off to Vail.....to late?
March 26, 2009
winter is dying around me and I am locked into a week out west starting March 29. it looks like they still have snow but it will be real spring skiing not like the mid winter conditions we had last year.
My peaks pass is good for 5 of 7 days at Vail, breck, beaver, Key or AB. Any ideas who might have the best spring skiing?
Your timing may be better than you think. I believe they are supposed to get snow on and off for next 5 days. Those places are so big there will be good stuff somewhere, just go as high up on the hills as you can and ask locals about what sections to ski at what time of day. Most importantly - report back on how much fun you had!
Any ideas who might have the best spring skiing?
AB.
Which of the other choices has the highest elevation? I'd guess Breck, but I could be wrong. Stick to the higher elevation resorts (but if it is a colder day, a lower elevation resort may soften up better.)
I've skied Vail/Beaver Creek in April, and it was pretty nice. But this appears to be a lower than average snow year for the Rockies.
A-Basin will likely have the best spring skiing, they get the most snow. Vail's backbowls face south, so if the sun and warmth has been strong they will have been pounded this last two weeks. It doesn't take much to granulate. Still, keep an eye on the snow. If they get a foot or more, it won't matter much what the weather has been like; 12 inches of snow is pretty much a reset button this time of year because the bases are so deep (relative to the rest of the year).
Yeah, it's been a below-average snow year in the CO/UT areas. Can't keep the 125% snow years going forever! A buddy of mine from Nebraska says weather out here tends to run in five year cycles, so this *could* be the beginning of several dry winters in a row. We shall see.
I think you may have gotten it just right. The coming storm is supposed to dump 1-2 feet in the high elevations of the Wasatch and then move on to CO. Weather prognosticators are always biased toward the valleys and the weather channel is biased toward the coasts and midwest so it is hard to get a good estimate but the signs are there.
I'd be careful with A basin and Loveland. They are high and get lots of snow but are also very prone to whiteout and getting wind blasted. When they are good they are very good.
More due tonight.
