Crested Butte went off on Friday night with 15" of fresh in 24 hours.
Yes, it is STILL dumping. After 2-3 FEET of snow at Wolf Creek, Silverton, Crested Butte, and Powderhorn, the flakes just won’t stop falling.
Snow continues Sunday night but will stop by Monday morning for areas along and north of I-70. Snow totals continue to increase south of I-70 with another foot possible around Telluride, Silverton, and Wolf Creek and maybe 4-8″ further north.
On Wednesday, I’ll have a full recap of the storm with totals, pictures, and a section called “why did they get that much snow” … think of it like “CSI: Colorado”.
Forecast
- Sunday: Snow continues for most of Colorado, though the heaviest snow will fall during the night from Crested Butte and south.
- Monday: Snow totals in the AM should be around 12″ at Telluride, Silverton, and Wolf Creek with 4-8″ at Crested Butte, Monarch, Sunlight, Powderhorn, and perhaps some areas along I-70. Most areas along and north of I-70 should report 2-4″, falling mostly during the day Sunday rather than Sunday night. Snow will taper off by the end of the day for all areas.
- Tuesday: A sunny, bluebird day. Enjoy!
- Wednesday: Continued sunny, with increasing clouds later in the day.
- Thursday: Snow likely for many mountains…details ‘to be determined’.
- Friday: Snow likely for many mountains…details ‘to be determined’.
Proof of Powder
Great photos from world-class photographer/skier/climber/blogger Ted Mahon from the bowl at Aspen Highlands on Saturday, 2/20:
I notice Aspen isn’t mentioned in this report – was it something they said? All the Aspen areas called 17″ in 48 at noon today and it was snowing fairly hard at close. Your call for tonight?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 7:40 PM
Aspen is great…I just didn’t get to mention it this time. I’m sure Highland Bowl and the others skied great! The heavy snow should end in Aspen soon (~8-10pm). They will probably report another 4-8″ tomorrow AM, but most of this will have fallen between about noon and 8pm.
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Already 3 1/2′ on the ground from this cycle as of Sunday afternoon on top of the Grand Mesa. BEAUTIFUL. If the weather does like you say, and you’ve been darn close this year, Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be EPIC!!!! Thanks man. Keep up the good work!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 7:42 PM
Thanks for the 42″ report! The snow is mostly over for the Grand Mesa, and it might be partly sunny on Monday to contrast with the fresh snow. I will be at Powderhorn tomorrow (Monday) and would love to check out some side country/backcountry options in the area. Send me an email and let’s meet up: joel@coloradpowderforecast.com
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But, will it snow in So Fla?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 10:34 PM
Not lookin’ good!
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I think I’m tethered to another deep day around the Monarch area on Monday. All this beer-drinking, being slightly unemployed, and waiting for the goods has really caught up with my ability to skin up/hike backcountry lines. I feel like a fat, old washed up freeskier who can’t justify less than a foot new. Roll me onto the heli; they take Mastercard.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 21st, 2010 at 10:35 PM
I hear ya buddy. I’m heading to Powderhorn on Monday to investigate the 4 FEET on Grand Mesa. Hoping to see some sidecountry stuff as well. Enjoy Monarch…looks like it’s dumping there as of 10pm Sunday night, and Rt. 50 from Montrose to Gunnison is closed due to a slide…
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Prodigal Sun Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:08 AM
4 feet! bring your periscope and an avalung. my god. maybe even a saucer.
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Joel,
Thanks for the great forecast. It verified. Wolf Creek was off the dial today! Definitely a day for rockered skis there. It was really painful to leave WC knowing that it’s going to be just as good or better tomorrow!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:00 PM
Glad you had a great time! If you have some pics, feel free to share your best one in the comments (there’s a picture upload button just below…). Thanks!
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Hi Joel! Love the site and the forecasts. I’m heading to Taos on Saturday, February 27th for a few days. Have they been getting clobbered as well?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:03 PM
Your timing is great! Toas had 1-2 FEET over the last few days, with a bit more coming Friday and a better storm (maybe 5-10″?) coming later on Saturday into Sunday. Have fun and let us know how it is!
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Looks like another foot and the skies are clearing. Heading back up into the bowl.
Should be good.
ted
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:03 PM
Send more pics…make us jealous!
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Abasin needs more snow even after an OK weekend. Rocks in many places on Pali. The snow keeps going around abasin. Not good.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:04 PM
Yeah…the eastern side of Summit County has been in between many of the storms. The last few weeks have been good, but they definitely need some more. Hopefully March and April pan out! Thanks for the report!
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Vail with 8″ today! It skied like more than that in a few places. The whole weekend was really good though. I’m glad we backed out of that mountain bike trip last minute! What’s Monarch looking like for the upcoming weekend?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:07 PM
Monarch got pounded by this last storm with about 3 FEET of snow, and I heard it’s skiing VERY well. Not much snow for them coming up this week, though. Maybe some snow Wed night through Friday AM (amounts look decent but below 10″) and again later in the weekend (with amounts likely around 6″ or less). Snow should be good…but I don’t see another 30″ in their near future. Let us know how it is!
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Prodigal Sun Reply:
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:42 PM
Guys, Monarch received the white room delivery in full effect. and the powder was top-notch quality. (Like Alta light and dry); it just wanted to deliver face-shots every time you turned in it. Today, I got 6 laps out in Mirkwood, bummed around the other chairs because I missed the 2:30pm cutoff. All aspects are skiing super soft, fast under foot. You can check your speed into it, it’s really the best snow quality thus far this year. It is tracked up now, snowed a bit today, not enough to cover the work done on that peak. Backcountry is likely the best it gets right now. They have this Canada-like base in the trees right now, careful hucking on southern aspects, rocks are boney on takeoffs.
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Jacques Absorber Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:04 AM
Shaazam! A bunch of us booked a day of Monarch Cat skiing on March 9th. Sounds like it should be real good back there (even if storms subside for a while).
Just wondering what you mean by a Canada-like base? I assume that just means a very deep base?
Prodigal Sun Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:56 AM
I was simply referring the pack to a maritime pack; the lower Sawatch is plastered right now. Have a great trip! The cat terrain wasn’t even visible most of the time during the storm, completely socked-in and dumping.
What is it looking like for WC in the next 10 days. Looks like another storm might get hung up over S. Co next week… woohoo..
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:26 PM
What are we looking at in the picture?
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Cory Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Is there a better way to wake up, when you open the condo door and it is buried over the roof with snow. Can you say powder day!
We had to dig ourselves out of our Condo in Pagosa Springs.
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Joel,
If you’re looking for some more Aspen powder pics, check out my tour from yesterday (http://www.glutenfreesnowboarder.com/). The day started out epic and only got better. Hard to beat Aspen when they get the goods and it looks like there may be some more coming. Yippeee!
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Joel,
Is there any chance of the big system coming across California right now bringing us any snow?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:50 PM
Yup…Tuesday night into Wednesday and again Friday night through Saturday. Mostly from Tahoe and south.
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Jacques Absorber Reply:
February 24th, 2010 at 7:31 AM
Is that bad boy headed for the San Juan’s early next week by any chance?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 24th, 2010 at 8:17 AM
Yes…San Juans will see the most snow Sat night into Sunday.
joel,
love the site. how is silverton looking for thursday?? Big, medium or small?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
February 24th, 2010 at 8:18 AM
Small to medium. Maybe 5-10″ fresh from Wed PM through Thursday PM. Thursday looks like the storm day, Friday should clear with lots of sun.
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