He looks like my 3:30 after a couple too many shooters and a non-consensual tree jib. He's a natural!

Some of the best memories I have are w my dad on the ski hill. I miss his old man whole shoulder chest side turns into the mountain and then complaining about someone that almost hit him (usually one of my friends).

The chair lifts far and away were where we had the "you can't tell your mother I told you this but…." talks. Crazy to think it's almost been 2 years.

Such great memories. Just wait until it's you the kids and grandpa/grandma. It's even better if you can believe it.

You remember the crashed more than anything else, ironically. That usually means you're so relaxed you got a bit careless or you are pushing to the edge of your ability, which is where you get better faster. Either way, a few minor crashes without injuries is all good, and frankly, learning to fall safely is an important skill.

Great memories right there!

Long range forecast still not looking great from what I see for I-70 CO. Still haven't even been up yet. Hope we get a pattern change over Christmas.

Long term not looking good for anywhere in the state.

Likely gonna be start of the new year before the state picks up really anything. I'm seeing 1-2 inches for most hills over the next 15 days.

Basically worst case scenario for Christmas/New Years.

Vail picked up 37 last week, but I've heard from more than just close family and friends that more than half of what fell melted within 2 days. In Vail, Chair 26 is still bare, everything under chair 8 is bare except Born Free and the back bowls aren't even close to what they need to open.

BC only picked up 22 last week and I've heard from family that live on the hill that what fell has almost completely melted.

The state moved up from 5% percentile to 13% percentile. So that's a plus, but no snow for the 2 weeks into Christmas and nothing major following the back end into NY is problematic to say the least.

Yes, it is alarming how fast base measures are dropping from melt factors. Bring your rock skis if you have them, I guess. I'll be hitting WC starting Sunday and they still have 2-3 feet so it should be pretty alright.

Park City is no better. Washington and Canada getting pounded. Heavenly in Tahoe has seen some good stuff. Hopefully it changes and there's enough powder for April!

Base high temps in the 40's for most hills over the next 7/10. Even Breck is low 40's. That's crazy warm for this time of year. There isn't a speck of snow left on the trees in Vail. For 37 inches over the last week, that's really incredible.

Sun angle will have a big impact on the melt. The bad part of the lack of snow is the inability to open more terrain to move the crowds plus no tree skiing. Everything from here till Christmas will be man made. Need a Christmas/NY storm badly.

La Nina doing La Nina things.

Yesterday said:

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Park City is no better. Washington and Canada getting pounded. Heavenly in Tahoe has seen some good stuff. Hopefully it changes and there's enough powder for April!

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Pounded with rain, including Whistler. Tahoe is bare.

There's not a hill open between OR and WA. Mission Ridge opened for a few days, but they are shutdown again.

Timberline's graph below updates in 5 days, but it just saw 7" of rain over two days. Maybe we'll go negative giving up base with the landslides.


Stoke is still high, though. Three more days of work then I'm off. No snow here, but the wife greenlit an Ikon road trip. PDX > Snowbasin > Bird/Alta > DV > PDX (Maybe Sun Valley on the way). 6 days of ski bumming wherever I can camp.

A bit of wind for the upper lift:

Looks like Monarch is stable enough to accomplish what we hope to accomplish in getting our kids lessons and their first ski trip under their belt. I hope the whole state gets dumped on while we are there though.

What does this weather do to snow? Ice crust? Slush at the base? Mashed potatoes?

You know Vail Is having a **** season when they start offering this promo:

https://www.powder.com/news/vail-resorts-lift-ticket-advance-discount

Short answer - it melts

Conditions wise Itll be rock hard refreeze w alot of ice early on whats not groomed. Depending on the base, you'll get alot of pea gravel in the groomers so it's easy to open a good runner down the length of the base. As the day goes, you'll move to potatoes at the base.

You hit groomers early, then whats been in the sun, then move to what was in the shade before it gets too much shade and ices.

Highs in the 40s and lows in the mid 20s is prime NE style ice conditions.

More than anything, the lack of snow will start to form WROD (white ribbons of death) where everyone flows into 2/3 groomers.

Or you run into frozen solid cord which is dangerous AF.

Ask me how I know

Full send.

I got 40 stiches in my face 3 months before my wedding from a solid ice cordy yard sale in Rose Bowl at BC. You usually get the viagra level rock hard ice Cordy when it's sub zero. Still won't ski it unless dropping into the Stone Creek chutes.

https://coloradosun.com/2025/12/10/telluride-ski-patrol-strike/

Bad to worse for Telluride. On top of no snow expected through Christmas, Ski Patrol expected to strike over the holidays. Think Park City 2.0 but worse because they can't ship in workers from other hills. They're working w scabs and from reports not many have applied.

Heading to Winter Park on 2 Jan. Hoping they can string together some good snow days ahead of that, at least. If not, they are screwed. Tough to catch up without Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years rushes.

We're getting a crap ton of precip, but it's all been liquid. Including on the mountain. This blows.