Telluride 12/26/08

[ChrisC]

The storm continues in Telluride. Therefore bad pics....

Since the snowpack is so sketchy - the mountain company has not opened Chairs 12, 14, 15 for 2 days. I have been mostly skiing the trees of Chair 9 and 6.

There are no bumps in Telluride this year - everything is skiing like Tahoe -- just plow through the soft snow piles.

My issue - the snow is getting compacted due to high winds. This is not as bad as the NW/Pacific/etc....but not typical Colorado super fluff. I expect to fly. And if the powder gets to 8% H2O - it's not up to par.


Anyways, I keep shoveling a foot or so per day off the deck. I could only ski for 1/2 days due to heavy winds. Even the dogs were cold and did not want to go out.

 

[Tony Crocker]

If the snow is thick it's being compacted by high wind, which as you know is much more common in the Sierra than most places in Colorado.

As for water content, I've recently processed 24 years of Mammoth patrol data and average water content is 12.9% At Intermountain sites like Jackson and Snowbird the typical range is 8-10%, and in Colorado it's 6-8%.

Of course there are variations by storm. The early December 2007 storm hit SW Colorado from Mexico and probably was 10+%. This one was a fairly standard track: Sierra, then Utah, then Colorado. So that's why I think the wind is the reason it may be skiing more like Sierra snow.

 

[ChrisC]

I agree - the storm seemed cold enough to produce high quality powder.

There are 2 very different storm tracks that seem to hit Telluride.

1. The standard NW flow - NW Wash&OR/Utah/Colorado.
2. The SW track coming in from SoCal/AZ into the 4 Corners.

The San Juans are not a ridge, but a circular fortress -- mountains that can shield one another. Therefore, the SW flow storms dump on Wolf Creek, but get stuck at Lizard Head Pass when coming to Telluride. However, NW flow storms can really paste Telluride with the good stuff.

Overall, it is very difficult to accurately forecast storms for this region. Radar is horrible. History does not seem considered/factored in. I generally do not know. Too often I feel let down in the morning/ or happily suprised the next.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Given your extensive time in the area, do you have an opinion about Silverton snowfall? Is there any reason it would not be similar to Red Mt. Pass?

 

[Sharon]

Love the dog pix!!!

 

[salida]

An extra 800 or 1000 vert at the summit of silverton, versus the top of red mtn pass. Even if they got the same precip, they probably get 'more snow' (water content/fluff factor) by being higher and colder.

Given your extensive time in the area, do you have an opinion about Silverton snowfall? Is there any reason it would not be similar to Red Mt. Pass?

 

[ChrisC]

Given your extensive time in the area, do you have an opinion about Silverton snowfall? Is there any reason it would not be similar to Red Mt. Pass?

I will post my Silverton experience/report soon.

Overall, I do think Silverton is not honest in their snow reports. They are reporting the truth though -- they just choose to pick the optimal spot for blow in / lee side near the top of their double chair.

Telluride could do this too! And increase these base by 10-20" per month.