Weather Conditions for Champagne Powder for Steamboat Springs Ski Resort Winter Ski Season 2010 TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT... THE WEAKER OF TWO TROUGHS PASSED LAST EVENING. THIS STORM PRIMED THEATMOSPHERE FOR SNOWFALL PRODUCTION...WITH THE NEAR-SURFACE LAYERSATURATED AND MTN TOP TEMPERATURES NEAR DENDRITE GROWTHTEMPERATURES (SINGLE DIGIT F). THEREFORE LIGHT SNOWFALL HASCONTINUED THIS MORNING IN MANY LOCATIONS. THE SECOND STRONGER TROUGHWILL SWEEP OVER THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ONLY NE UTAHAND EXTREME NW CO ARE PROGGED TO MISS A SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL EVENT. 00Z AND 06Z MODELS REMAIN QUITE CONSISTENT WITH DETAILS. NW-SEORIENTED JET NOSE DIVES INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL UTAH LATE THIS AFTERNOONAND EVENING. THIS PRODUCES UPPER DIVERGENCE OVER THE FOUR-CORNERSREGION WITH A Q-CONVERGENCE BULLS-EYE PASSING OVER THE CORTEZ AREATHIS EVENING. BEST DYNAMICAL FORCING JUST NORTH OF THE FOUR-CORNERSWILL PRODUCE IMPRESSIVE SNOWFALL INTENSITIES. COORDINATED WITH SLC...AND ABQ OFFICES TO RAISE HIGHLIGHTS IN THESE AREAS. THIS DYNAMICALSNOWFALL BURST WILL LIKELY EXTEND AS FAR NORTH AS THE I-70 CORRIDORWHERE THE VALLEYS COULD GET A QUICK 2-4 INCH BURST OF SNOW MAINLYTHIS EVENING. NAM12 SEEMS TO BE PRODUCING LESS SNOW OVER MONTROSEBUT CERRO SUMMIT WILL LIKELY GET BIG ACCUMULATIONS. FLOW ALOFT VEERSFROM W TO NW THIS AFTERNOON AS -31C COLD CORE DIGS ACROSS THENORTHERN CWA. WITH THE NORTHERN CO MTN TOP TEMPS REMAININGSATURATED IN THE SNOW EFFICIENT ZONE OVERNIGHT...EXPECT LOW DENSITYSIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS. THEREFORE COORDINATED WITH CYS AND BOUTO RAISE CRAIG AND STEAMBOAT ZONES TO ADVISORIES. A QUICK DRYING FROM W-E OCCURS ON THURSDAY...BUT SNOWFALL REMAINSPOSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTH IN A MOIST W-NW FLOW. FOG IS POSSIBLETHURSDAY NIGHT WHERE SNOW ACCUMULATION IS SIGNIFICANT...BUT IS NOTYET ADDED TO THE FORECAST GRIDS. TEMPERATURES LIKELY TO STAY BELOWGUIDANCE AND BELOW NORMAL.
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TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...
A ZONAL FLOW WILL PERSIST OVER THE FORECAST AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT
BEFORE THE PATTERN BECOMES MORE AMPLIFIED ON THU. A COUPLE OF WEAK
WAVES EMBEDDED IN THE WESTERLY FLOW WILL BRUSH THE AREA THROUGH
TONIGHT BRINGING CLOUDS BUT LITTLE ELSE. BY LATE TONIGHT...MOISTURE
INCREASES IN THE LOWER LAYERS SO A FEW SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP ON THE
NORTHERN SLOPES NEAR THE DIVIDE NORTH OF I-70.
ON THURSDAY...A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE FAR WESTERN
CONUS...EXTENDING NORTH INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA AS ENERGY DROPS
SOUTHEAST INTO MONTANA. THE PATTERN CONTINUES TO SHIFT EAST AND
AMPLIFY AS THE HIGH BUILDS OVER THE GREAT BASIN...AND THE TROUGH DIGS
INTO THE PLAINS STATES OVERNIGHT. THE PLAINS SHORTWAVE WILL BRUSH OUR
NORTHERN AND EASTERN ZONES RESULTING IN A CHANCE OF SNOW MAINLY OVER
THE NORTHERN CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AREA.
HOWEVER...AFTER BETTER CONFIDENCE WAS NOTED BY THE DAY SHIFT...THE
00Z RUNS HAVE BACKED OFF THEIR SOLUTIONS. AND NOW THEY PAINT VERY
LITTLE QPF/SNOW OVER OUR FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD.
FOR NOW I DID NOT MAKE BIG CHANGES TO THE FORECAST...JUST DELAYED THE
ISOLATED POPS UP NORTH UNTIL LATE TONIGHT...AND TRENDED DOWNWARDS A
JUST TAD ON THU.
INVERSIONS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER MANY OF THE LOWER VALLEYS.
HOWEVER THEY WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN. THE INCREASED CLOUD COVER WILL LIMIT
RADIATIONAL COOLING AT NIGHT...AND TEMPS ALOFT WILL COOL A LITTLE ON
THU AS THE STRONGER SHORTWAVE BRUSHES THE AREA. THE INCREASED CLOUDS
TONIGHT AND THU NIGHT WILL ALSO INHIBIT FOG FORMATION SO WILL LEAVE
IT OUT OF THE FORECAST FOR THOSE PERIODS. BUT SINCE SOME FOG HAS
ALREADY FORMED EARLY THIS MORNING...WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY IT THROUGH
MID-MORNING. THE COVERAGE IS NOT AS EXTENSIVE AS YESTEDAY`S...BUT THE
DEW POINT DEPRESSION AT GRAND JUNCTION HAS DROPPED TO 1 DEGREE C AT 3
AM MST.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO, December 8, 2009-The Steamboat Ski Resort will open top-to-bottom terrain tomorrow, December 9th, with the addition of the Storm Peak Express chairlift providing skiing and riding on the popular intermediate trail Buddy’s Run and Tornado Lane along with a number of trails in the Burgess Creek area. In addition, Thunderhead Express chairlift and Upper Vagabond will join tomorrow’s opening mix.
“
Resort crews have done a tremendous job working with the conditions presented and turned out very favorable early season skiing and riding conditions,” said Doug Allen, vice president-mountain operations of the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “As this storm system turns more northwesterly and the resort receives more natural snow, we’ll look to open additional terrain and lifts over coming week.”
Steamboat is under a winter storm warning until 6pm this evening and forecasts are calling for additional snow and colder temperatures through the next few days. The resort is currently reporting an 18-inch base at mid-mountain and 19-inch base at the summit on packed powder conditions. With the additional terrain by Wednesday, the resort expects to offer 408 acres, 35 trails, 6 lifts and nearly 3,500 vertical feet of skiing and riding.
On Wednesday, Dec. 9th, the resort will open Storm Peak Express chairlift, which joins Steamboat Gondola, Preview, Burgess Creek and Christie Peak Express. Later on Wednesday, Thunderhead Express will also open to skiers and riders with the opening of Upper Vagabond as soon as snowmaking operations are complete. In addition to the new lifts, several of the popular mountain trails off Burgess Creek including Lower Rainbow, White Out, Blizzard, Norther, BC Liftline and Surprise will open for the season.
Rabbit Ears Terrain Park will open this weekend with snow features. However, it will close on Monday in order to install intermediate features and reopen for the season on Tuesday, Dec. 15th. Snowmaking will move to Upper Rainbow and Storm Peak Face with continued operations on Eagles’ Nest, Betwixt, the Park Smalley Freestyle Complex and Mavericks Terrain Park.
New operating hours will go into effect for Thunderhead lift this winter due to operational issues experienced last winter. The express chairlift will now open at 8:35am instead of 8:30am and will close at its normal 3:45pm time. This change is being made to ensure that skiers and riders are not accessing the slopes ahead of patrol and mountain crews and in order to avoid conflicts with grooming machines and snowmobiles.
There is no backcountry access available at this time from the ski area. As a reminder, State law prohibits an individual from crossing any rope on the Steamboat Ski Area. Violation carries a $1,000 fine. Hiking up the mountain outside of open areas is also prohibited. The US Forest Service and Routt County Sheriff’s office support the ski area’s enforcement of trail closures as provided under the Skier Safety Act.
“Everyone needs to ski and ride with care, within their ability levels, and remember, unmarked obstacles and other natural terrain features may be encountered at any time,” stated John Kohnke, patrol director. “I can’t stress this point enough. Do not violate closures on the ski area. At this time of year, prior to opening tree skiing and the backcountry access, skiers and riders must stay on open trails. Several individuals have chosen to ignore closures and, as a result, will be without privileges for two-weeks. Remember, it’s going to be along season, so make sure you make smart choices and are here to enjoy all of it.”
Experience Steamboat this season with a variety of winter vacation packages like Ski Free at Steamboat, which offers free skiing from Opening Day to Dec. 18th when powderhounds book a minimum 3 nights lodging through Steamboat Central Reservations®. Steamboat Central Reservations offers a variety of packages and specials throughout the season. Call toll-free 800-922-2722 or visit steamboat.com for more information.
To stay up to date on Steamboat’s snow conditions visit www.steamboat.com, view the Mountain Cam, photo-of-the-day, movie archives and register to receive the Straight Talk Mountain Report. Snow conditions will be updated as conditions change and can be accessed by calling 970.879.7300 or steamboat.com.
-www.steamboat.com-
Steamboat Springs CO Camera from NOAA.com
- Steamboat Springs, CO Lincoln Ave
Ski Haus Cam in Steamboat Springs, CO
Thursday, November 26, 2009
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO, November 26, 2009-The Steamboat Ski Resort opened the Gondola and Burgess Creek lifts and the popular Heavenly Daze intermediate trail on Friday, November 27th, providing more than 120 acres of skiing and riding to work off all the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving Day.
“This is one of the best Thanksgiving holiday weekends I can remember for many years,” commented Chris Diamond, president and chief operating office. “With the anticipated opening of the Gondola and Burgess Creek, there’s a lot to be thankful for as we kick off the 2009/10 season in terrific fashion.”
Starting Friday, November 27th, the resort will provide skiing and riding on 19 trails including Arc, Big Foot, Boulevard, Flat Out, Preview, Right-O-Way, Stampede, Why Not, Yoo Hoo, Ego, Heavenly Daze, Jess’ Cut-Off, Lightning, Rudi’s Run, Sitz, Tower, Vogue, See Me and Lil’ Rodeo. For those looking to get their jib on, 10 to 12 rails and features are currently available in Lil’ Rodeo terrain park.
The Christie Peak Express and Preview lifts will join the Gondola and Burgess Creek on Friday. Please note that Upper Why Not and So What beginner trails will be available from the top of the Gondola to bottom of Burgess Creek lift; however, beginners looking to access the base area from the upper mountain will need to ride the Gondola back down. Remember trails and lifts are subject to change without notice as conditions change.
“Everyone needs to ski and ride with care, within their ability levels, and remember, unmarked obstacles and other natural terrain features may be encountered at any time,” said John Kohnke, patrol director. “I can’t stress this point enough. Do not violate closures on the ski area. Last year, several individuals chose to ignore early season closures and put themselves and others at risk. Remember, it’s going to be a long season, so make sure you make smart choices and are here to enjoy all of it.”
Experience Steamboat this season with a variety of winter vacation packages like Ski Free at Steamboat, which offers free skiing from Opening Day to Dec. 18th when powderhounds book a minimum 3 nights lodging through Steamboat Central Reservations®. Steamboat Central Reservations, which represents the majority of the lodging properties in the area, offers a variety of packages and specials throughout the season. Call toll-free 800-922-2722 or visit steamboat.com for more information.
To stay up to date on Steamboat’s snow conditions visit www.steamboat.com, view the Mountain Cam, photo-of-the-day, movie archives and register to receive the Straight Talk Mountain Report. Snow conditions will be updated as conditions change and can be accessed by calling 970.879.7300 or steamboat.com.
-www.steamboat.com-
Report predicts 11% fall in occupancy at Western ski resorts
By: Jeri ClausingNovember 24, 2009
October bookings for lodging at Western ski resorts jumped 25% from last year, but reservations for the whole ski season are still lagging, according to the latest numbers from the Mountain Travel Research Program.
Ralf Garrison, president of Mountain Travel Research, which tracks lodging reservations at ski resorts in Western North America, said the current data indicate occupancy will be down 11% and rates will be down 10%.
“We were down 11% at this time last year,” Garrison said. “So the combined drop from the 2007-2008 season is 22%.
“We ended up last winter with occupancy down 15% and rates down 9%, so occupancy looks a little less bad and rates a little worse.”
Still, early snow and strong sales of season passes are raising hopes in the industry.
“The general consensus among industry experts for the coming winter is a season very similar to last year, with some even forecasting the potential for increased business volumes,” said Dave Belen, director of research firm RRC Associates. “This is good news for ski areas that are close to population centers and can offer value to skiers and snowboarders, and a challenge for more remote destination ski resorts that rely on visitors traveling longer distances.
“Also similar to last winter, strong early sales of season passes and other pre-sold products have many in the industry optimistic for a busy winter.”
Garrison said the October data is significant because the company’s monthly report looks six months out, so it is the first report that measures reservations through April.
“If we were looking forward to the start of a recovery, it would first show up in reservations taken for October,” he said. “So that is a good sign.
“What is also good about that is that typically reservations taken in the summer and fall through October most accurately represent the pure destination guest: the long-lead, long-haul guest that is the historical foundation to a ski resort’s economic base. It was that guest that was underrepresented last year, the guest we are most anxious to see signs of showing up this year. It’s that guest that is represented in these numbers.”
With heavy discounts and specials, ski resorts last year were able to help fill some of the gaps with heavier regional traffic.
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