Steamboat Life: Invoking the Powder Clause

Steamboat locals are mountain weather gurus, combining data from NORAD, NASA, The Weather Channel and conversations overheard in slopeside bars to come up with their own unique interpretation of why they might not report for work until after 11:00am on any given day.  One thing is for sure, an epic powder day can change the way you see the world and with this comes a whole new set of rules in the game of life.

“Invoking the powder clause” is a sacred ritual that defines some of the many reasons to live in the mountains.  For some, lucky enough to have an employer who builds in a written or unwritten rule that if it snows 6 inches or more, it’s okay to show up to work late.  This means pure unbridled guilt-free pleasure on an epic powder morning.  You return to work with a smile that will last all week and your employer achieves venerable status (for a few hours at least).  For others, who may not have such a flexible work arrangement, it could mean looking for another job when you get back from the mountain.  That’s a big decision in in the current economic climate - depending on just how deep the snow was that day.

For visitors to Steamboat “invoking the powder clause” means other things, such as late night negotiations with your spouse over who is taking the kids to ski school in the morning so that one of you can experience a champagne powder day.  (”At least once in your lifetime” is the recommended verbiage : delivered from the kneeling position).  Other social graces, such as waiting for your overweight brother-in-law at the end of each glee-filled powder run, are abandoned as the “no friends on a powder day” rule also comes into play, exempting you from being crossed off the Christmas Card list for the next five years.

Whatever your reason to be in Steamboat, if the stars are in alignment and you happen to hit a powder day it is likely to be memorable on all counts.  If you are a true die-hard early-bird you can experience “pressing glass” at the Gondola (pressing your face against the glass doors at the entrance to the Gondola building).  Conversations about where to go first, overheard your first few chairlifts of the day will be your best clue as to where the primo powder-stashes are to be found.  If you don’t get lucky I am here to tell you that on a big powder day there are few mistakes to be made about where to go first.  The biggest mistake would be to not be there.

Epic powder.  It’s a game changer for sure.