What if it doesn't snow again this season in CO & UT?

[blackalps]

Last season was biblically bad for snowfall (less than 40% of average) and the industry took a good financial hit. Most businesses have the ability to bounce back after one bad season... but two (or three) bad seasons in a row?
If this happens again, I fear that it will be a tipping point, possibly leading to a economic downward spiral.

Then again, it could be all-time huge this year! But what if it isn't?

Living in a ski town, in the face of climate change, is becoming nerve-racking!

That's not true, actually. Perhaps for all of UT and CO averaged, but CO actually had around 70%-80%+ for January to June, and the North Platte watershed had around 90%.



also, despite the snow totals, ski resort visits for 2017/2018 were only down 1% nationwide compared to 2016/2017. Colorado ski resort visits were down 2% compared to 2016/2017, but still above the 5 year average.

[ASmileyFace]

If the SW has another year like this past one, we won't be talking about skiing business. We'll be talking about the Colorado River System sitting at 20% and all those big desert cities freaking out over water rights.

[GPP33]

Blue tide Somebody commented about algae mats forming in streams at 10000'.

I saw some at about 11,000’ last weekend. Not sure if it was related to heavy local mining activity but it certainly struck me as a bit strange.

[jmills]

By the end of the season I had multiple conversations on the lift at Alta where tourists were talking about how bad the season was.
The link below from the Utah Avalanche Center is historical snowfall at Alta monthly since 1945. Maybe the tourists were correct in looking at this, but big powder days in February and March or skiing untracked in Mineral Basin at the Bird on an early closing day in May make for a good season to me.

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/alta-monthly-snowfall

[BigDaddy]

I've always heard that tourists book ski vacations based on the previous years snowfall. If that's the case, then Utah and parts of CO will see a drop in bookings this year.

I have no idea if there is any truth to that, but this article is kind of foreboding: https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...y-2100-experts

[The SnowShow]

I've always heard that tourists book ski vacations based on the previous years snowfall. If that's the case, then Utah and parts of CO will see a drop in bookings this year. ]

Wow, tourists are that stupid.

[BigDaddy]

Wow, tourists are that stupid.

Unfortunately, it's not limited to just tourists... human beings and decision making isn't always perfect.

[Micol]

skiing untracked at the Bird on an early closing day in May make for a good season to me.

i was there but couldnt see anything ........no vis til end of day.....still felt pretty good tho...or was that in april....whenever it was....alta was closed that day....

[jmills]

i was there but couldnt see anything ........no vis til end of day.....still felt pretty good tho...or was that in april....whenever it was....alta was closed that day....

Alta had a soft close 4/15 and then opened the next 2 weekends. I know the Bird's closing day was Mothers Day since mrsjmills rode the tram up with her kids and waited up top while I spent a few hours in Mineral.It snowed the day before and didn't get used.
Waiting for me to ski on Mothers Day. Watching me start the trade in process with you, reminding me before she is upset that the jacket I'm trying to trade in was a birthday present from her the year before. Seeing me buy a 3rd ski this off season only to tell me the next day I better buy bindings quickly.....So many reasons

[Micol]

Alta had a soft close 4/15 and then opened the next 2 weekends. I know the Bird's closing day was Mothers Day since mrsjmills rode the tram up with her kids and waited up top while I spent a few hours in Mineral.It snowed the day before and didn't get used.
Waiting for me to ski on Mothers Day. Watching me start the trade in process with you, reminding me before she is upset that the jacket I'm trying to trade in was a birthday present from her the year before. Seeing me buy a 3rd ski this off season only to tell me the next day I better buy bindings quickly.....So many reasons

i left my rv at one of the shuttle lots because it was snowing pretty hard. buses were done for the season. got uber to take me to alta, and all i saw was untracked powder and no people, i was elated, then figured out it was closed...uber down to bird, on first tram i think, it was sardines, couldnt see a thing all day, and not a place i know, just kept going and having to feel my way around, sun broke once late afternoon but not too much, uber wouldnt pick me up got one of those shuttle vans , dont upset the homefront just use the old TGR30 code and let the wifes gift stay....or wait till next season....

[GPP33]

Wow, tourists are that stupid.

We booked a trip to Opus hut/Silverton last year but got skunked so we went to Jackson instead. Had an amazing week. Planning on doing a Jackson trip again this year, as well as Silverton. We’re giving Silverton another shot even though they had a shit year but if Jackson had of sucked our stoke to return would have been much lower.

In general humans suck at making data driven decisions. I understand this and I still have high expectations for Jackson based on a sample size of one.

I also keep returning to Big Ski hoping it’ll be as good as that first time I went...........

[SkiBall]

A lot of tourists are happy enough just skiing the groomers. I don't know how much they really "need".

[Shredhead]

Wow, tourists are that stupid.

It’s going to snow tomorrow on the nationally televised Bronco game. There will be a huge bump in reservations, because it’s “snowing”in Colorado.

Most tourists prefer sunny mild conditions and we have that In spades.

[EWG]

Steamboat was actually not so bad. Their totals were down but not nearly as bad as 2014. What made it work was that they got their snow consistently, so it never got awful. We had great days there just before christmas and in march - there were decent days all year. CB sucked otoh. Most of the north face lift was closed most of the year, same with banana/peel. Got some good turns in on the high lift, but not that much. WP was thin all year, so the good stuff on Jane was sorta questionable.

So, yeah, I'd say that the year was pretty thin mid state, not terrible in the north, and real thin/very disappointing in the south. We need a big year, but not for the tourists. We need it for us.

This year we already have trips in place for Alta/Bird and Jackson. Add to that weekends at the Boat and Aspen, plus day trips to WP/Copper (and midweek Eldora) and I'm hoping we can find someplace with some white stuff. Ikon pass has made it easier. Though I'm really gonna miss the Butte.

[Djongo Unchained]

- so we went to Jackson instead. Had an amazing week. Planning on doing a Jackson trip again this year.

I understand this and I still have high expectations for Jackson based on a sample size of one.

I can help fulfill those expectations. And the High.

We were busy as hell last dec-jan with UT/CO skiers.

I really, really hope it dumps on all of you.

[goldenboy]

The "water year" ended Sept 30. It was CO's warmest ever, and second driest ever. http://mountaintownnews.net/2018/10/...est-year-ever/

[WMD]

Maybe it's time to talk to Gov Hickenlooper about all that fracking in CO. It used a shocking amount of water and lots of methane leaks into the atmosphere. Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. Fracking is using up your water and helping drive up temperatures.

[SkiBall]

Add the Sultan of Brunei to that talking list. He uses 15M gallons/year at his NV estate that he visits 2x/year.
Not CO but it is.

And Elon Musk. Do you know how much water it takes to cool battery manufacturing (hopefully collecting/recycling the vapor?)? I am not a scientist, but I have been told it is a shit-ton. Tesla NV factory silently burning through a fair amount. How many others out there?
https://www.tesla.com/gigafactory

[liv2ski]

This great news just in...

[homebrewd]

Maybe it's time to talk to Gov Hickenlooper about all that fracking in CO. It used a shocking amount of water and lots of methane leaks into the atmosphere. Methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. Fracking is using up your water and helping drive up temperatures.

I'll take Poli Ass for $500 Alex.

(He's out in a few weeks tho)