A weekend storm that started the evening of Friday, November 15, dumped up to two feet of snow at Colorado resorts, adding to an early season that has already seen above-average conditions, Colorado ski resorts reported.
The latest winter weather system to move through Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) left up to two feet of snow at some resorts, and most resorts reported double digit snowfall amounts. Winter Park, which just opened for the season last week, welcomed the brunt of the storm with 22 inches of new snow over the weekend. Monarch Mountain, in the central part of the state, enjoyed 17 inches from the storm and as a result will open for the season on Saturday, November 23.
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Wolf Creek, open daily for the season with nearly 100 percent of their terrain open, reported 16 inches of new snow after the storm. Also with 16 new inches, Aspen/Snowmass celebrated Aspen Mountain’s early opening last Saturday. Aspen Mountain is closed during the week and will reopen daily on Saturday, November 23 along with Snowmass. Both mountains were originally scheduled to open on Thanksgiving Day. Together with Wolf Creek and Aspen/Snowmass, Crested Butte also saw 16 inches from the storm. Crested Butte is planning to open for the season on Wednesday November 27 and will offer free skiing to all who come on that day.
Home of the US Ski Team Speed Center where the US Ski Team is currently training, and where guests have been skiing and riding since November 1, Copper Mountain benefited from 13 inches over the weekend. Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort piled up 12 new inches of snow while Telluride and Steamboat both amassed 11 inches. Purgatory will open on November 29, Telluride on November 28, and Steamboat on November 27.
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Loveland, already open longer than a month, saw 9.5 inches out of the storm and therefore opened additional terrain. The first resort in North America to open for the season was Arapahoe Basin back on October 13 and they profited from the storm with 9 new inches. On the Western Slope, Sunlight Mountain gained 8 inches and is planning to open on December 6.