John Denver sang it. We keep singing it. Central Colorado is off the hook and it’s “good to be back home again.” Aspen recently got a 100-year record storm that dropped about three feet in that many days. Marble area in the West Elk Mountains has quietly followed along. After a fun but tough traveling journalism trip in the European Alps, we’re enjoying the fluffy powdery quieteness of a real winter in our home place.
WildSnow Field HQ, snowpack here is around 6 feet (2 meters) deep, 7 or more feet on the mountain above. Our trailer hut is built for this kind of snow, as is our tool shed (the blocky structure to left), but the past few winters have left me wondering why I'd spend the extra time and money for stronger structures. This winter offers the explanation. February and March are usually our biggest snow months, so this is just the beginning.
We did ski, but this trip was more about doing some maintenance on the solar system and making sure we kept on top of the shoveling. Quite a bit of avalanche danger from recent storms, hopefully the storm slab will settle out and the entire snowpack will start doing some bonding once warmer February temperatures set in. Been cold lately so the process is delayed.
Thanks Joe Risi and Blake Gordon for help with the shoveling!
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
