Steamboat’s first snow - Our Predictions

Last year's first snow was September 21

Like a child on Christmas morning, the season’s first snow holds a magical feeling. Especially in a ski town it signifies that ski season is just around the corner!

Although we are experiencing a beautiful “Indian Summer” this September, Colorado is notorious for dramatic shifts in weather. We’ll be biking in shorts one day, and shoveling snow the next.

Sometime in the next 62 days the snow will start flying. Yes, the mountain opens in 62 days! Watch the countdown to opening day on the Moving Mountains website’s homepage. To keep things interesting, we have established a “First Snowfall Pool” to get the Moving Mountains team and you excited for the upcoming season. Here are our guesses:

ROBIN (owner) - October 1st - 4″
HEATHER (owner, executive chef, Robin’s better half) -  October 7th - 1.5″
ELISABETH (reservations manager) -  October 19th - 3″
ALEX (guest services manager) - October 22nd - 1″
DONNA (operations manager) -  October 10th - 2″
JIM (maintenance manager) - October 2nd - 3″
CONNOR (web developer) -  October 14th - 2″
ADDISON (administrative assistant) -  October 26th - 2″
TAMMY (accounting manager) -  October 16th - a trace
RILEY (yours truly, marketing & communications manager) -  September 29th - 4″

Snowing and Steamboat bound!

September and October are fair game for the first snow. In fact, a few times October has produced A LOT of snow. Last year our first snow fell on September 21st. In 2007, Steamboat’s record breaking year with 489 inches, it snowed 17 inches in the month of October starting on the 1st with 4″ (hey, that’s Robin’s prediction -  and he didn’t even know that fact). In 2006, the first snow fell on September 16 and the ski area recorded a total of 27″ for the month of October. Way back in 1996/97, Steamboat’s second snowiest year on record, it snowed 26.5″ in October.

Since this year is a La Niña year, it’s going to be cold and wet, the question is when?

My first fall here in Steamboat Springs was back in 1999 and I remember quite distinctly the season’s first snow came right in the middle of the Steamboat Brew Fest. Imagine jovial beer drinking ski bums already in their happy place toasting even more exuberantly as the snow flakes fell. The memory sticks in my mind because of that feeling you felt as a kid. With both our glasses and voices raised we a shared the joy for our common passion.

When do YOU think it’s going to snow? Wager your guess with a reply and THINK SNOW!