Eldora, CO - January 2021

[EMSC]

Eldora has to be doing the worst of all Colorado ski areas for natural snowfall this year. Nearly all of the storms have had bad wind directions for Eldora Snows and/or 90+MPH winds blowing what snow does fall all the way to Kansas. Storms have either been from the southwest (thus why Wolf Creek is doing well), or from the west with just enough moisture that the snowfall dramatically drops before it makes it over the continental divide. That equals a whopping 51" YTD snowfall mostly blown away. Definitively the worst snowfall YTD I've seen in a long time at Eldora (since the very early 00's).

That said, Eldora does have extensive snowmaking and has a solid amount of terrain open on that basis, though making it feel very much like a mediocre eastern ski season (one without those pesky eastern rains). At the moment by the end of January there are exactly 2 trails open on only natural snow - Challenge trail (very rocky first 100 feet), and Red Tail (deep enough, but only half width due to wind blowing the rest of the trail clean of snow). I also count several trails that have snowmaking that will not be getting any this year due to either lack of $$ or lack of water (Challenge, Psychopath, Ambush, Cascade). For that matter they did blow snow on lower Westridge and all of that terrain has had no more than tiny numbers of patrol 'directed' skiing as yet.

I can say the conditions have been absolutely perfect for ski race training

All of the above said, even the central Mtns have more snow than Eldora by a large amount (though well below normal), so this "TR" is not overly relevant to anywhere else in Colo. Most areas have solidly large amounts of natural snow terrain open, but perhaps not the steepest stuff just yet. Just a unique year for little Eldora. That said, due to reservations and etc... Eldora has not had to fight too hard for skiers. People are just happy to be out and have a short drive time for the most part. Lift lines have been present every weekend save the crazy gusty days - of which there have been plenty. I've ridden the main 6 pack at less than fixed grip speeds on several days.

 

[jimk]

Thanks for sharing.
Would you say lift lines are generally due to large numbers of people, or more because of social distancing and less allowable riders on each chair?

PS: have only skied Eldora for two days back in 2003, but I thought is was a pretty burly mid-size mtn and quite scenic. It would be far and away the king of the hills if located where I come from in the mid-Atlantic. \/

 

[jamesdeluxe]

PS: have only skied Eldora for two days back in 2003

I skied there a couple times in 1984 while at CU Boulder. Looks the same!

 

[EMSC]

Would you say lift lines are generally due to large numbers of people, or more because of social distancing and less allowable riders on each chair?

I believe the mtn is limited to "70% capacity" (whatever number they are using as that capacity), but I'd estimate that lifts are running at ~50% for a quad and a bit less than 50% average for the 6 pack due to 'ride up with only your group' rules. The only time they are putting unrelated people on a lift is two singles on opposite ends of the 6 pack. So the reduction in uphill capacity more than makes up for the limit on total skiers allowed.

I skied there a couple times in 1984 while at CU Boulder. Looks the same!

You'd be surprised, I think, after all these years. A lot of new trails and lift upgrades since then... Thus far this would not be the year to come, but you should definitely hit it again at some future point when the snow is half-way decent.