowing how much your cancellation would cost, I suspect a lot. I'd probably still go.
There are lots of other activities. Just get out really early, focus on your fiance skiing for a few hours and then do something else.

There won't be any deals at Christmas and the good boot fitters will be booked.
I just called Jim Linsey in Aspen yesterday and he's a week out, right now.

[The SnowShow]

Slide, the podcast by covert (mag) had a bit on this concept last season. The main take-home point was that the compaction is varied enough that on the whole it doesn't improve the safety of the slope much.

Even if almost every square foot of a zone is skied nonstop?

[hatchgreenchile]

If you ski Atlantic Bowl trees off the Pass , yer gonna die !!!

[SkiLyft]

Even if almost every square foot of a zone is skied nonstop?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/...=1000380528729

I believe this is the episode where slide (the avalanche podcast) covers skier compaction.


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[summit]

Even if almost every square foot of a zone is skied nonstop?

Is it skied non-stop during a huge storm overnight? No...

ETA I think the real point is the folks riding without gear are usually unaware of the intricacies of skier compaction... or how to tell avalanche terrain from non-avalanche terrain.

[goldenboy]

Note to self: If hitchhiking a pass, hold out my thumb AND my beacon for quicker pick-ups...

[summit]

I think this no beacon no ride conversation has been going on since before I joined the powder boards.

Nobody is going to buy a beacon to get a ride.

If you want to make difference, have friendly conversation. Don't be a dick or holier than thou. Just make them think and point them the right direction. I used to just dial the CAIC phone number and play the report over my radio if I wasn't feeling like a chat... usually it was about as long as the drive up the pass.

That said, if someone is waving a beacon at me, I'll assume it is goldenboy and pick them up first! :-D