Colorado Honestly, should I change my ski vaca plans due to lack of snow but will lose money

[dbostedo]

It has reportedly snowed 23" in the last week.

Some of that must have fallen on top of the man-made base too?

Maybe it was windy and it blew all the new snow off the hardpack, into the spaces between the groomers?!?

 

[tball]

Maybe it was windy and it blew all the new snow off the hardpack, into the spaces between the groomers?!?

Quite possibly given the report of crazy wind at Wolf Creek Monday from @surfandski:

I've never been somewhere where it was snowing so hard but with zero accumulation and I quickly realized that it indeed did snow hard all night but it was blowing sideways and right off the mountain. The wind was also so strong that it was immediately buffing anything that actually made it to the ground. And it wasn't actually snow. It was raisin sized ice pellets that were nailing your face at incredible speeds. How windy was it? I saw at least 5 24" diameter trees go down either from blowing over or from snapping clean at the trunk. These were not dead trees either. The lifties were on edge all day and kept asking us if we came across any more downed trees. I watched one of them fall right across one of the runs I had just skied and another fell but was caught against another couple trees right by the Alberta lift and they had to shut it down because they were worried it was going to fall down on the cable while people were on the lift. Another first for me was being on Treasure which is a detachable quad with 75 mph gusts (per the lifties). One gust was so strong while riding up with ski Patrol that both of our skis snapped backward so hard the tails slammed the back of the chair and both of us turned to each other and were like holy crap! I started using the safety bar after that one. I experienced winds way stronger than anything I've experienced at Loveland and couldn't believe they were still running the detachable quads. The trees were swaying so hard back and forth that I was just waiting for one to come down onto the cable and launch us off. They closed that quad and all but one lift by 1:30 but surprisingly they kept running one detachable quad and I nervously rode it to the end. Winds were swirling from every direction so the trees were swaying all over the place.

Read his fascinating full report over in the CO Weather thread:
https://www.pugski.com/threads/2017-18-colorado-weather-and-stoke.5553/page-87#post-212865

 

[Goose]

and so these storms according to open snow more heavily favoring the southern mountains and T seems to be getting the sorter end of the stick and honestly not all that much to brag about. Here we are Thursday of this stormy week and these predictions for 3-6 with higher amounts in the south from last 2 and current storms seem to be leaving a lot to be desired for Telluride totals. Been a whole lot of cold and wind and kind of wasting away these storms one by one with small flakes and wind blown areas (not a good thing imo). For a week that was suppose to produce a few to several inches most every day its just not happening. Still have the weekend left for something better but todays expected new snow looks to be a fat zero since a couple last night. Hope next 48 hrs my tone will be a lot different.

 

[Mike King]

and so these storms according to open snow more heavily favoring the southern mountains and T seems to be getting the sorter end of the stick and honestly not all that much to brag about. Here we are Thursday of this stormy week and these predictions for 3-6 with higher amounts in the south from last 2 and current storms seem to be leaving a lot to be desired for Telluride totals. Been a whole lot of cold and wind and kind of wasting away these storms one by one with small flakes and wind blown areas (not a good thing imo). For a week that was suppose to produce a few to several inches most every day its just not happening. Still have the weekend left for something better but todays expected new snow looks to be a fat zero since a couple last night. Hope next 48 hrs my tone will be a lot different.

You just can't help yourself for worrying about the snow, can you? Telluride has had over 4 feet of new snow in the last 2 ½ weeks and the forecast is for several more storms in the next week. Snowpack is up to 70% of normal and the month's snowfall to date is 46% above normal. A couple more storms and who knows where everything will be?

You made your reservations, you are locked in, and it will be what it will be. Don't be a Debbie Downer who fails to have a good time because you are so focused on what might have been.

There is no crying in skiing.

 

[ChrisFromOC]

You just can't help yourself for worrying about the snow, can you? Telluride has had over 4 feet of new snow in the last 2 ½ weeks and the forecast is for several more storms in the next week. Snowpack is up to 70% of normal and the month's snowfall to date is 46% above normal. A couple more storms and who knows where everything will be?

You made your reservations, you are locked in, and it will be what it will be. Don't be a Debbie Downer who fails to have a good time because you are so focused on what might have been.

There is no crying in skiing.

This is the right attitude, for sure. With school schedules, we usually plan trips well in advance. Sometimes we have great conditions, sometimes we don’t. We ALWAYS have a great time though.

 

[Goose]

You just can't help yourself for worrying about the snow, can you? Telluride has had over 4 feet of new snow in the last 2 ½ weeks and the forecast is for several more storms in the next week. Snowpack is up to 70% of normal and the month's snowfall to date is 46% above normal. A couple more storms and who knows where everything will be?

You made your reservations, you are locked in, and it will be what it will be. Don't be a Debbie Downer who fails to have a good time because you are so focused on what might have been.

There is no crying in skiing.

all im really doing is (with exception of a few posts) is following along with the snow forecasts and commenting when its better than expected and when less than expected. Getting excited and pointing out when its better and also bitching a bit and pointing out when its not. Ive mentioned a dozen times when I go Im going to make the most of my time and enjoy. Ive also mentioned my excitement level continues to rise as the trip nears. Doesn't mean I cant follow and comment accordingly on snow falls whether positively or negatively as I see them. Kind of what most the thread been about for some time now. The latest couple did not produce what was expected including today. I like to follow it and comment accordingly whether skiing is great or not and even though Im pretty darn confident things will be more than good enough for me ski wise.

 

[Goose]

And so Im adding sarcastically about for what was suppose to be among the fairly steadiest snowiest week of the year for the southern mountains. Friday morning now and where Telluride got totally clobbered with another whole inch. Its just funny how this weeks multiple storms which actually heavily favored the southern mountains have totaled Telluride with not only the least snow among southern mountains but also less than many northern and central mountains. Its laughable when considering the luck. I mean really I am chuckling as wrote that. They basically got skunked. Open snow even points out Telluride getting skunked simply by mentioning that T should fair better with an expected wind direction change.

From wed through today Wolf creek, purg, silverton with between 10 to 33 inches while T got a whopping 2. Monday and Tuesday the others with not as much but still several to tack on to that while again T about another whopping 2. Another round of these storms suppose hit next couple days and hopefully that wind direction or whatever takes place can leave T with something to gloat about before the system moves away for good. It would be one hack of a wasted very stormy entire snow "week" long system that favored all those southern mountains in need and yet to find when its all done that T barley scraped the bottom of the barrel and got less than even northern mountains. I mean glad for whomever/wherever got snow but just sayin.

Not too often I assume to see a solid week + with expected snows one after another almost daily at a place that gets about 300 Blue bird days a year. So when will a 7 to 9 day snow forecast look like this again? Too bad most of it seem to have avoided the place like it had a disease...lol Its just humorous really, but hopefully T can get a needed last laugh in the next 48 hrs.

 

[Mike King]

And so Im adding sarcastically about for what was suppose to be among the fairly steadiest snowiest week of the year for the southern mountains. Friday morning now and where Telluride got totally clobbered with another whole inch. Its just funny how this weeks multiple storms which actually heavily favored the southern mountains have totaled Telluride with not only the least snow among southern mountains but also less than many northern and central mountains. Its laughable when considering the luck. I mean really I am chuckling as wrote that. They basically got skunked. Open snow even points out Telluride getting skunked simply by mentioning that T should fair better with an expected wind direction change.

From wed through today Wolf creek, purg, silverton with between 10 to 33 inches while T got a whopping 2. Monday and Tuesday the others with not as much but still several to tack on to that while again T about another whopping 2. Another round of these storms suppose hit next couple days and hopefully that wind direction or whatever takes place can leave T with something to gloat about before the system moves away for good. It would be one hack of a wasted very stormy entire snow "week" long system that favored all those southern mountains in need and yet to find when its all done that T barley scraped the bottom of the barrel and got less than even northern mountains. I mean glad for whomever/wherever got snow but just sayin.

Not too often I assume to see a solid week + with expected snows one after another almost daily at a place that gets about 300 Blue bird days a year. So when will a 7 to 9 day snow forecast look like this again? Too bad most of it seem to have avoided the place like it had a disease...lol Its just humorous really, but hopefully T can get a needed last laugh in the next 48 hrs.

Wind direction matters. More favorable wind directions shortly. And more storms.

 

[John Webb]

Good stuff is starting to open! Spiral Stairs & The Plunge .
Plunge is even groomed.

 

[tball]

Plunge is even groomed.

STOP THE BRUTAL GROOMING!

 

[pchewn]

Well, you don't have much to worry about. I just left Oregon and Mt Hood for my ski trip in Winter Park Colorado. So of course Mt hood is getting 26" of new snow over the next 3 days and Winter Park might get 2 inches.....

Oh well, skiing with my high school friends will be fun. I can always get more powder on Mt Hood.

https://www.onthesnow.com/oregon/mt-hood-meadows/skireport.html

 

[Goose]

Good stuff is starting to open! Spiral Stairs & The Plunge .
Plunge is even groomed.

yea, I think they are at their highest trail count of the season today with 111.
Just how decent it "all" is for anyone in specific who knows. For me its more than enough of good stuff.
Just strange though that "on the snow' totals the 110ish of 150 trails at only about half (or 1000 of 2000) acres. I suppose chutes and some bowl and upper advcanced and more rrleatively speaking extreme skiing areas must count for a lot of acreage. probably why the acreage is well below the percentage of trail count which is 2/3 the trails. interesting is all.

 

[Goose]

and so again the supposed wind change did nothing as forT as it finds the bottom of the barrel again not only among the "so called favored" southern mountains but even less than half the central mountains and a good portion of the northern ones. I mean yea its more snow but for one heck of a stormy entire week which could have really added very nicely it failed miserably at meeting the expectations vs most other mountains. Basically 6 inches for most this entire southern stormy week is a disappointment considering the multiple storms and the teens and more received by others. And yes I can bitch about that. Why not? Just the way the year has gone for Telluride this season. One really nice stretch for a couple or so weeks. Now its back to getting skunked again. Nothing to do with conditions for my trip at this point but just for snow falls in general its kind of sad to see even if I wasn't heading there at all. Another 18 inches through a very stormy week would have done them really well here but instead they get a very wind blown 6 and scrape the bottom of the barrel. At least for what is claimed.

 

[SBrown]

Good f-ing lord.

 

[dbostedo]

Goose, you've mostly seemed to maintain a good attitude in a lot of this thread... but holy cow your posts sound really negative and overly focused on the negative.

I'm guessing based on your other posts you're sort of thinking out loud, and may be fine with current conditions... but geez, if I hadn't read those other posts I'd think you were downright bitter about it.

 

[WC68]

I’m convinced Goose is going to have a crappy trip...just from his sheer will.
Hope his bad mojo is gone before I go two weeks later..

 

[scott43]

In defence of poor Goose...I know the feeling..you put up some dough to go west and you'd like to have a great trip. Not like you can go every weekend. Some folks out west I suppose are spoiled by the accessibility. So I kinda get where he's coming from..a little manic maybe..but I get it. Ultimately, like when you go back in the bush hunting and you get rained on for 3 days..you have to make the best of it..you can't change the wind you can only adjust your sails...

 

[BC.]

Goose..I am going to stay positive by saying that your posts are very “entertaining”......I can only imagine your discussions with your financial advisor. He/she must be a saint!

 

[hespeler]

I'm in T now and I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with the past week and the week ahead. Tonight is not looking like much of anything and next week not looking as good as expected.

But let me go skiing tomorrow and I may just change my tune.

Goose, it's a beautiful setting. You're gonna love it.

 

[Goose]

I knew that post would get me a smack on the wrist from many you friendly followers of the thread..lol

Honestly though....Its humorous how the place has really got the avoidance this year. Its almost intentional..lol
I "know" the fam and I will have a good time there and skiing too. And see some awesome place in the southern rockies.

To be fair I simply become addicted to watching (of course) and routing for the place regardless of my upcoming trip there. At this point that will be what it will be.

But in the big scheme of things for their season I pull for them (as said even if I wasn't going at all). In that regard should I say they got hammered? Im really just being honest and the truth is for what this week of several storms was suppose to bring them they got bad luck again. Considering the first 3rd or more of their season they had.... you want to see them do well. Aside from a decent recent February come back this current system could have really put a nice topping on that recent bounce back and it was suppose to. So really Im simply just talking about their luck (or lack of) this year. Hey, something big falls next week I'll be like "now that's more like it". I would honestly hope they get snows even after Im gone and are able to ski longer than they might have otherwise. They deserve a good break/streak in that regard imo after the first half of winter they had. Heck even the business of snow mobile tours took a huge hit the first half of winter there. Many resorts especially the southern rockies paid their dues big time the first half this year. I don't like to see that happen anywhere simply as a skier.