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2016-2017 Four Corners (AZ, NM, S.CO) Weather & Conditions

pais alto

me encanta el país alto
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If we're in town and our house isn't still too wrecked from our whole roof leak mishegoss, you should come here. I bet @pais alto would also be willing to show you around. Hopefully by then we'll be back in the storm track. Shouldn't be crazy like our big brother to the north and an easy drive to Pajarito for the day.

Oh, Jeff knows I'm at SF - I showed him and his around last season. And if he doesn't come during spring break he gets free tickets at SF.

I don't know Pajarito or Sipapu well enough to offer timing advice.
 

Jeff N

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If we're in town and our house isn't still too wrecked from our whole roof leak mishegoss, you should come here. I bet @pais alto would also be willing to show you around. Hopefully by then we'll be back in the storm track. Shouldn't be crazy like our big brother to the north and an easy drive to Pajarito for the day.

@Jerez where are you located?

We roll with our motorhome, so for these places, the ski area parking lot is home. We love to meet folks on the mountain where we can.,

Does anyone know/hear rumors about what exactly is wrong with Mother chair? We've wanted to hit Paj, but things keep getting in the way...
 

Jerez

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We are just off the ski basin road about 10 minutes from the Plaza. No rv parking on our black Diamond steep road however.
 

Jeff N

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Interested weekend. Friday, it was 65* at the base of Purg. The week of Spring temps made for some great advanced corn. The front face of Purg is pretty damned amazing for Spring slush bumps.

Saturday, it was overcast but in the 40's. Just warm enough to soften a few inches. Bumps were coral for the morning, but groomers softened just enough to just rip. I made lots of laps on 1 and 8. Bumps in the afternoon were soft but not full melt like the day before.

Sunday, laid in bed with a migraine. It was full rain at our house at 8400'. Purg reported several inches of snow, but the snowline was about halfway up. It was raining into the night but shifted to snow around 7:00 this AM.

Today sitting at my office in Durango, it has been nuking all day at town level. Headed to Hesperus tonight for an early Valentines day of pow skiing under the lights.

For presidents, we are headed to Sipapu and Pajarito. We plan to ski Paj Saturday, and depending how we like it, maybe Sunday (otherwise we will roll to Sipapu). Monday at Sipapu and then home.
 

Ken_R

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Awesome conditions in Southern New Mexico yesterday.

IMG_4996.JPG
 

Jeff N

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Is that Apache?

Pajarito apparently got Mother lift fixed. Just in time for their beginner lift to break.

At what point should I be concerned about the quality of maintenance? Sheesh.
 

Ken_R

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Is that Apache?

Pajarito apparently got Mother lift fixed. Just in time for their beginner lift to break.

At what point should I be concerned about the quality of maintenance? Sheesh.

Yes Apache. Lapped the Gondola about 10 times and left. No lines, soft snow. Not many people on the hill and not a line anywhere just ski right to the lift. The Gondola just makes it much much nicer to ski on stormy days. Several of the ski lifts at Apache look pretty new including the Gondola. Such a mellow place. Anywhere in Colorado would have been complete mayhem with 9" new snow. Not here. The sketchy road up and the fact that it is far from everywhere keeps people away except on weekends. Fine by me. :D
 
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Core2

Core2

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Yes Apache. Lapped the Gondola about 10 times and left. No lines, soft snow. Not many people on the hill and not a line anywhere just ski right to the lift. The Gondola just makes it much much nicer to ski on stormy days. Several of the ski lifts at Apache look pretty new including the Gondola. Such a mellow place. Anywhere in Colorado would have been complete mayhem with 9" new snow. Not here. The sketchy road up and the fact that it is far from everywhere keeps people away except on weekends. Fine by me. :D

Outside of holidays Ski Apache is usually pretty empty. The locals up there aren't really into skiing, it is pretty weird. I love lapping that Gondi line, probably the best run up there.
 

Jeff N

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Looks like Hesperus shut down. Wonder what happened? http://www.the-journal.com/article/20170224/NEWS01/170229902/

Not sure. The lift was load tested by the state (for the first time in several years) last year. They weren't happy with some things (don't know specifics) but they passed it. The feeling was that the tramway board didn't want to be the one's responsible for closure. Perhaps some marginal things that they let slide with the past ownership that was barely hanging on they chose not to let slide?

I thought this year that the lift has been running much smoother than in the past. Less vibration, less wobbles and sheave train noise. Lots of fresh grease in the sheave train bearings. I took that as an indication that Hesperus now has access to a professional lift maintenance team that got things greased and adjusted better,.

It could also be that the tramway board is being more vigilant after some of the high profile lift issues in CO this year.
 

Spooky

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I got some much needed and great turns in on Tuesday at AZ Snowbowl. I am not sure of the official totals, but there was a lot with low wind and decent visibility. I also had my first rides on the new 6-pack which is pretty darn great in my opinion. I have a love/hate with SB due to the inconsistent conditions year to year, but that day was let's get married and have kids love.
IMG_0964.jpg
IMG_0967.jpg
IMG_0969.jpg
 

Ken_R

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I dunno about up in northern NM but down here winter is over. It has been in the 80's. No rain/snow for many weeks now. Several nasty wind and dust events have rolled through though.
 
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Core2

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I dunno about up in northern NM but down here winter is over. It has been in the 80's. No rain/snow for many weeks now. Several nasty wind and dust events have rolled through though.

Typical March in S. NM.
 

Jeff N

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Hesperus has reopened! They plan to operate through Spring Break and weekends until they run out of snow. By way of comparison, last year they closed March 7, the prior 2 years they closed after Presidents. Not many expected them to reopen this year as it would be the longest season in memory- and it is.

When it is warm, the front face at Purg is one of the best slush bump mountains anywhere. It is super good right now.
 

Ken_R

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Typical March in S. NM.

Too warm. Highs in the 80's and now gonna be close to 90's for today and into next week. Not normal for southern NM. About 15-20ºF above normal. The melt is on even at 10k feet.
 
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Core2

Core2

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Too warm. Highs in the 80's and now gonna be close to 90's for today and into next week. Not normal for southern NM. About 15-20ºF above normal. The melt is on even at 10k feet.

Yeah, I would say we are a good 2-3 weeks early with Spring this year. I am guessing we will drop back down to normal temps in a week or two but definitely interesting weather.
 

Ken_R

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Well, Ski Apache, NM could not survive this extremely long and Hot/dry spell and it had to close for the season March 17. Hopefully up north the season lasts just a little bit longer. Any info from Taos?
 

pais alto

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The Santa Fe ski area also fell victim to the warm, dry weather and will close this Sunday 3/26, 1 week early.
 
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Core2

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We are supposed to get a foot here in AZ. Winter is hanging on by a thread.
 

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