Falling for sunshine

With the World Cup in the rear-view mirror, it is back to focusing on local ski conditions. Today is another bluebird day, with sunshine and a high of 46 expected. Tuesday should bring more of the same, although Tuesday night has a 20 percent chance of snow in it. Temps at night should be good for snowmaking. Aspen Mountain now has a 12-inch base on top with 185 acres open across 16 trails. A light foot on a well-used pair skis is probably a good idea. Snowmass has a 26-inch base up on the Burn, which remains open, giving Snowmass 410 acres of terrain across 20 trails. We’re looking for snow while enjoying the sunshine...

Zahrobska (CZE), Schild (AUS), and Zettel (AUS) take Aspen slalom podium.

European women dominated the podium in Aspen again this year, sweeping the podium in both the GS and the slalom races. Zettel was 2nd in Saturday's GS and Zahrobska won the slalom in Aspen last year.The course was tough for many skiers, but as is frequently the case, seemingly a non-issue for the winners who make it look smooth and easy. The rock that Vonn hit in the GS will now enter Aspen racing lore. The tough day she had Saturday seemed to also affect her run on Sunday. The Universal Sports video feed online was an excellent way to study the racers throwing themselves down what might be called "Icepile," not Strawpile. The course will stay closed for the Nor Am race series, which are one level below the World Cup level. The Nor Am races will be held through Wednesday, December 3.

No US racers in top 30, all done for day, according to FIS unofficial results after one slalom run in Aspen.

Vonn DNF, Duke 31, Mancuso 33, Schleper 34, Grant 35, Ford 38.

Vonn skis off course in first run, done for day

Vonn popped off the course about midway. Had a slight bobble above and then a few gates later ran out of the line. Tough weekend for the champ. Tightly-set course starting at the top of Strawpile proving challenging for many skiers.

Nice day for ski race

Sunny, highs in the upper 30s today. Much better racing conditions today than yesterday’s gray light. Not much, if any, snow in the forecast for the coming week. Maybe a few flakes Wednesday or Thursday. Without snowmaking, we would not be skiing this week. For the U.S. Ski Team in this morning's slalom run, Vonn is running 7th, Hailey Duke 27th, Sterling Grant 35th, Julia Mancuso 52nd, Sarah Schleper 53rd, Julia Ford 55th, and Kaylin Richardson 63rd. The start positions were chosen at random. An American woman has not won a slalom race in Aspen since 1981. Water-injected race course this morning is radically hard and icy. Universal Sports carrying the race live online and providing great images.

Hoelzl of Germany, Zettel of Austria, and Brignone of Italy take Aspen podium. Mancuso 13th, Schleper 23rd.

Vonn, who didn't make the top-30 cut into the second race, says it was because she hit a rock. Mancuso also said there were "a few rocks in the ice." Thanks to Universal Sports for its live online coverage of the race. Great video, audio and commentary. NBC TV will also air the GS on Sunday afternoon. There is a chance of rain and snow tonight and Sunday. No accumulations in current forecast, but looks a bit blustery. Today's race was held under mostly gray skies and flat light. Missed Friday's bluebird conditions...

Aspen World Cup: Mancuso (9th), McJames (20th) and Schleper (21st) get 2nd GS run. Vonn out (36th).

Mancuso looked confident and loose. Vonn had trouble in the tight series of turns on the road between Spring Pitch and Strawpile. The Associated Press is reporting that Vonn said she hit a rock on the course. McJames' prior best World Cup GS finish was 43rd. Hoelzl (Germany), Zettel (Austria) and Pietilae-Holmner (Sweden) in top three spots after first run. Here are the unofficial FIS results for the first run, which vary from those shown on Universal Sports webcast at end of first run. They also differ from a recently posted AP story and a story by Ski Racing magazine. Going with the results, for now, as posted by the FIS...

Women's world cup course on Friday is ready, waiting

Below is a quick shot of the women's World Cup on Aspen Mountain Friday afternoon as temperatures climbed to 48 degrees by 2:30 p.m. The forecast is for clear skies tonight. On race day, there is a 30 percent chance of rain and after 11 a.m. and it should be mostly cloudy with a high near 44. Not a bluebird, like today, but not a blizzard either. But...it is World Cup. There is now a 50 percent chance of snow on Saturday night, including one to three inches of snow, just for World Cup. There are 76 competitors listed for the women's giant slalom on Saturday at 10 a.m., including ten French women, nine Austrian women, eight Italian women and six American women. The skiing today on Aspen Mountain was certainly nice from the standpoint of the weather, which was hot and sunny. The thin reality of our current natural base was in evidence, however. It was a good opening day, but yes, we will need more snow to keep the quality heading in the right direction. The snowmaking and grooming crews have done a very good job of making much of the terrain quite skiable, but going slow, watching for obstacles, and praying for snow all seem like good ideas now.

There are certain sights one never tires of, including this view.

Conditions pretty solid for T-Day. No ice. Few thin spots. Upper Copper to the Couch fairly soft under hot sun.

Ìt's the simple things. This is my new favorite thing about Aspen Mtn.

Ahhh. Another lap. Quiet still. Just a few turkeys.

Warm, sunny, Thanks! Snow pack foundation highly visible on Last Buck.

Bell looks good. Thin, but good...in a very early season kind of way.

Small local crowd up today. School is out Thanksgiving break. AVSC kids, coaches and legends out.

Spar just opened. Pretty nice. Worth the $35. Top of Nell a little gnar. Sunny and nice out. What a cool hill...

Liftline comments positive on snow conditions. The skiing is good. Firm, but not hard or icy.

Early season tracks on Pumphouse bring familiar smiles.

Bluebird day for Ajax season debut. Ski Club day gondy line-dogs in front per usual. Order returns to local universe.

SM Village Express up and running in shakedown pre-season mode. Turns are being made...

Ute City, Walt's new bar and dining room, has first paying customers tonight. A new Syzygy opens Dec. 7.

Aspen World Cup schedule FYI

Aspen Winternational/Audi FIS Alpine World Cup

Saturday, November 28

9:30 am Venue Open

10 am – 4 pm Sponsor Village Open – Gondola Plaza

10 am RACE START: Women’s Giant Slalom Run 1 - Strawpile

11 am Taste of Winternational w/ comp food tastings – Finish Area

11:30 am Live Music & Prize Giveaways – Finish Area

1:00 pm RACE START: Women’s Giant Slalom Final – Strawpile

(awards ceremony immediately following)

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm U.S. Ski Team Autograph Signing - Gondola Plaza

6 pm – 9 pm Dine Around

6:30 pm – 6:45 pm Awards Ceremony – Concert Stage

7 pm – 8:30 pm Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series featuring
John Popper Project w/DJ Logic – Upper Gondola Plaza

8:30 pm Fireworks Extravaganza - Little Nell

Sunday, November 29

9:30 am Venue Open

10 am – 4 pm Sponsor Village Open – Gondola Plaza

10:00 am RACE START: Women’s Slalom Run 1 - Strawpile

11 am Taste of Winternational - Finish Area

11:30 am Live Music & Prize Giveaways – Finish Area

1:00 pm RACE START: Women’s Slalom Final – Strawpile
(awards ceremony immediately following)

6 pm – 9 pm Dine Around

We are a ski town again!

The fair city of Aspen, Colorado was graced with four inches of snow overnight and all the mountains look great this morning. The above courtesy photo by SkiCo's Jeremy Swanson shows the snow fell on Snowmass, too, and Fanny Hill is looking smooth as a baby's backside. The race course on Aspen Mountain looks ready for some serious GS turns by Vonn and Company. And Wednesday marks the start of the season on Ajax with the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club's $35 day benefit day. At noon today, the guns of Nell were still roaring, laying down the base we'll be working with for the season. Oh, man, is this cool or what? (Please excuse the unbridled enthusiasm, but it is like being a surfer stranded on a desert island that only gets surf for one season, and suddenly you look up from the beach and small clean sets are starting to roll across the reef, which has looked like a lake for months and months. Stoked!).

Snow makes people smile.

Even patrollers! (Kidding). SkiCo photo by Jeremy Swanson.

Evening in a ski town

There are snowcats working the World Cup course tonight. It's a beautiful sight to see. There are plumes of snow coming out of snowguns, lit up by lights, on the slope of Little Nell. Again, a beautiful sight. It's been a long time since the mountain last came alive with the sights and sounds of crews preparing the slopes for our skiing pleasure. When it happens, town feels more proper, more right, more apt. Aspen is, thank goodness, still a ski town. But until the work starts happening at night on the slopes, some key ingredient is missing. But now it is back. It is happening. So getting that ski pass in your pocket is a good feeling. What? You've been waiting? Come on now, step into the groove. And there is even a 30 percent chance of snow in the forecast for the weekend. So on we go. Into the good cold night.

Opening Day and AVSC Day details released

Aspen Skiing Co. VP of Mountain Ops Rich Burkley has confirmed that Aspen Mountain will open for top-to-bottom skiing on Wednesday, Nov. 25 for the Aspen Valley Ski Club benefit day. The top-to-bottom skiing will also be open on Ajax for Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 26. Hooray!

The upper mountain terrain that will open includes 1 & 2 Leaf, Copper, Bellissimo, Silver Dip, Lazy Boy, Dipsy Doodle, North American, Tourtelotte Park and Deer Park. That's about 150 acres of intermediate skiing, or 23 percent of Aspen Mountain's terrain. There will also be a ribbon of snow down Spar and onto Little Nell. Lifts open will include the Gondy, Ajax Express and the Couch. The Sundeck and Ajax Tavern will be open, along with Il Mulino at the base. Ski school open, too. The base depth is about 10 to 14 inches of packed snow. The photo above by Heather Rousseau shows conditions on Little Nell on Thursday afternoon.

For the AVSC Day, tickets will be $35 for adults and $15 for children 18 and under. The mountain will be open Wednesday at 9 a.m. and close at 3:30 p.m. for the special event. Ticket windows will open at 8:30 a.m. with volunteers on hand. Ski passes are not good on AVSC Day. Pay the money, support young local racers! Still waiting on SkiCo pricing for T-Day. Should be out tomorrow.

At Snowmass, Burkley said portions of the Big Burn will open on Thanksgiving Day, including Sneaky's and Mick's Gully. There is a 35-inch base at the top of SM, which is a pretty big number for this time of year. Terrain off the Burn will include Max Park and Lunchline and below that, Upper Scooper, Lower Hal's and Fanny Hill. That's about 300 acres at SM, which is 9 percent of the terrain. Lifts running will include Village Express, Elk Camp Gondy, Sky Cab (Skittles lift), Big Burn and the Meadows lifts. There will be a mini-terrain park set up in Dawdler Park. The Meadows beginner area will be open and all Treehouse and ski school programs will be open. Restaurants at Snowmass include Sneaky's Tavern in the base village, Sam's Smokehouse, Ullrhoff and Up 4 Pizza will be open.

Back on Aspen Mountain, Burkley reports the World Cup course is "very close to complete for snowmaking" and that the guns will soon be shifted to focus on building a base on Nell, Spar, Deer Park and the flats near Ajax Express. In his mountain report, Burkley said "I'd like to thank one of our official partners, Mother Nature, for coming through in a big way this past week. In the pantheon of openings, this one will will be on the good end of the spectrum."

Congrats to SkiCo and to all the hard-working mountain ops crews who are up there prepping the playground, including the folks at Highlands and Buttermilk, which open on Saturday, Dec. 12.

One week to T-Day

We’re are a week away today from opening day at Aspen/Snowmass. According to the National Weather Service, we are not likely to get much natural snow between now and then. But the snowmaking conditions look pretty good until T-Day with overnight lows outside the J-Bar in the mid-teens and highs during the day either in the mid-40s over the next few days or in the mid-30s through next week. At this point, it seems possible that we’ll get the top of Ajax with a download situation and possibly, depending on snowmaking on Fanny Hill, we’ll get the Big Burn at Snowmass. And it seems the World Cup course should be in fine shape. We’re looking for confirmation on those hunches from SkiCo today.

View up Little Nell from new outside bar at Il Mulino.

The inside restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and there were a fair number of people at lunch today, which may be proof positive that the recession has bottomed out and we're on the upswing. No, it is not news if a group of people are having lunch at a nice restaurant at the base of Aspen Mountain, but it does show that there is still a market for high-end lunches in a high-end town. That's something, no? By the way, Nell is not skiable yet, but it is getting there. And nice to see the guns blowing even at 2 p.m.

Productively churning the Buttermilk

It was a good day for snowmaking in Aspen, with the high temp reaching 27
degrees under clear skies. Guns were running on lower Buttermilk as well as
on Aspen Mountain. Churn, baby, churn.

Building a ski season

The week should be mostly snow-free, but there is powder on top of the peaks and temps will be good for snowmaking. Looks like we’ve got a ski season coming. Sun out today with a high of 41 in downtown Aspen. Overnight lows under mainly squeaky clear skies of 15, 20, 19, 18, 19 and 17 degrees are in today’s forecast for the week. Clear and cold are near ideal conditions for making snow. SkiCo reported Saturday it got 16 inches at the top of Snowmass. The SkiCo’s live cams this morning reveal snowfilled scenes on the slopes. That really was a nice little three-day storm. All bow to the planet's natural forces for blessing our fair ski resort... Yes, it's all that good living we've been doing. Bowl Patrollers are out and about, one would surmise, tacking down the white carpet to the side of the hellacious bowl. One can hear the stomping from town...

Freezing Fanny Hill

Yes, Fanny Hill looked a little bit different Saturday morning than it did Thursday morning. Hot damn, it is cold, snowing and freezing out there, with 16 new inches having piled up at the top of Snowmass by mid-day Saturday. Four to eight inches is in the forecast for Saturday night. Very nice, weather gods, very nice. Looks like we'll be in the clear, or at least, a whole lot closer, to the World Cup course on Ajax being nice and firm for the fastest women in the world. Lindsey Vonn took second in Levi, Finland today so the reigning queen of the sport appears to be in fine form and will soon be racing in Aspen. Opening Day is now 12 days out...and it appears to be suddenly on schedule. SkiCo courtesy photo from Jeremy Swanson.

Winter storm warning. Second wave hitting tonight. Tis wintry

From Pitkin County Saturday mid-morning:

AFTER A LULL IN THE PRECIPITATION THIS MORNING..THE SECOND OF TWO STORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY.

THIS STORM WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS.AND RAIN & SNOW TO THE VALLEYS.THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. THIS STORM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER THE AREA TONIGHT & SUN MORNING.AND SHOULD BE EAST OF THE REGION BY LATE SUN NIGHT. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR ON THE MTNS SO. OF INTERSTATE 70. INCLUDING THE CITIES OF ASPEN VAIL & SNOWMASS.

THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST SUNDAY.

THE SECOND IN A PAIR OF WINTER STORMS WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW TODAY. AFTER A BIT OF A LULL THIS MORNING.SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON WITH SNOW.HEAVY AT TIMES.CONTINUING TONIGHT. SNOW WILL THEN TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST ON SUNDAY. EXPECT ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM THIS SECOND STORM TO RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES TODAY THROUGH SUN WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS & BLOWING SNOW ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Sweet!

Over a foot in the forecast...

Oh, happy day, the forecast looks bad. Yes, "snow" is in the forecast for Aspen Thursday night with a “new snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.” Well, bring on the "snow accumulation." That is such a magic phrase to read, it makes the pulse beat faster. “Snow likely” in Aspen again on Friday with “new snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.” Wow. It can’t be true, can it? Friday night? Another 1 to 2 inches possible. That looks like 7 to 14 inches in the forecast in about two days. Well, if it is true, we’re saved! And having a World Cup race. If there is ten inches of snow in downtown Aspen Saturday morning, that deserves a street dance. Snow is also “likely” on Saturday as well. Time go to sit down and relax. Or do some apres-ski conditioning. Or spin around in tight circles trying to remember where those boards are. And you doubted the weather gods?

Veterans Day Memorial in Aspen: "What a cruel thing is war..."

"The excitement begins Thursday..."

Snow is back in the forecast. The National Weather Service notes that “the excitement begins Thursday night as both (weather, not fashion) models project a cold front moving through NW CO and NE UT in the evening…then continuing through most of Western CO by Friday morning.” Cool. Then it notes that the front includes “increased clouds…precip…winds…and snowfall.” Man, is that good to hear. The semi-serious rain and snow is likely to happen on Friday afternoon. Friday night will bring a low of 25 while on Saturday night, temps should drop to 18 degrees and on Sunday, they should fall to 16 degrees in Aspen. That’s cold enough to make some serious snow. It’s good to see all that in the forecast because both today and tomorrow in Aspen, the high temp is supposed to be a balmy 57 degrees, warm enough for ice tea.

World Cup finish line Monday, Nov 9

Snowmaking crews have gotten some production going at the bottom of the
World Cup course on Aspen Mountain. Pray for cold weather and snow.

We're above normal

“Daytime temps to remain above normal today,” says NWS. But “a fairly enrergetic frontal precip band” may move across Aspen/Snowmass on Friday. We’ll check in later today to see how the snowmakers have been faring up on the hill, but they likely haven’t had the type of cold temperatures that they would like to see. Today is Nov. 11, 17 days from Thanksgiving Day and 19 days from the women’s U.S. World Cup GS on the lower slopes of Aspen Mountain. That’s a tight deadline given the weather and warm temps so far this month and the relatively mild forecast. But there are words like “cold front” in the weather write-up, so that is encouraging. Still pleasant and mild in the valley today, however. Which is nice, but…

Blue and breezy

There is a little moisture in the Aspen forecast starting Wednesday night and some mention of a cold front. Until then, optimism, hope and some breezy conditions are all we’re gonna see. Meanwhile, Keystone, Copper, A-Basin, Loveland and Wolf Creek all are producing skiing today. Bless them. Here, it’s another nice day for a bike ride. SkiCo’s Classic Pass sale this weekend at Buttermilk. It’s $249 for five days of skiing this winter. That will likely seem like a bargain on a February powder day.

Still waiting. Snowgun on Fanny Hill poised for action.

Nice day on Fanny Hill at Snowmass. Maybe too nice?

Prelude to opening day drama

Ski season in Aspen and Snowmass is slated to start in 21 days. We’ll see. It is going to be another nice day in town today, with highs around 50. Low temps through Saturday are right at the freezing point, and begin to drop a bit after that. Friday is expected to bring clouds, says the National Weather Service, but not snow. Additionally, temps are expected to be 5 to 10 degrees above normal through Wednesday. So dry and mild are the current watchwords and it looks like we might be in for a little snow-coverage drama leading up to opening day, which is more typical than not. Certainly the World Cup races on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 28 and 29 will add some real tension, as all Olympic ski racing fans around the world will be interested in the race. The PR value of a Thanksgiving weekend ski race is larger than normal this year, which means so is the potential downside for a cancelled race. Yet it is still very early in the drama. Three weeks out is a world away. But it looks like the first week is going to not going to produce much snow, either manmade or natural, and so the dramatic tension rises under sunny skies. If all goes well, the snow will come and the race will happen. And the event will align with the current national buzz that Colorado has snow. Keystone opened today with 4 runs and three lifts, joining A-Basin, Wolf Creek and Loveland on the list of those areas with spinning bullwheels. Tis a beautiful day to go skiing in Colorado…

Aerial view of Copper Mtn shows plenty of snow the trails.

With the off-season surf trip behind us, the snow is a welcome site, even on a day that is sunny and warm.