2022-23 Aspen/Roaring Fork Valley Conditions

[funkendrenchman]

Remember today, when the fiasco that will be Highlands opener happens this Saturday.

[alpinevibes]

Remember today, when the fiasco that will be Highlands opener happens this Saturday.

Truth.

[jummo]

At least opening day is a beginning.
Closing day at Aspen Highlands, that's the shit show.
It's not Closing Day, it's Losers Day.
It's been pretty chill there with just the racers and the skinners the last couple of weeks.

[funkendrenchman]

It's been pretty chill there with just the racers and the skinners the last couple of weeks.

You mean the past month and a half. We've had a whole season on Highlands before the opener.

[grskier]

Today was pretty, pretty good.


Hope for a quick couple extra tonight.


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[gretch6364]

Looks like the forecast didn’t hold up and I miscalculated skiing today instead of yesterday. Oh well, should be pretty empty after Aspen schools being closed yesterday. Maybe some new terrain will open today?


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[grskier]

Looks like the forecast didn’t hold up and I miscalculated skiing today instead of yesterday. Oh well, should be pretty empty after Aspen schools being closed yesterday. Maybe some new terrain will open today?


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More likely on Snowmass than Aspen right now. FWIW.

High Alpine is close to ready, but patrol was pretty spooked by the snowpack yesterday.

[gretch6364]

More likely on Snowmass than Aspen right now. FWIW.

High Alpine is close to ready, but patrol was pretty spooked by the snowpack yesterday.

Thanks GR. Gonna head to Snowmass for the lunch laps and at least work the legs on the chop!


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[Percy Rideout]

Pitkin County Sheriffs gave ASD and us the rec to call it based on roads and vis. But I agree, in sentiment, that we’re getting too soft with our delays/snow days, but it’s not great out and continuing through the day.

I’ll be at the Gondi at 8:30; should be good

In theory, cancelling school should have less cars on the (dangerous) roads. Again, that's the working theory. But the reality in the RFV, these same cars all get on the roads anyways to shuttle the same kids to the ski hills instead of school on a snow day.

Same amount of cars on the scary roads (at the same time school is supposed to start, these kids literally pass their "closed" school to get to the ski hill), and the local youth are slowly testing worse and worse on standardized exams.

If i was a parent I would be livid and demand change.

[alpinevibes]

In theory, cancelling school should have less cars on the (dangerous) roads. Again, that's the working theory. But the reality in the RFV, these same cars all get on the roads anyways to shuttle the same kids to the ski hills instead of school on a snow day.

Same amount of cars on the scary roads (at the same time school is supposed to start, these kids literally pass their "closed" school to get to the ski hill), and the local youth are slowly testing worse and worse on standardized exams.

If i was a parent I would be livid and demand change.

Sorta, except yesterday there were very few kids out (speaking from Ajax). And no one is requiring parents to take their kids to go skiing; if school is on, you're obligated to drive/bus/ensure your kid gets to school.

I 100% agree with limiting snow days and like the article last week that talked about RE-1 discussing moving away from full snow days to just delays. Our school is going to see some big calendar changes in the future and that's all related to the amount of class time we offer. Missed days for snow days don't help that fight, and even though I love skiing, I'm always very hesitant to push for a full snow day when we're texting to decide at 5:30. Ultimately we usually follow the direction of ASD, who are working with the County, City and Sherriff's to determine road conditions and what's safe.

[gretch6364]

Well…today was a good day for the legs and smashing powder bumps. Some very good fresh snow remained in the trees. Left at 1:30…then they opened up High Alpine.

I asked a patroller and he said later this week! So close….


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[dcpnz]

….and the local youth are slowly testing worse and worse on standardized exams.

If i was a parent I would be livid and demand change.

Do you really think 4 or 5 snow days a year are why our district is testing worse ?

I’m not saying there are not things that we should be pushing for our schools to improve. But not every kid is struggling or doing worse - many kids and families are still intrinsically motivated and performing well but we ( that’s a WE by which I mean district, county, state and country as a whole) are dumbing down standards and plagued by digital distractions, lifestyle pressures, social issues, drug use and parental disengagement.

Blaming snow days is ridiculous.


And back to skiing - this week and entire early season has been pretty awesome. Not quite ready for the show to commence next week.

[funkendrenchman]

And back to skiing - this week and entire early season has been pretty awesome. Not quite ready for the show to commence next week.

Seriously. I think have 20+ days of skiing pow already.

[grskier]

Seriously. I think have 20+ days of skiing pow already.

I'm pretty close to that too. It has been great.

I've been trying to time the high alpine opening.. oh well. My legs need some rest.

I'll be up again tomorrow through Sunday.

[Percy Rideout]

Do you really think 4 or 5 snow days a year are why our district is testing worse ?

I’m not saying there are not things that we should be pushing for our schools to improve. But not every kid is struggling or doing worse - many kids and families are still intrinsically motivated and performing well but we ( that’s a WE by which I mean district, county, state and country as a whole) are dumbing down standards and plagued by digital distractions, lifestyle pressures, social issues, drug use and parental disengagement.

Blaming snow days is ridiculous.


And back to skiing - this week and entire early season has been pretty awesome. Not quite ready for the show to commence next week.

Conjecture is fun and all, but let's let actual numbers do the talking.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/st...-year-by-state

Most states require a minimum of 180 days of in class instruction. Colorado inexplicably only requires 160 days, and is the only state with such a low number (kentucky is close. Do we really want to be grouped in with kentucky?). Therefore, Colorado kids are in school one less month than most other states, which puts our kids at a disadvantage, and that gap adds up over the years.

Nine years of public schooling in Colorado at 160 days/year and your kid is effectively a year behind curriculum wise (180 less classroom days) compared to his/her peers in a different state with 180 mandatory days over 9 years. That is, unless Colorado kids are extra smart and can blast through the same curriculum in a shorter duration than every other state.

Point is, between the extra long winter break, 20 less school days than peers, teacher conferences, ex ed, and those soft ass snow days that don't take any cars off the road; The local kids almost never have full 5 day in classroom school weeks (as referenced by parents above), and it shows in our below average testing on a national level.

https://co.chalkbeat.org/2012/1/11/2...o-other-states

Colorado ranks 35th of 50 states in education indicators. Nothing to be proud about considering the average education level in our local community. We should be an outlier, but are not. Maybe putting the kids in school for more days might make them smarter, more well adjusted, and better prepared before we send them out into this cruel world? I can't think of any negatives here....

AHS produces a winter olympian every few years, but never a Rhodes Scholar (and consistently middling test scores even as ASD spends more per student than anywhere else in the state) despite being one of the most educated enclaves in the nation, and i'd argue, the world. At least we see where our priorities lie.

[alpinevibes]

Beauty out there last night. Still feeling Tuesday!

[FiveLarge]

Any early season/pre-Christmas lift ticket deals? I saw the $85/day when booking lodging and skiing at least 2 days.

[alpinevibes]

Any early season/pre-Christmas lift ticket deals? I saw the $85/day when booking lodging and skiing at least 2 days.

Not that I’ve seen, but that’s pretty good. If you call the Chamber they should have the info.

I decided to take the bait and go to Highlands today. No lines or scene when I rolled in at 9:30. Felt like a very Ikonic crowd and seems like lots of locals stayed away from the opener. Bowl was incredible on the first lap. G8 > G2, very deep and barely tracked. Second lap was fully cut up on G8, but still soft

[funkendrenchman]

Not that I’ve seen, but that’s pretty good. If you call the Chamber they should have the info.

I decided to take the bait and go to Highlands today. No lines or scene when I rolled in at 9:30. Felt like a very Ikonic crowd and seems like lots of locals stayed away from the opener. Bowl was incredible on the first lap. G8 > G2, very deep and barely tracked. Second lap was fully cut up on G8, but still soft

Ya not crazy there at all. The rest of the mountain skied great after 12:30 or so. Can we keep the moguls in storage all winter?

[Shredhead]

Nate and the Night Sweats brought down the house, at the Belly Up!
One of the best shows ever!

I’ve skied with some OG and new Mags, during these phenomenal conditions. But they’re still a few I haven’t met.
Next Saturday 12/17 we will meet at the Shadow Mountain deck at 10am for the Roaring Fork Valley Ski Off!


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[JaytaeMoney]

Tip of the day: go ski Deception if you like edgeable wind buff that’s smoother than a baby’s butt


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[Percy Rideout]

Tip of the day: go ski Deception if you like edgeable wind buff that’s smoother than a baby’s butt


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This is the best advice i've seen on this thread so far. 'Twas very good yesterday, and the giant bumps aren't there quite yet.

[grskier]

Kids, my father and I had a great day on Highlands Sunday and we had a full on posse on Snowmass Saturday.
I should be out for a few lunch laps on Aspen tomorrow.

[grskier]

If you don't like the visibility, wait 50 yards, it'll change.



If you think it's skied off, go 4* different aspect and it's waist deep.

[gretch6364]

Walsh’s is deereep right now. Hope the mags are getting after it!

Back to it for me…


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