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.

There's a storm brewing for the PNW set for December 18-24. Just gotta hope the temps don't start to trend above normal.

Need that temperature to come down. Would hate for all of that increase in moisture for Oregon/Tahoe/Idaho/Washington to just be rain.

Heading to Vail in early January and have two questions:

1. Our flight lands in Denver at 7 AM on a Monday, but we can't check in until 4 PM. What's something fun we can do as a family to kill some time either in Denver or on the way to Vail? We did the gold mines last year, and I was considering the Frisco Adventure Park for tubing. Any other recommendations? We'll have a 5- and 8-year-old with us.

2. Any good non-skiing activities in Vail? I saw the horseback sleigh ride option, but I'm looking for more ideas, especially in case skiing conditions are limited.

Lt. Joe Bookman said:

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Need that temperature to come down. Would hate for all of that increase in moisture for Oregon/Tahoe/Idaho/Washington to just be rain.

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Yes, PNW will warm up in the next 5 days with yet another atmospheric river. Bleh. Average wise, sure - above. But we have a distinct pattern change late next week that all models are on-board for:

We managed to pivot our trip after Christmas from Angel Fire to Wolf Creek today. Hopefully we'll actually be able to ski now.

RangerRick9211 said:

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Lt. Joe Bookman said:

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Need that temperature to come down. Would hate for all of that increase in moisture for Oregon/Tahoe/Idaho/Washington to just be rain.

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Yes, PNW will warm up in the next 5 days with yet another atmospheric river. Bleh. Average wise, sure - above. But we have a distinct pattern change late next week that all models are on-board for:

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Yep. Models tonight looking good. Snow levels at 2500' down here in southern Oregon on the 22nd and 23rd. Just got keep those snow dances going.

Telluride Ski Patrol strike next week. Heads Up for any holiday travelers. Likely to only have open 2 chairs at most.

Edit to add they only have 4 runs currently open.

Bad News for Park City

5/6 days won't reach freezing even at night and 7/10 will be totally above freezing. Forecast is for 8,700 ft so even warmer at the base. Thats Awful.

Storm looks to be brewing just before Christmas but it could be mostly rain.

Headed Up to Alberta this weekend. 26 in hes since Tuesday and 20 more expected through the weekend.

Just drove up to the top of Schweitzer and for being December 12th, the situation is just sad.

Starting to see some deep discounted tickets if you buy in advance. For those going in January February or March, maybe be a good opportunity.

What kind of tickets?

Saw something in Epic Pass. I'm headed to Breckenridge in February so need to read the details. But I can imagine what the financial hit they have taken early season, a lot of resorts are going to do whatever they can to get people there mid and late season.

My plan was to drive Tuesday to Ogden. PC Wednesday and LC Thursday/Friday. Burning Ikon days.

Not sure anymore. Wife green-lit the entire week. Big Sky is now showing rain as well.

Maybe AB is the play. Revy is technically closer than UT for me.