KSL news video on status of Utah ski season
- Thread starter Admin
- Start date
Wah wah wah. :-({|=
I see a white surface... deal with it.
I see a white surface... deal with it.
I think the Cottonwoods will be fine with any reasonable amount of snow this month on top of the base they have. But they will be crowded at Christmas because the Park City and Ogden areas have practically no natural base now and are likely to be in very restricted operation unless December is huge like last year.
EMSC
Well-known member
We (colo) seem to have gone from virtually nothing to a persistent NW flow of cool air & moisture... So more snow again the next couple of days and then only a couple day dry slot before more again, etc... seems to be the forecast.
Is Ootah missing out on the NW flow I guess? Not that very much natural snow terrain has opened yet over this way, but I would think very soon if this pattern keeps up...
Is Ootah missing out on the NW flow I guess? Not that very much natural snow terrain has opened yet over this way, but I would think very soon if this pattern keeps up...
That NW flow is common at this time of year, especially with La Nina. The problem is that it's warm so the PNW areas have been getting all rain. One would expect the Tetons, Steamboat, Vail and Winter Park in that order to benefit most as the storm track moves inland. Often, like last year, these weather systems will be wide enough to hammer Utah too but not always. In 2003 Utah was bypassed often enough that its snow totals were well below average when Colorado's were close to average. Of course "below average" in LCC/BCC is still more than "average" in most of Colorado. In general it's the Park City and Ogden areas that should be avoided in weather patterns like that.
icelanticskier
New member
another reason why it's better to book a trip once things look to be "happening". i was skiing very good conditions at the rivah today thinking, man. people that booked a trip a couple/few months ago and paid way too much for a plane ticket are bummin. a buddy and his wfe just scored r/t plane tickets from manch nh to jackson for 240 bucks with no special deals. slc can commonly be found for 200. i'm gonna wait till upper lcc is gettin close to 80" base and at 26" now it's gonna take alot of snow. it will happen and maybe fast, but who knows? you gotta know when to hold em/ fold em and/or pull that trigger, just like in real estate. if home heating oil, plane tickets, snowpack aren't a good deal, don't lock in 3/4 months out as it always goes back down.
rog
rog
Marc_C
Active member
What he said. It's interesting to note that right now, there is a deeper base and more open terrain in LCC than there was last year at this time. And as we know, all was good* during the second half of December.icelanticskier":vgo275k3 said:
*: "all was good" in the sense of snowfall and cover, but on a personal note, my appendix had other ideas about how I spent my time last Dec.
tirolerpeter
New member
I was at Alta yesterday and today. Considering how much it snowed Tuesday night and all day today, I'll bet that the base is at least 12" deeper then it was on Tuesday. Today was really starting to feel like "UT skiing."
icelanticskier
New member
Marc_C":2h8sw47i said:
last year i booked my flight jan 10th for my jan 21st-30th trip. 300 bucks r/t and the skiing was very happening in late jan.
rog
Lots to Ski at Alta, but I fear what tony says about the xmas holidays is true. Unless we get some serious snow in the wasatch back and front for that matter, Alta/bird are going to be busy.
the snow will come we obviously know that and it can come quick!
Marc_c stated that there is a deeper base and more terrain open this year than last and thats sooo true. Most of the mountain last weekend was skiing like a giant groomer, all supportable, vis wasnt great, but this weekend should be terrific. With the roughly 12" over the last 3 or so days the conditions should be nice.
M
the snow will come we obviously know that and it can come quick!
Marc_c stated that there is a deeper base and more terrain open this year than last and thats sooo true. Most of the mountain last weekend was skiing like a giant groomer, all supportable, vis wasnt great, but this weekend should be terrific. With the roughly 12" over the last 3 or so days the conditions should be nice.
M
These slow early seasons reinforce my observations at Alta from Christmas 1986. It's remarkable how well that place skis on a 3-4 foot base. Particularly compared to the minefield next door at Snowbird. Most of you know that I prefer Snowbird to Alta terrain-wise, and even more so during my March visits when Snowbird has more sectors that preserve winter snow when it's warm.
But if I lived in Utah, I'd ski Alta most of the time in December. It's clear from recent reports that Utah locals really have little to complain about in Alta's current ski quality. But I'd lay low during Christmas zoo week unless conditions at the other areas turn around.
But if I lived in Utah, I'd ski Alta most of the time in December. It's clear from recent reports that Utah locals really have little to complain about in Alta's current ski quality. But I'd lay low during Christmas zoo week unless conditions at the other areas turn around.
rfarren":2ma4iwjk said:
Oh, yes it will. And it is.
(Alta on Thursday)
1. As Marc_C pointed out above,
2. As others have noted, it's actually really good up there right now. People may claim that it sucks, but I worked at Jay Peak for 9 years and it's as good here now as Jay Peak ever got in those 9 years. Just about all of Alta is open and I'm planning on untracked powder in Catherine's Area in the morning.
3. We should get another 8-12 on Monday.
4. Per Dan Pope on KSL tonight, "The computer models are going absolutely crazy about storms moving in around the 13th and continuing non-stop for about 10 days."
Folks here are spoiled, yours truly included. People may whine about how it hasn't snowed in a few weeks, but that just plain isn't true in the Cottonwoods -- we've just been receiving 2-8" snowfalls every couple of days instead of 2- to 4-foot dumps. I'll take what I have here over what Salida and I had back there any day, thank you.
icelanticskier
New member
Admin":3ou3scmh said:
what? ya got a nose bleed? ballyhoo!
rog
icelanticskier":2wg59wfe said:
That's just it, Rog...there are no hungry flying hippies up there right now. Nor is there anyone else. The place was more deserted last weekend than I've ever seen. Period. There's no one there. Collins at 10 a.m. on Saturday had someone riding in every third chair, and chairs that had bodies in them were primarily singles and doubles. It's almost scary. Folks believe, erroneously, that it sucks.
tirolerpeter
New member
Admin is correct. I was literally alone on some of my drops off the High T today. Conditions were great.
icelanticskier
New member
Admin":304y1f30 said:
it is a beautiful thing. maybe the reason the rivah has been so dead, midweek at least, is cuz there hasn't been any snow south and the economy is still freakin people out. with gas at 1.64 in newmarket, i've been laughing all the way to the mtns! still riding my bike to work most days for 28 mile per day and only using the car for skiing. tryin to be green anyway. tonights commute was a chilly 20 degrees for my 14 mile ride home and i was still over dressed. ok, back to topic. stoked you guys are gettin (canyon open) country club skiing in. and hey even if the base ain't deep, it's the snow on top that counts. christ, the recrystalized snow can provide EPIC skiing in high pressure times and folks won't come out for that either.
rog