Eldora, CO 11-23-12

[EMSC]

WROD, or the 'one run' TR

Eldora has not had favorable snowmaking of late and is open with a single trail (Hornblower/International). While they have spent big bucks on snowmaking infrastructure this year with a new pump and >100 new high efficiency snowguns, the weather has not cooperated. I can say that I have never seen so many pieces of snowmaking equipment before though. Eldora has placed guns all over the mountain just waiting for the right weather.

It's also true that the one run that is open does have a nice carve-able base with a little fluff on top. I took 7 laps on skis and then swapped gear taking 5 more laps on my somewhat aging snowboard. Got to keep the one run interesting somehow. It was my first turns on my board in 3 years... It took a run or two to get the feel back to being comfortable sliding sideways. At least the sunny weather and shopping kept crowding on the hill to nearly non-existent.

The central mtns have had better snowmaking, so most of them have at least multiple runs open. Wolf Creek is the only one I know of in Colo with natural terrain open, ~500 acres worth - none of the steep stuff of course.

 

[TRam]

Thats bad! I hope it turns on next weekend for you guys.

 

[EMSC]

Opensnow.com says diddly squat for Colorado this week with supposedly a storm early Dec... So at least one more very warm week coming up (60's in Denver). Storm track is staying north in WY, MT, BC/AB for now...

I'm always of the optimistic type that says we'll get our typical snowfall, just now to be compressed into 4-5 months instead of the typical 6-7 months time frame.

Apparently cool enough overnight that Eldora finally got the EZ lift running today with that one beginner trail to go with the one upper mtn trail.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Normally Colorado snowfall is more consistent than other regions. So the logical assumption is normal snow from the current date forward. No question November has been bad. 8 inches at Loveland and Copper and 14 at Steamboat are definitely record November lows and the highest November snow total I found, 25.5 inches at Winter Park, is still less than half normal.

The best way to look at it is that these places are about 3 weeks behind schedule. Thus Christmas week is likely to be similar to a normal early December and destination visitors should probably stay away until at least mid-January. For the sensible people who have booked February to April (historically best in CO) it's way too early to get worried IMHO.