Tuesday & Wednesday will be $$$
Forget about New Year’s resolutions – you’ve probably already broken any promises you made to yourself.
So scale down your ambitions to something that you can achieve – this week! Resolve to get in a least one great powder day in April before trading in the skis for shorts. This is a limited time offer as resorts are closing and the sun is getting stronger. Enjoy the fluff while it lasts!
In short – Tuesday and Wednesday will be great. See the Quick Forecast page for details, and this timeline to help you plan your sick day:
Highlands Closing
If you haven’t been to Aspen Highlands on closing day, mark it on your calendar for next year. The mountain is amazing no matter what day it is, but a closing day with fresh powder in the morning and a crazy (I mean it) party in the afternoon is hard to beat. Also, the entire crowd cheered on the ski patrol as they descended the mountain for the last time this season. Now that’s hometown spirit…
West side of the bowl:
Ripping in the G zones:
Party time:
Season Pass Deals
Yep – it’s already time to start thinking about next season. In addition to the much hyped Vail Resorts Epic Pass, the Rocky Mountain Super Pass + is good for Copper, Winter Park, and six days at Steamboat. Loveland is also offering a seasons pass that includes a few free days at Monarch and Durango.
There are plenty of other options out there, too. Want to know which passes in Colorado offer the best deal, per acre of terrain? Check out this page from the Skiing Examiner.
Ssshhhh! Joel doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Highlands Bowl stinks and the skiing is always bullet proof and he closing day party doesn’t have any chicks flashing….ever.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 1:44 PM
True…my head was in a daze all day…you shouldn’t trust a word that I write:-)
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I think it’s an ALTA road trip week.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 1:48 PM
Well, yes. You should probably go now. Tuesday should be incredibly deep. 50″+ at Alta/Snowbird in the last 5 days is hard to beat!
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And, here we are, sitting in Cocoa Beach, having just watched Shuttle Discovery soar into orbit behind a visible-in-the-night-sky International Space Station. What a ride!! Thanks for all your great info which helped me have a super snow season! Looking forward to a couple of end-of-season days.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 1:49 PM
Glad you get the best of both worlds (snow and warm sun)!
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Good to see you Joel. Highlands is a blast and fresh powder to boot. Ajax will be open on weekends until May. Come on out.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 5th, 2010 at 1:50 PM
Happy to come back after you return your 17 Georgian friends back to their home:-)
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Nice pics of highlands! This storm has crushed Tahoe now its battering Little Cottonwood …please tell me calling in sick Wednesday will pay dividends…you haven’t steered me wrong all year!!!
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 4:42 PM
Yes, it will. Just got back from Vail. Skiing was great, and it will keep snowing off and on through midnight. Add the wind, and there should be plenty of fun for Wednesday AM. Not sure where you are going to ski, but Winter Park and Loveland have been doing well all afternoon, too.
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Starting to come down with Powder fever which may prevent me from working in the morning. Do you still feel good about the prediction for more pow at vail tonight/tomorrow am?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Yes…I do. See above post. Get to Vail for first chair on Wednesday AM – you won’t regret it. Snow should stop by morning, though, so it’ll get tracked up by midday. The morning will be $$$.
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Deano Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 5:27 PM
Joel and Fuzz, Thanks for the Vail updates …headed there for early am. The resort by resort forecast is awesome !
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Vail was off the hook this morning. Wind-buffed (but still soft) on the upper/exposed N/NE faces, but light and deep everywhere else. Face-shots galore. Visibility was terrible until about 11am, when the sun and blue skies started peeking out. Started snowing again around 1:30. No crowds.
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Btw, thanks for the great forecasts. The AM/PM details definitely help in catching the powder days.
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Beaver Creek was amazing today. They reported 14, but it was closer to 18 – 24 in some spots. No crowds too. Everyone, keep going to vail!
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Mike Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 8:48 PM
I was at Beav as well today. unbelievable conditions.
Thanks Joel for being spot on about the Tuesday recommendation!
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Skied WP/MJ on Tuesday. Doing laps on the Panaramic lift was pleasurable and painful. Wind was unbelievable total white out but once you got off the ridge line it got really nice! Soft predictable slightly wind crusted but gorgeous in the trees! Becha Wednesday is better hope you go!
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Whoa!!! What the hell happened overnight Joel? I rode at Vail yesterday until 1, and it snowed most of that time, but wow, 19 inches!?!?!? I have no regrets about taking yesterday off, but man I would have loved to have been there this morning.
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what a day at vail. best lift served of the season for me with deep blower powder on all aspects all morning. Kudos to ski patrol for getting bowls open quickly, including blue sky by 9:20am.
Tracked by noon, but trees were good all afternoon.
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Joel took your advice an took the day off. Best decision. Amazing snow. Even the tracked snow was good.
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Report: Vail was deeeeep yesterday.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 8th, 2010 at 8:52 PM
Whoa! Awesome photo. Where is this? I didn’t stop to take photos that looked like this – it was just too good to stop!
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OMG – Vail was off the hook yesterday. I was second chair on Vista Bahn. Thanks for the excellent forecast Joel.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 8th, 2010 at 8:53 PM
I was third chair on 17 and second chair on Orient. Yes, it was awesome. Period.
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Hey Joel, how was monarch? How about that dust layer?
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 10:07 AM
Monarch was fun when it softened up (midday on Friday). There is definitely a layer of dust, but at least inbounds, it was more of an eye sore than anything else.
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What are you seeing for next saturday at abasin? There is 25 of us having a beach party…come if you are around! Thanks man.
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Joel Gratz Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 10:09 AM
Could be nice next Sat, but looks iffy. Some showers might be around (snow/rain/graupel), but it shouldn’t be that bad of a day and likely won’t ruin your beach party. If I’m around on Saturday, I’ll swing by for some beers on the beach. Thanks!
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That was some EV sidecountry action from Wed. There are a few more from that day on TGR worth checking out. Would love to get back there again but unless we get a big storm this week it will have to wait till next season. Ready for some spring Gore range though
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