The snow and cold arrived with a vengeance this past week, as if making up for lost time. The good news is temperatures climb out of the extreme deep freeze, but that comes with the potential for rather strong breezes. Snow is in the forecast each day until the weekend, when the skies clear and temperatures nudge upward. It could get into the balmy 40s by the weekend. While breezes continue, the warmer temperatures offer an excellent opportunity to get outside and enjoy all activities needing snow.
There’s plenty of powder for skiers and riders at the Snowy Range Ski and Recreation Area. The big day was last Sunday, with a foot of new snow, followed by another six inches Monday. The snow spigots continue until the weekend, when clear skies arrive. The new snow allowed the ski area to finally open all its terrain to skiers and riders.
Those snow spigots also turned on in northwest Wyoming. A whopping 24 inches of new snow fell at Grand Targhee late last week, with a total of 36 inches over five days. That trend continues for the rest of the week with another 31 inches in the forecast. The same was true over Teton Pass at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with 39 inches this past week, and another 19 in the forecast to the end of this week. The snow pack in that area is still down at 67% of average for the season.
The amount of skiable terrain jumped up this past week at all Colorado ski areas and resorts. The biggest winners were the skiers and riders at Steamboat, with 42 inches of new snow — that’s three-and-a-half feet — this past week. The forecast there is for another 18 inches before the snow spigots turn off this weekend. The snowpack in that area is now at 97% of average for the season.
Nearly as well off were those enjoying Winter Park. The slopes there were blanketed with 36 inches of new snow the past five days, with another nine inches expected by the end of the week.
Personnel at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center report the avalanche danger for the southern Wyoming and northern Colorado mountains is “high” at all elevations. All that new powder sits atop the old snow, which has a hard and crusty surface. As a result, very dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Use extreme caution, especially in steeper terrain.
At Keystone, near Rob Roy Reservoir, there has been a total of 88 inches of snow so far this season, according to Don Day Jr. at dayweather.com. This is a 38-inch increase from last week. This is in the ballpark of the 109 inches reported by this time last year. According to Open Snow, the snowpack in the Snowy Range is 73% of average for this time of year, an increase of 16 percentage points since last week.
Snow depths “up top” in the Snowy Range transformed after this past weekend. There’s plenty of powder, with fresh snow in the forecast Wednesday and Thursday. Winds are a significant factor, though, at least until the weekend, when they should ease.
Backcountry skiers will have to slog through quite a bit of powder until trails get packed down, especially on the trails out of Green Rock Trailhead. Expect outstanding conditions with all the new powder.
The lower trails at Corner Mountain, Little Laramie and going down the Barber Lake Trail are likely in very good condition. One skier who braved the extreme cold last Saturday reported good conditions, with a few downed trees and avoidable rocky segments.
The ski and snowshoe trails at Chimney Park and along the Medicine Bow Rail Trail are very good. The connector trail was groomed with classic tracks last week, before the big snowfall. Expect fresh grooming before the weekend.
Snow finally fell on the trails at the Happy Jack Recreation Area in a series of four bouts with a total of 10 inches. Every flake that didn’t blow away was packed to provide what is finally a decent base. The base is insufficient for classic tracks, but it is getting there.
Packing of the multi-use trails with all the new snow was delayed due to machinery repairs, but conditions should be good by the end of the week and into the weekend. Those on fat bikes are reminded to use extremely low air pressure when conditions are soft.
As of Tuesday morning, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service snow measuring station reports 42 inches of snow at Cinnabar Park, a 19-inch increase from last week. The station at Brooklyn Lake reports 44 inches, an increase of 18 inches from last week. The report at Sand Lake on the north end of the Medicine Bow Mountains reports 54 inches, an increase of 13 inches from last week. The measuring station at Medicine Bow Peak, at an elevation of 10,500 feet, reports 73 inches, an increase of 26 inches from last week. The Crow Creek station on Pole Mountain shows 11 inches, an increase of six inches from last week.
Cross-country skiing
Pole Mountain/Happy Jack Recreation Area Nordic ski trails: Conditions on the Nordic trails are very good, with 10 inches of new snow in the past week. Grooming is underway, but as of Tuesday morning, the trails lack sufficient base to set classic tracks.
Pole Mountain/Happy Jack Recreation Area Multi-use trails: Conditions are good to very good, but could be soft with the new snow.
Chimney Park Nordic ski trails: Good to very good conditions, with grooming on some of the trails typically occurring on Fridays.
Snowy Range backcountry conditions: Expect deep new snow until the routes are user-packed to create a solid base.
Snowmobile conditions
Snowy Range: There’s plenty of new snow, but that raises the avalanche risk considerably. Use extreme caution on steep terrain.
Quick Numbers
Wyoming downhill areas
Snowy Range Ski Area: 37-inch base; 5 lifts, 33 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Antelope Butte: 12-inch base; no additional information.
Grand Targhee: 75-inch base; 6 lifts, 95 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Hogadon: 20-inch base; 2 lifts, 8 trails and 29% of terrain open.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort: 67-inch base; 12 lifts, 90 trails and 69% of terrain open.
Meadowlark Ski Area: 14-inch base; 2 lifts, 9 trails and 64% of terrain open.
Sleeping Giant: Closed this season.
Snow King: 25-inch base; 8 lifts, 34 trails and 72% of terrain open.
White Pine: 20-inch base; 2 lifts, 8 trails and 28% of terrain open.
Colorado downhill areas
Arapahoe Basin: 50-inch base; 7 lifts, 32 trails and 22% of terrain open.
Breckenridge: 50-inch base; 34 lifts, 135 trails and 72% of terrain open.
Copper Mountain: 54-inch base; 18 lifts, 134 trails and 86% of terrain open.
Eldora: 20-inch base; 10 lifts, 48 trails and 74% of terrain open.
Keystone: 46-inch base; 21 lifts, 108 trails and 76% of terrain open.
Loveland: 40-inch base; 7 lifts, 36 trails and 38% of terrain open.
Steamboat: 85-inch base; 23 lifts, 173 trails and 96% of terrain open.
Vail: 60-inch base; 29 lifts, 245 trails and 89% of terrain open.
Winter Park: 63-inch base; 19 lifts, 139 trails and 83% of terrain open.
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