The snow country, at least in most parts of Wyoming and Colorado, fared well this past week. Increased snowpacks help in looking forward to the summer months, but also provide excellent outdoor recreation for all snow modes now. The next round of wintery weather hits mostly to the north, but southeastern Wyoming and into Colorado gets some snow as a cold front arrives Thursday. Expect breezes and nippy temperatures with conditions turning dry by the weekend.
Last weekend the slopes at the Snowy Range Ski and Recreation Area were blanketed with a total of seven inches of snow, providing very good conditions. The chance for fresh powder this upcoming week is limited to only a few flurries.
Northwest Wyoming did well this past weekend with 10 inches of new snow blanketing the slopes at Grand Targhee and 12 inches at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The forecast this upcoming week shows northwest Wyoming getting hammered with considerable snowfall over the next 10 days.
To the south in Colorado, Steamboat continued to come out the winner with skiers and snowboarders enjoying 19 inches of new powder last weekend. Another 10 inches is in the forecast through Friday, followed by only light flurries through the weekend. Snow depths are so healthy the ski area announced an extended season, continuing through April 21.
Skiers and riders at Winter Park enjoyed nine inches of new snow over the weekend, but the snow spigots turn off there for the next few days with only four inches in the forecast through early next week.
Personnel at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center report the avalanche danger for the southern Wyoming and northern Colorado mountains is rated “moderate” above and near treeline and “low” below treeline. Avalanches have been reported in the Sierra Madre Mountains this past weekend with common signs of instability. One snowmobiler did not survive after being buried in an avalanche west of Battle Pass.
At Keystone, near Rob Roy Reservoir, there has been a total of 115 inches of snow so far this season, according to Don Day Jr. at dayweather.com. This is a 14-inch increase from last week, but still well below the 156 inches reported by this time last year. According to Open Snow, the snowpack in the Snowy Range is 79% of average for this time of year, an increase of two percentage points from last week.
Conditions “up top” in the Snowy Range are very good with about 20 inches of new snow last Saturday. More “freshies” are in the forecast starting Wednesday and increasing in intensity Thursday and Friday. The weekend is mostly dry, providing an opportunity to enjoy all the new powder.
Backcountry skiers report plenty of snow on the trails out of the Green Rock Trailhead on the user-packed trails. The lower routes at Corner Mountain, Little Laramie and going down the Barber Lake Trail are well packed and suitable for snowshoeing, hiking, running and skiing. Sand Lake Road offers excellent skiing conditions as well.
Conditions are quite good at Chimney Park and along the Medicine Bow Rail Trail. As of Tuesday morning, there was no recent grooming since early in the month. The Porter and Jelm loops were groomed most recently, while the Lodgepole Loop offers a route that is only user-packed.
Conditions on the Nordic ski trails at the Happy Jack Recreation Area are good to very good. More snow is always needed, but coverage is good with even the Summit Loop having enough snow to set classic tracks. The Tie City trailhead will be busy again Sunday with the third session of the Wee Ski and Kid Ski programs. Expect crowded conditions there from 1-3:30 p.m. at the parking lot and the close-in trails.
The multi-use trails are also packed and in great condition for those running on foot, fat biking and snowshoeing. Expect soft conditions after any new snowfall.
As of Tuesday morning, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service snow measuring stations reports 40 inches of snow at Cinnabar Park, an increase of six inches from last week. The station at Brooklyn Lake reports 45 inches, an increase of three inches from last week. The report at Sand Lake on the north end of the Medicine Bow Mountains reports 58 inches, an increase of five inches from last week. The measuring station at Medicine Bow Peak, at an elevation of 10,500 feet, reports 71 inches, an increase of eight inches from last week. The Crow Creek station on Pole Mountain shows 13 inches, a decrease of two inches from last week.
Cross-country skiing
Pole Mountain/Happy Jack Recreation Area Nordic ski trails: Conditions on the Nordic trails are very good for both classic and skate ski techniques. Daily grooming is underway.
Pole Mountain/Happy Jack Recreation Area Multi-use trails: Conditions are very good with packing for runners, fat bikers, and snowshoers.
Chimney Park Nordic ski trails: The trails are in very good conditions but with no new grooming as of Tuesday morning.
Snowy Range backcountry conditions: Excellent conditions with trails user-packed and suitable for skiers and snowshoers.
Snowmobile conditions
Snowy Range: There’s plenty of snow up high, with more in the forecast to close out the week.
Quick Numbers
Wyoming downhill areas
Snowy Range Ski Area: 43-inch base; 5 lifts, 33 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Antelope Butte: 16-inch base; no additional information available.
Grand Targhee: 91-inch base; 3 lifts, 89 trails and 94% of terrain open.
Hogadon: 45-inch base; open Wed. to Sun.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort: 80-inch base; 13 lifts, 116 trails and 89% of terrain open.
Meadowlark Ski Area: 24-inch base; no additional information available.
Sleeping Giant: Closed this season.
Snow King: 39-inch base; 8 lifts, 41 trails and 87% of terrain open.
White Pine: 22-inch base; 2 lifts, 22 trails and 76% of terrain open.
Colorado downhill areas
Arapahoe Basin: 48-inch base; 9 lifts, 122 trails and 84% of terrain open.
Breckenridge: 50-inch base; 33 lifts, 187 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Copper Mountain: 56-inch base; 23 lifts, 151 trails and 97% of terrain open.
Eldora: 28-inch base; 10 lifts, 64 trails and 98% of terrain open.
Keystone: 47-inch base; 21 lifts, 140 trails and 98% of terrain open.
Loveland: 44-inch base; 10 lifts, 87 trails and 93% of terrain open.
Steamboat: 96-inch base; 23 lifts, 181 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Vail: 57-inch base; 33 lifts, 275 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Winter Park: 68-inch base; 19 lifts, 167 trails and 99% of terrain open.
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